At Habitat First Group, we’re passionate about sustainability and ethical living. Our on-site restaurant and shop, Ballihoo, is no exception. To support our quest to reduce food miles, Bob, our Handyman, and our dedicated team of groundskeepers, have worked hard over the last 12 months to develop our very own onsite allotment.
With a field-to-fork ethos, our budding allotment is already growing selected fresh produce, which we hope, in time, will supply both the Ballihoo restaurant and zero-waste shop. Bob has created natural pest controls, free from chemicals, using beer from the drip trays in Ballihoo – an ingenious solution to being a zero-waste environment.
Catching up with Bob, we were able to explore the grounds and talk about the future of the allotment. Only in its infancy, and currently cultivating over 18 species of fruits and vegetables, it has already doubled in size, with further plans for expansion.
Head Chef, Paul Budd, who works closely with Bob, is keen to increase the offering, requesting unusual varieties of vegetables, herbs, and fruits, including red sprouts, bronzed fennel and salsa fe.
The crop is already making good progress and we’ve been able to share some produce through our specials and private dining menus. Rhubarb, spinach, radishes and purple-sprouting broccoli have already featured in selected dishes.
The allotment is a haven for food lovers and gardeners alike and although not open to our residents and guests, we wanted to share the journey we are taking to supply our own produce to you.
Bob’s Patch
What’s in the plot?
Broad beans, garden peas, red sprouts, rhubarb, radish, spinach, purple-sprouting broccoli, asparagus, kale, giant pumpkins, garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, raspberries, gooseberries, whiteberries, Jerusalem artichokes and elderflower.