Planting, Prep & Patience

Onions are going in this week – and in volume. We’re planting a full acre and a half this season, with a mix of new varieties alongside old favourites. After a few early battles with the planter (and a fair bit of negotiation with the planter gods), we’re now finding our rhythm. About half should be in the ground this week, with the rest close behind.

Across the farm, we're in full reset mode. Fields are being cleared, irrigation is going in, and winter infrastructure – nets, sandbags, the lot – is being packed away so we can properly prep for the months ahead. At the same time, we’re sowing green manures to restore and feed the soil where earlier crops have finished.

Inside the tunnels, everything is happening at once. All the tomatoes are now in the ground – a milestone we always look forward to – but they come with a heavy workload. Every plant needs stringing and pruning, and we’re working through it steadily.

Alongside them, cucumbers are being trained up, peppers are going in thick and fast, with aubergines and chillies next in line. We’re not entirely sure how it’s all getting done this week – but it is!

The farm feels incredibly alive at the moment – birdsong everywhere, wildlife moving through the fields – but it’s also very dry. We’ve had a touch of rain, but not nearly enough. This dry, warm spell has pushed many of our spring crops to bolt early, which means we’re currently in what’s often called the hunger gap: a moment of intense work on the farm, but with relatively little produce coming through.

That said, signs of abundance are building. The tomatoes are flowering, tiny aubergines and courgettes are forming, and the cucumbers are setting fruit, so we’re just a few weeks away from things really opening up again.