Growing Local CIC is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its veg box scheme and the opening of their children’s education garden at The Southside Farm, a 19-acre site located between Newton Farm and Grafton Lane – at the end of the Great Western Way cycle and footpath.
Thanks to funding from the Hereford Stronger Towns Fund, the community organisation secured a long-term lease from Herefordshire Council in Autumn 2023 and the capital to transform the site into a thriving community hub.
Since then, the farm has developed four commercial-sized polytunnels and several acres of productive growing areas, supplying seasonal organic* (in organic ‘conversion’) vegetables to its veg box subscribers, local shops, and restaurants. Next week, fresh produce will also be available via an honesty farm shopon-site, The Veg Shed.
A core part of Growing Local’s mission is education. The farm now features a children’s education garden and outdoor kitchen, welcoming school groups and the wider community in holidays to learn how to grow, harvest, and cook fresh, nutritious food.
A further field has been planted with apple, pear, plum, damson, and nut trees, forming a new heritage orchard. Later this year, construction will begin on a community Cook Studio – a multifunctional space that will host cookery classes, a pop-up restaurant, and indoor teaching sessions – all celebrating field-to-fork food education. This has been designed by local architects Arbor.
To mark the occasion, Growing Local is offering a free veg box to the first 30 new sign-ups to its Veg Box Scheme this summer. Use the code ONEYEAR25.
You can sign up here –https://www.growinglocalvegbox.org.uk/ Collect your weekly veg boxes directly from the farm or a choice of seven hubs in Hereford and beyond.
Why Become a Veg Box Customer?
When you join our veg box scheme, you’re getting more than delicious, fresh produce. You’re becoming part of something bigger:
Eat Well, Feel Great – Enjoy healthy, seasonal veg grown locally with care for both people and the planet.
Connect with Community – Take part in farm events, volunteering days, and meet others who share your values.
Support Local Food Systems – Help secure your city’s veg supply and strengthen the local food economy.
Tread Lightly on the Earth – Reduce food miles and support nature-friendly farming that nurtures biodiversity.
Grow the Next Generation – Your support helps fund our Children’s Garden and educational programmes for schools, families, and community groups.
A Word from the Team
Louisa Foti, Director and Project Co-ordinator, said:
“We are delighted to finally be opening our doors to the wider Hereford community and expanding our veg box scheme and educational programmes.
This project has taken years of hard graft—from funding applications to lease negotiations, planning approvals, staff recruitment, and transforming a bare field into a vibrant community farm.
Special thanks go to our dedicated volunteer and staff team who’ve worked tirelessly since October 2023 to bring our Southside Farm to fruition.
This year, we continue developing the site with a new packing shed, machinery store, access paths and tracks, and services. But the real highlight will be building our long-awaited Cook Studio!”
To learn more about Growing Local’s work and initiatives, visit:
www.growinglocal.org.uk
Facebook: Growing Local Hereford
Instagram: @GrowingLocalHereford
