21 JANUARY 2006, Page 49

Q. Growing your own organic vegetables has become very competitive

here in the Vale of Pewsey. The place is awash with city money and many of these new country squires can afford full-time gardeners, which puts those like me who cannot afford help at a disadvantage. One neighbour even exclusively grows dwarf vegetables — beetroots, carrots, radishes etcetera, which can be eaten by the mouthful. What can a singlehanded gardener do to compete, Mary? Name and address withheld A. The chances are that very few of your neighbours will have come across the organic seed catalogue Seeds of Kokopelli, a ‘planetary collection’ of heirloom and endangered varieties of vegetables. You can buy, for example, seeds for black tomatoes, blue kohlrabi, white carrots and winter squashes. This will guarantee you a quite substantial level of one-upmanship. The website is www.kokopelli.asso.fr. Chris Baur at Ripple Farm, Crundale, Canterbury, Kent on 01227 731815 will be able to give further details. Or email kokopelli@organicseedsonline.com