The partners in this innovative project include Powys County Council (providing the land), Social Farms and Gardens, Shared Assets, Landworkers’ Alliance, Cultivate, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Lantra, Black Mountains College, Ecological Land Cooperative, Eco Dyfi and Gwlad Consortium.
The project was funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Welsh Government ACPW3.
The Sarn Farms: a description
The 36 acres are divided into three farms, with homes and workplace facilities grouped together on common ground.
We commissioned a report to describe the site: flat, water sources on site, good climatic conditions for horticulture, soil varies from silty to clayey, much potential for biodiversity enhancement.
The layout
Each farm has a small, well-insulated home, connected to water, electricity and drainage.
According to planning regulations, these must remain "removeable" for the first 5 years. After that time, and provided the business is viable, permission for a permanent home will be sought.
Shared work facilities.
These include washing and packing sheds, along with shared road access and vehicle hardstanding.
For rental, then 90+ year lease
We have leased the land from Powys County Council for 95 years. For the first 5 years, during which the business model is proved, the farms will be rented. After that, we are considering offering the tenants the option of a 90+ year lease, to provide long-term security to build their businesses and livelihoods. (Image by jcomp on Freepik)
The Sarn Farms in pictures
Just building farms is not enough - we have to fix many things so these farms can thrive.
We need new planning regulations, new routes to growing markets, better supports from Government, an expansion of skills….
We've worked with the Council for two years to develop new planning guidance on "Rural Enterprise Dwellings". This new guidance aims to help small-scale veg farmers who need a home on the land they are working.
Read the planning guidance
We are working with partners to build new routes to growing markets for food grown in Powys:
> "food loops" connecting local farms to each other and to multiple points of sale across a wider region
> public procurement by Powys County Council for schools
> a new trade link with Birmingham, where there is big demand for food grown in its rural hinterland.
We are working to develop training and work experience placements for students at Black Mountains College.
College website
We're building a peer network of small-scale farmers across Powys, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and Monmouthshire.
BannauAcres.co.uk
We're engaging with Welsh Government to lobby for better business support for small farms and for horticulture, working with the Wales Horticulture Alliance Group. We are also advocating changes in planning rules, so that more new farms can start.
Horticulture Alliance GroupRecruitment for Sarn Farms
We recruited experienced growers who can establish their new enterprises quickly and soon be thriving.
Applicants had:
- At least 2 years’ experience working on a fruit and vegetable farm and selling its produce.
- Access to sufficient start-up funds for their proposed new enterprise.
- A sound understanding of agroecological growing
- The motivation to be part of a movement to feed the community and the flexibility to try new approaches.
- Willingness to collaborate with other farmers in shared spaces.
- Sensitivity to concerns of neighbours and an intention to integrate into the local community.
- Awareness of potential markets.
- Willingness/ability to contribute to the hands-on building of farm infrastructure.
Our vision
We want to create more small farms across Powys. We’re working with partners to develop a “Farmland Trust” that can acquire land into community ownership and build farms on it, like the farms at Sarn.
This will bring many benefits:
- > Opportunities for a new generation of farmers to build a livelihood in Powys.
- > New markets for Powys farms – local communities, towns and cities and through public procurement.
- > Farmer owned supply chains with fewer middle-men, so farmers keep more of the profit.
- > Food security – more diverse sources of the food we depend on, including more local sources.
- > New jobs, new skills and new investment.
- > More connections within the community as farmers and residents trade with each other.
- > Building a new supply of healthy, nutritious, lower-carbon food for local consumption.
- > Agroecological farming methods that protect biodiversity and our rivers.
