Knockfarrel Produce: Feeding the 500

Room 2: 1:30pm

Jo Hunt, Knockfarrel Produce

Jo Hunt is a crofter at Knockfarrel, near Dingwall. Over the past 11 years Jo has transitioned 45 acres of seasonal grazing land into a large market garden feeding 200 local families; and created a productive woodland, orchard and soil carbon store.

The croft provides paid employment for 2 full time and 3 part time staff, and trains 2 new veg growers each year. The croft is 72 tonnes a year carbon negative – producing the food emits 42T/ year of CO2E, but then woodland and soil management sequesters 114T of CO2E – the process is certified by SRUC.

Jo is an economist with 30 years’ experience working in the Highlands, and previously acted as policy adviser to the Crofting Commission and Director of the Highlands and Islands Local Food Network.

Alongside local food production, he currently provides business advice and mentoring to new entrant and existing farmers and crofters, helping them transition to supplying their local market, and adopt agro-ecological farming methods.