Growing vegetables for NHS

[n.w]

Hi, I have lost my job and now just helping local pharmacy delivering prescriptions. However I have access to a piece of land about 2 acres that I have been told to use it and grow vegetables. I would like to start a charity project where the fresh vegetables will go to NHS staff in and around Bolton area in Greater Manchester.

the land has issue with water and it becomes hard to walk when it rains. Also there is a lot of grass that needs sorting out. I was wondering ifanyone here can give me advise on where I can start. I was hoping to grow some lettuce and salads which I can pick and pack to distributed to local NHS. I know it is a long shot but I have free time and I want to make use of it doing something good for those who protect us during challenging times.

I have attached couple Of pictures for you of the land.

The land looks very similar to my croft 25yrs ago, I grazed it, drained it, then sprayed it before planting potatoes, in selected areas, as has been said get some pigs and a strong fence or cover the cropping areas with a plastic mulch and plant through that, a polytunnel would be good for salad crops good luck

 

[HolzKopf]

The land looks very similar to my croft 25yrs ago, I grazed it, drained it, then sprayed it before planting potatoes, in selected areas, as has been said get some pigs and a strong fence or cover the cropping areas with a plastic mulch and plant through that, a polytunnel would be good for salad crops good luck

And then did you give all the produce away?

 

[n.w]

And then did you give all the produce away?

No mate I sell as much as i can..

 

[Devil's advocate]

This guy works miricles but he has decent soil & no tresspasses dogs etc.

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So to the OP. Rent the paddock out, get a job harvesting vegetables at one of the North West growers, spend some of your wages at Manchester wholesale market buying fruit veg to donate to NHS workers. To plant 2 acres of veg on good fertile soil would cost £2K per acre so £4K outlay if you tried to grow them yourself.

I'm begining to wonder if the OP was actually geniune and was really after flogging some gear at high prices to self hibernaters, very sorry if I'm wrong.

 

[Andrew1983]

There was a 4 acre patch of ground up the road from us looking in a similar state to the OPs. It was bought by a couple blokes 3-4 years ago. They have spent a fortune, in time, a little tractor and implements, fencing, etc. I have done what probably totals into the thousands if I had actually charged it out to them in ploughing/working ground and nipping up with the forklift to lift things off trailers etc, running trailers of grain through our combine. They have a dream to produce their own food..... they are breaking themselves to do it but so far other than eggs and small quantities of veg they have been struggling. Now have 3 pigs (one is for me) this will hopefully be their year as they have a lot of stuff in the ground and it is looking well but (they are strictly organic) it’s a long time to harvest. They even have some old grain variety down to try and make their own bread/beer. Lucky they both have jobs to pay their house rent etc.
My point is with a lot of hard work/help and acceptance that it wont all happen in year one it’s doable. Wheather you think that’s worth it I don’t know, I often think if these guys put their time into something better paying they could buy all the organic food they want from M &S but then the same could be said for many farmers ?‍

 

[SilliamWhale]

There are lots of great market gardeners around.


Charles Dowding and Tolhurst are inspiring too

 

[renewablejohn]

This was the trouble with us doing Landshare. The plots where only 4 mtrs by 30 mtrs which I had already rotavated for them but by the time they had planted it and the 2nd flush of weeds arrived they would give up as being to much like hard work.

 

[Chasingmytail]

you cant supply an organisation without being an approved supplier and as far as I am aware no buyer wants just lettuce purchasing is through huge food supplier business like 365 etc. Then you would have to have the ability to jump through hoops and do all the h&s, food chain stuff. Buyers for the board are looking for suppliers for the whole board. A bit out of your knowledge and experience. Same as a school provider you just cant do it. You would also need to carry insurance policy as a food producer.

Until you have experience of market gardening dont underestimate the work and failures. It would cost you in seeds, fertiliser, transport etc. Youd be out of pocket.

Recommend you get in touch with the local CSA etc try to learn from scratch. I think too many people think raising and growing food can be achieved overnight. Its like everything else you need so much experience. Its a long process of failures.

Perhaps you could get involved with an Incrediable Edible project, CSA, local growing group. See how you feel after a few years. You may grow to love it and find a position with a veg box company.