Hewitts Farm visit

I go further then Farmer's Market and yesterday my friend and I went to Hewitts Farm in Orpington as they stated "pick you own" on their website. Also so because it was sunny and feel like Spring.

We walked and took train to the farm which we had 1.2kg CO2 emission in total. We arrived in Knockholt rail station and our adventure journey begin.


I drawn the map from google map but I was so surprise that we need to walk in the high way where they don't have any public foot path and we went though the highway round about which is quite dangerous if you are walking alone. Those drivers on the cars look at me strangely as they don't expect anyone will walk around in highway and we got lose somehow.

On one side of the highway it stated low emission zone which is quite funny to me. As normally the high way is so busy especially in rush hours and what do they mean by low emission zone?

There was a sign about the "boot sale this Sunday" then we though the farm is near by but actually not and we got lose..

Anyway after 40mins, we finally arrived in the farm shop. I find that kind of disappointed somehow. It is because there are leak of sign and I expect it to be a bit better then it should be if you look at the website. The farm shop is not big as you can see but they have most of the ingredient from the seasonal vegetables. All the products in the farm shop is not necessary come from their farm but the farm next to them and in the same regions. Every farm have their limitation of farming, one farm may only product a few of the vegetables.

After had a chat with the woman who is working in the farms shop she told me that, they are under pressure by government, supermarket and the weather. As it is winter, specially this year have been snowing quite a lots, so the quality and quantity of the produces become worst. The government is not helping as they putting restriction on the amount of weed killer and fertilizer. Also they are putting restriction of Hewitt's Farm to put any sign up on the highway, the lady told me that they had a few penalty in the past year for putting sign up. The only way to advertise is on web or by their network. They had try to promote their vegetables to supermarket but they have rejected as supermarket are trying to low down the farm profit to be compete with others supermarket price. Therefore some of the farm shops are shutting down.

While we are there, few customers came and shop in the farm shop. They normally come around twice a week and they are live up the road about few minutes drive. They shop frequently in the farm shop because they can get the freshest products and normally spend average 50pounds per shopping. Most of the people will drive their own car for the farm shop shopping and when I told them we actually walked from station to there they were so amazed and surprise.

Walking in the round about in high way. The products (jam, vegs, fruits, sauce) that I bought in the farm shop which cost around 10pounds.

After I talked to the farm lady I feel so sorry for the farm as they can't get many help from the government. Even though government have been promoting agricultural for these years, as the climate change.

Why the government can't help farmer to run their farm shop? and not putting public sign for them as a local attraction? and how can they allowing farm shop to shut down?

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I been to a "small farm" (as it only growing one kind of vegetable and you can pick you own in there) in Hong Kong before as I joined my mum who really enjoy going hiking in the winter. That farm is not public in anywhere on web or on book its just passing through by the community.

The farmer who is picking vegetable for the customers as the vegetable is growing in the wet field. Me kneeing on the pathway and picking the vegetable on the side.30mins later only half bag filled. The vegetable that growth in people garden.

The vegetable that I pick is so fresh with lots of little insects and I think that should be organic.
That little field is running by a family who own the land and surprisingly the farmer son was there for help even though I can see from his face he is so not willing to. I can understand he point of view as HK there are not many young people is willing to work as farmer or go down to the field.
That trip was really enjoyable as I always been away from HK away from my mum that was a great activity for us to doing something together.
To me it will be easier for me to do the diet in HK as it is a small place and it is easier to travel to other places, also I know HK and the food better than in London. We have lots of local market in every town and my house in HK is near to the fruit market which all fruits will come to there before go out to the market.

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I think if government could move forward to making some new rules and encourage more young people to doing agriculture or farming or gardening in their living area and helping farmer to holding farmer's market more frequently, also encourage supermarket to take in more local farm produces and food for promoting the eating local habit. As our nature is "lazy" or when it come with money that is the most quickest and most reaction from the public.

It is hard for farmer to run their business with limited customers. People want to improve the environment with better agricultural system but that is not farmer job only. UK supermarkets competition regulations and mess up the terms of trade of their suppliers with farmers, an ‘ideal’ supermarket would commit of practice, in the training and management of buyers, and in its selection and monitoring of first tier suppliers—to integrity in trading relations and fair pricing for produce, covering cost of production and a reasonable return on producers’ capital and labor. This should apply across the global supply base and fair trade.