The garden at South Farm is very much the sum of team effort, skills, enthusiasm and a lot of hard work. Garden team photo above from left to right: Bart, Simon, Andy, Stuart & Philip.
Our neighbour Simon Saggers has been the brains and expertise behind the organic farm for nearly five years. His ideas have been ably implemented by the South Farm Grower, Bart Gunarawedena, on an increasingly large scale. Between them they fed nearly 20,000 visitors in 2010 with the ultimate in seasonal, fresh and delicious food. They are helped by nearly everyone else on site with weeding, planting and cropping when other duties allow.
Our flower gardens have been expanded and transformed over the last two years by our Garden Designer, Stuart Bennett. He plans, plants and supervises the management of his enchanting new schemes with the very able assistance of head gardener Andy.
The whole team are now focused on transforming our new acreage from chemical prairie farm to sustainable husbandry and a heritage arboretum for the enjoyment of our customers, their children and grandchildren. It takes time and effort; thanks to our customer support we have the wonderful opportunity to attempt it.
This blog, coordinated by Ria Mishaal Cooke, is designed to document the development of the gardens throughout the year and to provide a building resource of all the work that the Garden Team do that makes South Farm unique.
Team Profiles
Simon Saggers is the proprietor of Guilden Gate organic smallholding in the neighbouring village of Bassingbourn (www.guildengate.co.uk). He established the five acre smallholding from scratch; building an eco-house, planting a woodland, erecting a wind turbine, sowing a wildflower meadow and laying out vegetable and herbs fields. Guilden Gate is home to Simon and his family from where he runs a local veggie box scheme, vocational courses in vegetable husbandry and rural skills and offers guided tours of the smallholding. Simon has been involved in all aspects of the South Farm smallholding since the ‘blank canvas’ stage in 2007. Working with Philip, Simon has designed the smallholding landscape as it has evolved over the last 4 years and is responsible for the annual rotation and planting plans. Simon spends every Tuesday at South Farm working with the garden team and planning the week ahead.
Bart: From the beginning food has been a great source of enjoyment and fulfilment. My earliest memories consist of making blackberry ice cream, growing courgettes and potatoes and a little later in life deciding a fresh carrot was as good as candy. An early career as a chef turned out to be a very tiring way to support myself though university. After completing a degree in social anthropology I developed an interest in the relationship between agriculture and our society. South Farm harks back to the end of the agricultural revolution and offers an exciting starting point for the next one.
Andy: Before working at South Farm I worked as a manager of a busy warehouse. South Farm has enabled me to be a part of a flourishing garden environment where the changing seasons mean there is always plenty to do.
The variety of planting schemes mean my days are always interesting and rewarding. My favourite area of the garden is the Summer House which is the focal point for outside weddings as this is the most dramatic area to work in.
Stuart is a plantsman, having spent 15 years purchasing plants for the garden centre industry, he then returned to his studies to undertake a post graduate diploma in Garden and Landscape design at The Oxford School of Garden Design. Having trained full time for a year with Duncan Heather Stuart then started his own garden design practise (www.stuartbennettgardendesigns.co.uk).
Stuart has followed his design ethos to create individual, sensitive designs that link the house and garden while still relating to the surrounding landscape. At South Farm he has been responsible for designing the winter gardens, new sun terrace, herb and vegetable gardens and along with the rest of the garden team is currently planning and designing the land extensions for 2010/2011 which will include an arboretum, orchards, nuttery, new pond and planting scheme.
Philip: The restoration of barren plough to a place of beauty and utility has been the greatest reward of 37 years stewardship. As a young Vet, in love with natural history, I scarcely imagined that the happiness of others celebrating the most important days of their lives would realise my dream, to save our ancient buildings, bring back the wildlife, employment, beauty and purpose to this lovely old place. Increasingly the gardens reflect the fulfilment of those hopes.
Ria Mishaal Cooke: I am a photographer and an academic, thrilled by the natural world and capturing light. I am delighted to be one of South Farm’s recommended wedding photographers since October 2010, and have undertaken the exciting role of managing this new blog. South Farm has such beauty to its flower gardens and the bountiful vegetable gardens are such an inspiration.
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