The Horticultural Study is now available for download as a word or pdf document:
Horticultural_Project_Report_2007.doc Document in Microsoft Word (1.3 MB)
Horticultural_Project_Report_2007.pdf Document in PDF format

REPORT ON THE FEASIBILITY OF A HORTICULTURAL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
IN CALSTOCK PARISH
March 2007
Funded by the AONB Sustainable Development Fund,
Tamar Community Futures Market Towns Initiative &
Calstock Development Trust.

Below are the conclusions of the report
please download the full report for furter information.

All Community Horticultural projects contacted are dependent on external funding. Those providing sheltered work places for the disabled are subject to rigorous regulation and need a high ratio of trained carers to clients. A new project “Dig It” is being set up in Plymouth with a £455,000 Lottery grant to meet the demand for sheltered placements. Given this new project and CDT’s lack of knowledge and expertise in this area it was concluded that a project involving caring for the disabled should not be pursued.

A project to create local part-time work was also rejected on the grounds that it could not be financially viable. Even on donated or rented land setup costs of around £200,000 would be needed, year round employment could not be guaranteed and staff costs for a horticultural manager with perhaps three part-time workers would be difficult to recover from sales of produce alone. The limited data available on local commercial growers indicates that they are struggling to survive and are largely dependent on family commitment with mainly immigrant gang labour to cover peak periods. With this background local unemployed people perceive horticultural work as arduous, seasonal and low paid and therefore temporary work of last resort.

The feasibility study’s overall conclusion is that Calstock Development Trust should not proceed to try to set up a community horticultural project. However the study presents much detailed information of horticulture in the Tamar Valley which it is hoped will be of general interest.
More detailed conclusions are given at the end of each chapter

RECOMMENDATIONS

Further consideration should be given to how best to support existing commercial growers in the Tamar Valley, thus generating additional employment, and helping to conserve a traditional part of the Valley landscape, for

example by:
• Continuing to develop a positive healthy/quality, brand image for the Tamar Valley
• Supporting farmers markets
• Promoting buy local and healthy eating initiatives – including local schools and restaurants
• Featuring traditional local flower, fruit and vegetable varieties.

Downloaded the full report:

Horticultural_Project_Report_2007.doc Document in Microsoft Word (1.3 MB)