Frith Farm:The community growing project near Hull that supplies local restaurants and cafes with fresh produce

Reggie said he became involved after Ike, his neighbour, explained about Frith.

“Frith Farming was started by two mates, Matt and Ben, with the help of Molescroft Grange Farms who tenanted five and a half acres for what is known as community supported agriculture, which involves the local community in establishing and growing the crops.

“I was working in the music industry, but I was looking for a change. Ike told me about Frith and when I came down to take a look I just loved it.

“There had been an original five-year plan but when Matt and Ben handed it over to Ike and another partner called Phil - and then Phil left - Ike needed help.

“I committed to coming on board in 2020 and when I’m not on tour putting up staging, I’m here 24/7 and seven days a week.

“People love the food we produce and commit to buying a weekly veg box throughout our main season of June to November. Our aim is to get that to 100 veg boxes to individuals, as well as supplying local restaurants, cafes, shops and delis with produce.”

Reggie said that the whole idea of community supported agriculture is to involve people and that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone has to come along to assist.

“It is not all just about coming here to work. If you want to just come here, sit down and have a look, maybe just chill out a little, watching the world go by in the countryside that’s okay too.

“We have about a dozen regular volunteers who can come and go when they please.

“We used to make it that Wednesday was a big volunteer day and several still come on a Wednesday because of the social side, but we are always happy to see people any time and we will work around when people can come because without the volunteers there would be no Frith Farm.

“You can just come and have a cup of tea with us and have a chit-chat. It’s about that social aspect, getting people out and about.”

Reggie fully intends his main income to come from Frith in the future, leading the community project with Ike, but for now he recognises it is a long-term plan.

“I can earn a little income at the moment, but that’s why I’m still having to take a bit of work with Ashley Banjo’s dance team. I’m definitely not a dancer!

“This is an important time of the year for us at Frith because it is time to prepare the beds for the seedlings that will be transplanted to the polytunnels and for us to plant into the soil.

“We grow over twenty varieties of vegetables from carrots to lettuce, cabbages, broccolis, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and pak choi.

“We don’t grow anything out of season. Everything is grown when it should be and everything we take to the shops and restaurants and that goes in the veg boxes is picked fresh from the field or polytunnel that day. Chefs love this.

“We want to educate people in understanding what fresh really means.

“It is sometimes difficult to get people to understand why it is better to get behind community supported agriculture when it looks like they can go into a supermarket and they can get the same thing, but what we are producing is not the same because ours have been grown with no chemicals ever having been put on to them and what you get from us is the freshest produce you will ever eat.”

Reggie said he has spent a great deal of time ensuring that the volunteers who are involved know their roles and what is expected. He leaves them with a plan of what needs to be done if he is away, as he is until the end of this month.

“There are people in place for the growing patterns and harvesting to continue when neither myself nor Ike are here.

“We have three volunteers who have specific instructions and specific job roles in our crop plan, such as when and where to transplant seedlings and I am in communication with them while I am away.

“It’s how community supported agriculture should work harmoniously for all.

“The original five-year plan had slipped a little with the early changes in those who were running it but we are now at the stage where we are making good progress once again.

“Farming and market gardening takes a few years to earn a decent income and we are currently on a three-year farm business tenancy which I’m hoping Molescroft Grange will extend once we show them it is working the right way, which I feel it is now.

“Understandably they want to see how it goes and then hopefully they may consider a more long-term farm business tenancy of ten years.

“That’s what would help in providing the security I would like to see.

“We have Ike, who is a brilliant grower and a real asset to the farm. He’s travelled all over Europe visiting farms.

“He and I have a real passion for providing as much real quality food for the local community as is possible.”

Reggie said that he hopes the growth that can be made will bring an end to his career on the road with staging events and he can farm at Frith full-time.