We love to hear a veg farm success story. This is the story (from Telegraph.co.uk) of Fern Verrow, an English farm that started small and is now the supplier of vegetables to posh eateries in London.
The moral of the story? Stick to your principles and keep perfecting whatever it is that you love doing most. Good things will flow.
Fern Verrow
Sixteen acres of Herefordshire countryside are home to Jane Scotter and Harry Astley.
Their produce is legendary, praised by food guru Nigel Slater and supplied to London’s best food markets and some of its top restaurants.
It began twenty years ago, when Jane moved to Fern Verrow.
“I just wanted to be self-sufficient, perhaps sell some produce, but things took off,” Jane says.
Later, Harry joined her and their business and personal partnership grew.
The farm began supplying well-known restaurants and specialist markets.
In 2014 they began supplying cult restaurant, Spring, with almost all of its produce. Jane and Harry were initially hesitant but the partnership has been successful.
Now we are known for what we do because we insist that everything is perfect.
“The chef at Spring, Skye Gingell, bases her menus around our produce rather than imposing a wish list on us,” says Jane.
They deliver twice a week to the restaurant, and two days prior, Harry makes a list of what’s in its prime: “In spring, this might be 25 ingredients, perhaps four times that in summer’s peak, and back to about 60 now.”
“The chef then writes her menus, and we harvest based on them, “ adds Jane. “For us, it’s a fine feeling to know when you’re harvesting what it’ll become a few hours later.”
Fern Verrow is farmed biodynamically, using organic principles and a spiritual sensitivity to growing.
“Now we are known for what we do because we insist that everything is perfect. The quality is superb, it is always perfectly fresh, full of vitality and beautifully displayed.”
Well done, great little farm.
