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Community Supported Agriculture

Tue, 08/12/2009 - 19:07 — leonmoore

 

 
 
Dear TTC Members,
 
For the past month or so I have been working with Leon Moore on a project to set up a Community Farm, which we hope will be something that a lot of people can benefit from, whether it be a source of local organic vegetables and fruit, a source of organic eggs or meat, a place to work, a place to be involved in, a place to learn, or a place to relax...
 
Our plans are to find some land, buy it with the aid of grants or community shares and set up a Community Land Trust - to secure the future of the land.  We would then like to start using the land in two initial but key ways, first, by setting up food growing for consumption by local people - creating a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Scheme, and secondy, to have people visit the land and be a part of the project for horticultural therapy and education.
 
There are many other ideas which we would like to include, such as the demonstration of sustainable design and appropriate technology, woodland crafts, bushcraft activities etc.  Maybe you have ideas, too!  We hope it can be a real community resource - a place that local people will have feel they are part of, contributing to the health and well being of everyone involved. 
 
Our plans right now are focusing on securing appropriate land.  We know it is a mighty task, but we are committed and want to find more people who will help make the project happen.  If you want to get involved, then please email us and we will see how you can be incorporated into the team! 
 
If you or anyone you know might be able to help with our quest, then please don't hesitate to contact us.
 
Andy Holdaway - adholdaway@yahoo.co.uk
Leon Moore - leon@lifesystems.org.uk
 
 
Best wishes,
 
Andy & Leon

 

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Tue, 14/09/2010 - 12:55 — violetlight

Update on Matlock CSA

Update from Helen Cunningham @TransitionMatlock:

 
------------
Sorry for not being in touch sooner about the lamb meat.
 
We hope to take the lambs off on their final journey on the 4th October.    So the meat will be ready for collection at the end of that week.   I hope you have time to clear some space in your freezer.
 
If you are unable to collect at that time i can probably store your lamb in my chest freezer for a short while,  as long as you let me know in advance (and that not everybody chooses this option!)
 
 
We have now completed the one year trial lamb project at the farm and have until recently not been certain as to how or if the project would continue, so as a result we have not yet become a constituted group and have not publicised the CSA in the wider media.   
 
BUT we now have GOOD NEWS!
 
The existing farmer has decided to move on but a new tenant has  been found who wants to expand the Community Supported Agriculture Scheme and offer an increased range of meats on a more regular basis.
 
We are still thrashing out the fine details but hope to have more details available at the next Transition Matlock meeting.
 
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Their next meeting is on 29th Sept (7.30-9.45pm) in the Imperial Rooms, Matlock, where they'll be 

Screening of Food, Inc., the story of big American agri-business where farmers, animals and consumer interests are sacrificed in the drive for ever bigger profits. This will be followed by an introduction to Matlock's Community Supported Agriculture Scheme and a celebration of local food.

 

 

Thu, 01/07/2010 - 21:06 — violetlight

Matlock's Meat CSA is open

It's just a trial year, but now is the time to read on and sign up for local organic lamb for the freezer.

£24 to join the CSA scheme plus £35 per quarter-lamb (i.e. £94 for half a lamb in total).

They hope to add other schemes to the CSA for poultry, other meat and wood.

 

Details and contact info below.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Helen Cunningham <helen.cunningham@transitionmatlock.org.uk>
Date: 1 July 2010 12:21
Subject: Matlock Community Supported Agriculture( Lamb CSA) News
To: Helen Cunningham <helen.cunningham@mac.com>

Hi all

You are receiving this email because you have previously expressed an interest in the CSA Lamb Project,  if you no longer want to get these emails please let me know and i will remove your name from the list.

The one year trial project at the farm is drawing to a close.

We had a very successful lambing time and have just under 50 lambs.     Some of these lambs may be kept on for breeding from next year, but in order for us to determine how to take the project forward we now need an indication of how much lamb meat you would be interested in signing up for.

Once people have signed up and become members of the Community Supported Agriculture scheme we will be holding seasonal events and reskilling sessions.     We aim to have a blackberry picking day at the farm in late Summer, followed later that day by a blackberry jam and or wine making session in Tansley Village Hall.     Please can you let me know if you would be interested in attending such an event?

We are distributing the meat in quarters ie one flock share is a quarter of a lamb, 2 flock shares is a half of a lamb, and 4 flock shares is a whole lamb.  So can you please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested in signing up for a share of the meat and if possible give an indication of how much meat you would like?

We have put the full details on the Transition Matlock website, along with pictures to show exactly how much meat is in a whole lamb, to give you an idea of how much freezer space you would need if you took a whole lamb.

http://www.transitionmatlock.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=19&Itemid=60

As this has just been a trial project we only have meat to distribute once this year ie it will be ready to be collected after butchering in August or September.      So this is your  chance to fill your freezer with local lamb reared to soil association standards at a local farm at Riber.

If enough people are interested in obtaining local organic meat then we hope to take the project forward.    If you are interested in future supplies of meat next year eg lamb, pork, beef or poultry please let me know so we can determine in what direction the project might go.

thanks

helen

 

 

Thu, 27/05/2010 - 10:14 — violetlight

Matlock's approach to CSA

Dear all,

You may want to read this great article about TT Matlock and their approach:

http://www.transitionnetwork.org/news/2010-05-14/role-social-enterprise-creating-sustainable-food-system

http://www.transitionnetwork.org/projects/matlock-area-community-supported-agriculture

(Even as a vegetarian) I would suggest that we join with Matlock in this area and promote their CSA lamb within the Chesterfield area.

Simon