May 14th (Sun) - 1.30pm - Greenacres Farm, Walford Heath, SY4 2JA Tel: 01939 291109
Greenacres Farm is a 16 - acre smallholding run by Shropshire Council for adults with learning disabilities. Situated 9 miles north of Shrewsbury, just off the B5067, the service provides a range of learning experiences in a realistic working environment. There are two free range poultry units and a registered egg packing station. The poultry bedding is composted to fertilise the soft fruit, vegetables and sensory garden. The site has a solar panel array, a wildlife pond, reedbed and lagoon.
June 10th (Sat) - 1.30pm - Pili-Pala Farm just south of Llanfyllin
A regenerative market garden specialising in soft fruit and veg, with some flowers. Cultivating just under an acre, the site is around 4.5 acres of south facing sloping pasture. They are chemical free and use a "no-dig" approach, focussing on soil health. They hope to have the new farm shop up and running stocked with veg and fruit to buy. Full details to be provided. Upper limit on numbers is 40.
July 16th (Sun) - 1.30pm - Re-wilding Gardener Elen Sentier at Park Farm House, Nr Smethcott, Church Stretton SY6 6NZ
Elen (helped by her husband, also a Master Composter) has been a rewilding gardener for more than 20 years, with a portfolio of three award winning gardens at RHS Hampton Court Shows. Depending on the number of members interested this might be split to a morning and an afternoon visits. Please bring cakes.
August 20th (Sun) - 2.00pm - Visit to members garden, Maggie and Mel, Kinnerley [address details will follow]
After quite a few years, we revisit Members, Maggie and Mel’s lovely smallholding out at Kinnerley. Please bring cakes.
September 16th (Sat) - 1.30pm - Hollies Agroforestry Farm Peter Aspin - Soulton, Wem, Shropshire, SY4 5RT Tel: 01948 840073
The Hollies is an organic holding of 40 acres in N. Shropshire which, until 1996, was a dairy farm, a beef herd, and since 2014 has reared young stock for a local dairy farm. A system of silvopastoral agroforestry is practised whereby trees, perennial ground cover crops and livestock are produced on the same piece of land. Please bring cakes. Shropshire Agroforestry Project.
October Visit and Date to be Confirmed