Magic microgreens from Lightfoot's Farm

My friends at Crow Spotter were the ones to give me my first taste of these microgreens, grown just down the road from us in Sway in the New Forest. To say they pack a punch is an understatement. I just had to find out more.

Pete and Grace bought Lightfoot’s Farm - previously a dairy farm - in 2018 and planted their first crop of microgreens not long after. Microgreens, or micro herbs, are tiny versions of vegetables and herbs usually cut within 10-15 days of sowing - before the first true leaf emerges. This new growth is absolutely packed with bioavailable nutrients.

Pete’s background is in agriculture and international development, working in risk-prone, complex environments in Afghanistan and Iraq, among other places. He’s managed projects to train thousands of farmers, and now he’s the farmer.

Quality produce you can trust

Pete notes that an industrialised farming sector has separated the farmer from their soil, their product, and the customer. The supply chain is just too great. His aspiration with Lightfoot’s Farm is to have as few links in the chain as possible between grower and consumer, so customers can be confident about where their greens come from, how they were grown and who they were grown by.

They grow many varieties of microgreens at the farm, from broccoli and black Tuscany kale to rocket and khol rabi purple delicacy. Pete recommends that newcomers start with their three most popular mixes: mild, spicy, and complete (£10.50 for 3 pots, delivered). There are at least 15 varieties of microgreens in these pots.

Microgreens are a handy ingredient to have in the fridge - if you’re not sure what to do with them, check out my post: 10 recipe ideas for microgreens.

Microgreens, stars of the screen

In the recent BBC2 programme ‘Remarkable Places to Eat’, Chris Bavin showed Fred Sirieix the culinary gems of The New Forest. They were wowed by The Elderflower Restaurant in Lymington, which featured microgreens from Lightfoot’s Farm. Pete even does some bespoke growing for Andrew Du Bourg, Head Chef. The programme is still available to watch on iPlayer here.

A side of glamping with your greens

I wasn’t intending to write about anything but the farm’s microgreens, but the camping they have going on is too special not to mention. They have three pitches with furnished bell tents, each with its own private shower/toilet and hot tub. There is also a communal field kitchen/dining space. Find out more here.

How to buy microgreens

You can shop online, buy direct from the farm (with a bring your own pot option) or at stockists such as Ferndene Farm Shop in New Milton. They also sell grow kits if you’d prefer to grow your own.

Fore more information, visit the Lightfoot’s Farm website.