Rooted in Sussex: The Sussex Peasant

The Sussex Peasant is a travelling farm shop based in Sussex, bringing fresh produce, meat, dairy, bread and seasonal goods directly from local farmers and producers into communities across the county.

Founded by Ed Johnston, the business champions a simpler, fairer food system by shortening supply chains and reconnecting people with food grown close to home. Ed’s journey began with a deep connection to the Sussex landscape and years spent working within the food industry, where he saw first‑hand the pressures facing farmers and small producers. The Sussex Peasant emerged from a desire to support those producers more directly and to make high‑quality, seasonal food easier for people to access.

Today, Ed and his team run weekly mobile markets across Sussex, creating village‑style shopping experiences where customers can buy directly from local farms without travelling miles. Sussex Modern caught up with Ed about the mission behind The Sussex Peasant, the role of Sussex in shaping its values, and what a more human food system could look like.

How did growing up in Sussex, surrounded by farmers, fields and fresh produce, shape your philosophy around food and farming?

Growing up in Sussex, farming wasn’t really a concept, it was simply part of everyday life. The seasons dictated everything. You understood what was growing, what was ready, what the weather had done that year. There was a natural rhythm to it.

Being around farmers from a young age also gives you a huge respect for how hard the work really is. People often romanticise farming, but the reality is it’s relentless, uncertain and increasingly difficult. That stayed with me.

I think it shaped a belief that food should have a sense of place and season attached to it. We’ve become very disconnected from that in modern life. The Sussex Peasant is really about trying to rebuild some of those connections between people, the land and the producers around them.

When someone visits one of your mobile farm shops or seasonal markets for the first time, what do you hope they notice or feel?

Hopefully that it feels friendly and fun.

We’re not trying to create a polished retail experience. The best moments are usually the simplest ones – tasting something they’ve never tried before, people bumping into neighbours and slowing down for a while, with a chance to understand what produce is in season at the moment.

There’s also a certain atmosphere that comes from genuinely seasonal food. The colours, smells and produce change constantly throughout the year, so the markets never feel static.

More than anything, I hope people leave feeling more connected to where they live, to the food they eat and to the people producing it.

From your perspective, what are the biggest benefits for people, farmers and the land, of eating food that’s local, fresh and truly seasonal?

The biggest benefit is probably that everything starts working more naturally again.

For people, the food is fresher, tastes better and tends to have travelled very little – this means the nutritional value of the food is at its very best. For farmers, more of the money stays within local agriculture rather than disappearing through long supply chains and distribution systems. And for the land, seasonal farming generally encourages more diversity and less industrial pressure.

There’s also something important culturally about maintaining local food systems. Once small farms disappear, they rarely come back. Supporting them isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about protecting skills, landscapes and communities that are still incredibly valuable.

How does the atmosphere of your markets shift with the seasons, and what does spring and summer in particular bring to Sussex tables?

The markets completely change with the seasons, which is one of the things I love most about them.

Winter feels slower and more practical; roots, brassicas, stews, darker days. Then spring arrives and suddenly everything feels lighter again. You start seeing the first greens, asparagus, strawberries, herbs, salads and new season lamb. After winter, people are genuinely excited by fresh flavours returning.

There’s also a shift in mood. People stay longer, talk more and tend to be more adventurous with their shopping. Spring in Sussex has a real sense of renewal to it, and you can feel that reflected in the markets. We also host Spring and Summer producer events – April / May and June/ July – which bring together a collection of our amazing producers. They really energise us and our customers absolutely love the chance to stop and talk to them. It works brilliantly for us and we in turn get to see what makes our customers tick.

What’s one thing people are often surprised to discover when they start buying directly from local farmers through The Sussex Peasant?

Probably how much flavour has quietly disappeared from a lot of modern food.

When produce is grown locally, harvested properly and sold in season, people often notice immediately that it tastes completely different. Tomatoes actually taste of tomatoes again. Salad leaves have texture and bitterness. Bread doesn’t last forever on a shelf because it’s real. Another is often the price – the myth that good food needs to cost more is often exactly that! We pride ourselves in matching and beating the supermarkets on some of our core products.

I think people are also surprised by how much they enjoy understanding where their food has come from. Once you meet the farmer or producer at one of our producer events, it changes your relationship with it slightly. Food stops being anonymous.

You can find details on The Sussex Peasant’s market locations, upcoming producer events, and sign up to their newsletter on their website: thesussexpeasant.co.uk.

Explore our website to discover more places across Sussex that celebrate the county’s food culture, creativity and landscape.