Helen's Bay Organic

26/08/2026

All welcome this Saturday 2pm to 5pm. Tour and talk at 2.30 and 3.30

26/08/2026

Leeks and carrots getting last mechanical hoeing by folding the soil around the base of the plants with discs to cover weeds. Considering how dry it has been both crops are looking good.

15/08/2026

11/08/2026

Over forty years of trying to get veg picked and boxes sold, packed and delivered, I have repeatedly experimented with performance-related pay, or “piece work” as it is known in the fields. I have seen fights over who filled a sack with carrots, had a punch thrown at me when, after two bonus years, no bonus was paid, and witnessed the most petty internal politics. If you assume and reward self-interest, that is what you get. It is seldom the best way to get good things done.

I was finally convinced that money is a poor motivator by an animated lecture from the fast-talking Dan Pink (on the Royal Society of Arts YouTube). It turns out that far more effective motivators are our need for purpose, autonomy and mastery (getting better at things). The problem is that these universal human needs are more demanding for a manager to deliver. Money is the most easily managed lever on performance and the one favoured by unimaginative managers – and many of our politicians. Human management is not slack management; expectations are no lower and accountability is as important as ever. It is harder to
deliver but gives better results for everyone.

My life-long issue with capitalism is the demeaning and false assumption that our only motivation is greed; it just doesn’t match the evidence, my experience of employing people or being treated by the NHS, or indeed the majority of human interactions. Yet, it has a vice-like grip on how we organise ourselves. It would be
naïve to dispute that we all have a degree of selfishness within us, but our world has been distorted by those with the greatest greed (and often the least humanity) acquiring the most money and influence, and so shaping the world to their values.

I am determined to fight this society-corrupting falsehood to my dying breath. It is why Riverford is employee-owned, why the shares are held collectively, why profit not reinvested is shared equally, and why we have phased out almost all performance-related bonuses. But at my farm Baddaford, the borlotti beans
(available from Riverford soon) will still be picked on piece rate. I think the difference is that the rate, method and quality standards are set with the pickers by Maddie, the manager, who is fully aware that her job is to make the work fair and fun, as well as to make a profit.

Money has not replaced purpose, mastery and autonomy

11/08/2026

Winter carrots and leeks happy to have some rain.

08/08/2026

We had some special visitors to the farm this weekend, with all the way from Madrid bringing a bit of the with their beautiful music and dance.

08/08/2026

Farm Shop now open Saturdays 9 am to 1 pm . A huge range of our own home grown organic produce.

07/08/2026

Winter beetroot supply growing well. Beetroot has become a winter staple and much appreciated for its high nutritional value as well as bringing colour to our winter dinners. shop

26/07/2026

Chard is a summer staple on our farm. My favourite way to cook it is to sauté some onions and garlic. Once soft add chopped up chard leaves stirring until well wilted. Add pepper and lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to balance chard’s natural bitterness.

25/07/2026

Some of our potatoes , pumpkins and summer salads with a view of Belfast Lough in the background.