Pick your own Organic produce

As Organic certified herbal and botanical tea specialists, we recommend making the most of the summer’s final rays of sunshine and getting out into the fields. Throughout this month, the Soil Association celebrates Organic September to encourage more farms and people to grow and eat organically. Here is Heath & Heather’s top picks of where to find organic berries, vegetables, fruit and flowers.

Cherry Gardens Farm

‘Pick Your Own’ operates throughout the summer months when they have gooseberries, raspberries, tayberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants as well as runner beans and a wide variety of cottage garden flowers.

And if you’re looking to do more to support the local farmers, Cherry Gardens Farm have their own shop, where they sell they homegrown produce, and a wide range of locally sourced fruit and vegetables from local suppliers

Click here to find out more!

Daylesford Organic Farm

Daylesford pioneered the farming of organic produce, and their farm shops, cafes and farms have become popular destinations. Once a year the Cotswolds Daylesford farm invites people to forage in their organic Market Garden. They have strawberries, cucumbers, herbs and abundance of different salad leaves, peas broad beans and lots more.

Find out more about Daylesford here.

Peterley Manor Farm

While they are not currently a certified organic farm, this family-run farm continues to use traditional farming methods and organic based fertilisers.

PYO starts in mid-June with strawberries and gooseberries and runs right through to the end of October with autumn raspberries and various vegetables.

Peterley Manor Farm, nestled in the beautiful Chilterns boasts an extensive farm shop, The Wild Strawberry Café and hosts events throughout the year including food festivals, open-air cinemas and supper clubs with Michelin stars.

Growing Communities organic urban horticulture project

Although not PYO, this scheme aims to give local residents new food growing and cooking skills.

Alice, one of their Head Grower’s, is passionate about a sustainable farming, which led her to enroll in a two-year Soil Association apprenticeship. She’s been involved in setting up the Dagenham Farm from scratch. The project supports and wants to be seen supporting practices, that do not increase the amounts of artificial chemicals, fertilisers and pesticides in food and the environment, but which rely on sound soil and wildlife management. The ecological farms are low-input (applying organic standards) and operate at an appropriate and human scale, which is built around human skills and labour, backed up by appropriate technology and machines, and is grounded in sound science.

Volunteers are essential in helping them to grow food in the heart of the city. Anyone who is interested in gardening and growing can volunteer across their Patchwork or Dagenham Farms – no previous experience is necessary. Alternatively, if you live in London or the surrounding area, sign-up to their amazing veg box scheme to receive locally sourced, seasonal, organic fruit and veg fresh on your doorstep.

Learn more about Growing Communities here.