Across the estuary from Rock, lie rolling fields bursting with a rainbow of produce - the home of Padstow Kitchen Garden. This summer, the green fingered among us can learn how to establish a kitchen garden at home. Taught by seventh generation farmer and founder Ross Geach, the aim is to reduce miles travelled by produce from ground to plate. We tried the course for ourselves.
You may have read Ross's gardening column in The Telegraph or sampled his produce in the finest local restaurants (including Michelin starred Number 6 by Paul Ainsworth, Rick Stein's Seafood restaurant and Prawn on the Lawn). As former Head Chef to Rick Stein, Ross is passionate about growing first class, fresh produce from start to finish on his four acres at Trerethern Farm.
The course is aimed at gardeners of all abilities, no previous experience is required, just a passion for all things green-fingered. This is a wonderful option for those looking for alternate activities this summer. We kicked off the day walking around the kitchen gardens and polytunnels discussing growing, harvesting, dealing with pests and diseases, managing gluts and succession sowing.
We paused for lunch and the vegetables we'd harvested just moments earlier, were sizzling on the flames of the Big Green Egg barbecue. Communal benches ran alongside a chunky wooden table nestled amongst the vegetables and we enjoyed outstretched views across the rolling fields and down to the shimmering estuary waters.
With tummies full, the afternoon was spent learning how to construct a hot bed, sow seeds, create compost and discuss the different types of machinery and the importance of weeding. We even picked up some mouth-watering cooking tips along the way! The day was rounded off by digging up a few delicious new-season, early potatoes and answering questions.
Images courtesy of Padstow Kitchen Garden
With just a handful of spaces remaining, the next Kitchen Garden course is running on 17 July 2022. Throughout the summer, Ross also runs a Big Green Egg barbecue course, hosts pop up evenings and the Farm Shop is open all year around stocked with delicious seasonal vegetables and home reared meat.
