Blooming Good Veg all year round!
The Farnham Community Farm team is a familiar sight here at the Brewery, which serves as a collection point for their Veg Bag Scheme every Thursday. We've even go our branding on their Veg Bags! We caught up with Teti to find out a bit more about their blooming good veg!
Q: Tell us about the Farnham Community Farm.
A: Founded in 2008, Farnham Community Farm (FCF) is a local, not-for-profit vegetable-growing project based just outside of Farnham in Runfold. It was started by a group of people who believed in the importance of fresh, local produce and a healthier, more transparent way of growing it.
Today, our farm is run by a dedicated team of growers —Cris, Ellen, Hazel, Tommy and Tetiana — who work alongside the Farm Board to make joint decisions about what we grow and how we grow it. You’ll often find Cris, Ellen, and Tetiana at the farm managing the day-to-day operations. We’ve recently welcomed Tommy, who’s usually on-site Tuesdays, and Hazel, who works with us on Thursdays and Fridays.
We grow on about 1.5 acres of land in Runfold, including three polytunnels that are essential for overwintering crops and producing summer favourites like tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, and peppers. All our veg is grown using organic principles, with care for the soil, biodiversity, and sustainability at the heart of what we do.
Q: How does the Veg Bag scheme work?
A: Every week, we harvest a selection of fresh, seasonal vegetables for our Veg Bag Scheme. It’s the most direct way to support the farm and enjoy produce that’s bursting with flavour. As a special “thank you” to Hogs Back for hosting the collection point, we’re offering its customers a commitment-free 4-week trial. Use code HOGSBACK20 at checkout for 20% off your first month! Collection every Thursday — either from the farm (1–3pm) or from our table at Hogs Back Brewery Barn (4–7pm) — perfectly timed for your afterwork beer run! Farnham Community Farm
Q: How can you get involved?
A: Volunteering is at the heart of Farnham Community Farm. We rarely use machinery, relying instead on low-impact, hands-on growing methods, which means we’re always in need of extra hands!
Volunteers gain the chance to be outdoors, learn new skills, connect with others, and contribute meaningfully to a local food system. We welcome individuals, school groups, work placements, and supported adults.
Q: What do you grow at FCF?
A: This year, our fields have been filled with familiar favourites: beetroot, onions, carrots, potatoes, lettuces, chard, courgettes, tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, and peppers.
We’re also big fans of kale – with around 10 varieties grown through the year, from Cavolo Nero and curly kale to the ultra-frilly, purple and variegated green-white kinds. Cabbages are another favourite — our red cabbages are particularly glorious right now.
Other seasonal stars include kohlrabi, turnips, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green beans, and one of the best sweetcorn harvests we've had in years.
Our squash is a true highlight of the farm! We grow seven colourful, tasty varieties, and we’re just getting ready to harvest them for the colder months ahead.
We love introducing our members to veg you won't find in the supermarket. This summer, we grew Aztec Broccoli (known traditionally as huauzontle), an ancient Mexican crop dating back to pre-Columbian times. Despite the name, it’s not a true broccoli — its edible flower shoots have a flavour somewhere between tenderstem broccoli, spinach, and asparagus. Another standout is flower sprouts — a hybrid of Brussels sprouts and kale, offering nutty, sweet flavour and frilly purple-tinged leaves, growing from autumn through spring.
We're constantly exploring ways to improve our growing practices. This year we trialled no-dig potatoes. While the yields were smaller, the crops were healthier overall — and we’ll keep working to boost results while preserving our soil health.
Q: Have you experienced many challenges this year?
A: This growing season has been a tough one. Prolonged heat and dryness put pressure on everything — from our soil and crops to our water reserves, and our weekends, as weekend irrigation became a regular job. Interestingly, in the first week of September we’ve had more rain on the farm then through the whole summer – unbelievable!
The dry spring led to aphid infestations, wiping out our broad bean crop and damaging others like beetroot, cabbage, swede, and chard. Meanwhile, caterpillars have continued to nibble away at our winter veg — and the battle goes on!
So why not give the commitment-free 4-week trial a go. Remember to use code HOGSBACK20 at checkout for 20% off your first month! Farnham Community Farm
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