Meet Charlotte, aka. Charlie – our Head Kitchen Gardener at THE PIG in the New Forest...
When did you join THE PIG and what made you want to be a part of it?
I first joined in 2023 and was immediately drawn to the ethos of organic food production where we can work closely with the chefs using our produce to create the best bespoke growing, cooking and eating experience possible.
What makes THE PIG Kitchen Gardens so special?
Working as a PIG Kitchen Gardener gives a unique perspective to growing, as we are always working to be both productive and aesthetic.This gives us an opportunity to create a space to work in that feels extra gratifying to be able to stand back and say: ‘This looks and tastes amazing, and we did all of that ourselves!’.
Our garden at Brockenhurst is laid out in areas that make it feel like we have little ‘rooms’ in our garden that all feel slightly different. From the structured walled garden with regimentally planted veg beds and immaculately pruned fruit trees, to the more open and free space of the greenhouse garden and orchard, where the taller plants like our Jerusalem Artichokes can really shine!
How is a sustainable approach factored into your work?
We try to limit the use of plastic by reusing seedling and module trays for all our sowing, as well as only using peat-free compost. We also add all our garden waste from harvesting and weeding to our compost bay, which we can then cover and leave to break down into homemade compost to be used by our grounds team across the site. And even when some of our veg goes past its best (it happens to the best of us!) those will go to our pigs and chickens too, so nothing is wasted.
Tell us about your favourite unusual fruit and veg grown at THE PIGs?
There are so many to choose from! However, as we come into the summer months, one of my favourites every year are the cucamelons which we usually grow up one of the walls in our greenhouse. Looking like baby watermelons and tasting like lemony cucumbers, these are some of the most unique and fun additions to gin & tonics, or garnish for fish dishes on the menu.
Come along to THE PIG in the New Forest for a free Kitchen Garden tour everyday from 11am, and see first hand Charlie and the team in action! Find out more here.
