In 2018, James Butterworth decided to leave behind a career in academia and set up an organic, no-dig market garden in the Cotswolds. After finding land and willing business partners in Jonty and Mel Brunyee of Conygree Farm, he has led in the development of Cotswold Market Garden.
Their mission is to grow delicious, seasonal, organic vegetables that are eaten fresh within 10 miles of the farm. This way they can do their bit to build a truly local and more sustainable food system.
Cotswold Market Garden occupies a 2.5 acre site at Conygree Farm, an organic and regenerative farm on the National Trust Sherborne Park Estate. Throughout the year they grow around 50 types of vegetables and over 100 varieties using only hand tools and following 'no-dig'/'no-till' principles. This allows them to maximise the amount of food that can be grown on a small area and helps support more people working on the land.
Their produce is sold through their veg box delivery scheme and through a pop-up farm shop at Conygree Farm on Saturdays. At the farm shop they also sell organic ‘Pasture-for-Life’ beef and lamb, free-range rare-breed pork and wildflower honey (all from the farm), as well as a growing range of local produce including sourdough bread, cheese and eggs.
More recently, James has collaborated with the Organic Growers Alliance to launch the Organic Grower Podcast.
