Tucked away in an unassuming corner of Hindhead sits Applegarth Farm. It would be easy to drive past this site, but it would be a mistake to do so.
The farm shop, restaurant, and a collection of huts home to artists and beauty therapists have become a little village where a visitor could while away hours.
Owner Will Benson took over the farm from his father 15 years ago. His father bought the spot in 1977, with the fields providing soft fruit to Covent Garden Market for 20 years. When Will took the helm, he decided to expand, introducing first the farm shop, then a café, which soon became the restaurant people can visit today.
With around 35 per cent of produce sourced from the farm itself, the menu is constantly changing but currently features a range of delicious dishes. Small plates can be anything from scallops to home-grown mushrooms on toast, with those on the hungrier side able to choose from roasted swordfish, bavette steak, and vegetable tagliatelle.
The shop is bursting with all kinds of food, from veg to baked goods, with a counter selling salads, pork pies, and enough cheese for a Christmas market. Currently, Applegarth Farm is only open for breakfast, lunch, and Sunday roasts. Prior to Covid, the farm stayed open late into the evening for dinner.
“Covid hit us hard,” said Will. “Like many places in the UK, we have struggled to find chefs, but there are big changes coming to the farm which I am very excited about. I am going to give this place a serious kickstart.”
Will is on a mission to make Applegarth the go-to destination for people who want good food at an excellent price, all while supporting sustainable farming.
As well as owning the farm, Will has also been supplying vertical farms to places across the country. Behind the farm shop and restaurant, Applegarth has its own vertical farm, with a new mushroom factory supplying home-grown produce just 30 steps door-to-door – talk about cutting down air miles.
“I am really passionate about hyper-local food production in urban environments,” added Will. “It cuts travel miles, carbon emissions, and just tastes better.
“We are completely unique in what we are doing here. No one else in the UK is doing what we’re doing on this scale.”
Alongside his vertical farms, Will has also been in discussion with local farmers to get more local produce on his customers’ plates.
There are big plans in the works for the farm, with planning permission granted to transform the little village into a powerhouse for local produce and good food.
But while these plans are years in the making, other changes are just around the corner. Will is bringing back evenings at Applegarth with supper clubs and events several times a month.
Applegarth is well worth a visit today. Whether for coffee, food, something small from the shop, or just to pop into the art studio, there is enough to keep everyone happy.