A visit to Trevelyan Farm
A couple of weeks ago, on a rather nondescript early Spring day, we paid a visit to Trevelyan Farm, just off the A394, a little beyond Rosudgeon. The Farm Shop, run by Tim, is well known, and well frequented, and sells produce that comes from the land behind the shop, where Greg and Iza can be found most days tending their few acres of outdoor beds and two poly tunnels.
A few years back, Greg and Iza gave up an urban lifestyle to try and earn a living from the land. Their search for some land to work led them to Trevelyan, where the land already had organic certification. Starting out with very little practical experience, and living in a small caravan, they’ve learned on the job, and now grow a huge variety of leafy vegetables, peas, beans, tomatoes, chillies, squash, courgettes, and more. And, we must add, the quality of their produce is impeccable.
One of the benefits of growing organically is clearly evident around the farm. The hedgerows are brimming with insect life, and the air is full of the sound of bird song. Surrounding the farm are a number of fields farmed in a conventional manner, used for cash crops such as cauliflowers or daffodils. Old hedges have been pulled up to create much larger fields, and the remaining hedges are trimmed back to leave arid zones with very little in the way of biodiversity. The contrast is stark.
Greg and Iza work exceptionally hard, with very little time off, but they wouldn’t change things – thankfully for us! Our aim of the coming months is to try and build our menus as much as possible around the produce that they can supply us with. By doing things this way around – letting the land dictate the menu – we aim to demonstrate what a sustainable way of eating looks, and tastes, like. Delicious, healthy, and better for biodiversity. Furthermore, we’ll also be putting money into the local economy, and directly into the hands of people who are genuinely out to make a positive difference.
Hats off to Greg and Iza!