CWM HARRY LAND TRUST
Food locally grown, food-waste recycled

Cwm Harry is delighted that planning permission has been awarded to erect two polytunnels on the backfield of the premises.  The polytunnels will be a very important resource which will be used to grow high value crops and to extend the growing season at both ends of the year.  

Hannah would be very pleased to hear from anyone who would like to give a hand in the garden. 

Would you like to get involved?

Have you got a yen to be involved with growing food in Newtown?

Cwm Harry's back field is turning into a vegetable gardening by dint of hard work.  If you would like to help us transform it and to learn more about growing vegetables at the same time why not get in touch with us? 

You'll be part of a social enterprise which is aiming to encourage the production (and consumption!) of food in the local area.  You'll be part of an organisation demonstrating how a waste material is transformed into a valuable soil conditioner and how this contributes to a sustainable cycle of fertility.  You'll know the satisfaction of watching things grow as the result of your efforts.

Give Hannah a ring at Cwm Harry:  tel 626234 if you fancy wielding a hoe, sowing a few seeds, harvesting some salad bags.  We'd be pleased to see you and your hard work would be rewarded with a lettuce leaf - or two!

First Harvest

The first produce has just been harvested from Cwm Harry's back field (today, August 19th) and will be included in this week's delivery of vegetable bags.  The harvest is of fat, red radishes, French beans, spinach, rocket and mizuna leaves for the salad bags - so fresh the raindrops are still on them.  Also in the veggie bags this week are courgettes, onions, garlic, runner beans, rainbow chard, and potatoes from Erw's Acre in Llanmerewig. 

The Oriel Gallery Cafe in Newtown, with a reputation for delicious and nutritious meals, has signed up as Cwm Harry's first commercial customer for our  local produce.  The cafe has a policy of buying local food when it is possible to do so.  Why not go along and try their fare?

Food waste collections

The collection team have been working hard over the last couple of months to rollout the food waste service to more households.  Caersws households have now been equipped with with kitchen caddies and outdoor bins, and collection is underway.  If anyone is uncertain of how to use the bins, or would like to know more about what happens to the food waste once it has been collected please get in touch with us. 

We hope you find the system straightforward and we hope that you find it of real benefit to you.  A lot of people tell us that the residual rubbish now smells much better and that household waste is much easier to manage.

Greening your garb

Have you given any thought to the impact of the clothing industry on the environment?  It has multiple impacts, starting with production of the raw materials needed to make cloth, through to production of garments and their disposal once they have been discarded. 

There's a new opportunity for you to reduce your own environmental impact by choosing to buy top quality, 'new to you' clothing in the covered market in Newtown.  The stall is run by local social enterprise, Cae Post.

Growing Success

Cwm Harry's own vegetable plot is starting to be just that.  Several raised beds have now been created and planted out with seedlings which had been grown on by Pippa at home. There are courgettes, peas, broad beans, beans, young brassicas and leeks in situ.  With all this wet weather the plants should soon establish themselves.

If you would like to volunteer some time to help develop the plot please get in touch with Hannah at the Cwm Harry Office.

Vaynor Fun Day

Congratulations to Newdd Housing who organised the fund in Vaynor, Newtown.  In spite of the forecast the rain held off all day and a large crowd came to visit the event.  The big attractions of the day were the climbing frame and demonstrations by Newtown Fire Service.

Guess the Weight of Cwm Harry's Bin was won by one of the Community Police officers - who thought he was nowhere near the correct weight.  The prize is a Cwm Harry Veggie Bag.

Overseas visitors

Cwm Harry has welcomed five visitors from Bangladesh who are in the UK to learn more about the management of water and waste, and the part played by the third ector in this management.   The visit was arranged by Resources for Change on behalf of Wolverhampton University.

Newtown Community Food Enterprise

Cwm Harry has taken the bold decision to make a substantial investment in developing the local food economy.  The investment takes the form of creating three jobs concerned with the production and marketing of locally grown food.  This will enable Cwm Harry to work with a greater number of local producers and more fully demonstrate the practicalities of using and recycling nutrients within a locality. 

John Mitchell has been appointed as the business manager, Pippa Tee as the grower, and Hannah Towsey as the outreach worker.  Cngratulations to all three.

Llanidloes and food waste collection

Cwm Harry's food waste collection is being extended to include Llanidloes.  Delivery of the kitchen caddie, outdoor bin and compostable bags to Llanidloes householders is taking place at the moment.  Over the period of this fortnight almost 3,000 bins and explanatory leaflets are being delivered.  The food waste bins should be set out to be emptied on the same day as other rubbish and recyclates are set out. 

The first full collection of food waste takes place on Wednesday, 6th May 2009

Anyone with any queries about the service can contact us through the website or by phoning 01686 626234

Tonnes of food waste

Cwm Harry collected 609 tonnes of food waste in 2008. This includes material from the Welshpool rounds which only became fully operational in June.

Thanks to its contract with Powys County Council Cwm Harry aims to significantly increase this tonnage in the coming year – though it can only do so through the commitment and enthusiasm of the all the householders to whom it provides the collection service.