Lin’s VegShed

Lin’s VegShed is our purpose-built shop, for farm gate sales. It is a self-service shop, using an “honesty box” cash and cards payment system.

It was lovingly named after Lin Tolhurst, one of the founders of Tolhurst Organic CIC, an organic grower for 42 years. Lin’s dream was for a farm shop and this project grew out of her request to set up the permanent building. She died suddenly and without warning on the day the crowdfunding campaign for the building materials closed. The Tolhurst family bring this forward in her memory.

Opening times

Tuesday – Sunday 9am – 7pm

Thursday – 1pm – 7pm

Our main aim is to provide the local community and those who enjoy Hardwick for their leisure activities, to have access to excellent, stockfree organic food throughout the year, at reasonable prices. Most of the food you buy at Lin’s VegShed is just hours past its harvest and only travelled from our fields here at Hardwick, so you can be assured of optimum nutritional content and flavour. We sell our own seasonal range of produce throughout the year, supplementing with occasional bought in organic produce when necessary, such as during the Hungry Gap in Spring. We often have a small range of bought in fruit available and sell our own apples, strawberries and rhubarb, seasonally.

We hope to educate others around the subject of stockfree organic farming and inspire our customers to shop locally,  eat seasonally and try new ways with vegetables. There are recipes, information boards and cooking tips around the shop, changing seasonally.

It takes the full Tolhurst Organic staff team to keep our shop well stocked and running smoothly! Farm staff do not work nights or weekends, so coming to the shop early in the morning will not ensure you the best produce or stock levels.  It takes a full morning to harvest and full re-stock, coming after lunch has the best selection. It is fully re-stocked on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and topped up on Saturday. We aim to use the least packaging we can, whilst also not being able to refrigerate on the shop floor. We understand our customers want fresh produce so sometimes tender leaves that are too small to bunch will go into plastic bags. We try to offer packaging-free options and choose-your-own deals where possible.

Lin’s VegShed occasionally hosts small pop-up café events, serving a small selection of seasonal plant based savoury food, with cake and simple drinks. Look out for word of these events on our Instagram, Facebook and in shop.

Parking is limited and the VegShed car park is private, for customers only. Customers are welcome to go for a short walk as long as they are there to also shop.

We do not sell other people’s produce or display any other posters or adverts unless by request and discussion with the manager. The only few that may be considered are for likeminded causes of Hardwick and Whitchurch-on-Thames residents.

VegShed manager is Dave Price and can be contacted at davidsprice89@gmail.com.

Dave can be seen at the shop at various points each open day, but he does not man it, you may still serve yourself in their presence.

Follow @TolhurstOrganicVeg on Instagram.