CoFarm Cambridge establishes heritage community orchard

The first stages of creating a community orchard at CoFarm Cambridge have begun.

The heritage orchard will contain nearly 100 fruit trees, including plum, crab apple, medlar and quince. These will mostly consist of old local varieties, including an apple called 'new rock pippin' which originated in Barnwell, Cambridge – the location of CoFarm Foundation’s first agroecological farm.

The orchard area will also contain bespoke meadow mixes consisting of grasses and wildflowers. And, a cover crop will be established to manage weeds in a nature-friendly way ‒ this will include Phacelia and Linum, pretty varieties of purple and blue flowers that not only help crowd out thistles but support pollinating insects.

The planting of trees began in March, following the installation of a deer-proof fence by CoFarm volunteers in February.  

CoFarmers planting trees for the community orchard earlier in March

Agroecological farming

The heritage orchard marks CoFarm Foundation’s commitment to agroecological farming, which strives to nurture biological, crop and cultural diversity in food production. CoFarm foundation has recently become the third registered charity – out of more than 185,000 ‒ to make explicit reference to promoting agroecological food and farming in its charitable objects.

Orchards are priority habitats under the UK’s Biodiversity Action Plan, as they provide important refuges for a wide range of insects, birds and small mammals. Fruit trees are particularly good habitats for wildlife because they mature relatively quickly, producing veteran tree features such as hollow trunks and split bark. These provide important sanctuaries for a wide range of species, several of which are prioritised for conservation (1) under the Biodiversity Action Plan.

Planting orchards close to other important habitats, such as hedgerows, generates even greater positive impacts on overall biodiversity and wildlife populations (2). In December, CoFarm Cambridge established a species-rich hedgerow around the perimeter of its urban market garden. The hedgerow is made up of more than 1,000 trees – including blackthorn, hawthorn, hornbeam, beech and crab apple – and sits alongside the orchard within CoFarm Cambridge’s 7-acre plot.

Cared for by the community

The new orchard will be cared for by local volunteers, who helped grow and donate 4.5 tonnes of organically produced vegetables last year within CoFarm Cambridge’s urban market garden. The CoFarm Cambridge community farm site off Barnwell Road has been created with and for local people, with the aim of improving access to nutritious, sustainably produced food while strengthening nature and local communities. More than 260 local people contributed over 3,000 hours of volunteer time to co-creating the farm in 2020, under the professional supervision of horticultural co-leads Peter Wrapson and Dominic Walsh.  

The creation of the orchard has been possible thanks to generous support from the Cambridge Water PEBBLE Fund and by Cambridge City Council. In addition, CoFarm Cambridge received generous donations from Melcourt Industries Limited, who donated sixty 45 litre bags of organic compost, and the Cambridge Canopy Project, which has donated 97 additional fruit trees which will be planted throughout the site. 

Daniel Clark, Water Resources and Environment Manager for Cambridge Water commented: ‘We were pleased to support the wonderful work of the CoFarm volunteers. Our PEBBLE fund was set up to help increase the variety of natural living things and the diversity of the habitats where they live, by supporting the work of local community groups. The achievements of the CoFarm team so far have been amazing, we’re looking forward to being able to visit in person to see for ourselves.’

Dr Matthew Ling, Project Lead for the Cambridge Canopy Project added: ‘It is a pleasure to be able to support the inspiring and ambitious work being carried out at CoFarm Cambridge. The Cambridge Canopy Project’s main aim is to grow tree canopy cover across the city by 2%. One of the biggest factors in realising this target is tree planting on privately-owned land, which makes up 77% of the city. Donating nearly 100 trees for planting on the privately owned CoFarm Cambridge site contributes to this and provides an example of what can be achieved through effective collaboration.’

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(1) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/biodiversity-the-uk-action-plan

(2) https://data.jncc.gov.uk/data/2829ce47-1ca5-41e7-bc1a-871c1cc0b3ae/UKBAP-BAPHabitats-56-TraditionalOrchards.pdf 

Media enquiries

Jessica Rowbury (jessica.rowbury@cofarm.co)

1,000 new trees form species-rich hedgerow set to boost biodiversity

More than one thousand saplings have been planted at the CoFarm Cambridge site on Barnwell Road with help from volunteers and sponsors. The saplings will grow to form a hedgerow around the perimeter of the fenced market garden within the seven-acre Cambridge city plot. 

The species-rich hedgerow will act to boost biodiversity within the farm, as well as provide a natural windbreak and prevent soil erosion. 

Different varieties of trees, including blackthorn, hawthorn, hornbeam, beech and crab apple, were planted around the 360-metre fence perimeter by CoFarm volunteers in December. 

TCV – The Conservation Volunteers donated 950 trees, as part of its ‘I Dig Trees’ programme in partnership with Ovo Energy, in addition to supporting canes and spiral guards that protect the saplings from rabbits and deer. 

A further 450 trees have been donated to CoFarm Cambridge by The Woodland Trust, through its PlanTree initiative with Sofology. Some of these have already been planted within the hedgerow, and more are set be planted around the farm in the coming weeks. 

Hedges: havens for nature

Hedges are vital habitats that provide food and shelter for wildlife and create corridors to help wildlife move around. 

The more diverse in composition a hedgerow is the more insects and species it is likely to support thanks to an increased variety of flowering and fruiting times. CoFarm’s new hedge will be classified as ‘species rich’, according to the UK’s Habit Action Plan, defined as containing an average of five or more native woody species per 30m length. 

The recently planted saplings, which are currently around half a metre in height, will take around three years to reach the desired height of the hedge (around 1.5 metres).

Dominic Walsh, horticultural co-lead at CoFarm Cambridge, said: 'Hedges are massively important for wildlife, giving shelter, nest sites and food. They also serve as beneficial predator and pollinator banks which are so important within small organic farm systems.’

Beyond the benefits they bring to wildlife, hedges act as windbreaks, to protect the hundreds of varieties of flowers and vegetable plants inside the market garden, and help prevent soil erosion. 

Nature-friendly farming

During the planting of the saplings in December, volunteers dipped the young tree roots in a solution containing mycorrhiza, a beneficial type of fungus that grows in association with plant roots. Mycorrhizas take sugars and carbon from the saplings in exchange for water and nutrients they gather from the soil. In this way, the fungi act as extensions to the root system, increasing the saplings’ absorptive area.

The nutrient exchange includes organic compounds such as phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium, but also micronutrients previously locked up in the soil.

Volunteers dipping the tree roots in a mycorrhizal solution

This is just one of the many nature-friendly techniques employed by CoFarm Cambridge since the site does not use chemical fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. The method negates the need for chemical fertilisers, thanks to the increased absorption power of the roots resulting from the symbiotic relationship formed with the fungi.

Mycorrhiza fungus also protects the trees against root diseases.  

Many more trees are set to be planted at CoFarm Cambridge this year, starting next with a community orchard, which has been generously supported by a grant from Cambridge Water’s Pebble fund. Subscribe to our mailing list below to receive updates.

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Media enquiries: jessica.rowbury@cofarm.co

CoFarm Cambridge celebrates successful first growing season: 4.5 tonnes of produce supports local community

A staggering 4.5 tonnes of top-quality, organically produced food has been grown on CoFarm Cambridge's urban market garden over the course of its first season, with an equivalent value of around £21,000 if it was sold at the farm gate.

All the food grown this year has been donated to community food hubs around Cambridge to support people experiencing food insecurity during the Covid-19 pandemic. At a time when maintaining health is of the uppermost importance, we are proud to have provided nutritious food to help improve the health and wellbeing of people in our local community.

More than 250 volunteers, led by Pete Wrapson and Dominic Walsh, have helped sow, weed, tend, and harvest the vegetables planted on the two-acre market garden, which all began in earnest once 360 metres of rabbit-proof fencing was installed in May.

More than 50 varieties of veg have been grown this year, including: potato, tomato, peppers – sweet and chilli – aubergine, beans, rainbow chard, beetroot, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, rocket, various herbs, salad onions, radish, chicory, courgette, cauliflower, broccoli, white/green and savoy cabbages, calabrese, cavolo nero, kale, sweetcorn, fennel, pumpkins and squash, pak choi, oca, parsnip, swede, turnip, spinach, celeriac, and Brussels sprouts.

The success of the market garden has reinforced many of CoFarm's core values, namely to build communities through growing and sharing delicious, nutritious food. The number of volunteers that have helped transform what was a bare field into a thriving market garden is testament to the community spirit of the project.

‘Volunteering gave me a real sense of purpose this year. Knowing that I have helped to strengthen my local community during the pandemic is really rewarding. And, being outdoors and gardening with new friends has been so enjoyable,’ said Sarah, a CoFarm Cambridge volunteer. 

Many thanks to everyone who has made CoFarm Cambridge such a huge success this year! It could not have been possible without the support of more than 130 sponsors and partners: Abbey People; Allia Limited; Arm Limited; Amey Cespa; Bank of Ireland Begin Together Fund; Cambridge 2030; Cambridge City Council; Cambridge Sustainable Food; Cambridge Food Poverty Alliance; Cambridge Water PEBBLE Fund; DEFRA; Horizon Resource Centre; RH Partnership Architects; RSPB; St Andrews Church, Cherry Hinton; and The C3.

By Greg Blackman

Media enquiries: Jessica Rowbury (jessica.rowbury@cofarm.co)

CoFarm Cambridge increases food security & hits headlines!

We’re delighted that CoFarm Cambridge’s Pete Wrapson and Dom Walsh have been celebrated on the front page of the Cambridge Independent over the past week for their amazing achievements in transforming a bare field into a thriving market garden. The farm donates 100% of its produce to local community food hubs to support people experiencing food insecurity during the pandemic.

You can read the article online here.

COFARM CAMBRIDGE FEATURED BY GUARDIAN FOR COMMUNITY GROWING DURING PANDEMIC

Guardian journalist Mattha Busby approached CoFarm Cambridge for a piece which highlights communities coming together to provide food for those most at need during the pandemic.

We’re delighted that CoFarm Cambridge features so prominently in the piece and flattered to be alongside some amazing community projects all over the UK.

The national exposure has also attracted a number of enquiries about collaboration.

You can read and share the piece here.

Our rabbit proof fencing around CoFarm Cambridge's market garden is complete!

Thanks to Arm’s support, we were able to contract Cambridge Fencing & Forestry Co to fence off a 2-acre market garden block in the middle of the farm site.

We were supported by a group of 10 amazing volunteers to help dig a 360m trench around the fence to bury rabbit proof wire, so that we can keep the bunnies off our crops!

Thanks to everyone who came along to help!

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