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Stroud Community Agriculture Ltd is a community-led enterprise, which
is developing a local farming business to produce fresh organic/biodynamic
produce for its members. Members pay an annual membership and a further
payment in order to receive produce including vegetables, pork and
beef, and diversifying into other produce. The farm is certified organic
and
is influenced by biodynamic methods.
Stroud Community Agriculture is a new model for sustainable farming.
It builds on cooperation and mutual support so that the risks and rewards
of farming are shared between the farmers and consumers. The consumers
commit themselves to supporting the farm and providing a fair income
for the farmers.
The farmers can then develop the health and fertility of the farm,
its wildlife and environment. All the produce from the farm is shared
between the supporting
consumers or sold locally if there is a surplus.
Stroud Community Agriculture is a cooperative set up as an Industrial
and Provident Society. Its aim is to integrate community and agriculture
by
managing a mixed, sustainable and environmentally responsible farm for
the benefit of everyone involved. Stroud Community Agriculture provides
consumers
with wholesome, organic, locally-grown produce all year round. To cover
some of the seasonal gaps in our production we buy in organic vegetables
using local suppliers wherever possible.
Stroud Community Agriculture is managed by an elected ‘core group’ of
volunteers who meet once a month. We hold public meetings to discuss
the direction of the farm and it was at one of the first public meetings
that
the principles for the project were drawn up.
A diverse and productive organic/biodynamic farm is developing. We started
growing vegetables on one acre in Brookthorpe in March 2002 and then moved to 23 acres around Hawkwood College, Painswick Old Road, Stroud, we now also farm 24 acres at Brookethorpe as well. We
have two full time farmers growing organic/biodynamic vegetables, and
rearing pigs, cows and sheep. In the long term we intend that, as the farm grows,
we can build up a dairy herd, keep chickens, grow hard and soft fruit and
do more food processing.
You can collect produce direct from the farm or from a local pick-up point.
We encourage members to collect vegetables for each other. To make this
easier to organise and to help build a community around the farm we encourage
members to share their contact details. If you are happy to share your details,
please let us know by ticking the box on the joining form. We will give
all supporters a list showing everyone’s name, phone number and which
area they come from (e.g. Uplands, Nailsworth, Matson…).
All members of the co-operative can choose to get involved with the life
of the farm and join specific working groups. As well as receiving fresh,
local organic/biodynamic produce, members are encouraged to join in with
the development of the farm and enjoy social and cultural events for all
ages.
Everyone is welcome to visit the farm at any time, join in our celebrations,
come to the quarterly public meetings and receive the newsletter.
The Stroud Community Agriculture project also welcomes people who would
like to join the community purely for the social benefits. As the project
succeeds we hope it will expand to other farms and enterprises so that more
people can get involved in this way of farming.
The joining form gives details of the cost of membership and vegetable
shares from our farm.
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