Muddy Carrot

James Strawbridge

James Strawbridge came to our attention back in 2006 when cameras followed his Dad, Dick Strawbridge and family as they setup their own off grid small holding in the BBC 2 series It's Not Easy Being Green  focusing on how to live an environmentally friendly, low impact life.

James now lives in Cornwall with his young family. Digging the earth and growing much of their own food which both keeps him fit and healthy and has enabled him to learn about sustainability and self-sufficiency on a practical level.

In 2012 James co-founded the PoshPasty Company ™ and now spends all the time when he isn’t filming or writing making gourmet pasties and preserves.

Having been living the green life for many years, he is a true sustainable living expert.   This is why we wanted to dig a little beneath the surface to find out what makes him tick…

What would your dream world look like?

'Living the dream' is a phrase that you hear thrown around the place when people are in a particularly good mood or often whilst they're on holiday. At points many of us feel that we have glimpses of what life is really about - family, sunshine, music, relaxing, and being outdoors. I am lucky enough to say that at the moment I'm living my dream. I have a lovely family; my wife Holly and two beautiful children Indiana and Pippin, I live near the sea on the banks of the river Fowey in Cornwall and have great routine of rowing and sailing, I eat well and have an honest pasty making job on an eco- farm. It all sounds too good to be true and sometimes I do pinch myself but my dad told me that "you make your own luck" and I've worked really hard. I think that my idea of a dream world is real as long as you don't want too much. For me the grass isn't greener on the other side - I like my small garden and appreciate the view from it.

If you choose to get involved in your local community you will make friends, if you choose seasonal food you can eat well, if you spend time outside then you will have a healthy glow and feel happier, if you want to live the dream then yes, love dreaming - but make your ideals come true one small step at a time.

In my dream world people who have always wanted to travel could start with weekend walks on coastal paths and then follow their feet on towards bigger  adventures. People who want to run their own restaurant could start with feeding their neighbours at an open BBQ. People who call themselves dreamers could wake up and live it one reality at a time...

Who would be your perfect dinner guest ?

My perfect dinner guest would be Herman Hesse - if I spoke German... He is my favourite writer and I've read every single thing he's written. I'd love to see if we got on and get a slice of advice. I'd cook a trio of German sausages with homemade sauerkraut served with a chilled bottle of Gewürztraminer. Plus I'd make sure we had some gypsy jazz playing to capture the sense of his time.

What is your favourite book?

Knulp by Herman Hesse

Best way to relax?

Gig rowing (Cornish rowing at sea in big wooden boats with a crew of six) for me this clears my head of everything but the oar, timing and waves of water. It might not be physically relaxing but for me it calms my mind.

Your perfect supper?

The next one.

Your ultimate album of 7 songs?

Empires made of Sand - Charlotte Strawbridge

Coope Boyes & Simpson - Jerusalem revisited

And Brun - Changing of the Seasons

Eddie Vedder - Society

Jaques Brel - Amsterdam

The Outlaws - Green Grass and high tides

Rodriguez - crucify your mind