Eating with the Seasons
After the cosy months of winter root veg and hearty stews, nature starts showing off her green thumb with bright, fresh flavours.
Asparagus spears, peppery radishes, tender spinach leaves, and the wild garlic punch of foraged greens are all here to give us a taste of spring.
We enjoy digging in and celebrating healthy, well-grown food — food that’s local and seasonal and as fresh as the Sussex sea air. Eating with the seasons isn’t just delicious; it’s a small way to work with nature, reduce your food miles & carbon, and enjoy food at its peak flavour
What is the Hungry gap
If you’ve ever heard one of our veg team say, “We’re in the hungry gap at the moment,” you might have wondered what they mean.
The hungry gap is all about the natural rhythms of growing food here in the UK. It’s the time when winter crops have run their course, but the new season’s spring and summer produce hasn’t quite arrived yet. Back in the days before fridges, greenhouses, and international trade, it meant empty fields and hungrier bellies as people waited for the first fresh harvests of the year. The exact date and length of the hungry gap changes each year depending on the weather, but ask our team and they will let you know when the spring bounty will come in.
Why Do We Source Locally?
We’ve always believed in keeping things as local and seasonal as possible. By working closely with organic farms in our area, we’re able to offer produce that’s fresh, vibrant, and full of colour — no silly packaging or nasty pesticides, just good, honest food.
But let’s be real: during the hungry gap, local supply sometimes struggles to meet demand. That’s why we balance our shelves with carefully chosen imported organic produce. When we do this, we stick to our values by prioritising land and sea freight, fair trade, and worker-owned sources wherever possible.
What’s on the Shelves Right Now?
Even in the hungry gap, there’s plenty to get excited about. Thanks to the efforts of amazing growers like Metske at Bore place and Toos & Rosa at Laines Organic Farm, we’ve got:
- Spinach, chard, beetroot, leeks, and broccoli from across Sussex.
From further afield, we’ve sourced:
- Organic tomatoes from the Isle of Wight (the sunniest spot in the UK — perfect for growing).
- You will start to see, early British aubergines, asparagus, cucumbers, radishes, courgettes, and Jersey Royals (the price will come down soon, promise!).
Some staples, like UK-grown apples, are nearly at the end of their season, but we’ve still got British potatoes and portobello mushrooms year-round to keep your meals hearty.