Farming: also an everyday tale of city folk

FREIGHTLINERS FARM

HIDDEN behind Liverpool Road in Islington is Freightliners Farm - a barn, a mobile shed and a cluster of Wendy houses that flank a courtyard, with paths leading to a garden, beehives and a poly tunnel.

The farm, run by Dutch opera singer Robert Donkers, 41, looks slightly chaotic, with its half-built straw-bale eco-barn. Freightliners is expanding fast, supported by the likes of Antony Worrall Thompson and Rick Stein.

It was set up in 1978 by a group of Islington hippies. The animals were kept in freight wagons on disused railway land at King's Cross.

In 1979 they moved to Paradise Park, where there are now 18 paid staff, plus 140 part-time volunteers. The 2.5-acre farm has 100 animals. Many are rare breeds, such as middle white and Berkshire pigs, brahma chickens, giant runt pigeons and chinchilla rabbits.

There is also a composting scheme for residents.

The Wendy houses are part of a new project to build a "village" where children can meet rabbits, chickens and goats. "I keep giant rabbits so the children can't pick them up and then drop them," says Mr Donkers.

The farm costs about Pounds 250,000 a year to run. The money comes from grants, donations and its chief annual fundraising venture - an opera. Last year, Hansel And Gretel raised Pounds 12,500.

"I love it," says Donkers, who looks more like an advertising executive than a farmer and lives in Finsbury Park. He became interested in city farming after volunteering in Holland.

"The farm has to make so many concessions because we're in an urban environment, but the lack of space means there's more contact with the animals," he says.

Children get the chance to learn animal husbandry, and Freightliners also runs carpentry, spinning, weaving and dyeing workshops.

"You dream of moving to the country, but then you always want the city as well," he says. "This is a magical, inbetween place."

.Sheringham Road, N7; 020 7609 0467.

SPITALFIELDS CITY

FARM WANDER off Brick Lane, follow the small sign to Spitalfields City Farm and when you arrive you will be greeted by three white geese, who will escort you into a series of cobbled courtyards.

The farm began life in 1978 as allotments on the site of a former railway depot. The locals kept chickens, rabbits and geese. Today, it has 1.3 acres of land and is home to bantam hens, Guernsey goats, Kune Kune pigs and Mavis the donkey, star of nativity plays throughout December. It also has the Coriander Club, which grows herbs for local Bangladeshis. Rebecca Luff, 39, has been in charge for six years, having come from Kentish Town Farm.

"I love animals," she says.

The farm is supported by a grant from the council, sponsorship from several City firms and banks, an Adopt An Animal scheme and 500 volunteers.

Carrie Beeson, beauty PR for Dior, helps 14 hours a week, co- ordinating the work of corporate sponsors. "It is such a contrast from my day job - bliss to sit in my grubby jeans with the chickens," she said. The farm gets more than 20,000 visitors a year, but is under threat of development. The East London Line, scheduled for 2006, will run through its horticultural section. Ms Luff is philosophical: "It's a tremendous blow, but we'll get compensation to design a new section. And the noise shouldn't bother the animals; they are used to the sounds of London."

.Weaver Street, E1; 020 7247 8762.

HACKNEY CITY FARM

VENTURE down Hackney Road and deep into the industrial wastelands, and it's a surprise to suddenly find yourself in a field with pigs, sheep and a huge Norfolk Black turkey called Eric.

The farm was founded in 1984 by Hackney resident Janet Goldman and is now run by locals on the site of a former brewery. With 300 animals, including 250 poultry, it draws 60,000 visitors a year. The manager, Chris Pounds, a spiky-haired 38-year-old who is married with two children and has a sheep farm in Kent, has been working here for 11 years.

Admission is free, so the farm makes its money mainly by selling fresh eggs, hay and straw, and through its CafE Frizzante.

The cafE was set up two years ago by Armando Varlotta, formerly head chef at the ICA. It offers robust food, such as red onion and goat's cheese tart and pork belly in ciabatta. Jarvis Cocker, Julie Christie and Graham Norton are regulars.

The farm also has a vegetable garden where children can play.

.Goldsmiths Row, E2; 020 7729 6381.

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