A market garden visit to Pillars of Hercules

The 2 acres of land at the Sanctuary garden is big enough to be a market garden, with similar to size to the early years of East Neuk Market Garden. After our volunteer visit at the beginning of the month where Tom from East Neuk Market Garden gave us some amazing tips and contacts another was planned.

Eight of our volunteers, if you include Mimi the Greenspaces Coordinator at Eats Rosyth, visited Pillars of Hercules a well established and long running organic market garden, shop and cafe near Falkland. We were shown around by Frank, who fielded our questions with ease. The experience and knowledge he shared so freely was very useful. Thank you.

Afterwards, in the Pillar’s cafe over a steaming cup of coffee, we discussed some of the ways Pillars farm could be used in The Sanctuary Garden. Their no-dig beds would make Charles Dowding proud! Jigs to make no dig beds, using straw as a weed mulch, BCS two wheeled tractors, sumi tape for watering, crop rotation, silage tarps, propagation and where to get 20 cubes of organic compost!

The polytunnel design was also discussed and with the collective ideas, the design improved by reducing complexity both with the build and day to day usage. It is a joy to witness the power of working together and allowing an idea to bounce around, evolve and grow into something beautiful. I’m genuinely grateful for the volunteers at The Sanctuary Garden.