We are incredibly proud to have been named this year’s winner of the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group Cornwall Otter Award! For us, this award feels particularly special because it recognises not just what we produce, but the way we have chosen to farm. As new entrants, we have spent the past ten years building […]
Real Food Garden wins the FWAG Cornwall Otter Award Read More »
There’s a particular kind of hush at this time of year, that quiet, expectant pause between the stark stillness of winter and the first rush of green that heralds spring. In the Pagan calendar, this is Imbolc: a celebration of light returning, the stirrings of new life beneath the soil, and a gentle reminder that
Spring, New Beginnings, and Strong Foundations at Real Food Garden Read More »
By Amelia Lake This year, more than ever, we’ve felt the value of trees in our landscapes. The exceptionally dry summer has turned grasses brittle and left livestock searching for shade and browse. In moments like these, we at Real Food Garden have been deeply grateful for our agroforestry system. But for us, this isn’t
Agroforestry for the More Beautiful World We Know Is Possible Read More »
Blog takeover: Sunny, 2025 Trainee Hi I’m Sunny, one of this year’s trainees at the Real Food Garden. During my time here my love of growing, and passion for our native wildlife have blended seamlessly together. I’ve been really lucky in that I’ve had the opportunity to do some surveying for some reptiles and amphibians
The cold blooded champions of the Real Food Garden Read More »
Water is always a precious resource on a small farm, but this summer it’s front and centre in everything we do. As the heat intensifies, we’re working harder than ever to keep crops thriving while using water wisely. A Season of Contrasts After last year’s cold, wet spring, when beds stayed soggy for weeks and
Weathering the heat: Water Management at Real Food Garden Read More »
As soon as we secured our second field and brought in our first pigs we saw an opportunity to grow wildflowers. Over the years, we’ve experimented with various seed mixes, especially from Cotswold Seeds, and found that choosing the right mix for your soil and conditions is key. Annuals One of our favourites is the
Wildflowers: A Burst of Beauty and Birdlife Read More »
At Real Food Garden, we never set out to be pig farmers. In fact, both of us were once committed vegetarians, driven by environmental and ethical concerns around industrial meat production. So when we started keeping pigs, it had to be on our own terms, with the goal of producing the highest-welfare, most environmentally beneficial
Pork with Purpose: How Our Pigs Help People, Planet, and Palate Read More »
After seven years without a proper break, we finally left the farm. It’s never easy. Anyone who’s run a farm business knows the deep tug of responsibility—plants to water, animals to feed, early mornings and endless lists. But this spring, we swapped boots for backpacks and flew to Montenegro for our first holiday away in
Montenegro: An Unexpected Homecoming Read More »
Offered by: The Real Food Garden, in partnership with the Apricot Centre Are you passionate about sustainable farming, ecological restoration, and building a career in agroecology? The Real Food Garden, in collaboration with the Apricot Centre, is thrilled to offer the Level 3 Traineeship in Regenerative Land-Based Systems: Agroecological Food & Farming. This hands-on, immersive
Nourishing People and Place From the outset the Real Food mission has been to ‘Nourish People and Place’. So it was a natural step for us to use livestock to improve places for wildlife. Since spring 2023 we have been using cattle and pigs to achieve conservation outcomes for landowners including Cornwall Wildlife Trust. We
Conservation Grazing Read More »
