UPDATE: The Otter Farm Crowdfunder reached it’s target, and will be funded. Thank you if you pledged.

As an allotment gardener, I’m sometimes asked why I grow my own veg and what I grow.

The answer to the second question is easy. I grow what I like to eat (with a little experimentation each year for new things). The answer to the first question is a little more complex. Let me try an explain.

I grow my own veg for a number of reasons. Firstly I like to try and be as self sufficient as possible, growing my own, means I cook with what I grow and am less reliant on supermarket produce, which is often days old and grown under standards (from the supermarket) which often lead to the waste of perfectly good food (see my post on wonky veg). I also preserve a lot for use over the winter.

Secondly I like to cook from scratch, take raw ingredients and turn them into something that (hopefully) is delicious, I use a lot of my allotment produce in this way and it means we don’t have huge amounts of processed foods and meals in our house.

Next up, it keeps me fit. I’m not a great one for gyms or sports, and I rarely run unless something big and scary that wants to eat me is chasing me! So the allotment; digging, planting, maintaining, harvesting is a big part of my exercise regime.

The allotment is also my tranquil place, where I can think, have some time for me, lead a simpler life and find an affinity with the values above.

Now that’s quite a bit of waffle but a bit of background for the video at the head of this post, if you haven’t watched it already go and do so now and the come back here. I’ll wait.

Mark Diacano owns and runs Otter Farm, and I find a lot of affinity with the values above with what he is trying to do there. He currently has a project, which aims to help people grow, cook, preserve, distill and understand their own food.

Okay so here’s the rub, this current venture is a crowdfunded project. Without the likes of me and you it won’t happen now, and maybe not ever. It looks tight. There are 5 days left and about 30% still to raise. I’ve backed it and I’m asking you to see if you will too? Watch the video above, look at the Otter Farm Website and if you feel inclined, go to the Crowdfunder page and pledge. If you don’t agree with me or can’t afford it, no problem and no pressure, but I want to make you aware of this project as the values are close to mine, and if you are able to support it, there are some great rewards.

If you’ve read this far, thank you. I realise this isn’t quite the usual post for this blog.

“What Mark’s been doing at Otter farm is inspirational. What he’s planning to is one of the most exciting things in British horticulture. I’m delighted to add my support to such a far-sighted and well-thought out project.”

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall