As we look back over 2022 we have 12 Christmas highlights to share. An annual celebration of our co-op, our two fields in Ovington and Matfen, and our members.
Another busy and varied year which celebrated our 10th Anniversary, welcoming more members, renewing events, working with local producers and other community enterprises whilst experimenting and creating wonders on the fields. The weather really has been quite unusual and has had an influence on our growing. Climate change seems to be having an affect at the fields.
1 We are @100+ members and just about everyone gives a little time
It’s what makes us work, from making sure we post to Instagram, delivering veg to food friends, helping on market stalls, baking amazing cakes, keeping track of the money… and of course helping on the fields – we are all in this together!
To read the full members morning article please follow the link to our website https://golocalfood.org.uk/the-return-of-members-mornings/
2 Teaming up with local partners
Being part of the local economy is important to us and so we regularly link up with other producers, most notably to offer our Christmas Bundle of local goodies; turkey, cheese, chocolate and much more.
This year we have been working closely with Northumbrian Pantry demonstrating how local producers can support each other and a link with Alnwick Gardens, exemplifies what can be achieved. Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6TqH3YJw5U
3 Celebrating 10
An amazing chocolate cake was provided by one of our members to help celebrate our 10th birthday – it was centre stage at our AGM in June. We even managed to get 5 or our 7 founders together to mark the occasion
Beyond the fields we continued our celebrations by linking up with local cafes, pubs, resturants and a food education project. We donated a crop share to our Food Friends who each used the produce on their menus. The value of short supply chains and tasty veg was much appreciated
To read our full Food Friends article please follow the link to our website; https://golocalfood.org.uk/our-food-friends/
4 Shaping the future
As an enterprise committed to environmental sustainability we regularly look at how to improve our practices. One of our real challenges has been peat based compost which we use in propagation of new plants. Discussion at a Members Meeting lead to some focussed research into alternatives that will meet our requirements and to the setting up an experiment to produced finer compost in our lovely hot compost system. Looking forward to the results in the new year.
To read more about our compost project please follow the link to our From The Field Autumn Harvest article; https://golocalfood.org.uk/from-the-field-autumn-harvest/
5 The growing challenge
This year we welcomed Jala, a new contractor/horticulturalist to our team. We have 2 paid contractors providing 44 hrs per week over the busy months and up to 13 field workshares each giving 4 hrs of week and receiving a large crop share in return. Our field workshares join us for lots of reasons, some are keen to learn more about growing, others like being outside, and some experienced growers want to keep their hand in… The growing team do an amazing job, come rain or shine, from propagating new plants to weekly harvesting
6 Shed-Quarters
One of the most exciting points in the year was the delivery of a shed… but for us no ordinary shed… this dry, enclosed space represents a major improvement for our enterprise. A place to welcome new groups, run workshops, house our ever growing field sales and provide shelter when working on the fields…To read our full Shed Quarters launch article please follow the link to our website https://golocalfood.org.uk/chutney-apples-lanterns-and-a-shed/
7 Welcoming Paul
We currently have a workshare focussing on events. Paul joined us half way through the year and has been learning the ropes by organising workshops, open days and the kale-ee – and here is he supported by Mary who co ordinated our Kale EE Catering
Following the pandemic years we are slowly re introducing workhops, Dawn Chorus, Chutney Making and alongside our Open Days, Apple Press, Lantern Making, and Nature Printing, we are currently exploring ideas for a new programme in ’23. To read our dawn walk article please follow the link to our website https://golocalfood.org.uk/dawn-ish-on-the-fields%EF%BF%BC/
8 Hexham Farmers Market
To meet new people and hopefully encourage them to join, we joined other local producers at 3 Farmers Markets. The first was extremely windy, and the third extremely wet! Despite the elements we had some great conversations and discovered how many people love their growing exploits – the herb quiz did manage to fox most people though. As a result we have lots of new subscribers for our regular newsletter. To sign up to our news letter please follow the link to our website; https://golocalfood.org.uk/foodie-news/
9 Expanding our field sales
Field Sales started @ 4 years ago and has grown into an (almost) essential feature of the co-op. This year, Shed-Quarters, has given us the opportunity to display all the goods in one place and to continue developing the offer with Handmade by Nature body care products from High Spen, and a Members Makes shelf, sharing batches of homemade chutneys/jams etc a chance to swap a chutney for a jam or donate to the tin. We’re going to be looking for more links with local producers in ’23.
10 Welcoming new members
Each year there is a turn over of members. As personal circumstances change some people have to leave us whilst new folk are amazed to discover that we have been growing on their doorstep for 10 years! This year has been no different.
It is always interesting to hear new members stories. One of our members has been reminded of his youth, growing with an Uncle in his garden, the taste of peas and strawberries – as a result of joining the co-op he has dug up some of his garden and is now growing his own onions, strawberries, kale and is looking forward to learning more from our Growers.
11 Kale – EE
In November we danced the night away with The Pan Haggerty Ceilidh Band leading the way. Lots of tasty refreshments; soup, cake, beer, wine – added to make a great evening!
12 Looking forward to 2023
And being 11. Now we have done the transition from autumn to winter, the polytunnels are full and it’s dark very early our Growers have turned their attention to crop plans for next year. Our members survey will help identify the ‘more or less of veg’ we produce. At the last members meeting we put in a request for less runner beans and more dwarf beans, and as we continue to work out how best to use our two sites it seems the legumes are moving to Matfen.
Our current challenge is cool storage for our veg. We know we could be more efficient if we were able to store veg as they were ready to harvested and over winter months. So far we have raised some money for a shed, we have researched our options and have a solar energy plan… and now, we need to find an investment (@£14,000) to turn our dream into reality…
AND of course we are looking forward to more! welcoming new members, linking with more projects, enterprises, communities in Tynedale, testing out new ideas… never a dull moment as we head into the next decade.
