Heeley-Meersbrook CSA Steering Group

The Heeley-Meersbrook CSA Steering Group existed during the summer and autumn of 2009 and was tasked to develop plans for a Community Supported Agriculture project in the Moss Valley. At the public meeting following the last steering group meeting a group of 8 people was agreed to take the project to the next stage, see Hazelhurst CSA.

Meeting Notes

• CSA Steering Group Minutes 2009/10/28
• CSA Steering Group Minutes 2009/09/29
• CSA Steering Group Minutes 2009/09/17
• CSA Steering Group Minutes 2009/08/24
• CSA Steering Group Minutes 2009/08/03
• CSA Steering Group Minutes 2009/07/23

Principles and Purpose

First Draft

The following proposal was made at the steering group on 23rd July 2009, it was never presented to a public meeting:

Principles and Purpose:
We aim to:

• Provide land for food production, to be grown using sustainable and environmentally friendly methods which minimises the use of oil consumption, and rely on lower energy usage.
• Promote community involvement, engagement and education in projects running on the site, promoting a sense of community around the project.
• To be fully inclusive. People from all backgrounds, abilities and experiences are welcome to join. This applies to employees, volunteers and members.
• Provide local employment.
• As part of community learning, we encourage practical involvement on all levels.
• To be transparent in our affairs, make decisions on the basis of consensus wherever possible and strive towards social justice.
• Promote community supported agriculture to other communities and farms, learn from established CSAs and in the future share our learning (both economic and farming).
• To work co-operatively with other enterprises that share our principles.

Last proposals

At the last Steering Group meeting it was agreed to propose a sentence summing the project up, to the public meeting to be held on 2nd November 2009, however this was never actually presented to the public meeting:

Sheffield Food Cooperative is a hortictural project which aims to grow organically and distribute affordable produce for the community using permaculture and renewable energy and through this to build a more resiliant and inclusive community.

Heather was unable to attend the last steering rgoup meeting and she circulated the following proposal to the steering group members by email, again this hasn't been proposed to a public meeting:

Principles and Purpose of the Hazelhurst Heeley/MeersbrookCSA:
We aim to:

• Provide land for horticulture food production for the explicit purpose of a community supported agriculture project, for the particular benefit to the local communities of Heeley and Meersbrook which will use sustainable and environmentally friendly methods based on permaculture principles which minimises the use of oil consumption, and rely on lower energy usage.
• Be part of the Sheffield food coop and contribute to its mission to grow and trade healthy, affordable food using co-operative, permaculture and transition principles to create a more resilient and inclusive food region for Sheffield.
• Promote community involvement and engagement in food growing and distribution and education in projects running on the site, promoting a sense of community around the project.
• To be fully inclusive. People from all backgrounds, abilities, income groups and experiences are welcome to join. This applies to employees, volunteers and members.
• Provide local employment.
• As part of community learning, we encourage practical involvement on all levels.
• To be transparent in our affairs, make decisions on the basis of consensus wherever possible and strive towards social justice.
• Promote community supported agriculture to other communities and farms, learn from established CSAs and in the future share our learning (both economic and farming).
• To work co-operatively with other enterprises that share our principles.