What we do
Grow food
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Build community
Agroecological farming
Down Farm is a social enterprise. We are an organic market garden and community hub situated just outside of Winkleigh, North Devon. We grow fantastic vegetables, salads, herbs & fruits, using only hand tools. Our aim is to grow produce that benefits us, our wildlife the soil and our community.
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We grow using the "no-dig" method meaning we do not invert the soil. We preserve the soil structure by adding compost every year to the top of our growing beds, helping the soil life flourish. A happy soil lets us grow produce that is full of goodness and bags of flavour.
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Our food is for our community. All our produce is eaten within a 30 mile radius of the farm. We invite our community to be a part of the farm, joining us for events and volunteering at the farm. Keep an eye on our events page for this year's happenings.
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Down On the Farm: One Acre
How to buy
Down Farm market garden occupies just 3 acres of the total 90 acre farm, the rest being used for pasture, rearing cattle and growing silage. Actual cultivated land is no more than half an acre.
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Henry has been working on organic farms across the South West since graduating from Brighton University in 2011, including completing the Soil Association‘s Future Growers apprenticeship scheme at Daylesford Organics.
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Olivia studied at Sussex University, and later at King’s College London, specialising in Environmental Politics and Economics and then went on to qualify in Practical Horticulture at urban growing projects in London, Stepney City Farm and Walworth Garden Farm. Whilst in London Liv was working in various sustainability organisations that specialise in waste management including food redistribution charity FareShare.
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Together in 2015 – 2016 we went working/wwoofing on farms in the UK and Australia learning about everything from commercial scale fruit production, small scale fruit picking, creating permaculture systems on marginal land, to using permaculture to transform bush land into a profitable business.
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Now we are in Winkleigh Devon and are running our own organic market garden: Down Farm.
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Rosie Smerdon works with us 1 day a week, helping keep our ship afloat. She has worked with us since 2019 after working at School Farm CSA (South Devon) for 3 seasons. Colette Schmid works with us 1 day a week packing customers veg orders and delivering it to their doors. We couldn't do it without them!
Contact
Down Farm
Winkleigh
Devon
EX198DN
Liv: 07739892488
Henry: 07874118386
company registration: 10781266
organic certification: AB25939 GB-ORG-05
view our organic certification here
We are proud members of the Land Workers' Alliance. The LWA is an organisation of farmers, growers and land-based workers. that work to overcome the obstacles facing us by campaigning for policies to support the infrastructure and markets central to our members livelihoods, building alliances and encouraging solidarity.
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The LWA also raise awareness of the role that small-scale producers, family farmers and land-based workers play in providing food security, environmental stewardship, rural livelihoods, strong communities, animal welfare and high-quality affordable food. Please support the LWA to help producers like Down Farm continue our work