Loxley Valley Community Farm (LVCF) has been running since 2009. We are a community-based project located in Loxley, Sheffield. We have 4 acres of land on which we keep animals (pigs, poultry, and bees) and grow fruit and veg. We are a volunteer led co-operative project which means the responsibility and decision making is shared.
If you are interested in joining us, have a look at what’s involved below and then click on the link at the bottom of the page to book onto a workday and start your farm journey!
What are we looking for in a member?
We want people who are willing to get stuck in and join our community. Most of us got involved because we wanted to grow veg or keep animals but to be fair to everyone we need to ensure that members put in at least as much as they take out and work within the ethos of the group therefore we do set minimum levels of commitment for members.
What do you need to do as a member?
There are currently two types of membership, full and associate. Both give you the option to purchase produce at cost price. There is some commitment expected for each type of membership but members usually find holidays and work/other commitments can be worked around and this is a lot less involved than running your own smallholding!
At the current time we are especially keen for some more full members to join us although we are open for new associates too. The following outlines the minimum commitment expected, the entitlement of shares at cost price and the cost for each type of membership.
| Full | Associate |
|---|---|
| £16 a month | £11 a month |
| 1 work-day per month | 1 work-day per quarter |
| 1 “feed” a week (feeding the animals and watering the vegetables) If the membership grows this commitment will reduce to taking a regular slot on the feed rota | No feed commitments but option to join in the feeding rota |
| Can buy a share (at cost price – see below) in all produce | Can buy a share (at cost price – see below in one type of produce except for veg Additional produce can be bought at public cost |
| Keys/access to the farm for carrying out jobs | Keys/access to the farm for carrying out jobs |
In addition to the regular commitment above all members are expected to play an active role in the running of the farm, (i.e. i.e. attending members meetings, helping with planning, taking feed deliveries, preparation for open days etc). Members are asked to volunteer for these jobs so everybody can find a role that they can fit in.
Suggested additional commitments:
| Full | Associate |
|---|---|
| Attend the Annual General Meeting (wherever possible) | Attend the Annual General Meeting (wherever possible) |
| Attend a minimum of 6 members meetings a year | Attend a minimum of 2 members meetings a year |
| Be part of at least one of the farm committees | Strongly encouraged to be part of one of the farm committees |
| Attend at least 2 of the farm fundraising events each year | Attend at least 1 of the farm fundraising events each year |
If you are an associate member taking a share then coming to one workday a quarter is unlikely to be
sufficient to cover the work required in producing that. Suggested additional commitment per share is
below (work done doesn’t need to be in area of produce you are taking):
- Take part in the feed rota on a regular basis
- and/or come to additional workdays
- and/or complete agreed tasks at other times
- and/or partake in the fundraising events
- and/or have regular offsite jobs which you take the lead on
The commitment required is significantly less that running your own smallholding and in the summer months less than having to water your own allotment daily
What happens if you can’t come for a few weeks?
If you have work commitments or a holiday – not a problem – a bonus of being part of a community
farm is that members are able to go on holiday and others can step in to make sure the animals are
fed etc. We ask members to take their names off the feed calendar a couple of weeks in advance and
pick up extra feeds when they are about which means everyone can take time off especially in the
summer holidays. As our produce is fresh if you are away we are unable to save it for you but you can
arrange for someone else to collect it from a workday.
Share prices
The following prices are correct as at January 2024 but we are closely monitoring prices of
feed and materials and may need to increase these if our expenses increase. The member’s
price is cost price, the public price is market price.
| Produce | Share Price | Public Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | £77.50 medium pork box | £85 medium pork box |
| Veg | £9 a month* | Varies dependent on produce |
| Eggs | £6.50 a month (6 eggs a week) | £1.80 per 6 |
| Turkey | £50 average price | £55 average price |
| Honey | £15 for 3 jars | £7.50 a jar |
* Max 12 shares available – there may be a waiting list at times
Volunteering
If your circumstances do not allow you to commit to a membership, you can still be involved as a
volunteer. There are no commitments and no cost just book your place in advance and come and
help with tasks when you can. The option to purchase surplus produce at the public price is also
available.
Who organises things on the farm?
We don’t employ anyone, so members run the farm between them, fitting farm duties around their jobs, family and other responsibilities. On one workday a month, over lunch or after the jobs are done, we have a member’s meeting, where we plan what we want to do on the farm in the future. We also have “committees” who look after specific areas of the farm (Poultry and Livestock, Veg and General committees) and take responsibility for more detailed planning when required. All members are encouraged to get involved in one of the committees and help with planning and off-site jobs.
There are also a lot of jobs to be done outside of workdays to help keep us running. These range from ordering animal feed, being on site for deliveries, writing up minutes of farm meetings, applying for grants, planning herb growing – the list goes on!
We are also a not-for-profit company and therefore have directors who oversee finance, health and safety and compliance. All members can attend directors’ meetings and are invited to stand as a director if they wish at the annual general meeting
What is a “work-day”?
Work-days are held on weekends, and there are two each month (1st Saturday and 3rd Sunday of the month). Sometimes throughout the summer, there may be some work evenings to make the most of the long, light nights and throughout the year members who are available sometimes meet in the week too. Members get together on these work days and carry out tasks around the farm. We try to organise jobs and task lists in advance but work-days allow for discussion around what people would like to achieve and how this will happen. It helps keep everybody motivated and informed and maintains the social side of the farm as well. Members must attend weekend workdays as set out in the minimum commitment section. This is to ensure we have enough people to do the “big jobs” and also to maintain the
community nature of the project.
What should you wear/bring?
Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and a good pair of shoes or boots for workdays. You will also need a pair of gardening gloves. A waterproof or hat & sunscreen might be needed depending on the weather – sometimes both on the same day! We normally stop for lunch about 12.30pm so bring something to eat. Tea and coffee is provided.
How will you know what jobs to carry out?
The best way is to get actively involved at meetings and help plan the jobs. Work-days are a good place to catch up on what’s going on at the farm i.e what’s being grown, what needs building, what the animals are up to, the list goes on! We have a job list which is posted to Slack (the app we use to communicate) and we run through tasks at the start of each workday. Everyone then chooses what they want to do, and we make sure there’s an experienced person on hand to help if there’s anything you’re not sure about. With time, it becomes clearer what needs doing and when and you’ll be able to come to the farm and get on with agreed jobs independently although it’s always good to work with other people particularly
when there is weeding involved!
What does a feed involve?
We have two feeds a day and members sign up to do them via a google calendar that we all share. If you’d like to get involved with feeding (more accurately feeding the animals and watering the veg!), we will buddy you up with someone to observe first. A feed normally takes between 30 mins and an hour although some people stay a bit longer and get a few jobs done at the same time. Feeds involve:
- Letting the poultry out in a morning and putting them away at night
- Checking animals look healthy and alert
- Feeding the poultry and pigs (notices tell you how much to give them at each feed)
- Topping up water for the animals
- Refilling feed bins if they are running low (where possible)
- Watering veg (notice boards tell you what needs to be watered when as this is very weather dependent!)
- Collecting eggs
Do we offer discounts on the membership fees?
The membership fee contributes towards farm overheads (rent, insurance, maintenance etc.) but we still need to raise additional money each year by selling produce and taking part in fundraising events in order to meet costs. However, we would not want cost to be a barrier therefore please speak to the membership secretary if you would like to join but cannot afford the membership fee.
What happens if the farm suffers a loss – will you get a refund?
Members buying a share do so in the knowledge that they are taking on the risk of death of an animal/ crop failure. In the event that there is insufficient harvest, remaining produce will be shared amongst shareholders in proportion to their shareholding of that specific share. If all the harvest/flock/herd is lost or stolen a refund will only be given if the farm has not yet spent all the funds for that particular share. Surplus produce purchased upfront (i.e. not as a share) will be refunded
If that all sounds great how do you join?
If you express an interest in joining you will first be asked to attend a workday as volunteer so you can decide if the project is for you. If you join us as a full or associate member you will complete a month’s trial membership (no charge) and will need to attend a workday and complete at least 2 buddy feeds (AM and PM) in that time as part of your induction
Who can join?
Everyone is welcome! Our diverse community of members ranges from families to individuals, creating a warm and inclusive atmosphere. Whether you’re a seasoned farmer or just curious about sustainable living, there’s a place for you at LVCF.
Only adults pay for membership to the farm, and parents are encouraged to bring children to the farm. If you want to join by yourself and bring a partner or a friend every now and again, no problem. Just get them to sign up as a volunteer for the day they are attending, and they are more than welcome to join for the day
Can you come up to the farm outside of a workday and feed?
Yes as a member, once you have been through the month’s trial membership and done a couple of
buddy feeds you are welcome to enjoy the farm when you like. You can bring friends and family with
you but are responsible for them while they are on site. For insurance purposes you cannot organise
group visits (i.e. school, scouts etc) or hold parties on site without agreement from the directors. If you
find you are coming to the site regularly, please consider whether you could be completing some
tasks while you are on site.
Interested in joining the farm
If you are interested in joining us the first step is to sign up to one of our workdays as a volunteer to find out more about the project and meet the team.