Ben Raskin

I discovered growing on a vineyard in Italy in my late twenties and have now worked in farming for more than 30 years. For 12 years I grew vegetables, including running a walled garden at Gravetye Manor in Sussex and setting up the market garden at Daylesford.

I now combine a range of work, predominantly as Head of Agroforestry for the Soil Association, but also managing a 200-acre agroforestry planting at Helen Browning’s Eastbrook Farm in Wiltshire. I write books, most recently “The Woodchip Handbook” and “Silvohorticulture”. I also do some private consultancy.

I’m on the boards / committees of two great grass roots organisations; The Farm Woodland Forum and The Community Supported Agriculture Network UK.

Hobbies include singing and playing the banjo, walking, knitting and playing table tennis and squash.