Words: Eliza Ainley
Photos: Yann Ainley
A new monthly market at Kirkstall Valley Farm welcomed visitors for its third outing on Saturday, with this month’s event celebrating the apple harvest season.
Kirkstall Valley Development Trust (KVDT) was established in 2016 and Kirkstall Valley Farm is a project of KVDT. It has transformed a neglected area of land close to Kirkstall Road into a thriving community growing space.
One of the Farm’s newest ventures, the Kirkstall Valley Farm Market, is now becoming a regular fixture in the local calendar.
The community-run farm, tucked away behind Ready Steady Store on Kirkstall Road, supplies locally grown produce through its Harvest Share and veg box schemes. The return of the land to productive growing was led by a committed farm group of volunteers and a steering group
Despite its proximity to one of Leeds’ busiest routes, the site provides a surprisingly large green oasis in the heart of a heavily built-up area of West Leeds.
The market showcases a growing network of community organisations from across Kirkstall and West Leeds. Organisers hope the event will strengthen connections between local residents, independent producers, environmental projects and education initiatives.
Among those attending was Leodis Forest School, which promotes outdoor learning through nature-based activities designed to help children build confidence, practical skills and a stronger connection with the natural world.
Forest School leader Harriet Whiting said: “If children want to climb, they climb. If they want to build, they build. And if they just want to sit, listen to the river and the birds, they do that. Sometimes it’s just about learning to be outside.”
Families visiting the market were able to find out more about the Forest School’s work while children took part in nature-inspired activities, adding to the relaxed community atmosphere of the day.
Local carpenter and craftsman Matt Sykes-Hooban was also showcasing his work. Describing himself as “a maker of all manner of things”, he specialises in repurposing and upcycling discarded materials into practical and decorative items.
The market reflects the wider aims of Kirkstall Valley Farm, which seeks to create a healthy and sustainable community through locally grown food, education and volunteering opportunities.
The site itself has a rich agricultural history stretching back more than 400 years. Today, a team of growers and volunteers helps maintain the farm, harvest crops and deliver a range of activities for local people.
Live music from local band Music From The Attic provided a late-summer festival atmosphere throughout the afternoon.
KVDT’s Adele Rae explained how the project evolved from community food initiatives established during the pandemic. KVDT led the Covid response in Kirkstall from its Community Hub, working with partners to deliver around 10,000 food parcels.
“We started developing the whole farm through activities for children and families, led largely by our Children’s and Families Manager Kirsty Ward. We wanted to bring the community down here and received a great deal of support from the council.
“We first began working the land in 2019 and secured the lease in 2021. KVDT’s first paid grower was appointed in 2022, and the farm now has three paid growers.
“A talented volunteer team, led by Keith Hodgson, has been responsible for many of the farm’s structures and practical site improvements.
“We help groups become established, including the Forest School and Community Sauna, alongside other family-focused projects centred on education and wellbeing.”
- Kirkstall Valley Farm can be found behind Ready Steady Store on Kirkstall Road, Leeds, LS4 2QD. The Kirkstall Valley Farm Market runs on the fourth Saturday of each month from March to November.
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