A recent afternoon stroll was through one of Europe’s largest urban farms, Mudchute, in the heart of London’s docklands.

The farm’s odd name derives from the fact that it is set on ground built up from silt dredged from the former Millwall docks.

When London’s port declined and the docks started being closed down to give way to international corporate skyscrapers there was a successful local campaign for an area on the Isle of Dogs to be saved as an open space. This is now occupied by a park and an urban farm founded in 1977.

The approach to the farm is via an avenue formerly used to manufacture hemp ropes. It has now become a leafy nature trail.

The farm specialises in several endangered domesticated species. For example there is a fine Tamworth pig, most closely related to the wild boar of which it preserves the tan colour and of which there are less than three hundred examples left. Sandra felt there was too much mud for the pig to wallow in but then mud is essential for pigs as they are unable to sweat.

There is also a variety of sheep, goats, lamas, cows, ducks, poultry, geese and rabbits.

Mudchute is a great centre for educating local schoolchildren into where such items as eggs and bacon come from and also for providing facilities for teaching horse-riding since the farm has a large stable.

The farm animals were very pleasant to see and made such a contrast with the skyscrapers to their north.

The latin phrase ‘rus in urbe’ (the country in the city) aptly sums up the concept of urban farms. I have subsequently found out there are over thirty such places in greater London ranging from small sites a handful of acres in area to some which extend over a hundred acres.

A useful web site to explore these farms and community gardens is at https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/your-area/london