After bing a regular customer of Riverford's veg-box service for the past 5 years, I was very keen and excited to finally visit the field kitchen and farm near Totnes. It without doubt lived up to every expectation, and more. I can't wait to go back again.
We visited the farm and kitchen in March 2012 to celebrate my Birthday, and opted for the lunch service.
Before the lunch myself and my partner took advantage of the opportunity to have a look around the farm and fields, to see the place that has been growing our veg and feeding our tums with delicious produce for the past few years.
And so we donned our hiking boots and made our way around the fields. The farm is well sign posted, and has nice information points telling you a bit about the plants.
If you have kids, this would be a great way to show them how farming works, and a great way to show off sustainable agriculture methods such as rainwater harvesting and composting.
A beautiful woodland coppice is situated at the top of one of the pasture fields, and so we had the experience of walking past the lovely calves to this wonderful little wooded spot - from which we enjoyed the surrounding views, and the smell of wild garlic, which made us feel hungry for lunch!!
The Lunch is served in the 'Field Kitchen' - which consists several large bench-tables, and an open cooking area where you can watch the chefs prepare the food.
The principe is is simple - there is one lunch and one dinner service each day. There is no menu to choose from, you get whatever meat and veg has been dug up, picked, or sourced at the time. Brilliant!
The cooking is wholesome, hearty, fresh, colourful, generous in portion and of course seasonal, local and organic.
You sit at a table that seats 8-10 people, and large dishes are served onto the table for everyone to share and bond over. (And the bonding experience is an absolute certainty. Everyone who arrives at this kitchen is there because they share the same love for food as you do, and so you will without doubt find a rapport with people as you exclaim over the roasted beetroot with orange...)
Generally there will be five to six wonderful veg based dishes, and one main meat dish.
I can't remember them all, but I recall some of the more memorable dishes being:
- roasted duck with lentils and kale
- roasted beetroot with orange, feta and pistachios (as aforementioned)
- spiced carrots with honey and parsley
- roasted and smashed celeriac
- roasted potatoes
For dessert you get to go up to the kitchen and choose from a large selection - a decision which will probably rank as one on the hardest in your life, they are all so good!
I opted for the sticky toffee pudding, and also (since it was my birthday) got to sample some of the apple tart that my partner was eating.
The drinks menu is a nice selection of English and Organic wines, beers, ciders and juices.
The lunch itself still to this day is the BEST MEAL I HAVE EATEN (genuinely) - which is likely not only due to the 100% delicious food, but also the sociable atmosphere, and the knowledge that you are part of something 'good'.
On my reccomendation my parents and work colleagues have visited, and they were equally delighted with the experience.
Over the years, Riverford have worked very hard to stay true to their sound environmental and ethical principles, and still managed to grow as a business.
I would say that their success has inspired other businesses to adopt a more sustainable business model - -and without doubt have inspired a 'way of life' for many of its customers and followers.
(I know that I take great pleasure in absorbing the words of wisdom imparted in the newsletter/recipe card that accompanies the veg box)
Riverford absolutely represent the direction that all farming and agriculture (and indeed society in general) should be heading .... In order to avoid the coming environmental and ecological disaster.
I urge everyone who has enjoyed reading this review to take a look into Riverford - try a vegbox, or visit the field kitchen. Not just for your own enjoyment, but also to help support and shape the future of this planet. That's two very good reasons, right? read more
