Nuts About British Food Security
We’re proud to see our founder Roger Saul, creator of Mulberry and now passionate British organic walnut farmer, featured across BBC News, FEAST Magazine, and BBC Radio Somerset this week — all highlighting one vital message: it’s time for Britain to back its own growers.
🎧 Listen on BBC Radio Somerset: Roger Saul on this week’s Sounds interview (3:44 onwards)
🗞️ Read on BBC News: Mulberry founder turned walnut farmer calls for help
A Record Harvest, Twenty Years in the Making
After two decades of nurturing walnut trees here in Somerset, this year’s harvest at Sharpham Park is the biggest yet — three times larger than any before.
It’s living proof that the UK can grow more of what we eat, given the right support and vision. Through years of regenerative farming, soil health restoration and careful stewardship, our orchards are now thriving — producing British-grown walnuts that are fresher, creamier, and better for people and planet alike.
A Call to Reimagine Our Food Future
As Roger shared with the BBC:
“We’re pretty self-sufficient in beef and dairy, but on veg, fruit and nuts we are hopeless.”
The UK currently imports around 99% of its nuts, alongside over 80% of fruit and nearly half of all vegetables. That reliance on imports not only weakens our food security, it also distances us from the biodiversity, nutrition and flavour that home-grown produce can deliver.
At Sharpham Park, we believe in closing that gap. Our walnut harvest shows what’s possible when we work with nature — regenerating soil, respecting the seasons, and diversifying crops to strengthen local resilience.
From Soil to Policy: Supporting British Growers
Climate change is already reshaping what’s viable to grow in the UK. Walnuts, once considered a marginal crop here, are thriving under new conditions. But farmers need support, capital and encouragement to adapt — not more red tape.
“It needs investment, enthusiasm and interest-free loans,” Roger said in his BBC interview. “Farmers have the skill and will — they just need the means.”
Supporting British-grown nuts, fruit and vegetables isn’t just about sustainability. It’s about sovereignty, health and the long-term stability of our food system.
A Kernel of Hope
So, as we mark this milestone harvest, we ask an important question:
🥜 What would it take for the UK to truly back its own nut growers?
Because the future of food security doesn’t lie overseas — it’s right here, rooted in British soil.
