We've got a very exciting course coming up over the next month or so, as part of our work to encourage more people to consider commercial-scale food growing.
We have a unique four-day course for people who may be considering starting up a horticulture business. This course: Want to be be a Farmer? is being organised as part of the Greater Manchester Land Army project and is being run by Jenny Griggs of Climate Friendly Food - as part of a mentoring package provided by Making Local Food Work.
The training, which will run on four consecutive Wednesdays in March, will be a mixture of practical work and theory, and will include visits to Glebelands City Growers and Fir Tree Community Growers. The days will be themed, with one day each being spent on: business skills; salad production; machinery skills and field cropping.
The course runs from the 7th to the 28th March, on four Wednesdays. The first day will be in Hulme, the second day at Glebelands City Growers, the 3rd day at Climate Friendly Food's base at Fir Tree Farm, with the final day at Moss Brook Growers.
The course covers:
- Day 1 – Classroom day - business skills to run a CFE that grows vegetables e.g. legal, records, H&S, working with volunteers, seed sowing schedule,
- Day 2 – Commercial growing from small areas – Salad production similar to the Growing Communities urban apprenticeship in salad production at Glebelands – mix of classroom and practical lesson.
- Day 3 – Machinery skills at Fir Tree Community Growers – ploughing, rotavating, weeding, tractor maintenance – practical lesson.
- Day 4 – Growing skills for all field crops year round production – mix of classroom and practical lessons.
Anyone interested in becoming an organic grower for Greater Manchester, who can commit to a number of week day outings with the Land Army in this growing season, can apply for a place on the course.
To book your place please contact Chloe@kindling.org.uk