Applications open to be a trainee veg grower in Lancaster district

LESS are looking for a group of committed, enthusiastic and local trainee FarmStarters to join their team at The Plot, a market garden based at Old Holly Farm at Cabus, near Garstang, and White Lund in Morecambe for a full growing season in 2024.

The Plot is growing certified organic vegetables, herbs and fruit, and pioneering new models to support small-scale food producers in and around north Lancashire.

This hands-on 40-week programme is aimed at people who would like to play an active role in setting up new food growing enterprises around the district.

The FarmStart model aims to support new food producers by offering training in horticultural skills and business development, access to markets and sales channels, and access to land, infrastructure and networks to support new food producing businesses.

Ellen Pearce, coordinator for The Plot, said: "There are so many benefits to having more locally produced food and north Lancashire has lost its market gardens which used to surround and supply the urban areas.

"The Plot and FarmStart programme aims to bring back more local vegetable growing, reducing supply chains and providing meaningful work for people within the district.

"Over the last three years we have trained 12 growers, many of whom are now working on small-scale farms growing veg for their local communities.

"We believe that by connecting more closely with nature, land and food, we can build a local food economy that provides meaningful employment and gives us more control over where our food comes from and how it is produced. This is in contrast to the huge global supply chains dominated by corporate interests which we saw break down during Covid and be susceptible to other impacts, such as the war in Ukraine."

Dennis Touliatos, grower and FarmStart trainer, said: "FarmStart is a year-long programme where you spend two days a week working with an experienced grower across our two diverse sites - one an outdoor farm site and the other hosting our polytunnels for indoor growing.

"You will get to experience first-hand a full growing season, from propagation to harvesting, to picking and packing veg for customers.

"The dedicated weekly training and mentoring sessions cover the horticultural and business skills needed to set up and run a small-scale market garden in the future."

To read the course information sheet and apply, see the application form at https://forms.gle/v7ejg82K6yssVjHg8

The deadline for applications is 10am on Tuesday January 9. Interviews will take place on Friday January 19.