January News '25

There's naturally a slower pace of farm life in January, with a focus on preparation, routine and enjoying the calmer moments that keep everything in balance. Even though growing is typically quieter, there's always plenty to do - harvesting, cleaning and preparing for the new growing season. Although we may have had a rest over the festive period, the farm isn't ever idle with so much going on beneath the soil. Earthworms, fungi and beneficial bacteria continue their work, breaking down organic matter, aerating the soil, and enriching it for the next growing cycle. The New Year, in this sense, is not just a time for us to re-set, it's also a time for the soil to to do the same.

It's natural in January to look ahead; to when spring would be here and with it, the rush of planting and sowing. We tend to feel impatient for the lighter days where new growth fills our days and our hearts. Yet it’s also important to take stock of what we’ve achieved over the past year - the biggest change and success being our expansion into new land. Ordinarily at this time, we’d be seeing the abundance of produce dwindling but this year we have plenty of stock still in the field; cabbages, sprouts, caulis and purple sprouting broccoli, to see us through to Spring. This means the produce in your boxes is fresher and more nutritious than it's ever been - harvested, packed and delivered to you all in a matter of days.

Events: Slack Sauna at the farm

As you may already know, we're aiming to hold more events at the farm in 2025 and we're kicking off January by welcoming Slack Sauna on Sunday the 26th. A sauna is a wonderful way to relax by warming those cold, achy bones followed by a cold plunge to revive and re-energise. We'll also be offering complimentary home-made soup, made with our own produce, as well as bread from Fermento, a wonderful local bakery who use biodynamic East-Sussex grain and bake all their breads in a wood-fired oven. It's a nourishing and restorative day to fully embrace wellness and winter. Visit the Slack Sauna website to book your ticket.

Sustainable delivery: Zedify

Almost all our deliveries are now zero emission thanks to our striking electric van, decorated with our distinctive signature artwork. If you are one of our Brighton or Hove customers, you'll receive your boxes by electric bike, provided by our partner company, Zedify - less colourful but definitely no less green. We choose to use cargo bikes in the city as they are much more efficient moving around urban streets. Not only do they positively impact the local area in big ways, such as reducing carbon and harmful gas, but in smaller ways too. They're super quiet, lowering noise pollution (particularly appreciated for those early morning deliveries!) making city living more enjoyable, for both people and urban wildlife. Fewer vans on the road in city centres means cleaner air and less congestion, creating safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians. It's not only important that we are fully sustainable here at the the farm but also when we're out in the community delivering to you! Thank you for supporting our vision of a cleaner, greener way to shop.

Seasonal focus

We grow fantastic leeks at Barcombe Nurseries, even though we do say it ourselves! They're blessed with a long growing season from June through to May and they store wonderfully too. The humble leek is our star veg for this month's recipe and we feel it's an unsung hero of the veg box, often providing a subtle earthy sweetness in the background whilst other showier ingredients take centre stage. Well, old leek, we're dragging you out from the chorus, your time in the spotlight is finally here. As you'll see you don't need to do much to really celebrate them.

January's recipe

Leek and blue cheese galette with a hazelnut crust

Both simple and indulgent, a galette is made with a more rustic pastry than a tart, it has all the buttery deliciousness but you don't have to be a pastry whizz to make it - you don't even need a tin! It's also a great way to use up any of that leftover Christmas cheese as well as celebrating our wonderful leeks. It's a special centrepiece for any meal, serve with a crisp lemony salad. We've also a '4 ways with leeks' feature on our recipe page so do go check them out - lots of simple ways to enjoy the humble leek!

So, 2025, is here and with it, a new year of ideas and hopes for the farm to build and improve upon all we do. We've an exciting team, who we'll be introducing you to over the next few months, who are passionate about sustainable growing and, with their energy and vision, our new land and crucially your support, it feels like a very positive start. Watch this space for more new products, events and general fun stuff coming up but in the meantime, happy new year everybody, here's hoping January, and its weather, is gentle on us all.