Acres of Potential
Athene runs our market garden. She brings deep and varied growing experience and a whole lot of enthusiasm. We have a mix of permanent beds in a no-dig system, as well as some rotating blocks that are min-till, four polytunnels and tilled plots.
Our aim is to bring delicious, nutritious and affordable vegetables to the local community. We currently have a veg box scheme, sell to local restaurants & caterers and attend local markets, including the weekly Saturday Stroud Farmers’ Market.
Organic Certified Veg
We’ve been following organic farming principles from the very start and were awarded our Soil Association organic certification in May 2024.
Delicious and More Nutritious
The health of our soil is fundamental to the health of our planet and its inhabitants. In the short time we have been working the land, we have seen dramatic changes to the soil and the life below ground. We monitor the soil across the farm using Soilmentor and have seen real improvements including worm and microbe activity much deeper in the soil. Our aim is to grow seasonal, organic vegetables that are more delicious and nutritious.
No Dig
We follow no dig practices in some of our market garden. No dig is a low-impact growing system that has been created to work with nature and the biology of the soil to produce a high output of nutrient-rich crops. No dig is inspired by the way things work in the natural world, with a focus on developing and maintaining the health of the soil. If ground is not dug or ploughed, its good bacteria, fungi and amoeba naturally create a more nutrient-dense growing medium that encourages biodiversity. This helps the veg in our market garden to thrive but also creates a haven for birds, bees, beetles and other insects, and worms. The worms are key fertility builders and so the cycle continues.
Stroud Veg Boxes
We currently offer four veg box sizes, packaged in reusable boxes, to suit different household sizes and budgets, along with external add-ons like eggs and pantry staples. You can even build your own box from everything we offer! Visit the shop to sign up to a weekly or fortnightly box and for more info.
We have expanded our pick-up points, boxes can now be collected from: Hammonds Farm on Wick Street, The Long Table in Brimscombe and The Prince Albert in Rodborough and our market stall at Dursley and Frampton. We also offer home delivery. If you’d like to suggest a pick-up point, or have any ideas or suggestions for creating your ideal local organic veg box, please email Stuart. For updates on what is happening in the market garden and across the farm, you can sign up for our newsletter below.
Markets
We are at a number of mid-week and weekend markets – Brimscombe and Amberley on Tuesdays, Dursley and Frampton on Wednesdays, King’s Stanley and Libby’s Drive on Thursdays, and the Stroud Farmers’ Market on Saturdays. The current schedule can be found here, come and see us there!
Volunteers
If you are interested in getting your hands in the soil and growing delicious food, as well as getting a free workout, perhaps volunteering with us on a Wednesday is for you? If you are interested to learn more, please get in touch with Athene (athene@goodsmallfarms.co.uk).
