Hazelhurst CSA AGM 2010-09-20

Hazelhurst CSA > Meetings > Monday 20th September 2010

The first AGM of the Co-operative.

Time and Venue
An evening meeting to be held at the Grapevine Centre, 7pm for a 7:30pm formal start.

Out reach, and Oral History working group
Report for the Hazelhurst C.S.A. A.G.M. September 20th 2010

Outreach:

Organisational support:


 * Heeley City Farm-consultant to land development group
 * Heeley Development Trust-support and offer to be base for fund raising, HR and pay roll
 * Voluntary Action Sheffield- Hazelhurst CSA registered. Ad circulating for Oral history project. Potential for fund raiser/publicity etc

Community support:

members actively supportive
 * Moss Valley Wild Life Trust- joined walk January 2010. Promotional article in Spring edition,
 * Norton Parish Church-Insight magazine delivered to 2,000 households with CSA article June 2010 and pending for October.

Presentations/promotion:


 * Carbon Justice conference-March 2010
 * Food conference-June 2010
 * Low carbon economies, Liverpool University(with Andy Nolan) -July 2010
 * “Women’s Ways”-walk to CSA sight in walk book published July 2010

Community engagement:


 * Heeley Festival July 2010
 * Norton show 2010 (200 leaflets and 60 questionnaires returned)
 * Perma-culture courses July and August 2010

Social and fund raising activities:


 * Celidh, January 2010, Clothes swap etc
 * Forthcoming Celidh with the Well Dressed Band, Broom hall Centre. November 21st.

Publicity:


 * Website with links to Transition Sheffield, and email lists
 * Leaflet August 2010 for Norton show. Basis for glossy promotional leaflet.

Oral history working group: Heather, Eva, Kerri

Action research project supported by Geography Department Sheffield University:

Aims:


 * Interview neighboring farmers and families.
 * Tap into and respect local knowledge of farming practices, past and present.
 * Develop understanding, good relations and possible collaborations.

Process:

February to July 2010, 7 recorded interviews on 5 neighbouring farms with 8 informants. 4 farms owner farmers, one tenant of SCC. All invitation to return and view artefacts and copy photos for planned booklet and display.

Outcomes:

Support and interest from all local farmers. Particularly valuing community engagement.

Wealth of knowledge of past diverse farming and present practices.

Report written for Land Dev group “What grows well in this part of the Moss Valley and what can we learn about the particular conditions?” (summary below)

Adventitious outcome- review use of SCC farming land for local food production fed into SCC.

Future Plans: Seek funding to produce a booklet and display for Spring 2011

Heather Hunt 20th September 2010

Summary

What grows well in this part of the Moss Valley and what can we learn about the particular conditions?

Knowledge and advice for Hazelhurst CSA from farmers in the Moss Valley.

Based on interviews with five farms neighbouring the CSA site, March to July 2010.

1. A brief history of farming in the valley.

In the first half of the 20th century, sheep and mixed farming was the pattern, with rotation and manure as fertiliser. In the ‘60s, chemical fertilisers and weed killers were introduced and there was a gradual shift to dairy cattle with fodder crops. In recent decades there has been a total move away from dairy to beef, intensive pig, or arable and leisure (livery, fishing). The current main land use is wheat, barley, oats grown for animal fodder or sale, and pasture for beef cattle and horse grazing.

The valley has never been a market garden or big vegetable growing area, most farmers say because of the difficulty of working the clay soils. Geer Lane Farm, in the valley bottom, is an exception to this pattern and has grown vegetables commercially. Other farms have grown vegetables as fodder crops and sometimes potatoes and turnips for sale and all have used rotations.

2. Crops grown in past and currently:

Geer Lane Farm: peas, caulis (late and over-wintering), runner and broad beans, potatoes (White Majestic, not Red King as slugs go for them), savoys, turnips.

Hazelbarrow Farm: ox cabbage, marrow stem kale, mangleworzles, field beans and swedes as fodder crops. Maize for sileage. Peas, but poor harvest. Wheat, oats, barley. Mustard as green manure.

Hazelhurst Farm: turnips, potatoes, quinoi, wheat, barley, oats

Povey Farm: wheat, barley, rape.

Lightwood Farm: barley, kale, potatoes, all for animal feed. In the garden, with manure and compost improved soil, raised beds and badger fencing, peas,  broccoli, courgettes, beans, beetroot, and leeks.

Soil improvement methods

Animal muck and rotation were the main methods until chemicals came in, in the ‘60s. Currently a combination of animal muck and chemicals is used on all the farms. (Nitrogen on all, and P and K and sulphur on some)

Local characteristics, possible difficulties and advice

Clay soils are very hard to work: Claggy mud or brick hard. Timing is critical. Subsoiling and efficient field drains are recommended. The Thompsons at Povey farm subsoil every year and plough every 5 years. This reduces cultivation time, helps drainage, is good for worms and keeps the carbon in the soil.

Weather is always a variable, so it’s hard to plan and a need to be very flexible.

Feed the soil: Nothing like muck! 10 to 20 tonnes per acre recommended. Lime is important. It counteracts the acid soils, which is important for brassicas and avoids club root in caulis.

Managing weeds: concern about wild oats, cleavers and docks if we don’t spray.

Land Development Group
Presentation: [[Media:Land devpt report for AGM.pdf]]

Next meeting: TBC

Previous meeting: 5th July 2010