Local Resources
Food Growing
Local
Glastonbury Growers Group: Celebrate and Support our Local Growers!
Local Growers have now formed a co-op and are meeting once a month, contact Robert MacBeth. The focus of the group is on the local production of food/fuel/fibre to sell/share/exchange, not on home growing. After a very promising first meeting, the next Glastonbury Growers Group meetup is Wednesday 15th Jan. 6.30pm Bridies Yard, Beckery. All are welcome if interested in being active in making a dent in the food/fuel/fibre needs of Glastonbury and surrounding villages through local production. As this group is firmly grounded in increasing local production, new and aspiring growers are particularly welcome, as are those with access to land.
Plotgate Community Farm
Plotgate CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a small scale low impact food producer based near Barton St David in Somerset.
It encourages participation, feasting, skill building and a deepening awareness of food growing and ecological approaches to agriculture. Volunteer workers help on Mondays and Fridays (plus Wednesdays in the summer season).
Contact Amy Willoughby. See Film by Kevin Redpath.
Avalon Organic Greenhouse
Pete Wright has nearly an acre of greenhouse at Plotgate, where he is currently growing tomatoes and herbs for local outlets and although not yet fully completed, it will shortly be an amazing facility and addition to the local growing community, allowing him to supply seasonal produce before and beyond the normal growing season.
Healing Gardens
An eco-community dedicated to working in harmony with the Sacred Land on which we grow, whilst offering our members the opportunity to reconnect to nature, each other and ourselves.
Contact: Juliet Yelverton, 73A Tor View Avenue, Glastonbury BA6 8AG; 01458 834721.
Red Brick Building Community Garden
The garden is about caring for the environment and learning the value of growing food organically.
Gardening has a whole range of health benefits including improving physical fitness and mental health ...
and the best bit is you often get to taste the delicious produce too!
Chalice Well Orchard
Well House Lane Glastonbury. A successful project that has restored one of our local heritage apple orchards, many of which are now sadly ageing and neglected. Now producing about 2000 bottles of apple juice a year, the orchard is cared for by Anthony Ward. Annual Apple day in celebration of the harvest with opportunity for local people to glean apples for home use.
Glastonbury Gardening Group
A group of gardeners who grow their own food in the Glastonbury area. They run events and activities for
the local gardening community, including seed and plant swaps, workshops, open gardens and skill shares.
Use their noticeboard to: Advertise surplus produce swap seeds, cuttings, seedlings, plants or to borrow tools, books or to ask for help, advice and information or advertise gardening events both local and national.
Godney Aquaponics
Aquaponics is a sustainable method of producing quality food with minimal external inputs. It is a system that combines conventional aquaculture (e.g. fish in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. Water from the aquaculture system is fed to the hydroponic system where the by-products are broken down and are utilised by the plants as nutrients, and the water is then re-circulated back to the aquaculture system. With more extreme periods of drought and rain this method of cultivation is one of those proving a more secure means of food growing. See Film by Kevin Redpath.
Burcott Mill, Wookey
Produces Somerset's only accredited organic, traditionally milled, stoneground flour. Steve French has been the miller since 2013.
Sharpham Park, Walton
Organic Spelt grown and milled. Their environmental statement is worth noting.
Town Council Allotments (Lowerside Lane, Glastonbury), Tel 01458 831769.
Glastonbury Allotment Association (Common Moor Drove, Glastonbury), Tel: 07807 857290.
Avalon Permaculture Gardens
Permaculture helps design intelligent systems which meet human needs whilst enhancing biodiversity, reducing our impact on the planet, and creating a fairer world for us. Contact: Andy Portman 01458 850704 or 07936380636
Feed Avalon
A workers cooperative and social enterprise dedicated to cultivating local food resilience in Glastonbury, Street area.
Unit C1, Northover Buildings, Glastonbury BA6 9NU.
Regional
Growing through Climate Change: Local Responses to Food Security.
A report on 'potentials for agriculture and food adaptations in Southwest England'. Commissioned by Seeding Our Future, based in Bridport. The same group has produced a 'Dorset Diet', including recipes, all based on food available locally in Dorset.
Courses on Orchard Restoration and Care with Les Davies who has over 40 years of experience.
Traditional Orchards of Somerset info and maps.
Four Films made by Kevin Redpath covering Plotgate, Godney Aquaponics, Community Farm Chew Magna and Root Connections.
Hinton Harvest
Hinton St George: Small family farm of 5 acres committed to producing great quality food whilst carefully ensuring that they look after their poultry and the land.
Chew Magna Community Farm
A social enterprise based in Somerset. Established in 2011, owned and governed by 500 member stakeholders. Environmental sustainability, community engagement and nature-friendly farming are at our heart. Growing and selling locally-sourced, seasonal produce that’s 100% organic.Working with organic producers and local farmers. Box delivery service Bath, Bristol, The Chew Valley, Frome and Weston-Super -Mare. Outlets in Bath, Chew Magna and Southmead Hospital too. Profits from products sold fund learning activities for local children, adults and vulnerable people. Regular volunteering opportunities are also offered at The Farm.
See Film by Kevin Redpath.
Bristol Sustainable Food City (Going for Gold)
Bristol is part of a national programme that celebrates and supports communities that are making positive changes to their food system. As one of only four cities to achieve Silver status, Bristol has already shown that it has the motivation to make Good Food part of the city’s identity. Now, individuals, organisations and policy makers are joining together to make big and lasting improvements across six key Food Action Areas. Read on to discover how individuals or organisations can play a part in this major leap towards making food that is good for people, the planet and the city accessible to everyone.
Ruritage Project
A local project which is being delivered by Take Art in South Somerset Heritage for rural regeneration. RURITAGE has initiated six Systemic Innovation Areas (SIAs), as frameworks to identify unique heritage potential within rural communities: Pilgrimage, Resilience, Sustainable Local Food Production, Integrated Landscape Management, Migration and Art and Festivals.
Beech Ridge Farm
in Wellington, Beech Ridge Farm is committed to rearing all its chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese in a totally ‘free range’ environment. So during the day, most of our birds have free run of the farm – just as nature intended.
Somerset Community Food
Somerset Community Food is a grassroots charity which aims to reconnect people with the social, health and environmental effects of growing, buying, preparing and eating local food. They have developed a unique training package that has successfully taught hundreds of people to start growing & cooking food. Unit 7, Abbey Mews,56-58 High Street, Glastonbury, BA6 9D. Email [email protected]
Tinkers Bubble
This is a small woodland community which uses environmentally sound methods of working the land without fossil fuels.
Norton Covert, Ham Hill Road, Little Norton, Somerset.
Other
Landshare
Information about finding land to grow vegetables on.
Guerilla Gardening
Fighting back with forks and flowers. Cultivating neglected orphaned ground in urban spaces.
Gardening For Wildlife
Go chemical free to protect bees and other essential insects, water butts etc.
Food After Oil
How urban farmers are preparing us for a self-sufficient future
Organic Regenerative Agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil. Practices include, recycling as much farm waste as possible, and adding composted material from sources outside the farm.Regenerative agriculture on small farms and gardens is often based on ideologies like permaculture, agroecology, agroforestry, restoration ecology, keyline design and holistic management. Large farms tend to be less ideology driven, and often use "no-till" and/or "reduced till" practices.On a regenerative farm, yield should increase over time. As the topsoil deepens, production may increase and less external compost inputs are required. Actual output is dependent on the nutritional value of the composting materials, and the structure and content of the soil.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is about taking responsibility for how our food is produced and how it gets to the table. It is a direct relationship between a farmer and the people who eat the food the farmer produces.The Soil Association have developed a fantastic CSA Action Manual, which covers step by step what a CSA is, the benefits & how to start one. One example is Oakbrook Farm which is an emerging hub for a number of inter-dependent food and land-based businesses near Stroud, Glos.
Green Wedmore
'Working together as a community to reduce our environmental impact'. Includes links to other organisations:
Community Land Advisory Service (Advice on legal aspects of community land use),
Funding LEAP: Loans for Enlightened Agricultural Projects.
Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens
National Association of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners
Land Workers Alliance
Transition Network
Reclaim the Fields
Sustain
Permaculture Association GB
Permanent Culture Now
The Land is Ours
Ecological Land Cooperative
Campaign for Real Farming
Food Sovereignty UK
Soil Association
Common Ground
Vegan Organic Network
Incredible Edible Network
Seeds:
Open pollinated Heritage and Heirloom Vegetable Seeds are of vital importance in the maintenance a resilient food supply. Seeds that can adapt fast to the changing environment. Save seeds, organise a seed swap. Avoid GMO, F1 hybrids and varieties that are sterile.
Local: Pennard Plants National: Open Pollinated Seeds, Seed Cooperative, Garden Organic
Biodynamic Agriculture
Biodynamic farming is a method of organic farming and gardening with a specific holistic and spiritual approach to growing food sustainably.
Farmerama Radio sharing the voices of small scale farmers, is committed to positive ecological futures for the earth and its people, and we believe that the farmers of the world will determine this. By giving producers a voice, we want to rejuvenate the respect, confidence and vibrancy of smaller-scale farms and rural communities.
Natural Beekeeping Trust
Bee-centred beekeeping aims to protect and preserve the bee as a highly developed wild creature and essential pollinator rather than seeing it solely as a producer of honey Bee-centred beekeeping aims to protect and preserve the bee as a highly developed wild creature and essential pollinatothethan seeing it solely as a producer of honeyBee-centred beekeeping aims to protect and preserve the bee as a highly developed wild creature and essential pollinator rather than seeing it solely as a producer.
Glastonbury Growers Group: Celebrate and Support our Local Growers!
Local Growers have now formed a co-op and are meeting once a month, contact Robert MacBeth. The focus of the group is on the local production of food/fuel/fibre to sell/share/exchange, not on home growing. After a very promising first meeting, the next Glastonbury Growers Group meetup is Wednesday 15th Jan. 6.30pm Bridies Yard, Beckery. All are welcome if interested in being active in making a dent in the food/fuel/fibre needs of Glastonbury and surrounding villages through local production. As this group is firmly grounded in increasing local production, new and aspiring growers are particularly welcome, as are those with access to land.
Plotgate Community Farm
Plotgate CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a small scale low impact food producer based near Barton St David in Somerset.
It encourages participation, feasting, skill building and a deepening awareness of food growing and ecological approaches to agriculture. Volunteer workers help on Mondays and Fridays (plus Wednesdays in the summer season).
Contact Amy Willoughby. See Film by Kevin Redpath.
Avalon Organic Greenhouse
Pete Wright has nearly an acre of greenhouse at Plotgate, where he is currently growing tomatoes and herbs for local outlets and although not yet fully completed, it will shortly be an amazing facility and addition to the local growing community, allowing him to supply seasonal produce before and beyond the normal growing season.
Healing Gardens
An eco-community dedicated to working in harmony with the Sacred Land on which we grow, whilst offering our members the opportunity to reconnect to nature, each other and ourselves.
Contact: Juliet Yelverton, 73A Tor View Avenue, Glastonbury BA6 8AG; 01458 834721.
Red Brick Building Community Garden
The garden is about caring for the environment and learning the value of growing food organically.
Gardening has a whole range of health benefits including improving physical fitness and mental health ...
and the best bit is you often get to taste the delicious produce too!
Chalice Well Orchard
Well House Lane Glastonbury. A successful project that has restored one of our local heritage apple orchards, many of which are now sadly ageing and neglected. Now producing about 2000 bottles of apple juice a year, the orchard is cared for by Anthony Ward. Annual Apple day in celebration of the harvest with opportunity for local people to glean apples for home use.
Glastonbury Gardening Group
A group of gardeners who grow their own food in the Glastonbury area. They run events and activities for
the local gardening community, including seed and plant swaps, workshops, open gardens and skill shares.
Use their noticeboard to: Advertise surplus produce swap seeds, cuttings, seedlings, plants or to borrow tools, books or to ask for help, advice and information or advertise gardening events both local and national.
Godney Aquaponics
Aquaponics is a sustainable method of producing quality food with minimal external inputs. It is a system that combines conventional aquaculture (e.g. fish in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. Water from the aquaculture system is fed to the hydroponic system where the by-products are broken down and are utilised by the plants as nutrients, and the water is then re-circulated back to the aquaculture system. With more extreme periods of drought and rain this method of cultivation is one of those proving a more secure means of food growing. See Film by Kevin Redpath.
Burcott Mill, Wookey
Produces Somerset's only accredited organic, traditionally milled, stoneground flour. Steve French has been the miller since 2013.
Sharpham Park, Walton
Organic Spelt grown and milled. Their environmental statement is worth noting.
Town Council Allotments (Lowerside Lane, Glastonbury), Tel 01458 831769.
Glastonbury Allotment Association (Common Moor Drove, Glastonbury), Tel: 07807 857290.
Avalon Permaculture Gardens
Permaculture helps design intelligent systems which meet human needs whilst enhancing biodiversity, reducing our impact on the planet, and creating a fairer world for us. Contact: Andy Portman 01458 850704 or 07936380636
Feed Avalon
A workers cooperative and social enterprise dedicated to cultivating local food resilience in Glastonbury, Street area.
Unit C1, Northover Buildings, Glastonbury BA6 9NU.
Regional
Growing through Climate Change: Local Responses to Food Security.
A report on 'potentials for agriculture and food adaptations in Southwest England'. Commissioned by Seeding Our Future, based in Bridport. The same group has produced a 'Dorset Diet', including recipes, all based on food available locally in Dorset.
Courses on Orchard Restoration and Care with Les Davies who has over 40 years of experience.
Traditional Orchards of Somerset info and maps.
Four Films made by Kevin Redpath covering Plotgate, Godney Aquaponics, Community Farm Chew Magna and Root Connections.
Hinton Harvest
Hinton St George: Small family farm of 5 acres committed to producing great quality food whilst carefully ensuring that they look after their poultry and the land.
Chew Magna Community Farm
A social enterprise based in Somerset. Established in 2011, owned and governed by 500 member stakeholders. Environmental sustainability, community engagement and nature-friendly farming are at our heart. Growing and selling locally-sourced, seasonal produce that’s 100% organic.Working with organic producers and local farmers. Box delivery service Bath, Bristol, The Chew Valley, Frome and Weston-Super -Mare. Outlets in Bath, Chew Magna and Southmead Hospital too. Profits from products sold fund learning activities for local children, adults and vulnerable people. Regular volunteering opportunities are also offered at The Farm.
See Film by Kevin Redpath.
Bristol Sustainable Food City (Going for Gold)
Bristol is part of a national programme that celebrates and supports communities that are making positive changes to their food system. As one of only four cities to achieve Silver status, Bristol has already shown that it has the motivation to make Good Food part of the city’s identity. Now, individuals, organisations and policy makers are joining together to make big and lasting improvements across six key Food Action Areas. Read on to discover how individuals or organisations can play a part in this major leap towards making food that is good for people, the planet and the city accessible to everyone.
Ruritage Project
A local project which is being delivered by Take Art in South Somerset Heritage for rural regeneration. RURITAGE has initiated six Systemic Innovation Areas (SIAs), as frameworks to identify unique heritage potential within rural communities: Pilgrimage, Resilience, Sustainable Local Food Production, Integrated Landscape Management, Migration and Art and Festivals.
Beech Ridge Farm
in Wellington, Beech Ridge Farm is committed to rearing all its chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese in a totally ‘free range’ environment. So during the day, most of our birds have free run of the farm – just as nature intended.
Somerset Community Food
Somerset Community Food is a grassroots charity which aims to reconnect people with the social, health and environmental effects of growing, buying, preparing and eating local food. They have developed a unique training package that has successfully taught hundreds of people to start growing & cooking food. Unit 7, Abbey Mews,56-58 High Street, Glastonbury, BA6 9D. Email [email protected]
Tinkers Bubble
This is a small woodland community which uses environmentally sound methods of working the land without fossil fuels.
Norton Covert, Ham Hill Road, Little Norton, Somerset.
Other
Landshare
Information about finding land to grow vegetables on.
Guerilla Gardening
Fighting back with forks and flowers. Cultivating neglected orphaned ground in urban spaces.
Gardening For Wildlife
Go chemical free to protect bees and other essential insects, water butts etc.
Food After Oil
How urban farmers are preparing us for a self-sufficient future
Organic Regenerative Agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil. Practices include, recycling as much farm waste as possible, and adding composted material from sources outside the farm.Regenerative agriculture on small farms and gardens is often based on ideologies like permaculture, agroecology, agroforestry, restoration ecology, keyline design and holistic management. Large farms tend to be less ideology driven, and often use "no-till" and/or "reduced till" practices.On a regenerative farm, yield should increase over time. As the topsoil deepens, production may increase and less external compost inputs are required. Actual output is dependent on the nutritional value of the composting materials, and the structure and content of the soil.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is about taking responsibility for how our food is produced and how it gets to the table. It is a direct relationship between a farmer and the people who eat the food the farmer produces.The Soil Association have developed a fantastic CSA Action Manual, which covers step by step what a CSA is, the benefits & how to start one. One example is Oakbrook Farm which is an emerging hub for a number of inter-dependent food and land-based businesses near Stroud, Glos.
Green Wedmore
'Working together as a community to reduce our environmental impact'. Includes links to other organisations:
Community Land Advisory Service (Advice on legal aspects of community land use),
Funding LEAP: Loans for Enlightened Agricultural Projects.
Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens
National Association of Allotment & Leisure Gardeners
Land Workers Alliance
Transition Network
Reclaim the Fields
Sustain
Permaculture Association GB
Permanent Culture Now
The Land is Ours
Ecological Land Cooperative
Campaign for Real Farming
Food Sovereignty UK
Soil Association
Common Ground
Vegan Organic Network
Incredible Edible Network
Seeds:
Open pollinated Heritage and Heirloom Vegetable Seeds are of vital importance in the maintenance a resilient food supply. Seeds that can adapt fast to the changing environment. Save seeds, organise a seed swap. Avoid GMO, F1 hybrids and varieties that are sterile.
Local: Pennard Plants National: Open Pollinated Seeds, Seed Cooperative, Garden Organic
Biodynamic Agriculture
Biodynamic farming is a method of organic farming and gardening with a specific holistic and spiritual approach to growing food sustainably.
Farmerama Radio sharing the voices of small scale farmers, is committed to positive ecological futures for the earth and its people, and we believe that the farmers of the world will determine this. By giving producers a voice, we want to rejuvenate the respect, confidence and vibrancy of smaller-scale farms and rural communities.
Natural Beekeeping Trust
Bee-centred beekeeping aims to protect and preserve the bee as a highly developed wild creature and essential pollinator rather than seeing it solely as a producer of honey Bee-centred beekeeping aims to protect and preserve the bee as a highly developed wild creature and essential pollinatothethan seeing it solely as a producer of honeyBee-centred beekeeping aims to protect and preserve the bee as a highly developed wild creature and essential pollinator rather than seeing it solely as a producer.