Make the most of an amazing training opportunity to learn how to set up an organic food growing business from the growers themselves, this Autumn.
We are in the unusual position in Greater Manchester, of having a market for local organic produce that aims to pay the cost of production, not the volatile market prices! But we need more crops, and therefore more organic commercial growers local to Greater Manchester.
To try and address this, and grow more growers to supply the likes of Manchester Veg People and Unicorn Grocery, we are running a four day course taught by the experts themselves on their farms: Jenny Griggs of Climate Friendly Food at Fir Tree Farm, Glebelands City Growers and Moss Brook Growers.
The course, is being organised as part of Kindling’s FarmStart programme - an incubator farm that provides access to land and supports new growers to try out growing at a commercial scale. So our priority for the course will be people who want to go on to apply to be part of the FarmStart programme (renting land at the incubator farm based at Abbey Leys in High Legh).
The course covers the key areas for setting up and running a food growing enterprise, including:
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Running a food growing business (including finances, legal issues, record-keeping, Health & Safety, managing volunteers) and co-operative business models.
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Understanding and maintaining soil fertility
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Small-scale market gardening – focusing on plant propagation and salad leaf production
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Field-scale vegetable production, including pests and diseases and machinery maintenance
The training will run on the following dates:
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Saturday 12th October
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Wednesday 16th October
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Saturday 26th October &
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Saturday 2nd November
It will also involve 2 additional placement days at local organic farms (week days if possible), so that you practice what you learn during the course and get a taste of working at a commercial scale.
Anyone interested in becoming a commercial organic grower for Greater Manchester, who can commit to all the days of the course (including the two placements days), can apply for a place on the course (though applicants for FarmStart will be prioritised).
The fee for the course is £100 - but if you go on to join the FarmStart programme that £100 will be taken off the FarmStart joining fee. You will need to cover your own transport costs to the sites (though car sharing can be organised).
We are really serious about getting more people into commercial-scale growing, and we are looking to support people who are serious about doing it too!
Places are limited so please get in touch now to avoid disappointment.
Application Deadline: 7pm on Sunday 29th September.
To ask for an application form please contact chris@kindling.org.uk or call 0161 226 2242