"The aim is to acquire up to 80 acres of prime growing land .... producing sustainable local food and the next generation of sustainable growers too"
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beacon-farms-working-on-a-land-revolution-tickets-10137422303?ref=esfb
Join us at a planning meeting for the exciting, newly formed Beacon Farms, whose first endeavour will be setting up Beacon Lane Starter Farm. The aim is to acquire up to 80 acres of prime growing land on the outskirts of Bristol (near the Winterbourne Medieval Barns) and turn it into an agriversity - producing sustainable local food and the next generation of sustainable growers too.
This is collaborative, cabaret-table type of gathering - come along to listen, input and get stuck in to working out some action orientated outcomes. Our plans are developing fast and we want you to get involved - bring your passion, ideas, contacts and friends along and help us to plan the future of food on Bristol's Blue Finger!
If you want to read our full concept paper click here: http://bit.ly/BeaconFarms Or read the article in the Nov/Dec issue of the Bristol Local Food update: http://bit.ly/BFNUpdateNovDec
Quote of the week: "I think your farm could be the next Fordhall Farm, but in a way that is much more relevant to rebuilding a sustainable food system" Mark Simmonds, Cooperative Culture
**We will supply a bit of grub - snacks and brownies and things like that to keep your energy up - feel free to bring stuff to eat or share too if you are so inclined**
This event is still being planned so more details will appear here in due course - but we do need people to sign up if they are coming so we know numbers! Just book a place here.
We will be collecting emails for our Update list and asking if people might donate up to £2 on the door to the cost of the venue hire.
Please do forward this to anyone else you think might be interested...This will be a good event to come to to find out what we are doing and to bring your skills and interests along to contribute if you are ready to get your teeth into something foodie in Bristol.
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Beacon
Farms Ltd (Registered in England 32271 R) c/o The Better Food Company,
The Bristol Proving House, St Werburghs, Bristol BS2 9LB
BEACON FARMS
BEACON LANE STARTER FARM
8 December 2013
This paper outlines the objectives of Beacon Farms Ltd and the concept for Beacon Lane Starter Farm. It
represents work in progress thinking and all comments are welcome.
BEACON FARMS LIMITED
Beacon Farms Limited is an Industrial Provident Society (IPS) for the Benefit of the Community (CBS or
Ben Com) It has a board of directors and will be able to issue shares to members and protect land
through an asset lock.
The five objectives enshrined in our rules are:
1. Protecting high grade agricultural land, so that it can be used now, and in the future, for the
production of horticultural crops for local urban populations.
2. Making land available for new growers and groups wishing to develop small-scale commercial
enterprises to produce food for the local area using organic and sustainable methods and to sell
into local markets
3. Providing training, and access to accredited qualifications where appropriate, in sustainable
production methods and growing techniques, appropriate technology, and all aspects of running
a sustainable horticultural business.
4. Ensuring that habitat conservation is undertaken.
5. Working with the local community and customers to ensure that the enterprise is
supporting their local food needs and providing opportunities for them to engage with the land
The Founding Directors
Phil Haughton (Chair)
Phil is Director of the Better Food Company and original co-founder of The Community
Farm, Chew Magna. A former Trustee of the Soil Association he has been working
within the local and Organic food scene in Bristol since the early 80s.
Richard Spalding
Richard is a human geographer teaching at UWE Bristol. A trained horticulturist, he
specialises in rural community regeneration projects and has worked for a decade as a
driving force behind Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust of which he is now a Vice
President.
Bonnie Hewson (Company Secretary)
Bonnie is an environmental project manager and was previously manager of the Soil
Association’s Community Supported Agriculture strand. She has been involved in
community and urban growing projects for the past five years and is passionate about
bringing diversity and local resilience to all parts of the food system.
Rob Sexton (Financial Director)
Rob is CEO of the Soil Association Certification Ltd and was previously Head of
Operations for the Soil Association. He has worked across a wide range of sectors
including the third sector, entrepreneurial enterprises and corporations.
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Beacon
Farms Ltd (Registered in England 32271 R) c/o The Better Food Company,
The Bristol Proving House, St Werburghs, Bristol BS2 9LB
BEACON LANE STARTER FARM
The Beacon Lane Starter Farm is the first project of Beacon Farms Ltd and has come about in response to
an opportunity to purchase land crossed by the Blue Finger near Winterbourne. The Blue Finger is an area
of highly fertile Category 1 land originally used for Bristol’s Market Gardens – its reach is outlined in blue
on the map below. Sims Hill Shared Harvest and Feed Bristol are on Bristol’s bit of the Blue Finger, whilst
the land we are looking at is on the South Gloucestershire side.
The 65 acres that are for sale are also adjacent to a further 17 acres of land owned by South
Gloucestershire Council that may be able to be acquired on a long lease or Asset Transfer. The site is
bounded by the M4 to the west, the railway line to the south, the Bradley Brook to the east and Beacon
Lane to the north; it is also crossed by Western Power lines and public footpaths and is accessed along a
single-access roadway from Beacon Lane.
The land is situated less than half a mile (7 min walk) from the Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust, a
community-led project based on heritage and food and farming education.
The land we are looking at is marked in
two shades of green in the centre of the
map.
The Bradley brook, footpaths, contour
lines and power pylons are also shown.
Larger darker green area
= Land for sale
Smaller bright green area
= South Glos owned land
Pale blue area
= Blue Finger land
The Winterbourne Medieval Barns can
be seen at the top of the map, by the
church symbol.
The objectives of the Beacon Lane Starter Farm follow the objectives of the overarching IPS:
ensuring the appropriate use and care of high quality soil;
producing food for the local area via organic and sustainable methods;
helping more people to grow into running small scale commercial food enterprises;
wider care of the land including habitat management and community engagement.
To achieve these aims the first step will be to acquire the land, partly through Asset Transfer from South
Gloucestershire and partly through purchase from a private owner. We are putting together a funding
plan to include a community share offer as well as other forms of social investment, donations and
grants. The community share offer would be open to all as well as being locally targeted at South
Gloucestershire and Bristol businesses. It is important that funds are raised not only to buy the land but
to develop the infrastructure needed on the site, such as access, fencing and water supply, to make it
ready for horticultural use.
After the land has been secured and prepared it is anticipated an educational enterprise, or number of
enterprises, will be established on site, including incubator units or an ‘agriversity’ for new budding
growers and groups wishing to develop small-scale commercial enterprises to sell into local markets. We
are still developing the business model and income streams for this aspect of the project but have some
ideas of what we hope to offer. This phase will also require some investment, through grants, crowd-
funding and other income streams.
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Beacon
Farms Ltd (Registered in England 32271 R) c/o The Better Food Company,
The Bristol Proving House, St Werburghs, Bristol BS2 9LB
Summary Budget
DEVELOPMENT COSTS
Planning (inc Project Manager) 41,000
Land Purchase (inc legal fees) 454,500
Development (inc Site Manager, Access, Buildings, Water etc) 789,000
Operational set-up (inc Education Manager) 22,000
Working Capital (1st yr operational capital) 91,168
Total 1,397,668
Professional Fees for fund raising 13,977
Fund Raising Fees to intermediaries 55,907
TOTAL CAPITAL REQUIREMENT 1,467,551
P&L YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3
Total Income (inc. Education & course fees, income from produce) 186,000 278,400 322,200
Total operating costs (inc. 4.5 FTE staff) 143,625 160,553 173,748
Total overheads 38,710 46,929 52,791
EBITDA 3,665 70,919 95,661
Loan Interest 22,013 17,611 13,208
Earnings After Interest - 18,348 53,308 82,453
CASHFLOW YEAR 1 YEAR 2 YEAR 3
Cash Opening 91,168 44,117 83,723
Cash Closing 44,117 83,723 167,474
What would the enterprise offer?
Entry routes into horticulture for young people, possibly including engagement for local schools,
school leavers and young people through The Diploma in Environmental and Land-Based Studies
which offers a potential route into higher education from school study.
Training in sustainable production methods for developing growers - growing techniques, use of
appropriate technology, soil management, propagation, plant raising, seed saving, crop
planning, protected cropping and many more elements.
Access to mentoring, training and horticultural qualifications, this could include weekly
horticultural classes/workshops and tuition in marketing and business planning. We hope the
education aspects can be delivered in collaboration with the Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust.
Services such as a contractor to do all tractor work, running a seed bank and group purchasing of
plants, plugs and seeds, access to and maintenance of shared infrastructure such as water,
equipment, composting etc.
A marketing group to ensure all produce finds a supportive local market.
Habitat conservation and ways for local people to engage with the land e.g. orchard picking,
meadow planting and forest gardening.
Collaboration with the community and other customers to ensure that the enterprise is
supporting their local food needs. There is likely to be an element of CSA to the business with
local people and other loyal customers being able to have a closer relationship with the land and
paying in advance for produce to cash flow the farm through the year.
How would the site work?
This business may be similar in some ways to FarmStart in Canada, and now in Manchester thanks to The
Kindling Trust. There may be a cooperatively run farming education enterprise with a graduated system
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Beacon
Farms Ltd (Registered in England 32271 R) c/o The Better Food Company,
The Bristol Proving House, St Werburghs, Bristol BS2 9LB
of adjacent plots of different scales to suit different levels of experience amongst the students - from
entrants who have only ever had an allotment to those with a couple of years of growing experience.
Students would be responsible for working within the cooperative on shared tasks and deciding who
grows what where, as well as ensuring the productivity of their allocated plot. Other units of land could
also be available for graduated growers, small complementary enterprises and groups and organisations
wanting to help people to build positive future skills and confidence e.g. people on probation.
Where would applicants come from?
There are a large number of community growing projects and allotments in and around Bristol which
could feed in growers hoping to enhance their skills and scale up to commercial activities. The Bristol
Food Network is undertaking some research into the different types of growing projects in the city and
the ambitions of the groups and their members - this will help to give us a clearer picture of our potential
applicants. There are around 500 applicants to The Soil Associations Apprenticeship scheme, with only
around 50 places offered. Beacon Lane Starter Farm could provide another way to get these people into
growing with confidence as well as offering a ‘next stage’ opportunity to graduated apprentices.
Using the site to best effect
Some parts of the site are better suited to vegetable growing, other parts to orchards, conservation
grazing, wildlife habitats, forest garden or shelters/tools stores for growers. Some zoning of the site
needs to be done bearing in mind soil quality, slope, aspect, flooding and drainage, access to water, wind
and noise breaks, public footpaths, access to Western Power lines.
South facing roves on sheds and barns erected on the site may be used for solar power generation. There
are parts of the site, accessed via footpaths, which might also lend themselves to other uses such as
green burial or Woodcraft Camps.
As the single track access to the site Beacon Lane isn’t currently suitable for large numbers of cars coming
and going at one time, community events may be held at nearby locations, such as the Winterbourne
Medieval Barn. The main uses of the site will involve commercial growing and education for small
numbers of course members. Parking will also be sought in proximity to the footpaths that enter the site.
How would the produce be marketed?
A project brand would be established to give produce market appeal. Wherever possible new markets
will be sought and developed, including through local business and institutions e.g. the University
campus, Hewlet Packard, Rolls Royce; through existing farm shops and new shops as part of planned local
developments at Harry Stoke and Cribbs Patch; through demonstration kitchens and other local
processors; through local box schemes, businesses and wholesalers e.g. The Community Farm, The
Severn Project, Bristol Veg Boxes, The Better Food Company and St Philips.
What Next?
We are talking to stakeholders, advisors and funders and are developing our business model and
attracting support and funds to help us prepare for acquisition of the land. Please do get in touch to let us
know your thoughts and how you or your organisation would like to be involved.
Bonnie Hewson, Company Secretary | Mobile: 07816858053 | Email: beaconlanestarterfarm@gmail.com
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