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Dear Members, Supporters and Friends,

Thank you to everyone who has completed the Community Survey.  
Your input is really important to the development of this land into a community farm.


We would be very happy to hear from you now if you have not yet found time to complete the survey. We cannot emphasise enough how important your input is to help us develop this land into a community farm that meets local needs. Our next design and planning weekend will be in the second half of March.  We need to have as many replies as possible by 14th March so that we can include the results in this process; after that we will not be collecting the information.

Go direct from here to complete the Community Survey now.
 
The results of the survey so far are very encouraging   The main areas of interest expressed to date are:  biodynamic food production and involvement of the community on the land, whilst not damaging the biodiversity of the site.
 
Why not add your views now using the link above?
 
We will be conducting the promised prize draw very soon  for all those who completed the survey before the end of January. We will be in touch with those concerned.
 

Lot 3 the development has started!

The group of farmers, growers and other initiators, who have been meeting since September, gathered for the weekend of 30th and 31st January to bring the research, ideas and individual business plans together. Under the guidance of Marina O'Connell, we have started to design and plan the community farm.

Marina is a permaculture trainer and biodynamic farmer.  She has recently conducted this process on another BDLT supported project in Devon - Huxhams Cross Farm and is a member of the Apricot Center team.

The last session of the weekend workshop was, of course, to plan the next steps and next workshop so everyone has gone away with their specific tasks to bring to the next meeting in March.


The fact that so many of our supporters are eager to buy biodynamic produce is very good news for our farmers and growers and very encouraging to them at this time of intensive preparation and planning.  A good proportion of respondents have volunteered to help on the farm.  We will be saying more about volunteering opportunities in future newsletters as the project develops..  Thank you for your continued interest and support.  
These pictures show part of the planning process using a large scale map, adding elements and information in appropriate places.

Land Survey - Can you help?

We are hoping to get as full a picture as possible about this land and the more observations we can collate the better.  If you like to walk in the Uplands/Hawkwood area we would appreciate your feedback on your experience of this land and the way the wind and weather and water affect it.   As many observations as many times as you like up to the 14th March will be most helpful.  

Please see map and full details on our website.

The next steps:


Lot 3 may not have found it's proper name yet but it is emerging as a community farm, and beginning to show us its qualities and individual nature.

It was at the very end of this intensive weekend surveying, collating information - including the results of the community survey, planning and designing the layout of the activities that we came to consider the question of a name for this piece of land that is no longer just Lot 3; and it needs to find its name for the future.   Some people felt passionately about a name whereas others felt that it was a step too far and their heads were too full to make a choice, so the question has been left for the time being rather than make a wrong decision. We are still open to ideas.

We hope that this gives you an idea of what is happening on the land that you have supported us to buy.   Whilst this process is necessary and will take some time we are very happy that Stroud Community Agriculture are stewarding and caring for the land and will be part of the future development along with the extended farming and growing community that is forming around this piece of land.

SO PLEASE DO COMPLETE THE COMMUNITY SURVEY.

 All community views will help us in planning the future of our land.
 

Go direct from here to complete the Community Survey now.




Best Wishes,
Gabriel and the BDLT team.

Copyright © 2016 Biodynamic Land Trust Ltd, All rights reserved.


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