In January 2018 WWOOF UK attended a session on an Incubator Farm Network at the Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC). Steph Wetherell of the Landworkers’ Alliance has recently been in touch to update us on the progress that’s been made.
Following the ORFC session, a group of organisations fed into how an Incubator Farm Network might operate, and the Landworkers’ Alliance led on a funding bid to the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust to support this network being established. This funding bid was successful and in February 2019 myself and Adam Payne from the LWA began working on the project.
This project will include:
- establishing an Incubator Farm Network and setting up a website page and communication system for the network
- organising exchange visits to established Farmstarts and an annual gathering for the network
- creating a ‘How to set up a Farmstart’ guide
- carrying out a feasibility study into an accredited training programme
- carrying out a feasibility study into a mentoring scheme
- corking with MPs and Defra staff to influence policy around new entrants and incubator farms.
Please do get in touch to let us know of any Incubator Farm Projects that you think we should include or know about. We are hoping to launch the network later this year and organise our first exchange visit in early Autumn.
Contact: stephlandworkersalliance@gmail.com for more information.
