Patchwork Farm

In addition to our urban market gardens on Hackney Parks land, Growing Communities is creating a Patchwork Farm in Hackney where trained apprentices grow food for the box scheme on small patches of land in back gardens, on church land and on estates. Growing Communities provides the land,tools,equipment,help with planting plans and the ex-apprentices work to produce salad leaves that are sold into our box scheme. The aim is to generate more sustainable produce but also to help people to generate an income from local food production here in Hackney.

Our first "micro-site" at St Pauls Church in Hackney was set up in October 2008 by Sean Hearn and Annie Stables, (both graduates from our Apprentice Scheme) and started producing salad for the box scheme in June 2009. Annie is still running the site.  

Our second micro-site in the grounds of the Castle Climbing Centre on Green Lanes, was launched in January 2010 and is being run by Sophie Verhagen and Ida Fabrizio.  They have been working over the past few months to clear the site, set up raised beds and raise their first crop of salad leaves.

We received funding from the Capital Growth project to provide tools, supplies and building materials for both micro-sites.

Sophie and Ida started harvesting their first crop of salad leaves from the new site in June 2010 - at the moment the leaves are being sold to local restaurants and cafes but in a few months time they will be going into the Growing Communities' salad bag for the box scheme.