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Guy Singh-Watson

Self-confessed veg nerd, Guy Singh-Watson has over the last 30 years taken Riverford from one man and a wheelbarrow delivering homegrown organic veg to friends, to a national veg box scheme delivering to around 50,000 customers a week.

Guy is an inspirational, passionate, opinionated and admired figure in the world of organic farming, who still spends more time in the fields than in the boardroom. Twice awarded BBC Radio 4 Farmer of the Year, Guy is passionate about sharing with others the organic farming and business knowledge he has accumulated over the last three decades.

His video rants have provided a powerful platform to do this, with a video on pesticides going viral on Facebook to reach 5.6 million views and 91,000 shares. His weekly veg box newsletters connect customers to the farm with refreshingly honest accounts of the trials and tribulations of producing organic food, and the occasional rant about farming, ethical and business issues he feels strongly about.

 

Posts by Guy Singh-Watson

    • Ethical business
    • Guy Singh-Watson

    Responsible capitalism: a manifesto

    Last month, I was presented with the 18th Award for Responsible Capitalism, given annually by publishing group First.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 18th March 2019

    0
    • Ethical business
    • News from the farm

    Can capitalism be responsible?

    Some 20 years ago, when I was campaigning against GM seeds, a wise aunt advised me not to ‘demonise my foe’. Her words were in my ears last week as I was presented with the 18th Award for Responsible…

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 13th March 2019

    5
    • News from the farm

    Foraging ramsons: the ultimate sustainable food?

    In the best woods, a flexible, nimble-fingered picker can forage 50kg of ramsons (the local name for wild garlic) a day. It will be available until late April when the leaves open above and shade it…

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 7th March 2019

    0
    • News from the farm

    In praise of purple sprouting broccoli

    February was a kind month. We had some sharp frosts but, on dry and winter-hardened plants, there was no damage. It was dry enough to spread muck and to plough; a welcome change from last spring.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 28th February 2019

    0
    • News from the farm
    • Renewable energy

    Green power and a generation of guilt

    Time is running out for any hope of keeping climate change within two degrees Celsius and thereby avoiding the cataclysm of self-perpetuating, runaway global warming.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 14th February 2019

    7
    • News from the farm

    Cursed greens and Wicked Leeks

    From being a straw-chewing yokel working in a muddy backwater in the 80s, when few cared about how their broccoli was grown, we now find ourselves at the centre of so many debates.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 7th February 2019

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Latest posts

    • Ethical business
    • Guy Singh-Watson

    Responsible capitalism: a manifesto

    Last month, I was presented with the 18th Award for Responsible Capitalism, given annually by publishing group First.

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 18th March 2019

    0
    • Ethical business
    • News from the farm

    Can capitalism be responsible?

    Some 20 years ago, when I was campaigning against GM seeds, a wise aunt advised me not to ‘demonise my foe’. Her words were in my ears last week as I was presented with the 18th Award for Responsible…

    By Guy Singh-Watson - 13th March 2019

    5
    • Price
    • Environment & ethics

    What does Brexit mean for food prices?

    Tariffs are part of the picture but as citizens we need to demand our politicians do so much more to make sure we have sustainable and affordable food.

    By Vicki Hird - 13th March 2019

    1

Articles from other authors

What does Brexit mean for food prices?

There has been much talk of late about the price of food. With Brexit meaning a falling pound and possible food shortages and, more fundamentally, climate…

1 comments / Price

Lessons in Taste

    Standing at the chopping board in her Cambridge kitchen, Bee Wilson loves nothing more than making something delicious for her family to eat together. “…

0 comments / Interview

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  • Guy’s news: Can capitalism be responsible? 20 years ago, when I was campaigning against GM seeds, a wise aunt advised me not to ‘demonise my foe’. Her words were in my ears last week as I was presented with the 18th Award for Responsible Capitalism by Princess Anne. Previous winners include the heads of Unilever, BP, & Rio Tinto (foes?), as well as @divinechocolateuk & @ecover_uk. I believe the organisers genuinely share my desire for better business; however, I'm less sure that they have the sense of urgency or the appetite for disruption that'll be needed if we're to avoid blindly charging over the environmental & social cliffs that unbridled capitalism is leading us towards. I used my 3 minutes in front of 200 ambassadors, lords & moneyed power brokers to give an angry speech about the failures of capitalism. We have created a system designed to make us behave irresponsibly, & then abdicated personal responsibility for our actions with the excuses that we're just ‘following the rules’, ‘doing what others do’, ‘being realistic’. Capitalism has made it normal & acceptable to profit from destroying our collective future. Bizarrely, economists & policymakers present this paradigm as rationality; to me it seems pathologically delusional. On I went...& to my surprise, most people in the room seemed to agree. One woman told me that she knew climate change was real because she now had to walk 27 steps from her ski chalet to the retreating glacier. I was told ‘we need more people like you’, to which I should've replied: ‘no, we need more people like you, with options to change their ways & the power to set a better example.' I may've sowed a few seeds of doubt, but I'm not holding my breath. To paraphrase the phenomenal 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, hope will only come from action. We need both change from within & challenge from without to stand a chance of passing a habitable planet on to our grandchildren. We need approval, encouragement &bravery from our peers; shaming from our children; incentives &leadership from government; & perhaps most of all, we need positive, joyous, well publicised examples of a plausible alternative future. I believe Riverford is one.
  • RECIPE - Ras el Hanout Hasselback Squash Hasselbacking veg is an interesting way of cooking squash. We’ve served ours with a Harissa couscous with creamy feta and crunchy pine nuts. 🍴You’ll need (serves 2): 1 small butternut squash, halved lengthways with seeds removed 1 red onion, peeled & finely diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped 20g pine nuts 1 Romano pepper, deseeded & thinly sliced 30g black olives, stoned & sliced 10 fresh bay leaves 20g dried apricots, chopped 1 couscous stew spice mix (1 tsp dried mint, 1 tbsp dried coriander leaves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp smoked paprika) 100g couscous 1 tbsp harissa 200g passata 15g parsley, roughly chopped 1 tbsp ras el hanout 75g feta 1 lemon Lightly oil and season the cut sides of the squash, then roast cut-side down for 25 mins at 200C/Gas 6. In a saucepan, gently dry fry the pine nuts for 3-4 mins then transfer to a plate. Gently fry the onion in 1 tbsp of oil for 10 mins. Add the pepper and cook for 2 mins or so then remove from the heat. Take the squash from the oven after 25 minutes but keep it in the tin. Make 8-10 downward slices into the rounded skin-side of the squash, stopping 2cm from the bottom so it stays in 1 piece. Tuck the bay leaves into some of the cuts, drizzle with oil, season and roast for another 10 mins. Return the onion & pepper to the heat. Stir in the garlic, couscous stew spice mix, couscous, apricots, olives, harissa and passata. Refill the passata pot with water; add that then season and bring to a low boil. cook for 10 mins, until the couscous is soft. Remove the squash from the oven again. Sprinkle over the ras el hanout, drizzle with a little more oil then return it to the oven for approx 10 mins, until the squash is tender. Check the couscous seasoning, adding lemon juice to taste. Crumble the feta and sprinkle the cheese, parsley and pine nuts over the squash before serving.
  • Introducing Ellis, #WickedLeeks’ new cartoonist with his take on food politics, sustainability, and anything in between. This week: With Brexit day looming, there is a growing realisation about the gap between what many politicians think of food production versus the reality.
  • RECIPE - Chermoula Cauliflower with Herby Quinoa ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In this dish, we fry cauliflower with a smoky North African spice paste, called chermoula. Due to size variations in our cauliflowers, we’ve given you two options for how to prepare it. If you have a small cauliflower, just chop it into florets. If you have a larger one, turn it upside down and slice through the stalk to get two thick slices from the middle. Don’t worry if odd bits fall off, you can still use them. You’ll need (serves 2) ⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red onion, peeled, halved & finely sliced 20g pumpkin seeds 30g green olives , stoned & sliced Juice & zest of ½ a lemon, plus extra juice to taste 1 garlic clove, peeled & finely grated 15g parsley, finely chopped 1 chermoula spice mix (1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp dried coriander leaf) 100g quinoa, rinsed 1 tsp bouillon powder 1 cauliflower, cut either in to even florets or 2 x 3cm thick slices 150g spinach ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Lightly toast the pumpkin seeds for 2 mins then transfer to a plate. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gently fry the onion in 1 tbsp of oil, stirring now and then. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In a bowl, mix the garlic, chermoula spice mix, lemon zest, juice from ½ the lemon, ½ the parsley, ½ tbsp of olive oil and 7 tbsp of water. This is your chermoula - season it and set aside. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the quinoa, bouillon and 325ml of boiled water to the onion. Simmer for 14-15 mins, until the quinoa is tender, adding more water if needed. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Fry the cauliflower in 1 tbsp of oil for 3 mins on a medium-high heat until golden, then carefully turn them. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add ½ tbsp more oil and the chermoula before frying on a lower heat for 6-7 mins, adding a little water if needed until the cauliflower is cooked with a little bite. Season. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wilted the spinach in a pan, then drain it over the sink by pressing the spinach against the side of a pan with a spoon. Stir the olives and spinach into the quinoa, season and add more lemon juice to taste. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Serve the quinoa and cauliflower scattered with pumpkin seeds and remaining parsley.
  • Organic land rises for first time in over 10 years ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Good news for organic: the amount of land farmed organically in the UK has risen for the first time in over a decade. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ During the last year, the amount of organic land rose by 1.9%, the first increase since 2008, while it’s the third year of growth for the amount of land in conversion to organic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ With recent news about the approaching extinction of many insects, this is really reassuring. Organic farms have been shown to have up to 50% more biodiversity. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We see organic as a solution; as the way forward to produce food sustainably without destroying the environment, and it seems an increasing number of others are too 🍃
  • RECIPE - Baked Greek Beans & Potato Wedges⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This recipe is inspired by a baked bean dish called ‘Greek gigantes’, aka giant beans. Traditionally, they’re served as part of a mezze but, here, we’ve topped off the beans with tangy sheep’s cheese and rosemary potato wedges on the side, to make it a complete meal. Baking the beans in the oven enriches the sauce, making it perfect for dunking the potatoes in!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You'll need(serves 2): 500g potatoes, peeled & chopped into thick wedges⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 10g rosemary, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 onion, peeled, halved & finely sliced⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 red pepper, deseeded & chopped into 2cm pieces⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ½ a lemon, finely zested⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin butterbeans, drained & rinsed ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 15g parsley, roughly chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 Greek bean spice mix (½ tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp cinnamon)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp red pesto⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp bouillon powder ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin chopped tomatoes⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 75g feta⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Preheat your oven to 190˚C/Gas 5. Toss the potatoes in a roasting tin in oil to coat, season and roast for 30 mins. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gently fry the onion and pepper in 2 tbsp of oil for 12 mins, stirring often and adding a splash of water if it looks like catching. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir in the garlic, then after 30 secs stir in the Greek bean spice mix. Cook for 1 min, then stir in the pesto, bouillon, tomatoes and beans. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Refill the empty can ½ full with water; add that. Season and simmer for 5 mins, stirring often. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Transfer the beans to a baking dish. Bake for 20 mins, until the sauce has thickened. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Remove the potatoes from the oven after they have been roasting for 30 mins, toss with the rosemary then roast for a further 10 mins or so until the potatoes are cooked through and crisp.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When the beans are ready, loosen the sauce with a little water if it’s too thick. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Crumbled the feta over the beans and top with the parsley.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sprinkle a little lemon zest over the potatoes and serve on the side.
  • Guy's news: The ultimate sustainable food?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In the best woods, a flexible, nimble-fingered picker can forage 50kg of ramsons (the local name for wild garlic) a day. It'll be available until late April when the leaves open above & shade it out. Ramsons share their shady habitat with the toxic weeds Dog’s Mercury & Lords-&-ladies & the leaves are painstakingly re-sorted in the packhouse for safety.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Foraging is expensive, hard to manage & introduces risk & unpredictability, which stresses our technical team. If we could grow the stuff in a field under controlled conditions we probably would, but after years of experimenting, I’ve conceded that its requirements for shade & soil type are too subtle for my clumsy agronomic efforts to simulate. I’ve collected seed & spread it in newly-planted woods, but it takes six years to establish & I suspect it'll take a century of leaf drop to create the humus-rich soil that supports the best crops.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Occasionally I get chastised in the pub for “raping the woods for commercial gain”, to which I robustly counter that this is some of the most sustainable food we could eat. It represents a model we should emulate & learn from rather than denigrate.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There's a debate raging in policy circles over whether our farming should “spare or share”; the former would have us intensify & use every input to increase yield & supposedly therefore spare land for nature. In the most extreme cases, nature is removed completely with food produced in a factory under lights. Sharing agriculture aspires to accommodate nature on the same land that is shared with the crop & includes ideas like agroforestry, permaculture & foraging. Sharing is knowledge intensive (& hard to profit from selling), & lacks commercial advocates & lobbyists; sparing tends to be supported by reductionist economists, technophiles & companies with inputs to⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ sell. I know which system I'd like my food to come from & I'm pretty sure which is better for the planet.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Guy Singh-Watson
  • RECIPE - Spring Green & Shiitake Dal ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A lentil dal is a healthy and sustaining dish, and you can ring changes with whatever veg you have. We’re using seasonal greens and delicate shiitake. We’re frying off a few seeds to top the lot; known as a tarka, it adds a little extra flavour bomb, along with mint and chilli. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You’ll need (serves 2)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 100g red lentils, soaked in cold water, then drain & rinsed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 leek, trimmed, halved lengthways & finely shredded⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 chilli, deseeded & finely chop⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp curry powder⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 shiitake dal spice mix (1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground ginger, 1 tbsp dried coriander leaves)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tin coconut milk ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 200g spring greens, strip leaves from stalks, then thinly shredded⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 150g shiitake mushrooms, larger mushrooms halved⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 10g mint, finely shred⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp black mustard seeds⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tsp cumin seeds⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 lime, halved & squeezed⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1 tbsp oil⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Pitta breads to serve⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Gently fry the leeks in a little oil, then add the garlic, curry powder, shiitake dal spice mix and a pinch of chilli (if you like it spicy.)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Add the coconut milk. Fill the coconut tin ½ full with water; add that. Heat to a low boil, add the lentils and simmer for 15 mins, until softened. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Stir in the spring greens and cook for 5 mins, until the lentils are mushy, and the greens are wilted. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ At the same time, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add the shiitake mushrooms. Add salt and pepper and fry for 3-4 mins until softened.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Using a large pan, fry the mustard and cumin seeds in 2 tbsp of oil for approx. 30 secs - 1 min, until they start to pop, then transfer the seeds and oil to a mug.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Season the lentil dal and add lime juice to taste. Top with mushrooms, toasted seeds and their oil, mint and a little extra chilli, if you like. Serve with toasted pittas for dunking.
  • Here’s a glimpse of next week’s recipe box options 🍴 Recipes include: - Cauliflower, spinach & pesto butterbeans - Indonesian jackfruit & sticky rice - Squash, spinach & feta couscous - Mixed bean chilli 🌶 Live life on the veg 💚

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