Cymraeg

Welsh CSA Cluster Group 

The Welsh Community Supported Agriculture Cluster Group is one of the regional clusters of CSA’s across the UK under the umbrella of the CSA Network UK.

In previous years, Social Farms & Gardens have partnered with Lantra’s Tyfu Cymru project to deliver bespoke support to Welsh CSA’s, directly complimenting the work of the CSA Network UK - the funding for this specific project has now run out, but Social Farms & Gardens can still provide advice and support to our members. Have you signed up to come a member yet? It's free and offers a range of benefits. Click here to find out more. 

If you are a CSA, or involve an element of horticulture in your work and are looking to develop into a CSA, and have a business plan of some kind, we may be able to support you with: 

  • Land access and planning support through our CLAS Cymru project 
  • New and updated resources 
  • Networking, events, gatherings (COVID safe on-site!) and much more 

Please take a few minutes to fill out our Welsh CSA Cluster survey - help us to help you!


Get Involved 

Workshop recordings 

  • Communication: Working on key messages

Do you ever feel like you could communicate better with:
•    Tricky neighbours?
•    Your local wider community and local media?
•    Funders?
Or that you could better gather support, interest and public engagement?

You’re busy with activity at this time of year, make sure your engagement is focussed at the same time to get the benefit of all your contact with people, no matter what form that might take.

In this final-for-now Welsh CSA Cluster 2022 session, we’re coming together to talk about communicating your key messages, with Jasmine Dale from Being Somewhere.  Jasmine and family have built a number of their own sustainable homes, lived under OPD and from the land.  Jasmine is author of The Permaculture Design Companion, a permaculture consultant, providing advice and training on all aspects of ecological, integrated design and a mother. 

Catch up below:

  • Business Planning Workshop

Join us for an afternoon introduction to business planning with top tips from key CSA experts which will include: 

  • An introduction to Tyfu Cymru & overview of support available through various partners for CSAs in Wales 
  • CSA operating principles 
  • Hear Tom O’Kane’s first-hand account of running Cae Tan CSA (Gower)  
  • Highlighting importance of supply chains 
  • Start-up funding 
  • Financials – how to make it pay (& yourself!) 
  • Informal session & plenty of opportunity for Q&A’s networking. 
  • Everyone welcome even if you're in the very early stages of setting up a CSA

Catch up with this session below:

  • Knowing your Vision, Values and Purpose

Most groups start out with huge amounts of optimism, energy and enthusiasm for their cause, but not all succeed in achieving their goals. Successful groups recognise early on the importance of having a strong group vision and purpose, with clearly set out agreed group values.  

Whether you’re looking to set up a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project or other Growing-related Social Enterprise, or maybe the idea of setting up a group or social business is still a while away, this workshop will give you a better understanding of why you should fully explore and agree your group’s purpose and values before embarking on the next steps of your journey. 

Catch up with this session below:

  • Good Governance Workshop

Social Farms & Gardens, Wales Manager, Gary Mitchell helps us understand and practice 'Good Governance'.

Please find a recording of the workshop here:

  • Online gathering & finance workshop

Finance: planning, management and diversification - from beginner to expert, we're here to answer your questions! We will also be discussing the initial results of our survey. With Ruth Evans, Director of Cae Tan CSA.

Please find a recording of the workshop here:

  • Membership Workshop

CSA Membership: retention, growth, sharing of knowledge - everything you need to know about retaining your members, growing your membership and everything in between!

Please find a recording of the workshop here:

 

  • Cropping Tool Workshop

Easily alter your proposed pricing, planting and veg box amounts and see quickly what this will do to rotation planning and your bottom line. Tony Little has been developing the cropping tool and you'll be the first to see it in action and give any feedback before any final adjustments are made. Click here to download Tony's Cropping Tool software.

Please find a recording of the session below:


If you are seeking support, do contact us 

You can read our full research paper on CSA’s in Wales here, or, if you’d prefer, the summary that’s in Cymraeg here or English here

Please see our events page for all upcoming events


Resources

Cropping Tool software
Webinar: Diversifying into Horticulture: Navigating the Planning Process
Webinar: Assisting Growers to Navigate the Planning Process
Webinar: Business Planing

Access to land area of the Tyfu Cymru knowledge hub

Webinar: Good Governance Workshop (recording pending - check back later!)

One of our first collaborative pieces of work was to carry out some detailed research on CSA’s in Wales. You can read the full research paper here or the summary here:

There is also a wealth of useful information over on the SF&G resources page, Tyfu Cymru's resources page and CSA UK's resources page

Welsh CSA Cluster: Google Drive resources hub.


Contact Us 

For further information on support for Welsh CSA’s, please contact: [email protected]  

If you are a fully non-horticultural CSA or don’t meet the criteria for this support, then please talk to CSA Network UK, who offer a support programme open to all: [email protected]  

 

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Tyfu Cymru is delivered through Lantra Wales, who support both individuals and companies in the land-based and environmental sector to achieve personal and business growth.  Tyfu Cymru has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government until March 2023.

 

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