South Devon Community Supported Farming group (CSF) is a community group based in South Devon which works with the local community to provide access to farms, small holdings and land projects through the hosting of vegetable planting and harvesting days and family-friendly guided walks, talks and rural activities and skills training. The long term aim of CSF is to incubate a cluster of local food enterprises affiliated with the Neighbourhood Farm Network (see sites page). The goal is for each enterprise to be a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme based around local community investment and benefits.

CSF is a voluntary not-for profit local group which was constituted in the Spring of 2003. It currently hosts 13 sites in the South Hams for members to participate in which are part of the Neighbourhood Farm Network (see sites page) . CSF produce is grown and harvested at some of these sites and includes outdoor cooking of the fresh harvest at annual harvest events and ongoing family vegetable-tending days. Other sites host rural arts and education events such as fungal forays, willow cropping & eco building - check our events listings as events are constantly updated. Membership cost little and events are generally free of charge.

SLIDE SHOW: please click <here> to view a slide show introducing you to CSF, it's organisation, sites and activities.

The long term goal of CSF is to help farmers and landowners to set up new types of community supported agriculture enterprises � known as CSAs. This is a possible future for farming and many such schemes are in existence worldwide, particularly in Japan, the US, Germany and Eastern Europe. With the current changes in UK agriculture, CSF believes that there are new ways to develop the rural economy, based around local production and local consumption, and engaging with the communities which they serve.

CSF has taken a particular and innovative approach to the set up of CSA schemes consisting of three phases: the organisation of community events to engage the community, the sharing of the proceeds (i.e., from the harvest) from these events and the development of local businesses.

CSF is recognised by the Soil Association UK as the first CSA in the UK to be working with a network of sites. Go to www.cuco.org.uk