Our pioneering work with growing unusual crops such as Soya, and a 'carbon cooler', for cold storage of harvested crops during the peak of summer.

Our pioneering work with growing unusual and normally imported crops such as Soya, a high protein food source normally imported from the USA and the destroyed rainforest land of Brazil.

 Also convert an old sheep trailer into a low tech 'carbon cooler', for cold storage of harvested crops during the peak of summer. Solar powered, free to go anywhere.

Funded by the kind support of Linda Hogan Community Fund, The Heart of Experian, and South East Water’s Community Chest

we may not have bees right now but soon with the help of The BROMLEY BEES BEGINNER BEEKEEPING COURSE 2014

Hopefully we may establish our colony with the help of Bromley Bee keepers and a few 'barefoot' beekeeping ideas, if East Malling Research give the clearance.

If not perhaps on other sites in Kent as we have a bit of funding for this.

The BROMLEY BEES BEGINNER BEEKEEPING COURSE  2014

BROMLEY'S  2014  COURSE for BEGINNER BEEKEEPERS

Bromley Beekeepers (a branch of Kent Beekeepers Association) will be running another course for those contemplating a beginning in beekeeping.  Whilst it is classroom based, there will be an emphasis on the practicalities of beekeeping, and how that relates to the activities and requirements of the bees themselves.  The syllabus followed has been devised by the British Beekeepers Association.

Dates:  3^rd March  till 12^th May on Mondays (with no meeting on 21st April

             because of Easter). Thus, there will be ten meetings in all.

Time:     7.00 pm – 9.00 pm. 

Venue:   To Be Arranged, however we shall use either Kent House Road

               Allotments SE26 5LJ, or Dorset Road Allotments BR3 4EA, the

               choice being influenced by the number of course members.

Tutors:   Bob Jackman and Clive Watson (with the assistance of other

              members of Bromley Branch).

Cost:      £75.00

A textbook is supplied.  In addition to the ten meetings Bromley Branch runs practical sessions around the hive, which are open to members. These begin when evening length and weather allow, and run through the active season till they are curtailed by poor light in the evenings.

Contact:  Bob Jackman

E-mail:   rfjackman@yahoo.co.uk

 

31 March 2014 - Seminar event - Soil management - Tolhurst Organic, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Reading, RG8 7RD

http://www.organicresearchcentre.com/?i=events.php&event_id=271

Soil Management Seminar

31 March 2014

Soil management seminar for growers and gardeners, those working on land, students and apprentices

Venue: Tolhurst Organic Market Garden, Hardwick Estate, Whitchurch-on-Thames, Reading, RG8 7RD

Few people realise just how dynamic and wonderful the soil is beneath their feet. Get down to real basics, and back to earth, with this popular and stimulating seminar run by organic experts, Iain Tolhurst and Roger Hitchings. The seminar covers all aspects of soil, from its creation to its final use. It encourages the delegate to revere and cherish this precious resource.
The seminar is a participative workshop, with trainees joining in, sharing their ideas and questions with their group; and working in groups as part of the day’s activities. At the end of the day you will go home with a much better understanding of what your soil is, how it works, and how you will be able to ensure it is still there for the future. We will be looking at soils, so if you bring a sample along, we may get to have an in-depth look at it.

Course cost (local and organic lunch included):

• Reduced price for eligible participants (see below) £50 + VAT
• Full price for participants not-eligible for funding £100 + VAT

On-line booking is available here
Please check information on discounts below before booking.
You can also register directly and pay by cheque, BACS or credit card by contacting Gillian Woodward.

100% fee reduction available for young people from Berkshire

If you are 26 or under, resident in Berkshire and training (student/apprentice) to or starting a career in agriculture, you may qualify for one of our Gordon Palmer Memorial Trust bursaries. Please do NOT complete the on-line registration form, but e-mail Gillian Woodward with details of your address, age and circumstances to check eligiblity.

50% fee reduction for English producers and others obtaining a living from agriculture or agricultural products

Eligibility includes producers and employees of producer groups, supply chain businesses, direct retailers, small consultancy businesses, but not multiple retailers, government departments, agencies or public bodies including universities. Participants must be living/working in England.
To benefit please download, complete and sign the funding application form (243 kb pdf file) and send to Gillian Woodward at ORC. You can still register and pay on-line.
This project has been supported through the Rural Development Programme for England, which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union

26th March, course event - Marketing and Business Potential - Elm Farm, Newbury RG20 0HR

http://www.organicresearchcentre.com/?i=events.php&event_id=272

Looking to the Future: Marketing and Business Potential of Organic Farming

Venue: Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury RG20 0HR 26th March 2014 10.00am to 16.00pm

 

 

 

The premium organic market has been a significant reason for producers and other supply chain businesses adopting organic methods and becoming certified according the EU organic regulations. In recent years, the UK organic market has been under pressure, while markets in other EU countries have expanded. Now there is evidence of growth returning to UK organic markets. In the first part of this course, we will look at market trends, case studies of organic business and market channel options, and consider the potential impacts of future EU regulation changes.
Despite the market pressures, organic producers have managed to maintain their financial performance relative to conventional systems. The course will examine the cost and pricing factors contributing to this performance using survey data and it will consider the likely directions that key variables will take. It will include a review of CAP direct payment and RDP implementation plans as they affect organic producers in England.
Participants will receive copies of the latest Soil Association Organic Market report to be published in March as well as the 2014 Organic Farm Management Handbook published in February.

Course cost (local and organic lunch included):

• Reduced price for eligible participants (see below) £50 + VAT
• Full price for participants not-eligible for funding £100 + VAT

On-line booking is available here.
Please check information on discounts below before booking.
You can also register directly and pay by cheque, BACS or credit card by contacting Gillian Woodward.

100% fee reduction available for young people from Berkshire

If you are 26 or under, resident in Berkshire and training (student/apprentice) to or starting a career in agriculture, you may qualify for one of our Gordon Palmer Memorial Trust bursaries. Please do NOT complete the on-line registration form, but e-mail Gillian Woodward with details of your address, age and circumstances to check eligiblity.

50% fee reduction for English producers and others obtaining a living from agriculture or agricultural products

Eligibility includes producers and employees of producer groups, supply chain businesses, direct retailers, small consultancy businesses, but not multiple retailers, government departments, agencies or public bodies including universities. Participants must be living/working in England.
To benefit please download, complete and sign the funding application form (243 kb pdf file) and send to Gillian Woodward at ORC. You can still register and pay on-line.
This project has been supported through the Rural Development Programme for England, which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union

if, like me, you may need help and advice on how to go about good things give this a try....You can now apply for this year's Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme

I'm currently doing this and can't recommend this highly enough to anyone who feels they need help develop their ideas, and skills, to make good things happen.

It is not really for people who follow along or may be doubtful about what they do or ideas they have, positive thinking and attitude may be essential.

Strangely enough I don't think confident go-getters need it really, the support and fab workshops are really for people who need the boost along the road of  doing good stuff. I think the name as a 'School' does show what it is about.

The 'witness' system is a way to get an insight into someone who has already been there and done it, usually with a back to earth message. We've had a so many from dancer to ex gang leader. My opinion is that we (a group of 20 young and old entrepreneurs all with a fairly well thought through idea for social change that need not be thoroughly planned, just past the scrap paper stage) may be our own best witness's, that is the amount of shared experiences and ideas we have as 20 people all going through the same sort of process has clear practical benefits.

There is also a session on public speaking, governance and structural implications, fund-raising. We get experts all the way along with a mentor and tutor.

If anyone needs the real prompt look no further than the £4000 grant for your project expenses, not wages.

A couple of thoughts. Don't be put off by the idea of a 'school', it's a growing concept and approach for taking the mystery out of setting-up a social, co-operative business not intended to diminish the impact but heighten the value of the 'enterprise'. 

As an environmental project with natural connections on a wide range of issues (health, activity, education) my suggestion is to focus on specific areas and set them out well with research and case studies. Over complicating may dilute the strengths. Also keeping things simple helps.

If anyone is thinking of applying I would happily talk through experiences so far. I would not want to be critical in any way. 

also see http://www.the-sse.org/case-studies

Laurence

Your Idea Starts Here

Apply now for a grant and a fantastic year long learning programme

You can now apply for this year's Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme. If you are successful, you will receive a place on a year long learning programme, along with a grant of £4,000 if you are starting a social enterprise, or £15,000 if you are hoping to scale an existing organisation.

We are running taster sessions across the country in February and March and we will be receiving applications until 3pm on April 3rd.

http://www.the-sse.org/schools/26/lloyds-banking-group-social-entrepreneurs-programme?utm_source=SSE+newsletter&utm_campaign=b6d617f7a7-Lloyds_2014_open_for_recruitment2_6_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_37ebc0341a-b6d617f7a7-325419093

Looking for 27 local families who may not eat enough fresh veg and want more

The Good Veg Club is simple. For 27 local families we will give a sample of our veg with recipes and ideas on eating more fresh food.

another case study, this time in South East London. Keats Road, Welling.

Keats Community Organics, Keats Road, Bexley DA16 

Interesting for its bold new commitment of care for over 5 acres of land in the urban landscape of Welling.

Looking across from the Keats road you see ponies, meadows and wooded hillside. Luckily this little area is still farmed being protected from destruction by the large are of farm and park land that is Woodlands and Oxleas Wood.

The land has organic certification going back many years and the aim of the new crew is to keep an element of community while creating an income from quality organic produce.

Early days but a great way to secure its future for growing and habitat.

Having researched and identified many underused or disused sites around the borough of Greenwich it is great to see this taking shape through Keats and more over the 40 acres we found, so more to follow on.

 

https://www.facebook.com/KeatsCommunityOrganics

Chrissy, Jack and Ed

jack.astbury@yahoo.com

Co-worker, developer needed to establish Communigrow

A quick update on this.
Communigrow is a project now in our 4th growing season. We have a fab plot to develop beyond the 2.5 acres currently under cultivation and need help to progress on this, other sites and get organised. This is not an experts job, more for a group of people committed to the very general aim of sustainability and sharing this with as many people as possible. The skills and ability will naturally follow through creating an inspiring enterprise.

No experience required but some skills in pioneering projects and a keen interest and energy in farming may be an advantage to progress the Communigrow plot at East Malling and other potential sites in Kent.

All under Community Supported, charitable, model for local, sustainably produced food, crafts, conservation and enterprise.

Contact Laurence@communigrow.org for more info on the role of developer and the team we wish to build for this season. The role of a developer will be essential for this to progress.

East Malling CSA plot has been in preparation over the last year on a raised bed system with mostly cover crops and green manures and a few winter veg. This spring will maximise the 2 acres to supply for the local 'share' scheme and sales with surplus to 'Food Access' organisations in Maidstone and South East London. The intention is to move towards no dig permanent beds of mixed annual and craft crops including aromatic herbs, cut flowers and trial beds of heritage and unusual plants like these soya.

Student nurse Louise approached East Malling Research back in 2011 with an idea for community growing. With Joining Hands, a local 'Not for Profit' organisation, Communigrow started working with local people wishing to grow more food themselves.

With support from The Plunkett Foundation and 'Making Local Food Work' we have expert advice on establishing a substantial market garden on site to produce a wide range of seasonal produce in volume, enough to feed over 200 local families and for sale to a wider region.

The Plunkett Foundation today is best know for its work helping rural communities to set up and run a range of community-owned co-operatives, including community shops, co-operative pubs and community food enterprises.

Through 2013 we have researched the feasibility of this plot and further sites throughout Kent and open membership to 'Communigrow CSA - Ditton' from the 2014 growing season.
A large part of this is to provide good healthy food to people who otherwise may not or cannot consider this currently. We would target lower income families, unskilled people and older generations and would aim to get as many people as possible to contribute in some way in the growing which should bring health benefits of an active lifestyle.

To this aim we need to continue the work on the ground, form a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation to employ local people as our growing team, create more awareness of our project and encourage membership.
Once we have done this and have active members and consumers we shall consider the role we may contribute to more specialist work.

Developer role is very much as a pioneer to establishing the plot itself and key structural developments as a charitable organisation

To detail this role would be very hard as the project encompasses many elements of farming and social enterprise and all its sustainable growing, craft and conservation, the community role - membership etc. It is centred around the Communigrow plot but as we do have further land to develop it may be an expanding network of plots.

Involvement need not be full time. The aim would be to build on the current team to organise, form the new enterprise and then run all, and maybe more. There should be plenty of scope to integrate a wide range of skills and abilities into the 'team' with varied commitment and remuneration over time to reflect this. I would not suggest anyone should give up their day job just yet but if you feel like a challenge then it may be something you can associate with. The aims and objectives set out will continue to guide and nurture the project beyond the current test and trial stage but energy and enthusiasm as inputs will boost it along, giving rewards for all much faster. Certainly with the current team we simply do not have the time to do everything, only basic functions to give something to hopefully inspire.

 

Contact Laurence@communigrow.org for more info and to discuss a role as developer at Communigrow.