When I came back to London from Sydney, I had a serious case of the blues. I'd gone from warm days with blue skies and sunshine to grey, drizzly autumn days in London; from having a car to whiz around in to having to travel on public transport; from having longtime friends around to living on my own. None of these really bother me - autumn is nice here, the public transport is great and I'm super independent - but it was getting to me in a big way. Coupled with the fact that I didn't have work lined up when I got back, it was not a good time

I decided to do something about my pity party for one and dragged myself to Orpington, way down south, to a pick-your-own farm called Hewitt's Farm. I thought the fruit and veg, the colours of autumn and the outdoor activity might lift my spirits.

I went early in the morning, caught the train to Knockholt station, then walked across a golf course that I think was a public footpath (since that was the path Google Maps was telling me to go!), until I finally got to the farm. I was one of the first people there, which meant that I had the place basically to myself. It was really fun, though I probably need to learn more about picking fruit and veg if I go again (I also need to take a knife; broccoli and cauliflower stems are too tough to break off!). I nailed it with the corn and beetroot, but my squash/zucchini/marrow were tasteless and had weird hard skin (I ended up peeling them and using the flesh to bulk up pasta sauce). I came home with a big bag full of fruit and veg, and a renewed love of living in England.

A few tips about going to pick-your-own:

  • Research what's in season at the time you go. Fruit and veg are seasonal, despite what it looks like in the supermarkets!
  • Take your own carry bags or baskets to put your goodies in. I also took some plastic bags because I knew that beets were in season and I didn't want everything to be coloured magenta.
  • Wear boots or other sturdy shoes... you're on a farm after all! Also, be prepared for the weather if there's a chance of rain or sunburn (one is more likely in London than the other...)
  • As mentioned above, I wish I'd had a knife. I don't want to encourage knife-carrying, but a small pocket knife would have come in handy for picking.