What first got you interested in growing your own food?
I first got into GYO when I was 10 years old (I’m now 37). It just seemed like a natural curiosity at the time although I would hide this from my schoolmates. We had a patch of garden at the very top of my mum’s house that I transformed from brambles to a vegetable patch. My grandfather and other family members got wind of this and offered help. My grandfather has always grown food in his garden which I always saw growing up and he would often encourage me and this included a Christmas present of manure one year (lucky me). What I did not know, until a couple of years ago when my grandfather passed away, was that he grew up on a plant nursery and at the outbreak of the Second World War, his headmaster got him to teach his classmates to grow food too. I have since inherited his greenhouse, which has a very special feeling when I’m working in there.
You mention on your website that you have a veg garden and an allotment – what do you particularly like to grow?
I am only really interested in growing edibles. I find it hard to given a definitive answer to one thing I especially like to grow – my favourites are always what are in season at that time. The first strawberries, the first peas etc. are always the best. I guess if I had to choose a particular favourite, it would have to be chilli plants.
You keep chickens on your allotment. Do they pose any particular challenges? Any top tips?
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