Simply the Cress

I'd heard a rumour in the village that there was, not too far away, a gold mine of fresh local produce and on a day like today you hardly need an excuse to get out, into the country side, and get some fresh air!  
What I found was Nine Wells Watercress Farm - one of the few working watercress farms left in the area.  As I arrived at the farm which is  situated on the River Mimram in Whitwell, North Herts, I could see the cress pickers bent over and hard at work in the gorgeous deep green cress beds.


When I arrived there was a rather distinguished looking gentleman, who I assumed was the proprietor,  in the brick barn that serves as the shop.  We chatted, about the weather, the produce, the weather again - and then, to my surprise hi picked up a bag of veg and said goodbye!?

The shop uses an Honesty Box, well honesty Letterbox - you select you goods, work out how much you owe and post it through the letter box of the farm house. I was there for about 20 minutes and about 10 people came and went with bunches of fresh water cress, eggs, sprouting brocolli, bunched carrots etc.

There are a plentiful supply of recycled carrier bags and even a pad of paper and pencils so you can jot down your total as you fill your bag.

I came away with a very big bag of cauliflower, shallots, bunched carrots, red and yellow onions, baking potatoes, new potatoes, purple sprouting brocoli and garlic and of course lovely spicy water cress - all produced locally.

I'm now off to cook up a vegetable storm - I think cauliflower cheese tonight, some watercress soup followed by new poatoes, baby carrots and brocolli tomorrow (I have some venison valentine steaks in the freezer from Harpers that will go fine with those) and baked poatoes on Sunday.

Nine Wells Watercress Farm
Lilley Bottom Rd
Whitwell
Hertfordshire
SG48JP
t: 01462 433 873
Opening: drop in and buy from the stable