Meet the Growers - James & Clare from One Planet Organics

We work with a few local organic growers to help us fill the gaps in our harvest to ensure as much diversity as possible in our CSA members’ veg boxes.

A couple of weeks ago, we went out to visit James and Clare to discuss the coming season and what they might be able to grow for our veg boxes and to have a look around their land. It was a delight for us to see their impressive growing operation and the progress they are making in establishing their One Planet smallholding in Hebron, just a few miles northwest of us. They have a beatiful piece of south-facing land bordering the Taf river, already planted up with hundreds of native trees, and fruit and nut trees to harvest in the future and a fine example of their experience and commitment to agroecological food production. Clare very kindly wrote a little piece for us last season, so I’ll let her tell you more about them…

Our organic vegetable growing enterprise is run from on our smallholding as part of our one-planet development. We are a family affair, Clare & James and our nine-year-old son, Dara. Our smallholding is in West Carmarthenshire, nestled in the foothills of the Preseli, on land that has been certified organic since 2013.  

We supply local retailers and a regional wholesaler with a wide selection of organic produce, and focus, currently, on mixed salad, herbs and a wide range of intensive horticultural crops. We are also establishing a wide variety of tree and bush crops including cider, nuts, fruit berries and medicinal herbs.

This year, we will be supplying Glasbren with herbs, kale, chard, spring onions, beetroot, brassicas, squash and possibly other goodies.

We are passionate about growing food for local people so we can participate in the local food economy and contribute to community resilience. And to do it in a way that supports and works with nature, using permaculture, holistic design, regenerative agriculture, lots of hard work and minimal machinery.

We are very excited to be supplying Glasbren as we feel we have shared values particularly in building community relationships around food and developing stronger connection with the natural world.

For us, food is a really good way to help frame conversation with people around important issues of our time. Issues, such as the importance of biodiversity, resource management, environmental regeneration, and personal and community wellbeing.

James has been growing all his life and has been involved with many community food and wellbeing projects in the UK, France and New Zealand, including woodland and conservation work. Clare has been involved in the local food movement, including youth education, project management and marketing for many years.

We love living in Wales and hearing our son speak Welsh.  We hope to meet you all at a community event later in the year, and welcome you to our home for a tour.

Diolch yn fawr. Mwnhewch yr llysiau!