Mount Pleasant Farm is an exposed Pennine smallholding cared for by Sara Steeles-Yates. It can be wet and wild up there, but the stunning scenery makes up for the challenging growing conditions. Sara and her family have been custodians of the land for 20 years; they have managed it using permaculture ethics and principles since 2006. They want Mount Pleasant Farm to be a place to experiment with growing methods while increasing biodiversity by creating an abundance of habitats. The land is home to many rare waxcap fungi and is carefully managed to conserve this precious grassland habitat. An orchard and a veg plot provide some food, admirably built on an area that had less than 1cm of topsoil before a lot of mulching and feeding. Two years ago, the sight of the first molehill was celebrated – moles mean juicy worms and living soil. They run annual ‘Bio-Blitz’ days to encourage participation. Whether it be rummaging for dung beetles, pond dipping or listening to the dawn chorus, there is always something at Mount Pleasant to instil awe and wonder.
Irene Triffitt grew up in the Philippines where her father grew the food for her family in his garden. Now in the UK, Irene is repeating history.
From figs to tomatoes, Wesley Burton loves growing delicious and nutritious fruits on his allotment and inside the controlled environment of his polytunnel.
Pennine weather patterns can be wild, but you can’t beat the gorgeous scenery at Mount Pleasant Farm! This permaculture smallholding has much to offer.
Community and biodiversity blossom at the Redacre Growing Project, an allotment cooperative dedicated to growing with nature in mind.
You can definitely achieve big yields in small spaces! There are several things you can do to boost productivity in the grow room. Get started with our guide.
Urban food gardeners, rejoice! You can still grow your own food in small spaces. Anne Gibson offers tips and tricks for squeezing plants into tight areas.
It’s small-scale food production following permaculture practices and can be done almost anywhere. Jennifer Cole explains the many benefits of food forests.
