Small-scale vegetable production

Hugo van Dorssen runs Tutty More Market Garden (previously Bagborough Market Garden) as a small-scale fruit and vegetable producer. He sells direct to consumer through Whatsapp and a stand and also supplies local chefs, a food truck, and restaurants. He farms according to agroecological, organic and biodynamic principles, minimising soil disturbance, and using compost, wood chip mulching, beneficial soil inoculants and compost teas, and leaving roots in the soil.

Hugo was initially looking for sustainable solutions to wind pressure and crop pests, as well as to maximise productivity, and enhance the site’s value to wildlife. He applied to FiPL for 180m of hedgerow planting, 24 fruit trees and 50m of fencing, and was awarded £2,873 in FiPL funding for this work. Hugo had previously been monitoring crop loss due to wind pressure, and the project will continue collecting this data, to share with the AONB, as well as other growers looking for nature-based solutions to the challenges of vegetable production.

Tutty More Market Garden has since made a second FiPL application, to expand their operation into the larger field through an agroforestry project. Hugo had previously used chickens to weed and fertilise empty beds, and the field surrounding the growing areas is grazed by a small flock of sheep. Hugo’s customers had expressed a demand for more fruit, and the village of West Bagborough once featured dozens of small orchards, which can be seen on tithe maps produced around 1840. Hugo therefore proposed to plant rows of fruit and nut trees and graze the pasture underneath on a rotation of sheep followed by chickens, with long rest periods.

Hugo therefore applied for electric fencing equipment, and 38 trees with post-and-rail guards, and was awarded a further £3,457. He chose a diverse selection of productive trees to expand the offer to his customers, and varied wildlife interest. He will be planting apple, pear, peach, cherry, damson and cobnut. Short duration, high density and mixed species grazing has been shown to increase carbon sequestration in grassland soils, as well as promote floral diversity and improve resilience to both flood and drought. He will be monitoring the soil organic matter as part of this project, as well as sward density and diversity.

The area of the entire site is just 1.3ha. Tutty More Market Garden is demonstrating the potential of small operations to deliver diverse public benefits, including nutrient-dense, sustainable food, community engagement in food production and land management, and nature-friendly farming practices.

The initial design of the project underwent several changes, and Phyll sought input from a trusted FWAG SW advisor to select a diverse selection of tree species that were suitable for the ground conditions, palatable and nourishing to cattle, and that would also provide plentiful windfall fruit and nuts for wildlife. Katie Read (FiPL Officer) also worked closely with Phyll to plan the tree planting so as to create 30 grazing parcels bounded by the trees, as well as to ensure that public access to the farm via an existing footpath would not be impeded by the project. In fact, Phyll has embraced community engagement with her project. She sells raw milk direct to consumers at the farm gate, and also operates an ‘open-gate’ policy, encouraging people to visit and learn about high-welfare sustainable milk production.