Loomio
Fri 17 Aug 2018 3:42PM

Our Field Weston updates

CL Christine Lewis Public Seen by 49

This is where we will put regular updates and news about Our Field Weston.

CL

Christine Lewis Fri 17 Aug 2018 4:35PM

Here’s a quick update about what the #OurFieldWeston coordinating group have been doing.

We set up just over a month ago to help take forward #OurFieldWeston as we move into the next growing year. The coordinating group is made up of five people, Darren, Christine, Oliver, Tony and Wahome with help from Abby as we get ourselves working together who was part of the 2017 coordinating group - we are a diverse group spread around the country and have been setting up how we work and what we will do - there is more about us below.

Wahome has introduced us to Trello but we will be keeping you updated on Loomio for the time being. Using Trello has rapidly sorted out our workflows, accountabilities, timelines and injected a super-charged element (and pressure!) to getting things done - this update is one of the things that may have taken longer without this. This is how we have set ourselves up although we all help each other as needed and welcome your input:

  • Membership (participation, accountability) Wahome, Christine
  • Farmers (production, insights) Darren, Oliver, Tony
  • Buyers (marketing, selling) Oliver, Christine
  • Public (outreach, education) Christine, Tony
  • Organisers (workflow, alignment) Wahome, Darren

Our current urgent (i.e. just for this week) activity includes:
* Clarify comms and engagement plan
* Send brief update to membership(= this update
* Ask John for his preferred planting options
* Create a voting decision
* Confirm best day/ options for visiting the farm
* Moderate decision on planting - realising this is going to be result on Loomio but encouraging debate in the short term before the poll closes
* Clarify questions for John on planting decision
* Draft templates for monthly reporting
* Send a monthly report to the membership by 22 August - a bigger report than this is
* Clarify how we use tools - Loomio v Trello v other social media options
* 'Organisers' vs 'facilitators' vs 'coordinators'

Oliver: I'm currently a sustainability consultant with ADAS in Cambridge (although doing this in a personal capacity), mainly working with food & drink companies on their agricultural supply-chains. Was previously at the Organic Research Centre, Daylesford and NFU. At the ORC I did some work on marketing bread from the ORC Wakelyns wheat population which is a unique mixture of heritage and modern grain varieties. This got me interested in all things grain.

Christine: I am a 2017 member and know we need to engage better. I have a bread-making - sustainability - biological sciences that moved to e-Justice career background. I am retiring end of Sept so from Oct onward I will have much more time to support group dynamics and the Ourfield project.

Darren: I get involved in projects where people get together to manage food, tech and land. Currently I'm spending most of my time in between Somerset and Surrey.

Tony: Tony Allan is a water scientist who has strayed into farming and the food system because farmers manage about 92% of the water consumed by society. This water, embedded in food, is known as food-water. Farmers also account for about 66% of society's impact on biodiversity and for between 15% and 20% of emissions. They manage the environment on behalf of society. But society does not get it. The adoption of Conservation Agriculture [CA] mitigates these environmental health impacts hence his interest in the OurField project.

Wahome: works within a tiny social innovation studio building tools to shift creative power to the grassroots economy – hence active interest in Ourfield.

As you can see we are all busy on top of normal day to day activity but we really want to re-energise #OurFieldWeston and find a better way to engage with everyone. Really grateful for your feedback on this. Thanks for reading and expect another update very soon.

WA

Wendy Alcock Sat 18 Aug 2018 9:24AM

This all sounds very exciting, thanks for the update Christine and to you all for taking on the task of coordinating the project and the collective in the future.

AR

Abby Rose Mon 20 Aug 2018 8:51AM

Yes thanks @christinelewis1 and to the whole leadership team for getting momentum going - really brilliant work!! Excited for a farm visit/event in September and to decide what to plant!

AG

Averil Glencross Mon 20 Aug 2018 12:27PM

Hi Christine,

Thank you for the email. Look forward to being kept up to date.

kind regards

Averil Glencross

CL

Christine Lewis Sat 25 Aug 2018 11:44AM

Hold the date - 30 September - farm visit

We are planning a visit to the farm at Weston on Sunday 30th September arriving 11.30 am for a 12.00 pm start departing at 3.00 pm. We will get back with more information and logistics as soon as we can.

SJ

Steven Jacobs Sun 26 Aug 2018 9:27AM

Damn. So far every time the group have met I couldn’t attend and it’s happening again. Arrrggghh!!!! VERY FRUSTRATING 😤

CL

Christine Lewis Sun 26 Aug 2018 9:32AM

Sorry Steven - we hoped to get a choice of dates and find the one that most people could attend but ran out of options - but we are planning for many more meetings to get people together over the coming months - probably in London as easier to get to. Good to know if there is a date, time, day of the week that we can work to for you.

SJ

Steven Jacobs Sun 26 Aug 2018 9:36AM

Thanks Christine, I appreciate the difficulty coordinating dates for a group. The reason that Sunday is no good for me is because I’ve another appointment booked a while ago.

CL

Christine Lewis Sun 2 Sep 2018 7:53AM

OurField members visit to Weston Farm

John Cherry will welcome OurField members and their families at his Lannock Manor Farm on Sunday 30th September from 11.30am for 12.00pm start to around 3.00pm.

Directions

Address: Lannock Manor Farm, Weston, Hertfordshire, SG4 7EE. Satellite images are attached which show the location of the field on the farm and the location of the farm, Stevenage and other surrounding towns

For those travelling by train this is from Kings Cross to Stevenage. Stevenage is on the fast LNER line, and I think on the stopping Thameslink service, from King's Cross. Tony will be at Stevenage station from before 11.30 am to coordinate filling taxis. We may be able to cover the cost of the taxis to and from the farm from OurField funds.

You may want to organise yourselves locally for discounted group rail fares for parties of more than 4 or to share cars/ vans etc. If anyone is travelling by car and could provide rides to others can you let Tony know on seat availability and your starting points. You can email Tony on: [email protected]

Catering
Please provide your own refreshments and picnic.

Children - will be welcome

Toilet facilities
There will be a basic toilet facility and John Cherry does not mind if we "fertilise his fields".

Agenda
We will hold a members meeting in the barn while having our lunch. The agenda will be finalised and circulated before the day but will cover an introduction, a report on the 2017/2018 crop and more information about Weston and other important farm and beyond the farm gate things.

Please let us know of any other topics you would like to have discussed - you can post on Loomio and/ or email to Christine Lewis at [email protected] and Tony at [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there!

CL

Christine Lewis Thu 6 Sep 2018 8:04PM

Farm visit 30 Sept: If anyone needs a list from the north I am travelling Rugby to Weston on 30 Sept - just let me know. I have 3 seats available. I am on holiday tomorrow until 25 Sept but just make contact and we can take it from there.

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