Community Market Garden & Orchard (CMGO) update

The ten members of the CMGO Steering Group usually meet twice a month, chaired by Joe Rothon, Project Co-ordinator.  They have monthly general business meetings, in between which are ‘topic specific’ meetings, covering such things as infrastructure, orchard planning, fundraising, communications, wildlife care etc – sometimes with invited expert guests. The meetings are minuted by our Secretary, Penny Wainwright.

As well as these meetings there are occasional on-site working parties to undertake such tasks as planting (in October we planted several hundred garlic bulbs to overwinter in the patch where we had previously grown potatoes – see photo), site planning, and meetings with experts – such as officers from Devon Wildlife Trust, etc.  We have gratefully received quantities of compost from the SSB Marsh project, and when the field was mown in the summer we set aside some bales to use as mulching material.

Several of us have expertise in various aspects of all this work, meaning that we can proceed with some degree of confidence.  This autumn, two of our Steering Group members are undertaking a 12-week online course in Community Supported Agriculture, with lots of expert input from those experienced in the wonderful and very supportive world of community market gardens up and down the country.

Meanwhile, the final stages of lease negotiations continue, and there are pre-planning applications, tree orders, Health & Safety compliance, and general correspondence to keep us busy. We have sourced funding to plant about 130 fruit trees before the end of this winter – and are currently researching how best to protect them from deer and rabbits, while at the same time not having a negative impact on the overall wildlife on the 10-acre site.

So, although we aren’t quite ready to request ‘all hands on deck’ for larger-scale site work just yet, there is all sorts of stuff going on behind the scenes – and a lot to learn!  We’re looking forward to 2026 – so, if you’re interested in getting involved, watch this space………..

UPDATE: On Sunday 15 March 2026, to get the orchard off to a great start, the volunteer team of thirty-seven grown-ups and six children braved the rain and planted 140 trees in four hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on 16 March, several volunteers stepped up to install tree guards after a last minute call out for help.

Only 40 trees left to do now! Many thanks to the crew who laboured under some unexpectedly warm sunshine.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to all who came to help with fitting tree guards and planting potatoes on 16 April, when fine weather made a welcome change from the soaking we all received on the orchard-planting day in March.

 

Two dates for your diaries: hoping to take advantage of the continuing good weather, we will be running more volunteer sessions on the field on 

Thursday 30 April from 5 to 7pm: Fuit Tree care and potato planting: FFI Click Here

and 

Sunday 3rd May from 10am to 3pm – Fitting Tree Guards – FFI Click Here

 

And if you can’t make either of these dates, but would like to join the growing band of people who want to be involved in the market garden and orchard – either as a volunteer (we need many different kinds of skills and interests), or just as an interested supporter of this exciting new community project as it develops on site, please email us at: marketgarden@ssb.org.uk