BCF AGM 28.02.21 Zoom
Members present
Neil Hickson, Jane Hickson, Gaynor Pickering, Gilly Harris, Rose Billinge, Geraldine Boocock, Frank Burke, Hayley Noble , Becka Colley Foster, Claire Cooper, Ron Cooper, Ruth Dark, Sheila Rudd, Susan O’halloran, Steve Berkley, Debbie Reardon, Ian Harper, Peter Wade, Victoria Foster, Alex Garden, Roger Perry.
Apologies: Shane Hickson
Last year’s minutes were read and agreed by Gilly Harris and Rose Billinge.
From reading last year’s minutes , we explained that we didn’t do a vegbox or community allotment due to Covid.
We didn’t do anything with the third polytunnel.
We didn’t do anything about community engagement and open days and social events.
Resignation of officers.
Everyone was asked if they wished to take on any roles, new people were encouraged.
Gaynor agreed to be Secretary again which was agreed by Neil and Gilly.
Jane agreed to be Treasurer again, agreed by Gilly and Gaynor.
Neil agreed to be Chair again, agreed by Rose and Geraldine.
Growers report
We grew Beans, Garlic, Chives, Kale, Chard, Squash
Sweet william, Rudbekia, Tagetes, Mixed flower bunches, Sunflower,Willow to sell for wholesale.
We grew a variety of allotment crops for the volunteers to take home.
Treasurer’s report
See financial situation sheet.
Memberships were not updated due to Covid, it was felt it was difficult to ask people for money if we were not sure what we could offer due to Covid rules.
We received donations of £917,
£480 towards vet bill for Kittys operation after being run over
£360 from Tree Bee society to pay for mowing of Conroys field.
Secretary report
We passed our Soil Association inspection.
We were given 3 months free insurance from Zurich, due to Covid .
We received the Countryside Stewardship grant payment.
Flooding
We were flooded in October and January, caused by an unusually heavy downfall of 50mm in 1 day.
The neighbouring farm has improved his drainage and our drains couldn’t cope with the excess water.
Our irrigation system was explained on a map.
Peter Wade (volunteer who is a water civil engineer) looked at our issues and has come up with some ways of improving it and reducing our vulnerability to flooding in the future.
We are on low ground on a peat bog so it is always going to be difficult but we can do some things.
Kitty
The farm cat, Kitty, was run over and had to have her back leg and tail removed. She recovered well and is mobile and still catching vermin.
She had disappeared and was found with her leg hanging off and had lost a lot of blood. The vets bill was already large and we agreed to pay what was needed.
We have now agreed to set a limit of £100 for future vets bills.
It was asked if she could be insured or put some money aside each month instead of an insurance policy .
2020 achievements
We stayed open.
We made a profit from eggs and wholesale crop sales.
800 trees planted.
Irrigation system is now working.
More bees on site moved from Conroys.
Zerodig system in polytunnel.
Allotment growing lots of produce.
2021 plans
Wholesale garlic, beans,squash, flowers, kale, chard,
Veg for volunteers on raised beds.
Zerodig
We plan to make 30 inch beds with 18 inch paths which are a deep trench filled with woodchip from willow, alder, and the tree surgeon.
We will be using ramial wood chip which is less than 7 cm in diameter and doesn’t lead to nitrogen loss.
This encouraged the growth of mycorrhizal fungi which reduces weeds.
We hope to be a Zerodig northern exhibition site.
Irrigation system
The pond will have willow around it to reduce algae growth.
Water will be drawn up by a pump and run through a sand filter, into IBC stacked 3 high.A concrete base was put down last year to support the weight.This will give us sufficient water pressure to water polytunnels and field under gravity with no pump needed. It will be controlled by float switches and relays.
Chook report
The chickens were placed in the polytunnel due to Avian flu restrictions. They appeared to be quite happy out of the worst of the weather.
AOB
It was asked if we could plant a wildflower or hay meadow on Conroys.
Louise Wiznieski, a farm supporter, has previously said that this wouldn’t work in our soil as it’s too rich. Hay degrades it over time and wouldn’t then be ok for veg . Sam hasn’t got plans to grow on it this year.
Our plan is to just keep it mowed, let it rot and increase fertility.
Network Rail are talking about putting a road in, so that Conroys would be more accessible. At the moment you need a Land Rover or go across an unmanned railway crossing to access the field.
Steve Jones asked a few years ago to use a robotic growing system in the polytunnel.
He asked to attend the meeting but hasn’t come.
It was asked if we should push new and renewal members due to Covid.
We could be fully open in June?
Active members could be contacted and leave the lapsed members till June time.
Is it worth sending an information newsletter out to tell people how we have kept going?
We were awarded a Services to Environment award by a local school.
Our saved Broad beans had holes in them from beetle larvae. We have bought all new seed and have no old saved seed left.
The Alder beetle seems fine this year and hasn’t impacted the trees negatively.
Sam has plans for spring lettuce. If he doesn’t manage to harvest it all before he moves away, we will buy the remaining crop off him and sell it to Organic North and have the profit for BCF.
Brexit and the changes to the Rural Payments Scheme for environmental schemes was briefly discussed.
It was asked if it was possible to recruit small growers to share the land.
It was suggested that we need a position statement out in the press and to lapsed members to say we are still around.
It was suggested that we should have a stall at Burscough Food Fest. We could do that as an information-sharing event. We do not want to have a farmer’s market stall as it takes too much effort but we could hand out postcards.
Becka offered recipes to include if we did Food fest.
We have been invited to join in the Sustain Net webinar from Edge Hill University. Becka offered her help.
Frost hardy seeds have been sown , flowers, onions and beans.
The tomatoes have not been sown yet to stop them getting leggy.
We run short of electricity in winter. If we get wind turbine completed we could use heat mats in polytunnel to start off crops in the spring.
We were told about a new shop in Parbold, where you take your own basket and containers, they have lots of products.
Neil thanked everyone for their support.
Date of next AGM
February / March 2022.