The Organic Grower Podcast

OGA Podcast host Liv James visited Taw Valley Organics in North Devon, one of only a handful of certified organic ornamental plant nurseries in the UK. Although growing plants with nature should be the norm, what these guys are doing seems pioneering. Some of the exciting conversation Liv had with Liz, Dave and Sam included:Growing without pesticides, chemical fertilisers and peatReducing plastic use by using cardboard pots to sell their plantsHow they sell their plantsDiversifying their business to include art exhibitions, farm tours, workshops and moreOrnamental plants being a luxury product versus vegetables being an everyday product and the mindset difference in customersNot watering their stock garden (ever) and seeing how their plants faired in the 2026 droughtTaw Valley Organic growers are aiming for a closed loop system and it is more of this systems thinking approach to growing we need.  GuestsLiz, Dave and Sam - Taw Valley Organicshttps://www.tawvalleyorganics.com Episode chapters00:00 - Setting expectations for a live-recorded conversation 00:59 - Introducing Tall Valley Organics in North Devon 01:55 - Why the nursery was started in the first place 02:39 - How Dave joined the business and family links 03:29 - Liz and Sam's paths into plants and design 04:45 - Dave's horticulture background from allotments to landscape work 05:25 - Learning on the job versus formal horticulture training 06:38 - Why they chose organic certification 07:25 - Why ornamental horticulture should follow organic principles 08:00 - What organic nursery growing looks like day to day 08:42 - How the stock garden and mother plants support propagation 09:27 - The three-year ground period and organic plant status 10:41 - Why growing everything in-house matters for adaptation 11:14 - Selling plants at a better stage, not just in flower 12:27 - Why feeding style affects rooting and drought resilience 13:53 - How the summer drought affected watering and sales timing 15:23 - The changes they are planning for shade, routing, and watering 17:19 - Getting peat-free compost to rewet properly 18:14 - Sand beds and capillary watering for pots 19:24 - Plans for more outdoor beds and possible Efford sand beds 21:11 - Moving from plant fairs to open days and online sales 22:13 - Why online sales work well for small pots and plant info 23:58 - Diversifying with tea, coffee, events, and seasonal experiences 24:59 - Turning part of the barn into an art space 25:24 - A sold-out foraging course and seasonal education 26:59 - Best and worst performing plants in the heat 28:07 - Tough-love gardening and what the display garden revealed 29:22 - Early mistakes, water access, and how the nursery improved 30:24 - Knowing when to throw away unsold plants 32:50 - Rethinking how much covered space the nursery really needs 34:03 - Why it is still just the three of them on the nursery 34:27 - What happens to plants over winter 35:28 - Compost costs, buying in peat-free mix, and the closed-loop dream 38:19 - Winter slowdown, admin work, and seasonal planning 39:44 - The difference between selling vegetables and ornamental plants 41:57 - Using vegetables and orchard produce for value-added products 42:57 - The VED-1 visit payment and the challenge of getting groups on site 44:45 - Why uptake is difficult and how word of mouth helps 46:28 - Selling plants in cardboard pots instead of plastic 48:13 - Why the cardboard system costs more but feels right 49:05 - Keeping prices competitive while still being organic and plastic free 49:47 - Why the organic USP matters most online 50:38 - Closing thoughts on the business and what the episode coveredThis podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.Liv James is taking the reins from James Butterworth as host in 2026. Liv has been a grower for 10 years mainly at Down Farm Market Garden in Devon and is now a storyteller at Soil Association. Alongside this Liv is a plant nut, wordsmith, music lover, life enthusiast, surfer and Mum. 

In this episode, OGPod host Liv James revisits East Neuk Market Garden to explore their journey over two years of merging farms, scaling up production, seed saving, soil health, and adapting to climate challenges in Scotland.GuestsTom BoothConnie HunterNat Dixon Chapters00:00Introduction to East Nuke Market Garden and Liv James02:11Background of the farm and initial farm merging06:10The first year of farm collaboration and shared vision08:03Transition from two farms to one site11:54Scaling up production and crop diversification15:54Decision-making, roles, and teamwork in farm management20:05Seed saving practices and crop stewardship25:47Crop performance and crop-specific insights30:11Soil health, testing results, and amendments34:03Climate challenges and water management45:10Reflections on farm success, challenges, and future plansMusic licensed through Soundstripe.Code: O1QORQQUTZEZ7LOF, NCXAYLOD0RN3L9C9This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.Liv James is taking the reins from James Butterworth as host in 2026. Liv has been a grower for 10 years mainly at Down Farm Market Garden in Devon and is now a storyteller at Soil Association. Alongside this Liv is a plant nut, wordsmith, music lover, life enthusiast, surfer and Mum. 

Show summaryIn this episode, OGPod host Liv James interviews from Groundswell Agricultural festival. Guests include Anne Rees, Head of Horticulture at the Soil Association, Michael Kennard, founder at Compost Club and Rebecca (Bee) Laughton, Horticulture Campaign Coordinator  at Landworkers' Alliance. The interviews cover the importance of organic farming, land access, and the role of horticulture in regenerative agriculture. They explore innovative land-sharing models, market gardens, and the significance of local produce. Bee Laughton gives an update on the current horticulture policy landscape and the hopes for the future within an ever evolving political world. Michael Kennard dives in to compost; why it is important, what makes good compost and the science behind it. GuestsAnne ReesAnne Rees | LinkedInInstagramMichael KennardInstagramRebecca LaughtonInstagramResourcesSoil Association - https://www.soilassociation.org/Groundswell Festival - https://groundswell.org.uk/Landmatch England - https://landmatchengland.org/Organic Growers Alliance - https://organicgrowersalliance.co.uk/Landworkers Alliance - Landworkers' AllianceThis podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

The Organic Growers Alliance Podcast is BACK! Join new host Liv James for a deep dive in to all things growing in the horticulture sector. Nerdy natters into growing operations from growers across the UK plus more about the people in growing...what's it like to be a UK grower in 2026? If you are grower with a story, we want to hear it. Get in touch podcast@organicgrowersalliance.co.ukFollow us on Instagram @organicgrowersalliance Support our Patreon page to keep this podcast going: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast More info visit our website: https://organicgrowersalliance.co.uk/This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.Your host Liv James has been a grower for 10 years mainly at Down Farm Market Garden in Devon and is now a storyteller at Soil Association. Alongside this Liv is a plant nut, wordsmith, music lover, life enthusiast, surfer and Mum. @LivJamesThis podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In this episode, James goes back into the archives to find some of the best deep dives on growing specific crops. This one features radicchio, herbs, celtuce, leeks, peas and beetroot. Whether you're sowing in the greenhouse, harvesting outside or driving around, there's plenty of growers and wisdom to keep you company in this one. So let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In this episode, James responds to listeners questions about running a plant sale as an add-on to a vegetable growing enterprise, based on his experience of developing a profitable plant sale enterprise at Cotswold Market Garden/Conygree Farm. What are the best flower varieties to try and what perennials can you sow in the spring? What if you have limited greenhouse space? What if your site isn't suitable for holding events - how else could you sell plants? What are the labour requirements prior to the plant sale itself? Is one-day enough, a weekend or all spring long? This is a follow-up episode to episode 24 where James dives deep into 5 reasons you should consider running a plant sale and 10 tips for success.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In today's episode, I talk to Dan Betterton of The Kitchen Garden People, based at FarmEd, Oxfordshire. Dan shares the challenges and advantages of operating within a mixed farm environment, the ins and outs of their community-supported agriculture (CSA) scheme, and the pros and cons of growing a business slowly and organically. The conversation also touches on the significance of volunteers, finding value beyond the financial, using caterpillar tunnels and lining up crop plans with sales. Towards the end we also discuss squash failures, strawberry successes and looking after your back. So let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

James is in a reflective mood, offering up a review of the season just gone...the highs and lows, lessons learned, and areas for improvement. Hopefully you find it useful and  can use it as a springboard to think about things wherever you are growing.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In today's episode, I am delighted to share my conversation with Jamie Carr from Blacklands Organics in Oxfordshire. We chat about the pros and cons of taking on land already used for organic veg production, developing a library of field-scale machinery and adapting crop plans to new market streams. A large chunk of the podcast focusses on how Jamie has fostered a skilled and dedicated team, based on principles of delegation, cross-training across tasks and roles and allowing employees space to develop their own ideas and learn from their mistakes. We delve deep into growing chard in the field and aubergines in the polytunnels and finish up with some brilliant advice about the importance of keeping going through the season, maintaining and optimising crop performance after the spring and summer sprint. It was really useful for me to hear about what Jamie and his team have developed at Blacklands and has given me loads of ideas to think about over winter. I am confident you will feel the same, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In today's episode I'm delighted to share with you my conversation with Jez Taylor, Head Grower at the famous Daylesford Organic in Gloucestershire. It is a wide ranging conversation where you'll get a sense of the rather atypical scale and complexity of the wider farm business. According to Jez, the market garden is ‘the jewel in the crown' of Daylesford. Jez manages the 34 acres of organic horticulture with a team of 8 plus a few more in the main season. We discuss the seasonal flow of produce with 14 different ‘in-house' customers and the bias towards growing for chefs. Jez talks about managing a large team in the context of a highly diversified operation. We delve deep into weed management from using a treffler tine weeder to the art of hand weeding, as well as growing plentiful leeks and rocket. Towards the end, Jez reflects on how he would approach growing differently if he were on a smaller scale. I will warn you that Jez was recording on site so there is some background noise, as well as Jez's noisy elbows. But, as ever, even though we only really scratched the surface, there's so much food for thought that you can take into winter where I hope you will have more time to reflect on your own growing journeys.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

I speak with Sinead Fenton of Aweside Farm about the the inspiring job she has done in building a business around organic edible flowers. We get into all the nitty gritty of production methods, market development and the various changes that happened to get the business to where it is now.In the latter part of our conversation, and I think this section will be of real importance to the sector as a whole, we discuss Sinead's (and my own!) recent health struggles and how this affects the business.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

So today, I thought I would share with you my 2025 spring review. What's gone well and what's gone less well? How are sales going? What's up, what's down?What are the top crops and why? What improvements can be made for this year and next? And, stay tuned to the end, to hear how our third annual spring plant sale went..So, plenty to talk about…let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In today's episode I speak to farmer, educator and my own business partner, Jonty Brunyee. As I was preparing to change careers 7 years ago, I approached Jonty and his wife, Mel, to see if there was scope for setting up a market garden here at Conygree Farm. To cut a long story short, we went into partnership and the rest is history! Inspired by Jonty and Mel, I have become evangelical about partnerships and I have been keen for a while to sit down with Jonty and get him talking. Anyway, we sat down last week, in between lambing, calving, harvesting, blow-drying the water pump and setting up for our big spring plant sale weekend. We talked about being enterprising, enterprise stacking and synergy, the ins and outs of joint ventures, partnerships and the importance of business planning. Jonty, as he says himself, is a big picture person and a people person. As well as running a successful farm business he has taught and inspired thousands of people - farmers and the general public alike, including at the Royal Agricultural University and at FarmEd. And hopefully there's lots in our conversation to inspire you today, so let's get to it. This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In this episode, James dives into the topic of protected cropping and share ideas to make the most of the space that you have in an organic system.  He talks about the role of protected cropping through the seasons, rotations, balancing long-season repeat-harvesting crops with quick-growing catch crops and the importance of aligning your crop plan with your sales plan. James also goes into detail about how you can underplant, intercrop and relay crop to maximise production and revenue undercover.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/

In today's episode, I speak to Ruth Hancock from Fresh and Green Vegetables in Devon. Ruth's business is 22 years old so she has a huge amount of experience of organic veg production as well as earning a living from doing it. In many ways, Ruth has kept things simple by developing a 75-strong veg box scheme that operates weekly through most of the season and fortnightly through the late winter and spring, minimising the need to buy in produce from elsewhere. We talk about lessons learned from running a veg box scheme over two decades both in terms of dealing with customers and growing the veg. Ruth has some important reflections on pricing and financial viability and the challenges that small-scale, organic growers can face when they under value themselves and the fruits of their labour. We end on another critical topic, which is looking after your body. Ruth is also a yoga instructor, which she sees as pivotal to her longevity as a grower and hopefully she might get you thinking about your body as your most important tool. So, let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In today's episode, I speaks to Michael Fitzsimmons of Cinderwood Market Garden in Cheshire. Michael is a breath of fresh air - incredibly open, honest and clear in his thinking. When I approached him I didn't know he was about to take a step back from growing so the conversation came at a really interesting point in time, full of food for thought for all of us as growers. Cinderwood is such an interesting case study of a market garden founded with one foot in the growing world - that's Michael - and one foot in the culinary world - that's his business partner, chef Joseph Otway. We talk about how the business has developed to cater for chefs, mostly in the Greater Manchester area, and all the opportunities and challenges that presents. Michael goes into detail about crop planning, logistics, communications and pricing, as well as a deep-dive into celtuce and onions and garlic production on a small scale. It's a really wonderful conversation and I'm really grateful to Michael for opening up about so many things, including how he thinks of himself as a weed - I love it. So, let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode, James shares his thoughts on running a successful plant sale. It's jam packed with tips and tricks for you to put into practice. Buckle up, reason number 1 to run a plant sale is...This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to George Bennett of Sandy Lane Farm. George came back to the family farm after a career in IT and has built something pretty special. We talk about going to scale and building a growing operation and sales infrastructure that allows them to run an extremely slick 400-strong veg box scheme and on-site farm shop. George discusses implementing and improving processes and systems throughout the farm, harnessing the natural environment as well as opportunities provided by data analysis and technology. We go into detail about Growing Good, a sales platform and software package that George co-founded. We also discuss the farm's social media, which really sets an example for the sector. George stresses the importance of delegation and talks about finding great people to make the machine work, even when he's not around. There is so much gold in this one, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to John McCormick of Helen's Bay Organic just outside Belfast. It was a real privilege to speak to John, who is entering his 34th year on the site. We speak about dealing with clay soils, particularly in spring and methods he's developed to get production going earlier. We discuss rotations, compost, green manures, weed control and John's large collection of machinery, which he uses to great effect. Our conversation also touches on business skills and the benefits of direct retailing and John shares his advice for keeping customers happy for the long term, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Edwin Brooks of Ed's Veg in Hampshire. Ed has a wide range of expertise but today the conversation focuses mainly on his year-round salad production. Ed and his team produce 150-200kg of mixed leaf salad a week, primarily for wholesale markets. We drill down into propagation, planting, varieties, irrigation, fertility, harvest schedules and techniques and much more. We also discuss the development of a field scale operation at a nearby site, which is helping to expand and diversify the enterprise. Towards the end, Ed also talks about his international work as a campaigner and activist with The Landworkers' Alliance and La Via Campesina. If you are thinking of honing or improving your salad growing this year then this conversation is an absolute must and even if you're not, Ed is full of interesting ideas, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Hamish Evans and Sammy Elmore of Middle Ground Growers on the edge of Bath. In four seasons, they have grown the business from nothing to a turnover of over £200,000. We discuss how they set their goals and worked backward from there to achieve their rapid scaling up. We touch on how they built up a 180-strong veg box scheme, the different production systems they have developed from small-scale no-dig to field scale mechanisation and the benefits of their collaborative farming model. There's a fascinating conversation about their hugely successful crowd-funder, which helped to finance the project. Towards the end we discuss the merits of their unexpected turn toward producing for national wholesale. If you wait until the end, Hamish also treats us to a poem about the soil. So let's get to it!This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to researcher, policy expert and campaigner, Bea Laughton. Much of the conversation focuses on her work for the Landworkers Alliance. We discuss the latest Horticulture Across Four Nations report, including addressing import substitution, increasing supply and consumption of UK-grown vegetables, price challenges and the true cost of production. We also discuss public sector procurement of organic veg, particularly attempts to get more organic veg into schools in Wales. We move onto identifying and overcoming the barriers to the growth of agroecology, matters of scale, including building appropriate skills, knowledge and funding for new entrants on medium and larger scales. Towards the end, we focus on the opportunities opening up in the current political context and what individual growers can do to effect change. There's so much food for thought to mull over here over Christmas, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Adam Payne of Awen Organics in Pembrokeshire. Adam is no novice and is now putting his experience to work in a relatively new venture in West Wales, where he has been leading in establishing a 25-acre organic veg farm from the ground up. We talk about the farm's long-term investments in infrastructure and machinery and attempts to scale the business quickly. We discuss developing a strong and diverse market, building a good team and designing efficient growing systems. We also discuss Adam's dreamy pack shed, delve deep into agretti growing and end on the topic of farming with young children. It's an inspirational story so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Jim Aplin of Hotchpotch Organics in Worcestershire. We talk about Jim's experience of developing a growing system with next to no infrastructure where crops moved every year as part of a much larger arable rotation. We discuss why Jim opted for a 4-wheel compact tractor over a 2-wheel tractor and how he developed spacings and techniques to suit. More recently, Jim has moved to a new site, now with buildings and protected cropping, and he talks about the challenges and lessons learnt. We also delve deep into squash production, markets and the importance of spring plant sales to his business. Towards the end we discuss Jim's involvement in the OGA (Organic Growers Alliance) of which he is a very eloquent advocate! This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Kate McEvoy from Real Seeds in Pembrokeshire. We talk about the gradual growth of the business over many years, growing seed for home gardeners, the importance of open-pollinated seed and incorporating seed growing into market gardens., We delve deep into growing peas and beans for seed, economics of seed vs veg, what you need to think about on top of actually growing seed when you run a seed business and the scope for more small-scale seed companies. Later on, Kate discusses her use of movable caterpillar tunnels with some really great tips so hang for that. I know lots of you will find this conversation really valuable so, let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Ed Hamer of Chagfood Community Market Garden in the Dartmoor National Park. CSAs or Community Supported Agriculture is very much the focus in this one. We talk about Ed's split growing site, leaning into the restrictive nature of the CSA model, dealing with and sharing risk, the importance and challenges of communicating with customers/members, the benefits of hard copy newsletters, member recruitment and retention, dealing with crop failures, surviving without cold storage and calculating value in CSA models. We also speak about Ed's recent travels around the US, where as part of a Churchill Fellowship, he visited 25 CSA farms to see how things compare across the pond and see what lessons could be brought back to the UK. Later on, we get into the nitty gritty of growing carrots and discuss how woodland coppicing has allowed Ed to integrate biochar and woodchip into the growing operation. Ed spells everything out with so much passion and with such clarity that I'm sure you'll find this one a joy to listen to, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Pete Dollimore, previously of Hankham Organics in Sussex and now an instructor at The Montesorri Place. Pete is an absolute fountain of knowledge, particularly about protected cropping, which is so important to many organic growers. At Hankham Organics, Pete oversaw production in 7000m2 of glasshouse - an incredible opportunity but one with an endless learning curve. We delve deep into irrigation systems, managing fertility, dealing with the peaks and troughs of production, timings, the hungry gap, tomatoes and more. Towards the end of the episode, Pete reflects on his more recent experience of running a small min-till market garden with the help of a few dozen teenage students at The Montesorri Place School. This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speak to Rita and Adam from Pitney Farm Market Garden in Somerset. Rita and Adam are fresh from winning Young Organic Grower of the Year and hopefully our conversation gives you a flavour of why. We talk about their decision to mechanise much of their operation and how this feeds into their goal of year-round production, direct wholesaling and growing as much food as possible while maintaining soil health and providing a livelihood. It's a very wide-ranging conversation with loads of nuggets and take-aways that I'm sure will give you lots of food for thought, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Jayne Arnold of Oxton Organics in Worcestershire. Oxton Organics has undergone a number of transformations over the years and James and Jayne discuss this, but the bulk of the conversation focuses on Jayne's experiments with green manures. Jayne talks about the benefits of green manures, establishment, undersowing, species selection and seed mixes, key dates and methods of termination. We also get onto Jayne's LWA-funded trials into bio-stimulants and her attempts to save seed that is adapted to her local conditions. It's a wonderful conversation with lots of ideas for things to be doing right now so, let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

James speaks to Alice Rixon a.k.a. The Veg Lady, based in Chettle, Dorset. We  really wanted to hear from someone at the start of their growing journey to talk through the challenges and thinking of starting out with their own horticultural business. Alice talks about how she is setting up the growing space (where she's combining polytunnels, market garden and field-scale from the get go), the things she's chosen to invest in early on, the particular arrangement she has with her landlady and the vibrant food and farming scene she is helping to build, long-term financial planning, trying to build a market and learning what it wants, her involvement in the Universal Basic Income for Farmers Campaign. She is passionate about the route she has taken and hopefully you get plenty of insights and inspiration from the conversation, so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

Back to today's episode, James speaks to Jean-Martin Fortier. And boy did we manage to pack a lot into this one. James ended up speaking to JM on his phone outside the packing shed at FQT farm so the sound isn't perfect but hopefully the content more than makes up for that. We talk about the limits and sweet spots of human-scale market gardening, training new-entrant growers to do the work required, a deep dive on profitability and running market gardens as businesses, the importance of markets and stimulating market demand, state-level support for farming and local food, his latest venture running a farm-to-table restaurant, small-scale resilience in the face of climate change, compost and a whole load more. JM has done a huge amount to inspire a generation of market gardeners and hopefully our chat gives a taste of that. So let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode James speaks to Connie Hunter and Tom Booth from East Neuk Market Garden. We talk about how they have developed their site and growing systems over the last 6 years, the particularities of their climate on the East Coast of Scotland, farming as a couple and their recent forays into collaborative farming with nearby business Falkland Kitchen Farm. There's also some top tips for dry-farming tomatoes and quick and easy pea supports. It's such a rewarding conversation with a couple who are doing great things so let's get to it. This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode James speaks to Laurence Jarrett-Kerr of Soul Farm. Laurence started the business 6 years ago and has grand plans for the years ahead. We chat about combining home-grown veg with bought in produce, managing costs and some deep thoughts on profitability and entrepreneurship. The perennial issue of scale also features prominently as we dig in to Laurence's plans to grow the business, having recently secured £350,000 of community investment. It's a thought provoking one for sure so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode James speaks to Rosanna Catterall and Signe Jensen from Knepp Market Garden. We discuss establishing a production horticulture enterprise in the middle of a substantial rewilding project, growing on heavy clay, aligning crop planning and sales, combining no-dig and min-till systems side by side, running a market garden as employees and Rosanna and Signe's top tips for growing beetroot and garlic. This one is jam packed with useful insights and experiences so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode, Jame speaks with Ashley Wheeler from Trill Farm Garden. Would you believe they have been going for 14 years now? We talk about how they have adapted their growing systems over that time, experimenting with field scale (although Ash questions whether that's the right term!), setting up a new veg box scheme as an established market garden, all things radicchio and Ash's reflections on the viability of small-scale growing in the current socio-economic context. Oh, and a bit about the importance of life beyond the farm, too. There's a ton to take away from this one so let's get to it.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode, James talks to Phil Sumption, a man of many hats (grower, researcher, adviser, writer and editor). We discuss how Phil got into organic horticulture, his portfolio of roles in the sector, his reflections on the history of organics over the last few decades, as well as the development of the Organic Growers Alliance and The Organic Grower magazine. Later on in the episode we talk about his new book The Organic Vegetable Grower, his take on new entrants, issues of scale, and the importance of making space for part-time growers. Phil has a unique birds-eye view of the sector and there's lots of ideas for you to wrap your brains around. So let's get to it.Phil's book, The Organic Vegetable Grower,  is published by The Crowood Press: https://www.crowood.com/products/organic-vegetable-grower-by-phil-sumptionPhil's website: https://www.philsumption-biocomms.comThis podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

Today, we have a wonderful conversation with Iain Tolhurst a.k.a Tolly of Tolhurst Organics. It's a long one but there are so many gems in here that I couldn't possibly leave any of them out. The whole point of this podcast is to share knowledge among growers so if it takes you a few bites of the apple to get the end then so be it - it will be worth it! We talk about many of the things Tolly is well-known for, including woodchip and green manures but I was also keen to get him talking about the other side of the coin, which is sales. We also discuss Tolly's longevity as an organic grower (nearing 50 years now) and his advice for new entrants. His perseverance shone through when he agreed to go ahead with the interview despite having a stinking cold. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

We have a belter of a conversation with Calixta Killander of Flourish Produce in Cambridgeshire. Calixta spent a number of years in the US, studying and growing before coming back to the UK to establish Flourish where they grow in the region of 35 acres of vegetables, all sold direct. And boy, has she gone far in a relatively short space of time. We talk about crop diversity, green manures, resting the land, working with restaurants, the importance and challenges of scaling the business, continual investment and improvements, and differences between growing in the US and the UK. It's inspiring stuff, so let's get to it.To learn more about Flourish Produce head to their website: https://www.flourishproduce.co.uk/This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become and member.More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In episode 2 of the Organic Grower Podcast, we hear from Kate Collyns, founder and grower at Grown Green in Wiltshire.Kate set up the business in 2010 following a two-year Soil Association Horticultural Apprenticeship and now grows a wide range of vegetables, herbs, salads and flowers for her local market. Kate always has something interesting to say and this conversation is no exception. We talk about taking on more land, buying a tractor, crowd-funding, juggling a wide range of crops for wholesale accounts, growing leeks and a whole lot more. There's a ton of great insights in this one, so sit back and tune in!More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast

In this episode James will be talking to Andy Dibben, head grower at Abbey Home Farm in Gloucestershire. Andy oversees an incredibly complex and well-honed system and manages to speak about it with clarity, passion, and honesty.This episode covers year-round crop production, growing in 1000sqm of glasshouse, cover crops, issues of scale, and Andy's top tips for growing parsnips and cauliflowers.More about Abbey Home Farm: https://www.theorganicfarmshop.co.uk/farm/More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/This project is part-funded by our podcast partner Ooooby, and our show sponsors ReAgTools, Vital Seeds, and the Biodynamic Agricultural College. We also rely on the generosity of listeners to keep this project going - if you like what you hear and want to hear more of it, please consider donating to our Patreon page on a monthly basis. Find out more here: https://www.patreon.com/TheOrganicGrowerPodcast