Growing

At Good for Ewe we are privileged to have the option to grow both outside and undercover. This enables us to grow a wide and interesting variety of fruits and vegetables.

The site is divided into key areas. We have three keder houses, comprising of a twin span tunnel that is divided into 16 individual member rental plots, directly behind this tunnel we have a single span tunnel that is dedicated to growing produce for the local market. Outside we have further member rental plots, as well as an area that is also dedicated to producing fruit and veg for the market, this is called our adopt a plot scheme, members volunteer to take on a plot ,sowing the allocated crop, looking after it through the season and finally harvesting ready for sale.

Crop Planning

GFE'S market plot areas, dedicated to growing crops for sale at the Poolewe market are governed by our crop rotation plans. This enables us to control repetitive family cropping and limit the introduction of disease onto the site. GFE volunteers get together regularly to discus the crop rotation and the produce being grown for the coming season. We utilise our large single span keder house, sectioned into 20 raised beds and our larger outside adopt a plot beds for the cultivation of all market produce.

Produce.. due to our under cover growing facilities our growing season is extended allowing volunteers to grow a wide variety of crops. A mixture of fresh loose leaf  salad leaves accompanied with colourful edible Nasturtium flowers (the GFE salad bag) is our best seller, along with a varied selection of  picked that day! fresh fruit and vegetables. Our single span market tunnel provides us with 20 raised beds where we produce a mixture of cut and come again salds, herbs, courgettes, cucumbers, squashes, tomatoes, spring onions, carrots, beetroot, raddish, and first early no-dig potatoes, we also utilise hanging baskets to grow cherry tomatoes and strawberries. Outside at the adopt a plot growing area we have an 8 bed rotation supplying hardier traditional fare such as Brassica's, potatoes, peas, beans, carrots, garlic, onions and  leeks.

Harvesting.. All our produce is either harvested the evening before the market or early the same day, enabling GFE to provide the freshest fruit and vegetables available in the area. We select a variety of prime salads and vegetables pack them and refrigerate ready for the market. Our produce has been grown chemical free. Volunteers gather to pick and bag the produce, then label and price accordingly. In addition to the produce grown specificaly for the market by volunteers GFE has many members who bring additional produce to the market either grown on their rental plots or on plots at their homes, this means we usually have ample supplies for the market, busy days however see the stall completely cleared and customers looking for more. The stall is manned by a dedicated team of volunteers we call our marketing group, they co-ordinete, set up and man the stalls once a week throughout the spring and summer seasons.

Propagation.. Our Market tunnel has an area sectioned specifically for propagation, we grow the vast majority our produce from seed, with the exception of seed potatoes and some onion sets. Surplus seedlings are shared between members or sold at the market. Our tunnels are not heated but we do occasionaly use a parafin heater to warm the prop room when brining on early seedlings such as tomatoes and onion seed.