Monthly meetings with a speaker are held in the Noverre Suite of The Assembly House, Theatre Street, Norwich, NR2 1RQ on the third Wednesday of each month at 2.00pm, doors open 1.30pm.
Two hours are set aside after the speaker to allow members to mix and socialise with each other and the committee.
Tea, coffee, biscuits and tables are provided.
There’s no charge for members (find out how to join here: https://www.u3anorwich.org) and guests cost £2.50.Our talk will take a brief look at the history of Norwich FarmShare from its beginnings until the present day with an exploration of the challenges of small scale farming and running a small business with the added challenges of poor access to land, the unpredictability of nature and climate change.
We'll look at why market gardening is a unique type of horticulture and why Community Supported Agriculture Farms offer solutions to many contemporary issues.
We'll also zoom in on why soil health and the idea of regenerative practices are so important and can be applied in many areas of our life.
There will be plenty of time for questions and sharing of your own experiences of how growing food, nurturing community and being good at business can combine to create a fulfilling lifestyle.
Joel originally comes from London but was lucky enough to have maternal grandparents who ran an organic small holding in Sussex where they bred rare breeds and grew delicious vegetables in the heart of Ashdown Forest.
He looked after an allotment for 20 years and entered the world of commercial horticulture in 2016 after teaching geography for nine years in secondary schools.
He joined Norwich FarmShare in 2019 and has helped to improve the growing practices and transform the business culture so it no longer struggles with financial insecurity and falling membership.
His dream is to continue improving the current 2 acre site, to increase membership and community involvement while contributing to changes in the local and global food systems that lead to better human and ecosystem health while making farming an attractive and financially viable option for young people.