Red Pig Farm - Agroecology Land Trust · The ALI is in advanced negotiations for the purchase of...

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Company No: 9456728 t: 07808 168 562 e: [email protected]

Red Pig Farm

● The Agroecology Land Initiative is taking on its first project Red Pig Farm, Llandeilo, Wales.

● Building upon the existing assets of the farm we intend to develop a model of co-sufficient

community farming based on agroecological methods and a regenerative economic approach to

the creation of rural enterprise.

● The community will be structured as a co-housing scheme.

● We are seeking additional members to provide equity investment to cover the purchase of the

land as well as members who would like to join the community.

● We are looking for financial assistance in the form of interest bearing loans.

mailto:[email protected]


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Table of Contents

Summary .......................................................................................................................................................... 3

Who we are...................................................................................................................................................... 4

Red Pig Farm .................................................................................................................................................... 6

Location ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

Vision for the Farm .......................................................................................................................................... 8

Objectives ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Main Activities .............................................................................................................................................. 9

Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................................... 9

The Planning Process ..................................................................................................................................... 10

Dwelling ......................................................................................................................................................... 11

The Transitional Home ............................................................................................................................... 12

The Investment Offer .................................................................................................................................... 13

Environmental Returns ............................................................................................................................... 13

Social Returns ............................................................................................................................................. 13

How can you get involved?............................................................................................................................ 14

Contact Us ...................................................................................................................................................... 14

Appendix I: ALI: Sustainable Rural Development ......................................................................................... 15

Appendix II: ALI: Regenerative Rural Enterprise ........................................................................................... 18



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Summary

The converging issues of food, energy, and soil security that we are facing today1 necessitate a new

approach to farming and energy production, and a new relationship with the land. The Agroecological Land

Initiative is an organisation created to advocate and implement agroecological methods in the UK to help

secure food sovereignty,2 energy independence, and environmental regeneration in a way that is financially

viable and socially just. We envision the regeneration of both the countryside and rural economies through

the creation of co-sufficient community farms rooted in agroecological3 production.

The ALI is in advanced negotiations for the purchase of Red Pig Farm, Llandeilo, Wales, which is intended to

become the location for a community co-housing project combining research and development of applied

agroecological methods to produce food, fuel and fibre – and to do so using systems that are not merely

sustainable, but that actively repair and regenerate the degraded ecosystems we live with today.

At the heart of our endeavour is the principle of co-sufficiency, both within the farm community and in its

relationship with the wider community. Progressive ownership, governance and cohousing models will

allow members to live on-site in low impact housing, thus enabling the farm to incorporate multiple

mutually supportive rural enterprises, thereby making full use of the productive capacity of the land.

The local community will be served by the development of successful rural businesses and by biomass

production as a means to meet local energy demands – there is also the potential to collaborate with a

local community Energy Services Company (ESCo) towards the development of local small scale local heat

and power generation. It is anticipated that this will be a significant factor in winning support for our

project both from the local community and from the local planning authorities.

The ALI is currently seeking additional residential members for the Red Pig Farm project and further

financial investment to help fund the timely purchase of the land and initial start-up costs.

1 United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Trade and Environment Review 2013;

http://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/ditcted2012d3_en.pdf 2 Food sovereignty is defined as “ the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and

sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems” (La Via Campesina). 3 Agroecology is “the application of ecological concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agro-ecosystems”

(Gliessman, 1997).



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Who are we?

We are a diverse group of people who, under the banner of the Agroecology Land Initiative hope to be able

to contribute to the development of planning policy regarding low impact development and land based

livelihoods. We are inspired by the tradition of land rights activism both past and present and the recent

developments in research into regenerative farming practises.

Besides establishing our first project at Red Pig Farm, we are currently engaged in:

● an Erasmus Plus programme on research into the potential benefits of Land Stewardship Contracts.

This is a co-ordination of a number of organistaions around Europe for a three year project that will

focus on skill sharing and promoting agroecological farming practices.

● creating a web based open source resource platform for land workers who need help with access

to land. Here you will find business plan templates and planning advice explicitly directed at low

impact living and agroecological farming.

● consultancy and business development concerning models of Community Supported Agriculture

and local food distribution networks.

Sara Tommerup runs her own natural building business and teaches workshops on natural building in the

Forest of Dean. She holds an MSc in Architecture, Energy and Sustainability studies from the Centre for

Alternative Technology (CAT), and is also interested in researching and developing new techniques and

approaches to restoration farming and woodland work, especially coppicing as a regenerative building

material.

James Scrivens, a co-founder of the co-operative consortium for Yorkley Court Community Farm and co-

founder of the Dean Forest Food Hub, James is experienced in interpreting and applying legal and

governance structures for community enterprises. He has also been instrumental in the process of

developing a Community Land Trust for the Forest of Dean. Over the last two years James has been building

his applied mycology business, Mycogeneration.

Rob Coventry completed a BSc in Sustainable Technology before going on to train in traditional round-pole

timber framing with the woodsman Ben Law. He has worked professionally as a bicycle mechanic, a

renewable energy data analyst, a carpenter, a coppice worker and a nature-based learning educator. He is

currently completing the second year of an international MSc program at Goettingen University in

Germany, titled “Forestry in a Changing Climate”. His main interests are Close-to-Nature community

oriented forest management and ecology.

Matt Cummings is a computer programmer with a background in developing web-based applications and

ecommerce systems for small and medium enterprises. He is interested in creating open-source

educational resources and exploring the use of crowdfunding through social networks for experiments in

alternative systems of sustainable agriculture. Matt is also an arboriculturalist and currently working on



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establishing a commercial nursery business for propagating fruit and nut trees, as well as a variety of more

exotic and unusual plants.

Sonia Ashworth is a Renewable Energy Bsc graduate of the University of Exeter and has been since living

and working on a number of off grid community projects. She has much experience in the joy and difficulty

of communal living and has started to focus on sustainable building and infrastructure techniques that can

be used to develop communities in a way that reflects the confluence of regenerative methods in

sustainable agriculture.

Adam Court trained in organic and biodynamic farming methods, has worked on various farms, and has

spent many years studying curative nutrition, sustainable living and permaculture. He co-designed and

implemented a large forest garden in Sussex and has led workshops in food fermentation and agroecology.

He is also starting up www.needfire.info, a media and educational platform investigating regenerative

agriculture and culture.

Jackie Carpenter BSc (Hons), CEng, MIMechE: In 1972 Jackie graduated from University College London

with a mechanical engineering degree. She became a chartered mechanical engineer in 1987, and then the

most senior woman engineer in Brown and Root. In 1995 she helped found the charity Energy21, and was

MD for ten years, promoting community renewable energy. She was President of the Women’s Engineering

Society from 2002-03 and a judge for the Government's Clear Skies renewable energy fund 2004-06. In

2007 she moved to Cornwall to help create a new sustainable community, Trelay Cohousing, where she still

lives. She is a freelance writer, speaker and consultant, passionate about the Transition to resilient energy

and local food systems.



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Red Pig Farm

Red Pig Farm was formerly a Forestry Commission woodland which yielded large quantities of spruce

timber. Over the last 10 years, this 70-acre woodland has been partially converted to agroforestry

purposes, and has hosted the development of Black Mountain Woodfuels4, a business promoting a system

of woodland management that directly supports local energy production. The current owner shares the

ALI’s goals with regards to agroforestry and rural enterprise, consequently he has pledged his support to

the project offering us the freehold of the property for £285,000.

The woodland, close to the town of Llandeilo, just west of the Brecon Beacons, contains a number of

existing assets:

● The timber was cleared around 18 years ago and the wood was replanted with a mixture of native

broadleaves and some commercial timber species. Nearly all of these commercial crops are now

approaching the time at which they can be thinned.

● The Sitka spruce in particular is now at a point where it requires thinning; these crops should begin

to yield a regular timber income.

● There is also an area of maturing larch within the northern section of the property.

Within the woodland there are a number of buildings and outbuildings used in connection with the current

owner’s bio-diesel and mushroom growing businesses. These include:

● A mushroom growing building and office.

● The footings of a straw bale office just to the north of the main and existing building. This has full

planning permission, and an award from the planners, approved for use in connection with the

owner’s current mushroom growing business.

● The footings of a large new barn to replace the existing barn for mushroom processing.

● A cabin/showroom for use in connection with the current owner’s other businesses which includes

research into wood fired heating and biomass drying technology.

● Various other sheds and shelters used in connection with the biodiesel business.

● A 1kw hydro electric generator and battery bank.

Inside the wood there are also areas of open ground containing a vegetable garden with a polytunnel, pig

sheds, a number of small paddocks and two recently constructed wildlife ponds incorporating a

hugelculture raised bed.

4 Visit: www.blackmountainwoodfuels.co.uk



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Location



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Vision for Red Pig Farm

Our vision is to develop an economically viable start-up model for establishing self-build co-sufficient

community farming and agroforestry projects thereby creating a thriving network of regenerative rural

enterprises that can support the wider community and local economy.

Objectives

● successfully adapt a cohousing or mutual home ownership scheme for the purposes of establishing

a self-build co-sufficient community farm.

● incorporate the practices implicit in the framework provided by the principles of food sovereignty

as developed by La Via Campesina.

● research, develop and implement the provision of local renewable energy supply systems

● implement a framework of agroecological development to be applied to low impact community

living.

● demonstrate the benefit of integrating methods of applying charcoal for agricultural purposes

thereby creating models of carbon negative farming and land management.

● create a community that sources at least 75% of its nutritional needs from the land.

● design and build transportable cabins that would provide simple but efficient accommodation for

aspirational agroeological landworkers.

● to minimize the creation of waste and to reuse and recycle as much as possible on site.

● to meet all our own water, energy and sewage disposal requirements.

● implement a strategy for energy conservation and the reduction, over time, of dependence on non-

renewable energy sources.

● to honour the geological, cultural and biological heritage of the land and surroundings.

● to act as a focus for agroecological research specialising in biodiversity woodland management and

mycology.



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Main Activities

● forestry and woodland management for increased biodiversity.

● carpentry, wood-working and timber processing.

● charcoal production using heat capturing processes.

● medicinal and gourmet mushroom and intensive annual fruit and vegetable production.

● food processing using traditional preservation techniques.

● cultivation of 3 to 4 acre forest garden with symbiotic perennial edible and medicinal crops.

● courses and training in sustainable low impact development, agroecology, regenerative economics,

and nature based learning.

● research and development of wood torrefaction and biomass as a viable local renewable source of

heat and energy.

Outcomes

● Provision of affordable housing for those seeking to pursue resilient land based livelihoods.

● Opportunities to access land and opportunities in agriculture and agroforestry.

● Retention, spread and development of resilient rural skills.

● Increased biodiversity and enhanced biological interactions.

● Carbon sequestration through applied agroecosystems management.

● Increased supply of local and zero/negative-carbon food.

● Supply of local renewable sources of heat and power through an innovative model of community

owned Energy Service Company (ESCo) thereby creating greater regional energy independence.

● Provision of educational opportunities in fields related to low impact development, outdoor

education, rural skills and natural building.

● Demonstration of examples of successful resilient livelihoods with low ecological footprint.



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The Planning Process

We are fully aware of the many challenges of obtaining residential planning permission in the countryside.

However, the Welsh government have implemented a planning framework to support low-impact rural

developments known as One Planet Development is in place to guide applications that seek to demonstrate

the ecological benefits from the creation of sustainable land based livelihoods. Furthermore the Wellbeing

of Future Generations (Wales) act came into law on 29 April 2015. As a result the new version of the

Planning Bill for Wales says planning decisions must be: “part of carrying out sustainable development in

accordance with [the act], for the purpose of ensuring that the development and use of land contribute to

improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales.” We are confident that

our application will provide an exemplary model of development in accordance with these aspirations.

We will allow ourselves two years to develop our planning application with the necessary surveying,

consultation and design process involved in our land management plan. This will also give us the

opportunity to build-up the rural enterprises and businesses that will demonstrate the functional need for

residential permission.

During these first two years we will contract our sister company the ALI Natural Building Company to begin

work on the construction of the larger mushroom/food processing barn, straw bale structure for which

planning permission has already been granted and the installation of the hydro-power system. It will be

lawful for the workers of the ALI Natural Building Company to reside on the land in temporary

accommodation while constructing these buildings that have permitted development5.

In the autumn of 2018 we will apply for a “change of use” of the straw bale structure from an office to a

communal kitchen and living space with adjacent wash facilities as a “single residential unit” ancillary to 5

years temporary permission for 6 low-impact dwellings. In support of this development we will also seek

permission for a wood processing shed, composting toilets, grey-water treatment system and a minimum

10 spaces campsite licence.

We have already begun the process of developing this planning application with the support of the One

Planet Council6 and other advisors. We also appreciate the necessity to utilise the experience and

knowledge of the local Planning Officers to review the viability of such an application in light of this

experimental model of rural regeneration and we will therefore engage with the local planning authority

through pre planning enquiries.

5 General Permitted Development Order 1995, Schedule 2 part 5 which refers to the Caravans Sites Act 1960, Schedule 1 paragraph 9. 6 The One Planet Council is an independent voluntary body supporting One Planet Development in Wales and beyond. Visit: http://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/



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Dwelling

We plan to apply for two types of temporary low-impact structure required for the first stage of

establishing the community; a design for a transportable wooden cabin; and a modular “Transitional

Home” cabin inspired by an open source design project. Highly efficient in terms of embodied energy,

ongoing energy and resource use and constructed with home grown timber from the land and locality,

these structures will also ensure a high degree of visual and environmental integration in the surrounding

landscape. We are fortunate to be working with architects Nina Vaughan and Mark Waghorn who already

have much experience in design within the One Planet Development Framework.

Nina, an Architectural Technologist with over 12 years experience, shares our desire to create sustainable,

practical yet beautiful spaces to improve people's lives as well as our specific interest in designing mobile

wood cabins to provide low impact housing for landworkers. These mobile cabins will be built to the legal

specifications for a caravan, allowing for two sizes at 7m x 2.3m and a larger size at 12m x 2.55m towable

on a 4 wheel trailer base with a towing vehicle 3500kg GVW. They will be situated on stilts 1m from the

ground to be lowered onto a trailer and moved at a later stage. The resident members will help build their

own cabin as part of the ALI Natural Building Company workers co-operative. We estimate the basic

material costs to be between £3000 and £4000.

There are several advantages in using this design. Firstly, it would be relatively simple to build from local

materials and the timber available on the land, thereby keeping both financial and environmental costs

low. Secondly, we believe that there is a significant market for these transportable “Eco-cabins” elicited

through the rise of the “Tiny House” movement. By gaining the experience in constructing these cabins the

ALI Natural Building Company could create a financial income from the sale of these custom built

structures. Furthermore, it is a requirement of temporary planning permission for low impact

developments to be fully reversible if, for whatever reason, the project fails. Therefore, by utilising our

transportable cabin design we can ensure that we meet this requirement while at the same time retain the

value of the capital investment in the temporary dwelling as it can be transported to another location or

sold.

If the size restrictions of the mobile cabin design would be a limiting factor for a resident member then we

will have the option of adapting Mark Waghorn’s “Transitional Home” design for a low impact modular

cabin. Mark is a Llandeilo based architect and co-founder of the One Planet Council and has recently

completed his PHD at Cardiff University in low impact design with home grown timber. The development of

the Transitional Home is an on-going collaboration, between fellow One Planet Council members Stefan

and Natasha Cartwright as an open source project being funded partly through an UnLtd Award grant.

The Transitional Home is a design blueprint for a simple, relatively low cost, family dwelling which can be

erected quickly, satisfy building regulations and meet the domestic needs for off-grid living. It is optimised

to support and enable individuals and families, in particular those without building experience, to make an

easier transition to a more sustainable way of life via the Welsh Government's One Planet Development

planning policy.



http://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/

http://www.oneplanetcouncil.org.uk/

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The Transitional Home

Framed and clad using local welsh timber the house is designed to sit lightly in the landscape with the main objective to create an open-source example of a low-impact dwelling that can be made accessible for all.

You can find more information at www.markwaghorn.co.uk and the SketchUp model of the project is

available to any who want it, contact detail to be found on the website.



http://www.markwaghorn.co.uk/

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Investment Offer

We are offering two types of investment:

● Long-term Interest Bearing Loans – We are offering up to 2% p.a. on long-term loans and

repayment within 10 years.

● Equity Loan – For Residential members of the company we offer an equity stake in exchange for

their investment through our Equity Loan Agreement.

For more details please see our relevant Business Plan and Investment Offers they are available for

download on our website or contact us if you would like to receive them by post or email.

Economic Returns

We are applying a simple and dynamic business model to ensure that we ground our ambitions on a firm

economic and financial footing. As a co-sufficient enterprise we can share the running costs and manage

the risks of taking on loan capital with greater confidence and security. Finance from investors will be

earning a good financial return generated from our on-site businesses. As well as funding the future of

farming, forestry and rural regeneration a financial investment in the ALI would be earning more than, or

just as much as it would currently receive in a high street bank or building society. For more details on our

proposed businesses and approach to economics see the Appendix I and II.

Social and Environmental Returns

We are dedicated to implementing this model of co-sufficient community farming as a means to actively

engage with the converging food, energy, soil and financial crises that we are facing today. The task of

addressing this predicament requires a shift in our understanding and a greater awareness of the true cost

of our social and economic practices in relation to the environment. To counteract the pressures of

industrial food and farming systems, we must find an effective and conscientious way to repopulate the

rural economy through a process of low-impact development that actively contributes to the regeneration

of the social and natural assets.

We believe the cohesion and growth of a community benefits from offering practical ways for people to

connect with their regional ecosystem through food, education and skill sharing. Achieving this outcome

through an asset based approach to community development is one of the defining features of our

regenerative approach to rural enterprise.



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How can you get involved?

If you would like to support this project please sign up to our mailing list on our website for regular updates

and a quarterly newsletter.

If you would like to consider joining the Agroecology Land Initiative as a Co-operative Member to help

further the wider aims of the organisation and support the Red Pig farm project please feel free to contact

us for more information and a membership application form.

If you would like to apply to become a Resident Member of Red Pig farm please contact us for more

information about the membership process and a copy of our co-housing licence and equity loan

agreements.

If you are interested in investing in this project please contact us to request a copy of our Business Plan and

Investment Offers and the terms and conditions of our interest bearing loan agreement.

Contact Us

Agroecology Land Initiative Ltd

Werndolau Farm

Golden Grove

SA32 8NE

[email protected]

www.agroecology.co.uk

07808 168 562




http://www.agroecology.co.uk/

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Appendix I: ALI: Sustainable Rural Development

Economic Sustainability

Our financial model allows for different levels of capital investment from members whilst at the same time

ensuring a governance structure based on the principle of common ownership. As such we will ensure that

capital investment is secure but does not compromise the social relations required for the standard of

development we are trying to implement.

The ALI is a not-for-profit co-operative company limited by guarantee owned by and serving its members. It

works on similar principles to a co-housing or mutual home ownership scheme. The company owns the

land but only Residential Members hold equity in the property in exchange for their financial investment.

When a member wishes to leave the company, they can take their investment with them by selling this

equity back to the company, or preferably, by finding a new member to buy them out.

New resident members can join with little or no capital so long as they are willing to work towards

contributing a level of financial investment equal to an agreed value of their living space. This means that

they would be able to build their equity in the property by either repaying loans or a mortgage.

We propose of a minimum annual equity investment of £2400 from people who join us with little or no

capital, for several years. The company will support members in achieving this by creating the conditions

for them to build up their own land-based livelihood through working within one of the company’s owned

or licenced businesses (see Appendix II) or by creating their own.

These opportunities to earn money through farm activities and on-site businesses reduce the need for

members to travel outside to money-earning jobs. The operational rules for these businesses are described

in our company by-laws allowing for three types of businesses:

● ALI owned businesses

● ALI licensed businesses

● Private businesses

The company may also borrow money from members and other private investors through an interest-

bearing loan agreement. We intend for this amount to be as small as possible, but we hope that having a

degree of flexibility in refinancing the company will allow for more freedom if and when some members

decide to move on.

The external costs of the community (such as Council Tax, insurance, bulk food items, interest on loans) will

be paid for out of a monthly service charge which will be paid by the people who are granted co-housing

licences to live in the community. However, we will ensure that these costs are low. We will source the

majority of our food supplies from the farm. All of our power will be supplied through on site electricity

generation from hydro and PV systems. Our fuel will be provided through our wood harvesting and

processing system and a bio-diesel processing unit already in operation. In addition to this we will share



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vehicle and transport costs. We estimate that the approximate costs (including interest on loans) per

person with 6 adults sharing would be in the region of £2000 per annum.

According to this financial model, a member would only need to earn £5000 per year even if they started

with no capital and therefore were unable to buy any initial equity. Of course, they may choose to earn

additional income to pay for personal items and may need more to invest in their living space or business

development.

For more information see our Business Plan and Investment Offers.

Social Sustainability

We intend to create pathways to local resilience and solutions to local resource depletion by organising

ourselves according to the co-operative principles of co-sufficiency. That is to say that we underline the

importance of the mutual support of committed people in working towards shared goals.

All decisions will be guided by the company membership agreement that clearly sets out the principles we

believe provide the best foundation for establishing a co-sufficient community farm with regard to essential

aspects of our shared economic and social life such as the home, community, land and food.

The day to day running of the community farm will be further guided by a Community Covenant. This is a

specific commitment of the Residential Members of the farm to the shared values and beliefs that the

community wishes to live by.

We are aware of the importance of how we make decisions and of the processes of accountability for those

decisions. To this end, all members will have an equal stake in the decision making process, no matter

what their level of investment in the company, and decisions will be made through consensus, reverting to

voting only as a last resort. As a community, we will have regular meetings to discuss the day to day

management of the farm and to resolve problems that may arise. Decisions affecting the structure or

future development of the co-operative will be taken through the formal processes described in the articles

of the company.

We feel that food is of fundamental importance as a way to engage with the wider environmental issues.

As such, we have adopted the principles of food sovereignty as developed by La Via Campesina within our

membership agreement. We will also create a local food distribution enterprise utilising the newly

developed Open Food Network software and create a platform for local food producers to sell their goods

direct to consumers.

We will offer regular opportunities to share skills and training through educational courses and workshops,

and publish reports of our progress so that others may also benefit from the lessons we learn.

As a community, we share a desire to achieve a healthy and fulfilling life dwelling in harmony with our

surrounding ecology with reverence and gratitude. Our perception is that our individual health is reflective



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of the health of the community we are a part of, whilst the health of the community is in turn dependent

upon both the health of the soil, and the strength of the relationships within it.

Environmental Sustainability

Our aim is to build upon the existing precedents for regenerative land management such as agroecology,

agroforestry, and permaculture, and so create a living example of how land can be simultaneously

productive and biodiverse. This will be achieved by designing for maximum efficiency and minimum waste,

building soil organic matter, enhancing biological interactions and maximising biological and genetic

diversity.

We are proposing the implementation of a system of carbon capture farming thereby creating livelihoods

that have a negative carbon impact. We will achieve this through our relationship with the soil and our use

of renewable sources of energy.

We will work with a short rotation coppice system to provide biomass to meet our needs and local energy

demands. We will also produce charcoal for agricultural purposes, not only on a commercial scale, where

the heat is being harnessed for secondary purposes, but also through our domestic heating systems. The

charcoal, when activated with nutrients and incorporated into the soil, stabilises the nutrients, and

provides niches for microbial life.

Our food-growing operations will be a combination of intensive annual and more extensive perennial

growing. Given that it is predominantly a woodland site, the introduction of domestic animals will be

assessed according to their appropriateness to our goals for the site.

We recognise the vital importance of biodiversity in creating resilient ecosystems. Species will be chosen

for their ability to enhance biodiversity on the farm, and efforts will be made to create a wide variety of

habitats.

We also intend to make use of fungi to convert our wood processing waste into protein and medicinal

compounds, and study their ability to enhance plant growth and soil health.

Our heat and power requirements will be provided for on site. We will generate our own energy with a 1kw

hydro-electric generator and solar PV cells; our heating will come from woodfuel using wood

gasifying/charcoal producing stoves as well as solar water heaters.

We will reduce our need for transport while sharing vehicle costs, and all vehicles will be powered by our

on site biodiesel production unit.

We will thus attempt to bring our use of fossil fuels to an absolute minimum and we will evaluate the

embodied energy (Emergy) of all our economic inputs both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Similarly we will carefully design our infrastructure around natural building principles, prioritising local

natural materials and traditional building techniques.



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Appendix II: ALI: Regenerative Rural Enterprise

Below are some of the proposed business activities and rural enterprises of the ALI that we plan to develop

at Red Pig Farm. The management and governance of businesses operating on the farm is described in our

company business and rural enterprise bye-laws which balance our desire to encourage entrepreneurship

while also maintaining the principles of co-operation, reciprocity and integration.

ALI Energy Services Company (ESco)

The ALI ESCo will provide services in consultation, feasibility studies and implementation of renewable

energy technologies from an agroecological perspective and pioneer an action research project into the

viability of such an approach to evaluating and managing renewable energy initiatives as a means of

contributing to regenerative rural development.

In establishing the most sustainable and regenerative woodland management strategies for Red Pig Farm

we want to explore innovations in biomass production and processing within the context of the principles

our agroecological land management practices.

To enhance the market conditions that would favour a localised biomass production model we will work

with local community groups to establish a model of Energy Services Company (ESCo), to supply and

distribute woodfuel products from Red Pig Farm and other local woodlands thereby maximising the

benefits for the local economy.

ALI Natural Building Company

This enterprise will utilise timber and material from the land and locality to build the planned infrastructure

at Red Pig Farm and the proposed mobile cabins that will serve as the temporary low-impact

accommodation for the residential members.

This enterprise will be a licenced ALI business. Registered as a workers co-operative limited by guarantee

members of the ALI we have the opportunity to join this company and participate in building projects.

Led by Sara Tommerup, all construction design will follow specific principles of natural building with regard

to materials and technique. Specialising in straw bale buildings, cob, timber frame and rocket mass heaters

the company will also create revenue streams for the farm by taking on building projects both regionally

and nationally and through the construction and marketing of the mobile wood cabins.

The ALI Natural Building Company will also build and maintain a wood processing and carpentry workshop

at Red Pig Farm with a small scale saw-mill powered by the on-site hydro-electric generator.

Local Food Distribution: Black Mountain Food Hub

Using newly developed Open Food Network software we will create a local organic food distribution

enterprise linking other local producers with consumers in local towns and villages. Based on the model

pioneered by Stroudco and the Dean Forest Food Hub we will provide a web platform for an online farmers

market with local pick up points for customers to collect their weekly order of local produce. We will charge

a mark-up of just 15% keeping costs low through our online ordering system.

Led by James Scrivens, co-founder of the Dean Forest Food Hub, a local “Black Mountain Food Hub” will be

relatively simple and inexpensive to get started. We intend to establish this as a model of social enterprise

utilising a multi-stakeholder co-operative governance structure balancing the interests of the workers,

producers and consumers and encouraging greater co-operation and participation in the local food system.



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We are also collaborating with an emerging Llandeilo CSA project currently in negotiations with Roger

Hallam of Organics-to-go, a 4 acre market garden business with the view to buying out the business and

transferring it into co-operative ownership.

Agro-Char: “The Needfire of the Soil”

We believe that the application of charcoal in food growing and agroforestry systems has many outstanding

short term and long term benefits for agroecosystems management.

We will carry out research into the possible advantages of its application in water catchment systems and

agroecosystems contributing to the growing depth of research into this agroecological technique.

We will utilise ways to capture and use the waste gases and excess heat produced in the making of

“biochar” to the benefit of the other rural enterprises at Red Pig Farm, ensuring that the charcoal we

produce is a by-product.

Furthermore, by working closely with the ALI ESCo we will research the feasibility of providing biochar

producing heating systems for local farms and housing.

We will establish the organisation as a co-operative consortium thereby allowing for a number of charcoal

producers to work with us and share the administrative, marketing and distribution infrastructure. Using

the Agrochar “brand” we will then market 5Kg and 10kg bags for horticultural use at approximately £3-

£5/kg and wholesale to farms £1.10/kg with a minimum order of 500kg.

Mycogeneration

Utilising the existing facilities at Red Pig Farm, Mycogeneration will develop the capacity for the cultivation

of gourmet and medicinal mushrooms for local and national markets while researching areas of applied

mycological such as mycoforestry, mycoagriculture and landscape mycorestoration.

Initially the business activities will focus on the cultivation of oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) and

shitake(Lentinula edodes) mushrooms supplied locally fresh and dried for regional and national markets.

Alongside this we are excited about marketing a brand of immune enhancing tea utilising a blend of turkey

tail mushroom (Trametes Versicolor) birch polypore (Piptoporus Betulinus) and selected herbs and spices.

These particular species grow well on birch wood and fortunately the natural regrowth in the woodland is

predominantly birch. Shitake also grows well on birch and we estimate that with a 500 log inoculation

operation with a four year rotation we could obtain a revenue of over £3000 per year.

We will also construct two grow rooms in the first two years of the project using a log and turf roof

structure based on a traditional design known as a Burdei, common in Eastern Europe. This is a low cost

design amenable to the insulation and humidifying requirements for mushroom formation. Once we test a

method of producing mushrooms using these grow rooms we plan to sell the production model to other

farmers. Building the grow rooms and then supplying the substrate or inoculant on a contractual basis.

Heating is a requirement during the process of mushroom production. We will therefore utilise the heat

capturing technologies developed through Agrochar thereby demonstrating a synergistic benefit between

these two rural enterprises.

Fermentum

A fermented/probiotic food products start up, marketing sauerkraut, kimchi and other fermented foods,

condiments and beverages. Using the new to food processing barn we will prepare the fermented food

products and store them in specially design underground storage units that will maintain a constant



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temperature. Once fermented we will decant the product into smaller containers for local, regional and

national markets.

Working with Calymedia based in the Forest of Dean we will also sell custom made fermentation crocks in

5l, 10l and 20l sizes with a retail value of £25, £40 and £55 respectively. We aim to use traditional methods

of food fermentation and we will also run courses in traditional food preservation techniques.

Perennial Futures: “Seeds and Rootstock for Perennial Cultures”

Through our research into the efficacy of applying perennial crops in agroecosystems we intend to actively

promote permaculture as an ethical design framework and an innovative approach to ecosystem

management. We will focus on the cultivation and distribution nitrogen fixing shrubs and trees and supply

particular types of perennial vegetables. We will then actively market these species to farmers and growers

with advice and statistically backed research.

Perennial Futures will also be the enterprise through which we actively promote permaculture as an ethical

design framework and an innovative approach to ecosystem management, creating a showcase forest

garden at Red Pig Farm and run permaculture design courses.

Tan-y-Garn “Eco Heritage” Campsite

Red Pig Farm lies below the ancient Iron Age hill fort of Y Garn Goch. We hope to attract visitors to the area

that have an interest in the cultural heritage of the region within the context of the Fforest Fawr geopark

that consists of the western part of the Brecon Beacons national park. To this end, we plan to create an

"Eco-heritage" campsite to that will facilitate the objectives of the geopark to encourage sustainable

tourism.

The campsite will also help to facilitate our educational aims to share skills and knowledge of low impact

development and agroecological land management practices by providing accommodation for participants

during the length of a given course.

We will apply for the minimum 10 space campsite licence situated in a secluded part of the woodland. The

visitors will be serviced by a state of the art composting toilet and solar shower. They will have access to a

designated fire pit and barbeque area and be able to choose to pay for meals from the communal kitchen

or order their own locally produced food through the Black Mountain Food Hub.

Courses and Workshops

All of the above businesses will be developed as models of rural enterprise to increase the viability of low-

impact living. We will share these skills and provide training so others can adapt these practices to similar

projects.

When we are fully established we will aim to hold up to 4 courses per year for 10 to 15 participants at a

time. We are currently planning a hydro-electricity workshop running in the autumn later this year to

coincide with the installation of our hydro electric generator.

Furthermore, as part of a national fundraising campaign planned for the autumn of this year we are

offering courses throughout 2016 as rewards for donations or micro loans. These include a 1 day grow your

own mushrooms introductory course; a 2 day fermentation course; 3 day soil regeneration looking at root

formation and soil structure with examples of soil building techniques, the use of charcoal and hands on

practical elements of compost tea preparations; a 5 day timber framing course; and a 5 day Straw bale

building course.



Red Pig Farm - Agroecology Land Trust · The ALI is in advanced negotiations for the purchase of...

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