Meet the Producer: Wheal Farm
Introducing you to another of our producers, Wheal Farm in nearby Harrowbarrow, Sam and Sarah, together with their crew of five kids. Moving back to the area in 2020 (just before Covid), they hit the ground running, starting small, firstly borrowing some land from friends. Deciding to build a life and farm that matched their values, growing real food, working with their hands, and showing their kids what it means to care for something bigger than themselves.
Sam grew up just outside Tavistock , going to school at Tavistock Primary then briefly to Tavistock College before his family moved away for a while. Coming back was always his dream. A farm that started as a dream is now 13 acres. In year two of their business they started working with Tamar Valley Food Hubs. Firstly, growing a lot but now the focus is on six to seven crops; cabbage, spring onions, red salad onions, lettuce, kale, spinach and beetroot.
Although not certified organic they grow following ‘organic’ principles. Each product that leaves the farm is an extension of their family’s work and love, producing some of the finest local produce.
“For us, this isn’t just about farming, it’s about feeding families, sharing what’s real, and remembering that food is meant to connect us to the land, to each other, and to the future we’re building for our children. When you buy from our farm, you’re not just buying food, you’re joining a story that believes in honest work, healthy soil, and the power of families feeding families”
After starting off with vegetables they moved into Pasture-Raised Chicken in the Tamar Valley. Their Hubbard chickens are completely pasture raised. This means they live out on the grass, with their protective shelter being rotated around the field every two days - giving them fresh fodder and also fertilising the land as they go. They enjoy fresh air and fresh bugs alongside their feed - giving them extra nutrition and quality of life. Sam and Sarah manage the land, putting in a herbal lay to create a diverse range of species in the grass which helps with the chicken’s diet - they feed the land as part of the rotation, building soil health and good grass. At Wheal Farm the chickens have a good life and are allowed to grow naturally without interference or stress.
Weather and seasonal changes hugely impact the business, each year a crop performs differently due to weather. Seedlings go into the ground in modules and timing has to be right to avoid a lot of watering. Last year with the immense heat, beetroot was greatly affected. The current hot spell will yet again bring rewards and challenges for growers and the food we eat.
By selling on Tamar Valley Food Hubs, Wheal Farm can connect directly with consumers allowing them to get on with the growing. Every Friday they deliver to us at HQ then we deliver for them. “As a model Tamar Valley Food Hubs is so beneficial for small growers, it’s fantastic, a great way to regenerate our kind of business in the Tamar Valley. This is what the Tamar Valley used to be with a great financial benefit for the area. It can be a challenge for smaller growers especially in Tamar Valley with its rich heritage of market gardening to make a business profitable.”
Even with many household budgets stretched, many people, more than ever want to buy for food provenance, connect with growers, their families, their farms. Our connection with the landscape and nature, is strengthened by local food.
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