A unique organic farm on the A65 at Clapham is celebrating 25 years of sustainable growing next month. Growing With Grace has been producing organic fruit and vegetables under two and a half acres of glass greenhouses for a quarter of a century. The co-operative also sources other organic produce and ingredients so customers can create fully organic meals.
Its award-winning farm shop, once named Best Small Organic Shop, offers a wide range of organic foods and ethical products, and delivers to customers within a 50-mile radius.
The business was established in 2000 when five Quakers took over the greenhouses, which had previously housed an intensive plant nursery. The soil was in poor condition, and it took two years of planting grasses and clovers to restore fertility. Their efforts were rewarded in 2001, when the Soil Association granted Growing With Grace full organic status.
At the heart of the business are four core principles drawn from Quaker values: Sustainable Agriculture, producing local food free from pesticides or chemicals; Equitable Employment, ensuring equal treatment and pay for all; Fair Trade, supporting the growers and producers who supply them; and Workplace Spirituality, fostering a respectful and nurturing environment for mind, body and spirit.
Read more at The Westmorland Gazette
