Westland visit

So when people ask me what I’m doing today, my normal response is not “I’m going to a herb farm”! So after a couple of weird looks I explained that it was part of my FDA Professional Cookery degree and was all about looking into quality produce, sustainability and environmentally-friendly ways of running a business.

One thing I should probably stop doing is referring to it as a herb farm – the trip was actually to Westland Nurseries down in Evesham.

I think the consensus as a whole was that the trip was really worthwhile and a different style of learning especially compared to FE where excursions and such aren’t a part of the programme. The day was really good as it was split into two, firstly looking at the produce itself and tasting the flavors and textures. Afterwards, we had a guided tour around the greenhouses by expert leaf grower William Boers. The first thing I was astounded with was the precision that goes into making every single leaf. Also Westlands is very sustainability-minded, using new and unique technology to ensure there is little to no waste to their product. Creating its own power and being 100% water efficient, Westlands is currently still making strides to improve and advance in this area.

Overall, the day was a success and I think we gained a lot from the experience and are looking forward to further enrichment from UCB.

R.B