Sustainable, Seasonal Veg at Cardiff Farmers Markets
Knowing which fruit or veg is in season can help you shop in a way that is better for the local economy (supporting local farmers) - and will probably make your meals taste better too.
Eating seasonal produce, grown in the UK, is also more sustainable; instead shipping or flying produce around the world, we can eat food grown locally that has a much lower carbon footprint.
Bulk-buying fruit and veg when it's in season and there may be a glut could also help you save money - you can try batch cooking and freezing meals to be enjoyed at a later date.
To find out more about what it’s like to grow local, sustainable veg in South Wales, we caught up with Rhiannon, Assistant Grower at Coed Organic.
“Our growing project began around 2007, initially called Riverside Market Garden. We have been a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, and Soil Association certified organic, from the beginning. In 2018 we restructured, and became Coed Organic - a Workers' Co-operative. We are located just outside St Hilary in the Vale of Glamorgan. We grow a wide range of seasonal vegetables to strict organic standards, certified by the Soil Association, on around 6.5 acres, with approximately 400m2 of poly-tunnel space.
We operate a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, offering a share of the harvest and sharing the risks and rewards with our members, who sign up to our veg bag scheme. We supply three sizes of veg bag, and to help with meal planning and other shopping, an update from the field and predicted contents list is emailed to all CSA members the Thursday prior to collection/delivery the following Tuesday/Wednesday.
We also sell our vegetables at Riverside Farmers Market on Sundays from June until December. Over the next few weeks at the markets, you can expect us to be offering up a wide range of locally-grown produce, including Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbage, Celeriac, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Fennel, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Parsley, Red onions, Romanesco, Spinach, Spring onions and Squash.
In addition, we supply vegetables to the socially conscious, vegan cafe Wild Thing in Cathays, Cardiff.”
For us, sustainability is paramount.
“This means we are 100% organic, and aim to look after our soil so that it will be as healthy for future generations as it is for us. We also practice stock-free growing, using no farm animal manure on our field. This is partly as we do not have any livestock (so would have to bring in manure) but also, in this world where food derived from animals needs to be reduced, we believe passionately in finding ways to grow food that is not dependent on animal agriculture - as well as not dependent on chemical pesticides or fertilisers. We seek to minimise our use of single use plastics, and of fuel inputs. Although we do use tractors, as little as possible, we do have a solar powered cold store.
There are currently just two of us employed part-time to sow, grow, harvest and sell our veg, as well as to undertake all the administrative and finance tasks relating to the business, and we usually have a Trainee Grower with us from May until September.
Head Grower Scott has been growing for 18 years and working this land for the last 6. Initially working on a Biodynamic farm for 4 years, and studying Biodynamic methods and theory with the farmer who had previously been the chair of the Biodynamic Association, he then spent 9 years on a 25 acre organic market garden. Scott came here to put his stock-free growing methods and beliefs in to practice.
Assistant Grower Rhiannon has come to believe that whatever the question, organic local veg is the answer, so started volunteering at her local CSA in 2021 - and grabbed at the chance when offered a job at Coed Organic in 2022.”
You can find Coed Organic at Riverside Market every Sunday 10am - 2pm, from June until December.