Fowl and pig co-ops

Dear HDT member

Headingley Development Trust has been piloting the Headingley Fowl Co-op. This is a community supported agriculture project which gives the consumer access to high quality free range organic chicken for a fair price for a set amount of time, while giving the organic farmer a reliable market for their produce. We have been delighted to work with Jo Cartwright at Swillington Organic Farm on the co-op.

The pilot has been very successful and we now wish to extend the scheme to 50 members.  The scheme works like this: you undertake to buy one free range organic chicken per month at £9 (£9.50 if you want a jointed bird) per bird for six months. You pay up front and collect the chicken at the Headingley Farmers' Market each month.
The price is very good value and the scheme cuts out the supermarket and the middleman and directly supports local organic farming.

Interested? Please read the attached documents carefully and get your payment in (+£5 membership fee for the period) by Friday October 17th.

This time we are also piloting a pig co-op - to give you access to free range organic pork. Pigs are some of the worst victims of factory farming and abusive practices. This is an important opportunity to keep Swillington Organics rearing animals humanely and organically. For this pilot, you would undertake to purchase a pack of various cuts of pork/bacon/sausages for £30 each month for three months. We know that this isn't cheap, but represents the real cost of producing high quality pork.

This may be a lot of pork for one family to commit to, but some people have already talked about sharing a pack with a neighbour or friend, or alternating months.
Interested? Please read the attached documents carefully and get in your payment (+£3 membership fee for the period) by Friday October 17th.

Organic farmers are having a tough time at the moment and both schemes support local organic farming and help Jo Cartwright and her family to plan and survive in business.

All the members of the co-ops must be members of HDT.Joining also gives you the opportunity to visit the farm on Saturday Nov 1st to see how the chickens and pigs are reared and understand more about organic farming. Community supported agriculture schemes are a growing movement. See the attached information too.

Best regards, Kim Johnston

Development Worker

Headingley Development Trust Limited

Tel. 0791 206 8300

email:kim@headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk

web: www.headingleydevelopmenttrust.org.uk