Farm Project - Growing For Life

 

Growing for Life is a Social Enterprise between Shekinah Plymouth and Eden. This is an exciting new development and will see the commercial provision of locally grown organic produce which will be grown on a 5 acre site at Occombe Farm.  The work is being carried out by new Shekinah staff as well as volunteers and service users from the project.  The hard graft of clearing brambles and chopping wood has already involved some of our Crew (former service users who are now employed or volunteering at the project) and current service users.  This is part of our diversion activities program and will include training leading to Open College Network qualifications and fun days out for the people involved.

 

The staff will also have a chance to get involved.  I spent a wonderful day there learning about how to prepare Hazel branches to grow peas in an environmentally friendly way!

 

The site is directly opposite Occombe Farm, see http://www.countryside-trust.org.uk/Occombe/ for more details.

 

The program is being led by Charles Staniland, an experienced gardener who has worked with The Eden Project and Riverford Farm.  Charles says we will need all sorts of gardening equipment and sundries including:

 

Machinery and equipment
Howard Gem - 12hp, self-propelled rotovator
Strimmer
Border fork s
Digging spades
Rake
Trowel
Hoes
Hand pruners
Felco secateur
Nursery trucks
Wheelbarrows
Delivery vehicle
Hosepipes (25 metre)
Sprayer
Watering can
Soil Sieve
Wheeled Hoe
Seed Drill

 

 

 

 

Sundries
Waterproof clothing and boots for volunteers
Gardening gloves
General PPE
Seed and plug trays
Plant pots
Plant labels
Hot-box propagator
Frost protection fleece
 
Trays and punnets for harvesting

 

 If anyone is willing to donate any items or wishes to donate funds for a particular item, please contact Alex Barnett on 07786 176761.

 

Volunteers are also needed to take part in all sorts of garden activities including ground clearing and digging.  Please contact Alex on the above number if you can help.