The good life has come to Dalston in the form of a derelict building transformed into an urban farm.
FARM:shop produces its own eggs, fruit and veg Picture: Francesca Holloway
FARM:shop opened on Friday on Dalston Lane as a café, shop and events venue. The shop grows and sells its own fruit and vegetables as well as eggs courtesy of a chicken coop on the roof.
Co-founder Paul Smyth said: “We want to bring farming into the city and show people how they can grow food in their own homes.
“As far as we know it’s the first building the world which has an integrated farm.”
Mr Smyth founded the shop with Andrew Merritt and Paul Henderson. The trio have used different systems to grow food, including aquaponic farming – where plants feed on the natural toxicity formed in fish tank water, which is cleansed in the process before being returned to the tank.
Kirsten Park, who runs FARM:shop, said: “They’re still producing lots of eggs, even though they live right next to a bus stop in Dalston Junction.”
Mr Smyth said: “We want to see what FARM:shop can do and we want there to be more like this one in the city.”
