Hands-on learning for healthy food, people & planet

On-Farm walks & talks - for immersive learning

 Our fully immersive on-farm sessions give learners the chance to step out of theory and into reality. By learning directly on working farms, participants see first-hand how food is grown, the trade-offs producers face, and how decisions around soil, inputs, animal welfare, and yields play out in real operations. Hearing directly from farmers brings sustainability to life, grounding it in practical constraints, commercial realities, and lived experience that simply can’t be replicated in a classroom.

We have partner farms in London, Hertfordshire, Essex Cambridgeshire, Gloucestershire, and other food production and food retail venues across the South East & Kent.  

Or for a full week of immersive learning and workshops we have partners in South East France for Team events. See our venues here

Some of our partner venues

Within 90 minutes of London

LONDON

Where: Deptford Yard, London SE8 4BX

A Market Garden in London’s South East that serves a leading Restaurant Group provides the perfect opportunity for Teams to learn about small scale food growing, and the principles of healthy soils for nutrient dense produce and environmental benefits. 

HERTFORDSHIRE

Where: New House Farm
Sheering Lower Road, Sawbridgeworth CM21 9LE

A direct 35 minute train from London Liverpool Street takes you directly to Duchess Farms on the outskirts of East London- a six generation farm growing wheat and rapeseed oil, and with a traditional stone mill onsite producing Gilchesters Organics grains & flour.
 
The team also actively manage trial plots, where they grow different varieties of crops to foster innovation and learning, collaborating with other farmers and food experts.  There is so much rich learning to be had by visiting this farm, and team, from the importance of continuing to grow British Heritage grains, especially in the face of climate change challenges, and see first hand traditional stone milling for nutrient dense flour.

Onsite there is also wonderful pasta being produced from Gilchesters organic flour, using traditional Italian bronze dye approach, providing further opportunities for learning about healthy & sustainably produced food from British ingredients.

ESSEX

Where: Littles Lane Shalford Green Braintree Essex CM7 5AZ

Deersbrook Farm is a third generation farming family producing 100% certified grass feed beef predominately from Native Sussex cattle. They are reared on our mature grassland to provide a truly great tasting, nutritious beef, whilst supporting the natural environment. Their onsite local traditional butcher prepares the beef for customers, and sells it via their onsite farm shop alongside other locally produced food.

The team use traditional farming methods, with cattle grazing out on the meadows all year round. Cattle are kept to the highest welfare standards and are assured by Red Tractor. They have been awarded High commended in the Field to Fork category in the Fine Food and Drink Awards, and were Essex county’s first 100% grass-fed cattle, certified by Pasture for Life Association.

Deersbrook Farm provides a great opportunity for learning about Sustainably produced Beef, and the nutritional and environmental benefits that provides.

 

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Exterior of Frank’s Farm café with outdoor seating and visitors, used to promote a sustainable food workshop.

Where:Frank’s Farm, Brockley Rd, Elsworth, Cambridge CB23 4EY

Frank’s Farm is a 4th generation family farm. Current owner Anthony has converted the old farm buildings into shops and is now a thriving food & drink retail park, where local residents, schools, farmers and food retailers trade real, local food that tastes delicious and doesn’t cost the earth.

So far, Frank’s Farm has opened Remi’s Butchers, Webbsour Bakery, The Grain Store Deli, The Chocolate Barn and The Workshop Kitchen – an onsite Cafe.

Anthony has big plans to grow the farm and for it to become a hub for his local community, and develop a blueprint that can be replicated in other areas nationwide. He is developing fields for regenerative veg growing, and poly tunnels (growing citrus!), as well as plans for a micro brewery grain mill, and dairy with milk and cheese produced from cows in the park.

Other great venues

GLOUCSTERSHIRE

Where: Connygree Farm, Aldsworth, Cheltenham GL54 3PW

Connygree Farm is a diverse farm in the Cotswolds following organic, pasture fed, agroecological & regenerative principles

A 180 acre National Trust farm on the Sherborne Park Estate in the heart of the Cotswolds. Farm Managers Jonty & Mel have been tenants here since 2004. 

They grow tasty, nutritious salad and vegetable crops in their market garden, graze wildflower grasslands and herbal leys with rare breed Hereford cattle and Cotswold sheep.

They sell all of their organic and regenerative produce (beef, lamb, hogget, mutton, pork, salad, vegetables, eggs and honey) plus a few other products from artisans that share their ethos, to the local community via a regular pop up farm shop.  

Jonty is an award winning farmer, speaker and educator, and has much knowledge and passion to impart about British farming.

SUFFOLK

Where: Hodmedod, The Studios, London Rd, Brampton, Beccles NR34 8DQ

Hodmedod is a brilliant independent business, founded in 2012 to source and supply beans and other products from British farms. 

Josiah, Nick & team are committed to providing high quality minimally processed wholefoods from crops with clear provenance from British farms and a few further afield, all following more agroecological and resilient practices. 

They offer a wide range of British beans and peas, as well as some of the first British-grown quinoa. As well as dried beans, peas and quinoa for cooking they have a growing range of ready-to-use canned beans and peas. They also roast beans and peas to create very moreish ready-to-eat snacks.

Talks, and Training sessions hosted here provide a unique opportunity to see the workings of a great food company that is committed to fostering direct relationships with British farmers for the benefit of our health, the health of our economies, and our planet.

KENT

Where: Macknade, Selling Rd, Faversham ME13 8XF

Macknade encompasses retail, hospitality, events, food service and farming, and the brand has been synonymous with quality and community in Faversham Kent since 1847.    They create spaces and experiences that bring communities together around a shared love of food & drink. 

Central to their operations is their Faversham Food Hall – a food lovers paradise, home to their famous delicatessen, butchery, grocery & greengrocery departments. 

Talks and training sessions hosted here provide an opportunity to see a thriving food retail establishment, and hear from owner Stefano Cuomo on the real challenges and opportunities associated with sourcing and serving great food from great farmers.

FRANCE

Where: Domaine de Bize 46 Bize, Bize Domaine de, 09500 Mirepoix, France

Situated 1.5 km from the centre of the medieval town of Mirepoix, the Domaine is ideal for Corporate teams to spend a few days to a week surrounded by 4.4 hectares of parkland, and a neighbouring farm growing heritage varieties of wheat.  

Here your team can be guided through principles of Sustainability through the French approach that celebrates seasonal abundance, slow enjoyment of meals, and respect for the land. Across towns and cities, local markets remain at the heart of daily life, where farmers and producers sell their regional ingredients directly to consumers.
Mirepoix market is renowned world wide as one of the true traditional French food markets, and features much organic produce from neighbouring farms.

• These markets are the epitome of connecting people with their food, and with full understanding of what is in season: the freshest produce, cheeses, meats, and baked goods are displayed, stories are shared, and regional traditions are celebrated and preserved.

• Even the prevalence of the plat du jour—the daily special on almost every restaurant menu—reflects this philosophy, created from the freshest local ingredients that day and that season. It showcases what is abundant, reduces waste, and highlights the flavours of the region.

An opportunity for teams to step back from the day to day, and spend time reinvigorating imaginations, via guided talks, tours and kitchen workshops designed to inspire menu enhancements and creativity

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