With weekly shopping bills on the rise, increasing numbers of communities are joining together to grow their own. Home Grown Community Owned (HogCO) is a BIG Lottery funded project that seeks to strengthen the food-growing communities of rural Devon, and with them the local food resilience of the county. We offer free advice, training, small start-up grants and a forum in which people can share their skills and assets.
We are currently working with the owner of Burnville Farm who has a beautiful Victorian walled garden which is in need of some TLC. For the last year a couple of green fingered volunteers have been managing the garden but unfortunately have now moved away from the area. The owner is keen for a community group to take over the garden and would like to negotiate a supply of veggies and flowers to the farmhouse in lieu of rent.
The farm is 8 miles north of Tavistock, on a regular bus route from both Tavistock (20 mins) and Okehampton (30 mins). Some parking is available. The garden has some established soft fruit, a grape vine and a few fruit trees. Shed space can be made available. There is a greenhouse and some cold frames that need renovating and the owner is willing to work with the group to explore funding possibilities for this.
We are seeking interested people who would like to work together to bring the garden back to its former glory and productivity. Ideally at least one of you would have growing experience. HogCO can provide some start-up money, advice and training to the group, as needed.
HogCO is already working with over 60 community food growing groups across the County, including the Buckland Food Growers in West Devon. They are leasing about 3 acres of land from the National Trust at Buckland Abbey. This group is growing vegetables, pigs, chickens, have a bee keeping group and are running an orchard for cider making. HogCO helped the group develop in its early stages and continues to support them with numerous training and networking opportunities.
For more details of what HogCO can offer, please see our website – www.hogco-devonrcc.org.uk. For pictures of the garden, take a look on the HogCO Groups page and click on ‘Burnville Farm’.
If you are interested in the project, please contact Lois Gallimore on 01392 248919 Ext. *260, info@hogco-devonrcc.org.uk for more information.