Off Grid, On Tables
Theo Whyte visits Namayasai, an agro-forestry farm in Sussex selling Japanese and British produce to some of the best restaurants in the south-east of England.
Robin and Ikuko Williams started Namayasai farm by digging up their Sussex garden and planting it with Japanese produce. It wasn’t long until they were selling their harvest to some of the best restaurants in London and the southeast of England.
The pair have since taken over 60 acres in the shadow of the South Downs national park. The land was completely off-grid when they got to it. By building a track, a barn and two large greenhouses they’ve transformed the land from a few bare fields into a working farm.
Namayasai were early adopters of agroforestry, and grow their crops in alleys lined with an assortment of fruit trees. But their harvest goes beyond what they can get from the field, to what they can forage from their 21 acres of self-seeded woodland. Chefs, they say, can turn almost anything into a delicious meal.
Translated from Japanese the name, Namayasai means “fresh vegetable”. The farm’s core principle is to harvest in the early morning and send their produce out the same day. Their unconventional, hands-on practices have attracted a team of enthusiastic young staff members and volunteers, keen for their first taste of farming life.
Produced and presented by Theo Whyte.
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- Sun 8 Jun 2025 06:35ѿý Radio 4