Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Rural Affairs minister Llyr Gruffydd MS was speaking on a visit to Pili-Pala Farm in Cwm Nant-y-Meichaid, Llanfyllin.
The food grown on the site benefits from a special valley micro-climate that is of full sun, and reduced frosts. The main growers are Tom Edwards, and his nephew Charlie Felton, with the rest of the family chipping in to help occasionally as well. “As a country we need to make our food systems far more resilient. We need to make ourselves less reliant on foreign imports.
“Because of that we don't dig. Instead we nourish the surface with green waste compost, so the soil life stays healthy, and our plants are able to thrive. It’s also a haven for pollinators. “The vast majority of produce is picked within 24 hours, and is often harvested the same day. We replenish stock every morning, so it's always nice and fresh."“We harvest our fruit, veg and flowers daily, and so customers will often receive our produce the same day it was picked. Therefore, it lasts longer, retains more nutrients and in our opinion it tastes a whole lot better too.