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sowing
& growing
The story of Growing @Field 28
Helmed by Jan and Kevin Dobbs,
Growing @ Field 28 is a family-run urban farm in Daresbury, specialising in pesticide and biocide-free specialty leaf and heritage produce.
sowing:
Our heritage
Growing is something of a return to roots for Kevin and Jan, who both come from several generations of market gardeners and farmers
1950s
The Dobbs Family Farm was present in Grimsby for over 100 years
1998
Situated on the edge of Lord Daresbury's estate, the Daresbury Lodge becomes the new home of the Dobbs' dental practice.
Jan's family business, Jones the Gardeners, operated a market garden and supplied to a number of their own shops in North Wales for over eighty years.
GROWING
2011
After coming available at auction in 2011,
the Dobbs purchase Field 28 to bring it back within the estate of the Daresbury Lodge.
The Dobbs Family farm was present in Grimsby for over 100 years
2016
Following an informal conversation with Aiden Byrne who expressed his difficulty in sourcing quality leaf, the idea of using Field 28 as a specialty growers was born.
Construction begins on the barn to house the germination and growing rooms for specialist microherbs.
2017
2018
Indoor growing officially begins early in 2018, with a range of microherbs specifically selected for local restaurants.
Chef's Table
Our relationship with the Chef's Table restaurant in Chester begins, which will organically develop into a close working partnership.
2020
With restaurants shuttered during the pandemic and long supermarket queues, we began operating a veg box collection scheme to save our produce and serve the local community. This proved to be a fabulous way to get to know our neighbours, and the idea for opening a farm shop was born.
Later in the year, the first stages of outdoor growing with Polytunnels 1 & 2 built to expand the produce available to chefs
2019
A permanent shop is opened in the Big Barn, and our team begins to expand alongside our growing operation. Additional growing beds are plotted and two new polytunnels raised to grow heritage squashes, cucumbers and tomatoes. We begin working closely with Wellocks and Caterite to expand our reach, supplying to restaurants across England from Cumbria to London.
2021
2022
Putting all available produce to use, a deli opens within the farm shop to assist with keeping our produce waste low and producing a range of delicious hot and cold items to eat in or take away. With three florists and a dedicated gardner joining the team, we expanded our outdoor flower beds to provide fresh English cut flowers. The farm also sees it's first events and supper clubs taking place throughout the height of the growing season and well into winter.
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