Changing from ordinary growing methods to Certified Organic ones wasn’t really an issue for us as we hadn’t really grown anything before, apart from the odd spud. We subscribe to the idea of why take the easy route when a more difficult one is there, right in front of you? We also seem to stick to the, “I can do that!” philosophy, too.

We were already buying Organic food and had discovered what Certified Organic actually means. The National Standards say that the basic principles are “to achieve optimum quantities of produce and food of high nutritional quality without the use of artificial fertilizers or synthetic chemicals”. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? I am here to tell you, Ladies and Gentlemen, that it ain’t! As a general rule of thumb, I would say that everything takes three times as long to achieve as you thought. Enjoy the journey, not just arriving, because travel broadens the mind and you don’t always end up where you thought you were going, -got that?

No sooner had we decided to buy a piece of land than we were applying for Organic Certification. It takes three years to get through the entire process. We realized quite early on that the term organic can be used by growers to describe their produce because they "don't put anything on it". Certified Organic becomes a lifestyle where even the inputs to the compost heap are vital -my compost is my pride & joy. My other half has been known to call it black gold!

I could go on about the challenges, insects which descend in plague proportions, etc., but I would rather emphasize the pleasure we derived from sending our first 10kg box of produce to market, and the lovely reaction from the wholesaler. I sell produce we grow, and it’s great to hear a customer say, “Now that’s what a tomato is supposed to taste like!” I hear these comments all the time about the produce on the truck, “My Mum says that’s what grapes tasted like when she was young!” is another one.

BUSINESS BEGINNINGS

We began with boxes, people would ring with orders, I would send for the produce, fill boxes and out it would go. It was a nightmare! The produce would turn up and some of the bananas would be black. Eventually the other half said to put it all on the back of the truck and let people pick what they wanted. What a brainwave! We had just bought a new truck for the farm, so I commandeered it and off I went! I carry quite a wide selection of produce, including items for the larder, -rice, sugar, sauces and jams, I can even get hold of local Certified Organic coffee.

You will be pleased to know that gone are the days when organic food looked, you know, ORGANIC. It was knobbly, sometimes grey and sad, and there wasn't much of it, thank goodness. We still get the odd bad hair day, a slug on the lettuce, for example, but it is an organic slug!!!