A smallholder and writer, Mark Diacono is known for his commitment to sustainable, ethically produced food. Mark leads the Garden Team at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage and is a regular on the River Cottage TV series. As well as having a unique take on growing your own food, Mark champions climate change growing, an approach to producing food that takes sustainable advantage of the new weather conditions. Otter Farm, his smallholding in East Devon, has become famous as home to the UK's first olive grove.

Mark's book Veg Patch: River Cottage Handbook Number 4 was named Practical Book of the Year at the Garden Media Guild Awards 2009 and A Taste of the Unexpected won the Guild of Food Writers' Book of the Year 2011.