Ian the gardeners blog!

Welcome to the Swillington Community Supported Agriculture blog.

You know its amazing how time flies when you`re busy!

I'm 3 weeks into the project and have only just worked out some of what I need to do to blog!

Perhaps a good place to start would be a brief explanation as to how I became involved in the first CSA in Yorkshire (nobody has contradicted me yet ,so i'll keep saying it!), I`m sure that each and every one of you has a story as to how you became involved - why not post them to the blog?

My involvement with Swillingon Organic Farm goes back some time, in fact, well over ten years back to when I was Project Assistant for South Leeds Groundwork Trusts Five Villages Project working in Swillington and other villages in the Lower Aire Valley.

One of our regular events was a guided tour of the farm aimed mostly at children and using the walled garden as a picnic area, I distinctly remember asking Jo whether she had plans to bring the garden back to its prime - little did I know.

Later I found my way to Meanwood Urban Valley Farm where events conspired to leave me running the small organic market garden .

Yes its a garden but its not mine anymore.

click on these photos for larger images!

I suppose Kirstin has proved herself a catalyst in the development of the CSA scheme - I first met Kirstin when she came to work as a volunteer at Meanwood, I`ll persuade her to tell you about how she came to be involved in another blog post.

Despite standing on what is probably the worlds largest paper hanky Kirstin still insists on  wiping her nose on her sleeve!

I hope over the coming year to be able to post a regular blog (weekly if I'm organised) to tell you how things are going on the garden, what crops are planted, what the wildlife is doing and any other developments.

I'll also try to develop a format with some interesting links and recipes, pictures and other stuff that amuses me, I hope that you enjoy it too!

see you soon

Ian

Comments

[Roger Wolfe]

Nice one Ian. You get lots of brownie points for getting the blog going. I'll send the address to members with a note on how to use it!

[John Macbeth]

I'll get the ball rolling then shall I?

(Not sure if this is where I am supposed to write stuff, but as I can find nowhere else to write, I'll assume it is.)

I'm afraid my story of how I became involved is nowhere near as interesting as Ian's:

I was reading the Yorkshire Evening Post (a pretty rare occurrence for me) and came across a feature on the CSA. I recently became vegetarian and wanted to eat more organic food. I emailed Kirsten and paid for share. Simple really... and as I said, not very exciting.

[ian downham]

Thanks John, its good to know that our systems worked and that the process of finding us and joining was simple! We can put posts/articles on to the blog if you email them to us or we may find that the blog is more flexible as we learn more about how it works.

[Jan Crossley]

Hi everyone, glad the blog has got going now. Myself and my two children,JJ and Lili, became involved with the CSA because we had been looking at various box schemes for a while to try and eat more fruit and veg whilst reducing packaging and food miles. My friend had visited the farm and gave me a leaflet. We liked the idea of being able to get more involved, especially that the children could get more "hands on" experience of their food- although unfortunately since the Launch Day we haven`t had a spare Saturday due to other commitments and Easter Hols! We will be down again as soon as we are able- the kids are just dying to see how "their" crops are doing! Jan

[Caroline Smithson]

I would like to comment on the blog but as all the current subscribers have literary sir names or are literary characters. I feel a little out gunned.

[Jan Crossley]

Hey Caroline,Robert Smithson is a famous artist too! and I dont think I have a famous literary name....do I? Jan

[Sharon Hart-Davies]

Hi. I've been shopping for veg and eggs and occasionally meat at the farm for a couple of years, and have been thinking about joining an organic box scheme for some time - so this seemed a natural step.

I've not been down to the garden yet at all - various commitments including dealing with my own garden - but I'm hoping to go on the farm walk tomorrow, if I can find out what time it is!

[paul naylor]

My wife Jane found the project on the net and we got involved as quickly as possible. great chance to learn new skills and meet nice people, the box schemes good too!

[Rob Greenland]

Great to see the blog up and running, and I heard today that we've got 35 shares sold - which was the original target - so that's great news.

I got involved because I've known Jo at Swillington for a few years and this seems like a great way to do something that should be very simple but is actually very difficult - get good quality, local fruit and veg. Here's to a great growing season!

Rob

[Caroline Smithson]

Encouraged by Jan I have decided to put my oar in about why i got involved in the scheme.The first time i met Ian was in the middle of a wood. Ive always loved been outdoors and had walked there with my son Matthew, who was in a sling at the time he was so small. I could hear knocking and curious i followed the noise to find Ian mending a stile. He was working for Groundwork at the time and through them we toured the farm met Jo and had a picnic in the walled garden.I remember thinking it would be great if it was up and working again.Ive kept bumping into Ian over the years (Matthews 13 now) and when I read the artical in the paper about the CSA i jumped at the chance. Ive been down to the farm most weeks since and would encourage any other members to get involved because it`s realy good fun everyone seems to be great, ive met loads of new people. and soon we will have some lovely fresh veg.

[Jo Koszel]

Ate some of the lettuce & radishes for lunch today - delicious! It's great to see - and eat! - the results of all the hard work.

Jo

[ian downham]

Thanks Jo!

[Rob Greenland]

Just a note to say how much we enjoyed our lettuces - very tasty. I went up to the farm for the first time in a few weeks last week, and was very impressed with how much progress has been made. Well done to Ian and everyone who's put work in so far here's to more of the same!

Rob

[Cathy Cammegh]

We visited for the first time on Sunday which was also Open Farm Day and we were so impressed. I can't beleive how hard everyone has been working and how much has been achieved. The best bit of all though was watching my children eating puy lentils and chard for tea just hours after Ian had pulled it from the ground. Thank you so much all of you for being so inspired.