Ben Raskin
Contents
Biographical Information
"For the last twenty years I have taken a passionate interest in horticulture from both a practical and theoretical perspective. This has given me solid foundations to build my capacity as an advisor focussing on organic cultivation covering the South West and beyond.
"As well as my 4 days a week at the Soil Association I am involved in a range of other projects. I am a board member for “The Community Farm” near Bristol and I am co-ordinating grower trials for “Carbon Gold”... My connection with the Soil Association has been long standing –as a member and growing under their certification for 7 years- so it was a natural step to join them as a member of staff in 2006. My current position there as Head of Horticulture involves supporting our existing producers, promoting organic principles and techniques and developing training opportunities – the flagship being our Organic Apprenticeship.
"Previous jobs include the role of Commercial Manager at the Welsh College of Horticulture, 3 years spent at Daylesford Organics now one of the UK's most prominent Organic brands and an assistant Head Gardener position for the HDRA (now Garden Organic)." [1]
"My next move was to the HDRA (or Garden Organic as they are now called) as Assistant Head Gardener in their lovely Yalding gardens (now sadly no longer under their ownership). For a time I also ran the kitchen there, spending the mornings cooking and the afternoons growing. However with the West Country calling me home I found myself in the right place at the right time as the Lady Carol Bamford was embarking on a project that has now become one of the most prominent organic brands, but at the time was in its infancy: Daylesford Organics. I set up a vegetable growing operation on 8 acres, to supply the farm shop and kitchen. Surplus was sold through a couple of local box schemes or used for jams and chutneys. From the rolling Cotwolds I headed up to the more rugged North of Wales to take up the post of Commercial Manager at the Welsh College of Horticulture, where I was responsible for the organic vegetable unit, the garden centre and 3 acres of glasshouse production." [1]
Affiliations
- Former Director, Community Farm, Bristol
