My early life was spent on the family farm, any time not spent looking after the livestock was spent with my Grandparents and it is they who made the early impressions upon me concerning growing vegetables and flowers. Gran was always preparing food and cooking, much of that food was home grown produce and berries picked from the hedgerows and the moor, therefore a good supply of jams, pickles and fruit pies! I also remember picking the garden mint and watching her prepare the mint sauce.
Throughout my adult working life I have not lost my love for growing vegetables, herbs and ornamental plants. In 1998 I studied for the RHS General Certificate in Horticulture and sat the examination at Broomfield Collage, gaining a pass with ‘credit’ A decade later an unforeseen heart illness to my long term partner, John, forced a change in our lives and work. Diet became of paramount importance.