Why Our Veg Bags Work the Way They Do

At Community Roots we run a year-round veg bag scheme and we are often asked what is growing in the garden and how we decide what ends up in the bags each week. So we thought it was a good time to explain how our system works and why we do things the way we do.

We choose to run our veg bags all year round. Some community growing projects pause over winter, but for us, keeping things going is an important part of what we do. It allows us to provide steady employment, offer regular volunteer days, and keep the site active and welcoming throughout the year. The veg bags support the wider work of Community Roots, from skills sharing to community connection, and help us remain financially sustainable.

At this point in the year, we are moving into what growers call the hungry gap. This happens in early spring - It is the period when winter crops have finished and summer crops are only just being sown and nurtured, still some time away from harvest. The days may be getting longer, but growth is slow and the garden enters a quieter phase.

Because of this, there are times of year when we cannot grow everything we need for our veg bags on site. Its where crops such as onions and squash come into their own. These can be dried and stored, helping to carry us through the months when fresh harvests are more limited. The hungry gap is a completely natural part of growing food in the UK and something all growers have to work with rather than against.

Rather than stopping altogether, we supplement our bags with produce from other farms. We do this from farms in Cornwall where possible, but also wholesale fruits and Veg from Organic North delivered to our packing shed. This allows us to keep the veg bags going throughout the year, whilst staying true to our valuesthe produce we buy in comes from growers who work in a way that aligns with our own. By doing this, we support other small farms, keep money circulating within the local food economy, and help build a more resilient growing community across the county. When you buy a veg bag from us, you are not just buying vegetables. You are supporting a network of growers as well as a community project rooted in care for people and the land.

At Community Roots we grow in a relatively small space, so how we use that space matters. We follow a careful crop rotation to keep the soil healthy and reduce the risk of pests and disease. We also try not to leave ground uncovered, as bare soil quickly loses nutrients and structure. This means our growing system is efficient, but it also means we cannot simply swap crops in and out to fill gaps when the seasons change. We work with the natural rhythm of the land rather than trying to force it.

Different places grow different crops well, and understanding those strengths is a key part of sustainable growing. Here in Cornwall, brassicas thrive. Cauliflowers and cabbages do particularly well in our climate, something anyone who has driven past winter fields will recognise. Other crops, such as alliums, are harder to grow successfully here and do better in other regions. As a small project, it makes sense for us to focus on what grows best in our soil and to work with other growers who specialise in the crops we cannot easily produce ourselves.

Our veg bags are about more than the glorious vegetables we put in them. They’re also about building a local food system that is resilient and rooted in community. Not only are they zero waste, they support food sustainability, provide meaningful work, and help people stay connected to where their food comes from, even during the quieter months in the garden.