Artisan Essentials 2025

@specialityfood 26 HOWTOADD GROW-YOUR-OWN TO YOURBUSINESS If you’ve got a plot of land attached to your farm shop, cafe or restaurant, it might be tempting to envisage it as a productive haven from which to pluck your own produce. But is the reality as simple as it seems? Speciality Food investigates offer customers a point of difference (lower foodmiles, higher nutrient values and seeing where their food has come from), but nurturing your own produce can be hugely positive for your team, who can tangibly, visible see the business growing. Late summer/early autumn is a prime time to start thinking about the year ahead if a PYO or kitchen garden proposition are on the cards. Space must be made, plotting, planning and digging carried out, and infrastructure built. Timing is especially pertinent if soft, orchard or vine fruits are your end game. These much prefer being dug in during T here’s a certain romanticism to growing your own. The very idea of it may conjure images of neat rows of frilly carrot tops, chickens ferreting around to remove pesky bugs, andmornings spent thoughtfully pulling weeds, a la The Good Life . The cold hard truth of the matter though, for those who’ve been there and got the T-shirt, is it’s tough work. In order to turn a profit there must be careful planning, and forensic examination over the costs against projected income. But, get that right, and it truly can be rewarding. Not only is it the chance to