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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Richard Youle

Vegetable growers want land in Swansea to set up local veg service

Vegetable growers are looking for land in Swansea East to set up a new supply service for people living nearby.

The group, Cae Tan CSA (community supported agriculture), already produces boxes of vegetables for 126 households in Ilston, South Gower.

One of its former trainees has set up a replica venture, Big Meadow CSA, in Llangennith, while a smaller-scale scheme is developing in Dunvant.

Tom O'Kane, head grower at Cae Tan CSA, said the idea for a new site in Swansea East emerged from a meeting in the city last autumn.

"Ideally the site needs to be one acre - ideally we would like three, four or five acres," he said. "Or it could be a number of sites.

"Obviously the better quality of land the better, but we'd consider anything at the moment."

Head grower at Cae Tan CSA, Tom O'Kane (Cae Tan CSA)
A polytunnel at Cae Tan CSA, Ilston (Cae Tan CSA)

Mr O'Kane said Natural Resources Wales had provided £2,000 for the group to explore the Swansea East proposal, while £30,000 of public funding has also been awarded to Big Meadow CSA.

Community supported agriculture involves subscribers paying up front for a weekly box of vegetables, which in turn provides security for the grower or growers.

The Ilston site has two growers, a trainee and two volunteers. Large boxes of veg, for a family of four, are £13.50 per week; smaller ones, roughly for two people, are £8.50 per week.

One the menu of late have been aubergine, courgette beetroot, tomato, onion and potato, among others.

Cae Tan CSA already works with five schools in Swansea East, helping youngsters get a good idea of how food is grown.

Mr O'Kane said demand rose sharply when the coronavirus lockdown happened.

"There was a definite rush," he said. "Now it's slowed down again, but there is a steady interest."

He added: "We have the enthusiasm and skills among our trainees and volunteers to make Swansea the healthy food capital of Wales."

Mr O'Kane is also involved in a new cow-sharing group in Gower, called Cow Tan.

"It's finding its feet," he said.

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