Treflach Community Growing Hub

Continuous
fundraising

This project will turn a garden on an organic farm into a community growing hub, combining food production with research on climate resilience and food quality while offering education and therapy.

£18,644 Raised of £18,611

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This project has reached its fundraising target. It has also activated Continuous Fundraising, which means you can still donate and support the project.

Costs

Roundhouse £6,500
Water tank £2,514
Polytunnel £2,258
Horticultural requirements £800
Rocket stove powered bench seat £800
Hand tools, scythe, pruners £634
Video drone and microphone £600
PPE £600
Construction timber £500
Use of machinery £500
Other + £1,440

Access to tools and support £500

Seeds and garden items £405

Microscope for soil life £360

Irrigation pipes £175
Target: (inc. fees) £18,611

https://treflachfarm.co.uk/

Once my eyes were opened to permaculture design, I have wanted to share its wisdom with new people and in new places as a teacher and project developer. Permaculture is a strategy of working with nature, rather than against it. Permaculture creates new possibilities, new stories, new outcomes. I think its time has come!

Hi, I am Steven Jones, I studied sustainable development and trained as an economics teacher originally, working in schools and community groups exploring related themes.

I have spent the last 30+ years immersed in permaculture education and project development, developing teaching resources, building community growing spaces, and devising educational programs. I am passionate about community gardens, edible landscapes, and regenerative agriculture and want to bring this to the community here. I spent several years as part of the Cwm Harry team in Newtown, developing the Cultivate Centre where we blended organic food production with horticultural therapy, and witnessed many benefits of bringing the two disciplines together.

I was born on a Shropshire farm and have lived in Wales for most of my adult life, where I have been instrumental in establishing a series of tenant-managed housing co-operatives, whilst working at the Centre for Alternative Technology as head of the membership department. I also have deep connections to Africa, especially Uganda, where I have developed a network of permaculture project hubs, through training programs using permaculture design as a methodology. I am active in my local community as well as in the Marches real food and farming network, alongside many other interests.

More recently I have developed an experimental garden in partnership with Treflach farm's CIC, close to Oswestry. We are creating a long-term soil-building experiment as part of our community garden objective. We are experimenting with biochar making and use as a soil amendment, in conjunction with compost making. We have annual beds and a mandala garden where we are planting wind shelter belts, fruit trees, and bushes as part of an overall farm strategy to reduce external inputs and boost the farm’s biodiversity.

Project Owner: Treflach Farm CIC The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.