The phrase "farm to fork" is bandied about with increasing regularity when talking about food. And even more so as we become more and more concerned about issues like air miles, sustainability, food provenance and fair working conditions since the farm to fork school of thought is centred around creating a sustainable food system, and understanding every stage that has been involved in the production of what we are eating.

With egg-laying chickens, rare breed livestock producing meat, fruit trees and veg beds, bee hives, a farm shop, and now a kitchen also under construction, The Good Life Projects, based at Rock Farm, just outside Shepton Mallet, is the absolute embodiment of the farm to fork ethos.

The project was started by Craig Stevens, who is passionate about making people understand where their food comes from. Although, when he first set foot on Rock Farm, the idea of creating something like The Good Life Projects had barely crossed his mind.

"When I turned 15 I got my own allotment," he says. "I was living in Nottingham at the time, and I started breeding ducks and chickens.

"Then when I was in my late 20s I became a pet sitter and a dog groomer, so although I was working with animals, I was very much concentrating on dogs.

"When I moved to Somerset I had to sell everything, and I didn't have my business any more. I got a job in an office, because that's all there was, and I got really depressed.

"Three-and-a-half years ago I put a post on Facebook asking if anyone had any land I could rent as I wanted to try getting into farming. Gavin and Erica (who own Rock Farm) got in touch, and I came and had a look. A week later I bought nine sheep (even though I had never taken care of sheep before!) and it has all gone from there.

"I never intended to have a farm shop or anything, but The Good Life Projects is developing in its own way, and that's what makes it special I think."

And although Craig hasn't quite managed to emulate Tom Good from The Good Life and quit his office job completely, he is spending increasing amounts of time on the farm, growing and developing the project.

"We teach about food production, and where food comes from," says Criag.  "That's where it all started really back in 2015 when we did some children's workshops in 2015 with children at Croscombe School because we had a small allotment behind the school. In the first session, the children asked me if I grew all the food for Tesco, and it became obvious that none of them knew where food came from. It was shocking.

"So throughout the summer holidays we put together workshops for kids aged 7-11, and we still run these. We show them how to look after animals and grow vegetables, we talk about composting, and do hikes and outdoor cooking – that sort of thing.

"In October we changed the company to a CiC because we could see the mental health benefits of these workshops and we wanted to roll it out to different age groups. This summer we are hoping to do them for 11-16-year-olds which will be more focused on farming. We are also hoping to turn the farm into an education farm for young people with disabilities – they can learn to cook in the new kitchen, they can look after the animals, they can harvest some vegetables, or they can just sit and be and enjoy the surroundings."

The new kitchen is a work in progress, and when it is complete it will be used to deliver cookery classes. "The aim is that we will be able to use the food we produce for the cookery classes," says Craig. "My vision is that people will come at the start of the growing season and plant the seeds, then they can come back and see them growing and help look after them, then harvest them, then cook them and taste them. I want them to see the whole process. It's the whole process that is important to me."

The kitchen will also be used as a venue for foodie events such as cheese and wine nights, and Craig also hopes that the local community will come and use the space.

As well as workshops, The Good Life Projects runs a number of food "clubs" – including an egg club, bread club and breakfast and dinner clubs – which offer regular deliveries of locally produced food. The farm shop stocks food from local producers too, and Craig is keen to champion the local food scene.

"I've heard people say there isn't any good food in Shepton Mallet," he says. "But that's not true. There is some really good local food here, and I want to help celebrate it."