Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and His Team Explain What Organic Means to River Cottage

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall 

Organic is at the very heart of everything that River Cottage does.

Their farm carries organic certification accredited by the Soil Association and is managed under Countryside and Environmental Stewardship; schemes run by Natural England.

Their schemes help land managers tend to and look after natural habitats and biodiversity, in co-operation with food production. River Cottage grows high-quality organic fruit and vegetables, all year round, on 1.5 acres of the farm which provides a wide

 variety of produce for their kitchen.

It's no secret Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is a champion of organic agriculture and it's something that's been ingrained into River Cottage for many years.

“Organic is really vital to us here at River Cottage, it's how we raise our livestock, how we grow all of our produce and it's at the heart of all our cooking and teaching. 

"We love to show people how to cook and eat sustainably and affordably whilst using organic produce. We're also incredibly proud of our growing range of delicious organic products.” said Hugh. 

Provenance is something River Cottage chefs are very passionate about and if you attend one of their cookery courses, you'll learn where your ingredients come from and something about why they believe eating seasonally and sustainably is not only important but also tastes better, too.

“Organic food is so important, not only because of the environmental positives but also because the flavours are so much better! Growing organic veg and rearing organic meat also gives me the peace of mind that we're leaving the soil healthy for future generations to farm.” said Gelf Alderson, Culinary Director.

He went on to say: “Organic fruit and veg tend to be heritage varieties, as they need to be hardier. Although a little slower growing, I find they aren't only way more interesting, but also tastier, too!” 

River Cottage believes growing your own veg has the power to change your life. In these times of intensive farming, with reliance on dangerous and harmful pesticides, having a detrimental effect on our environment, people do need to be more reliant on their own patches of safe soil.

Head Gardener, Adam Crofts added: "I don't see any other way but to grow organically. After all, it's how nature intended. 

"Using man-made chemicals and artificial fertilisers on our food is totally unnecessary, and harmful, too.

"It's destroying our collective health, plus stripping our lands and nature of biodiversity. The only winners are the big agricultural companies, who have made people believe this is the only way and have become reliant on them. 

"Sadly it's all about money for them. It's vital to remember people used to grow food just fine before the invention of these petroleum-based products. The question shouldn't be 'Why do you grow organically?' but, rather 'Why wouldn't you grow organically?'”

The River Cottage gardening courses teach people the importance of looking after soil health and provide students with lots of other organic tips and tricks, encouraging them to start growing organic veg at home.

Those who want to learn about organic and truly immerse themselves in the world of organic growing and cooking can book one of the experiences at River Cottage HQ. 

Those who want to try some of the River Cottage produce can drop by the new Kitchen & Store which is located a stone's throw from the River Cottage Farmhouse (aka River Cottage HQ). Open 9am-5pm, seven days a week, with breakfast served 9am-11.30am and lunch served 12pm-3pm, the casual, dog-friendly space is the perfect spot to drop by - on foot, bike or by car - for a bite to eat and enjoy incredible views from the large outdoor terrace or light and airy interior. The adjoining store offers visitors the chance to shop River Cottage products and books. 

To keep up to date with the latest River Cottage news, visit www.rivercottage.net, find Hugh and the team on Instagram (rivercottagehq), Facebook (rivercottagehq), Twitter (@rivercottage), Pinterest (rivercottagehq) and YouTube (River Cottage).