Life in the Market Garden

Creating a thriving ecosystem

In our market garden everyone and everything has a part to play in the ecosystem.

Our cattle help provide the compost for our crops, our hens forage on the leftover vegetable leaves. Our flowers encourage bugs which control pests. Our humans work hard too!

More important is what's going on beneath our feet. Resilient, nutrient-dense vegetables need healthy, vibrant soil. It should be full of life - a polar opposite to the sterile 'growing medium' created by modern farming methods.

We use 'no dig' cultivation to enhance soil health. We avoid heavy machinery to limit soil compaction - making it easier for life to thrive beneath the surface. We don't leave bare soil exposed to the elements. We rotate our crops (just as they did in 'the old days') to improve resilience and avoid soil exhaustion. And we don't use harmful chemicals.

Biodiversity is on the rebound in this part of Lincolnshire!

Hello, We're the Wiltshires!

Meet the team behind the vegetables...

Dean Wiltshire

You'll usually find me out in the fields - tending to the vegetables or talking to the cows!

During my working life as an optician I always grew vegetables as a hobby. Now, on my own smallholding, I can pursue my passion for growing food and supplying my local community.

My approach is to work with nature, not to (try to) control it.

Debra Wiltshire

Dean calls me the farm manager - but I don't mind getting my hands dirty!

I am always looking for ways to improve the natural fertility of our land. And I like to help the wild life too. We have recently laid new hedges and planted trees, as well as erecting owl boxes.

I also look after our flock or rescue hens - ex-commercial chickens who now lead a very different sort of life.

Fiona Wiltshire

I'm out working in the market garden with Mum and Dad all hours that I can find.

I love growing vegetables - and I love growing herbs even more! This year we are starting to supply freshly picked herbs to our customers for the first time.

And over the next couple of years I have plans to expand into other herbal products - essential oils, dried herbs and spices, cooking oils and preservatives. Watch this space!

Stephanie Wiltshire

I'm a part-time member of the Flavour Tales team - popping in to help when I can.

I love the gardening side of the business, but I'm also very fond of our Dexter cattle. After all, I've grown up with them!

Hedgerows are one of my special interests. I'm so pleased to have started laying the hedgerows in our fields.