Norwich’s growing FarmShare project will host public open day

Norwich FarmShare is celebrating the first full season at its new site in Trowse. From left: Volunteers Edward Gebbett, Rob Crews and Ben Carr with growers Jack Astbury and Joel Rodker. Picture: Steve Gebbett Steve Gebbett

A growing community farming project will celebrate the first full season at its new home by holding a public open day on Saturday.

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Norwich FarmShare, a project aimed at producing environmentally sustainable and healthy local food, was launched in 2010 at Postwick.

But after being forced to leave that site, a successful crowdfunding campaign allowed it to relocate to three acres of land in Trowse, at the end of Whitlingham Lane.

Under its model of "community supported agriculture", members sign up to pay monthly or annually and often commit to doing some work on the farm, in exchange for a weekly bag or box of seasonal produce - sharing the burden of any lean periods and the bounty of the surpluses.

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The open day from middy to 4pm on Saturday July 27 will include farm tours, opportunities to learn how the farm's organic growing systems work, and a chance to meet other community members.

Joel Rodker, one of two new part-time growers at the farm, said: "This is our first full season on the new site and we are going from strength to strength, producing more and more organic, fresh produce on our three-acre field.

"While producing high quality vegetables for local people is our priority we also have many aims. Our farming techniques are designed to look after the soil and regenerate the land, encouraging a healthy balance of wildlife and commercially productive land. We want to create a strong and supportive community who is intimately connected to how their food is produced.

"We aim for as much food as possible in our weekly veg bag to be grown on the farm, minimising food miles. We use virtually no packaging in our distribution, only using some plastic products on the farm.

"In the long term we want the farm to become a resource for diverse groups in Norwich who can benefit from the positive impacts of working outside with plants."

- For more information about the open day on Saturday July 27, see the Norwich FarmShare website.