OGPod Episode 26: Ruth Hancock and Fresh and Green Vegetables

In today’s episode, I speak to Ruth Hancock from Fresh and Green Vegetables in Devon. Ruth’s business is 22 years old so she has a huge amount of experience of organic veg production as well as earning a living from doing it. In many ways, Ruth has kept things simple by developing a 75-strong veg box scheme that operates weekly through most of the season and fortnightly through the late winter and spring, minimising the need to buy in produce from elsewhere. We talk about lessons learned from running a veg box scheme over two decades both in terms of dealing with customers and growing the veg. Ruth has some important reflections on pricing and financial viability and the challenges that small-scale, organic growers can face when they under value themselves and the fruits of their labour. We end on another critical topic, which is looking after your body. Ruth is also a yoga instructor, which she sees as pivotal to her longevity as a grower and hopefully she might get you thinking about your body as your most important tool. So, let’s get to it.

This podcast is brought to you by the Organic Growers Alliance, the UK's only grower-led organisation providing technical and practical advice and support on organic growing. For more information about the OGA head to www.organicgrowersalliance.co.uk and become a member.

More about James Butterworth and Cotswold Market Garden: https://www.cotswoldmarketgarden.co.uk/