Four like-minded, very slightly wrinkly amateur gardeners (with very little money but plenty of ideas and contacts) got together in 2007 to grow chemical-free produce. The original U.R.G.E. plots were located on rented land; but a more suitable - and permanent - location was purchased around that time, and U.R.G.E.'s activities were transferred there in 2008 (see header above). The land itself was marginal to say the least; but it responded well (and very quickly) to organic improvements, as you'll see. Our joint efforts gradually transformed three acres of rocky and soil-free moorland into the green oasis of delicious vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers that you can see throughout these pages.

   U.R.G.E.'s combination of food production and recycling has proved to be of real interest to other organisations and individuals (in Shetland and elsewhere). After four successful growing seasons, we were being held up as a good example of what can be done (horticulturally speaking) at locations situated around 61° North.

   Following the recent retirement of Dave and Steve, Sarah bought their shares of U.R.G.E., re-labelled the enterprise 'Unst Market Gardens', and is carrying on providing the same quality and variety of produce as before. A day-by-day log of events and developments is now being posted by her on Facebook, which Unst Market Gardens now considers to be its main website. The decision was taken to maintain this webpage (post-U.R.G.E.) as a 'this is where we started off from' sort of a placeholder, rather than revamp it altogether and delete our history in the process. The current journal can now be found on Facebook (because it's much quicker, easier and cheaper to update).

U.R.G.E.'s twofold company mission was (and UMG's mission still is):

   Firstly: to demonstrate that nowhere is 'impossible' when it comes to growing food. Whether the problem is a cold climate, a short growing season, lack of soil, marginal land, ageing workers, lack of money, isolated location, or all of these obstacles combined (which URGE faces) - we have shown that it's still possible to produce a very wide variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and salad produce.

   Secondly: to offer our expertise as consultants to anyone interested in creating a similar project (large or small), in order to raise funds for our own further expansion.