Stroud Community Agriculture

Stroud Community Agriculture is a new model for sustainable farming. It builds on cooperation and mutual support so that the risks and rewards of farming are shared between the farmers and consumers. The consumers commit themselves to supporting the farm and providing a fair income for the farmers. The farmers can then develop the health and fertility of the farm, its wildlife and environment. All the produce from the farm is shared between the supporting consumers or sold locally if there is a surplus.
Stroud Community Agriculture is a cooperative set up as an Industrial and Provident Society. Its aim is to integrate community and agriculture by managing a mixed, sustainable and environmentally responsible farm for the benefit of everyone involved. Stroud Community Agriculture provides consumers with wholesome, organic, locally-grown produce all year round. To cover some of the seasonal gaps in our production we buy in organic vegetables using local suppliers wherever possible.
A diverse and productive organic/biodynamic farm is developing. We started growing vegetables on one acre in Brookthorpe in March 2002 and then moved to 23 acres around Hawkwood College, Painswick Old Road, Stroud, we now also farm 24 acres at Brookethorpe as well. We have two full time farmers growing organic/biodynamic vegetables, and rearing pigs, cows and sheep. In the long term we intend that, as the farm grows, we can build up a dairy herd, keep chickens, grow hard and soft fruit and do more food processing.