Trevalon Organic Vegetables

Hedgelaying at Trevalon

2012-01-24T23:31:00.001Z

Hedgelaying at Trevalon

Coppicing & laying hedges is traditionally done in winter when the trees are dormant.
There are 1500m of hedge banks at Trevalon. We intend to lay 100 to 150m a year so that all the hedges on the farm are cut on a 10 to 15 year cycle. This year we intend to lay over 100m.
Thanks you to Chris, who on Saturday 14th organised a day of hedge laying. Eight volunteers began work on the hedge at the top of Midsummer Meadow. We did about 30m in the day and shared tea around the fire used to burn the brash.
Another day’s work is planned soon. If you would like to help out, please come along.

Buy half a pig

2012-01-24T23:11:00.003Z

Pre-order half a pig.

On 27th December we got a new batch of pigs. The pigs are Cornish Large Blacks, outside reared, free range and organically certified.
Three of the pigs have already been spoken for and paid for, one is still available. Half a pig costs £125, which includes the cost of butchering to your own specification. The average weight will be 15.5kg. That works out at £8 a kg, which is the price that you would pay for non-organic free range pork. Sausages and bacon will cost £2 a kg extra. Pork will be ready at the beginning of May.

Trevalon Business Plan

2012-01-24T22:46:00.008Z

Trevalon Organic Cooperative Business Plan is now available to view online just follow the link above to see our proposed plans for the next two years.

May Day weekend, open day and celebration

2011-04-03T21:40:00.002+01:00

To celebrate the launch of Trevalon Organic Cooperative Ltd there will be an open day beginning 12 noon on Saturday 30th April followed by an evening of music, dance and celebration going on until Monday 2nd May.

The event is open to all and free to members of Trevalon Organic Cooperative Ltd, come and visit and get more involved.

Organic Allotments are available soon

2011-04-03T21:25:00.001+01:00

Organic certified allotments will be available soon at Trevalon. The plots have been ploughed and will be marked out with in the next week.

To be eligible for a plot people will first be required to become members of Trevalon Organic Cooperative Ltd at an annual cost of £25 per year.

Three sizes of plot are available:

A “standard plot” of 20m by 10m plot will cost £40 /year.
A “½ plot” of 10m by 10m will cost £20 /year.
A “1/4 plot” of 5m by 10m will cost £10 /year.

Therefore including membership a “standard plot” will cost £65 / year, a “½ plot” will cost £45 per year, and a “¼ plot” will cost £35 /year.

The sale of produce is prohibited except to the cooperative.

Trevalon Organic Cooperative Ltd is now open for business

2011-04-03T21:16:00.004+01:00

After a year of hard work Trevalon Organic Cooperative Ltd is now incorporated and inviting members to join. Soon Trevalon and the box scheme will be handed over to the cooperative. Customers and supporters are invited to get involved with shaping the future of the business and open up access to the land for increased use by the community.

Apples pressing cancelled

2010-09-23T21:14:00.000+01:00

Apple pressing event cancelled

The apple pressing event planned at Trevalon for Sunday 26th September 2010 has now been cancelled

Bacon & Gammon

2010-07-18T10:01:00.002+01:00

I spent two hours yesterday slicing bacon and vacuum packing it. Now available from trevalon online shop is back bacon, collar back and gammon steaks.

Mangetout Soup - For Mangetout which have become Peas!

2010-07-06T20:25:00.008+01:00

Great recipe for Mangetout which have decided to turn into fully blown peas without asking first!

Shell your peas and drop them into a pan of boiling salted water, simmer them for 2 - 3 minutes. Add some fresh mint to the cooking water if you like! Plunge the peas into cold water and drain them, saving their water! Meanwhile top and tail the pods and cook them (in just enough boiling water to cover them) for about five minutes or so until tender. Tip the pods and their cooking water into a food processor or blender and 'zuzz' them up for a while .... until you can push them through a sieve. You will have a nice thick bright green pulp now. Sieve the pod puree discard any pea pod pulp which will not go through your sieve! Rinse out your processor and add the sieved pod pulp, cooked peas and their water together and blend again. Return to a pan, and adjust the thickness with water or milk, bring briefly to boiling point and reduce the heat immediately. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a little cream or creme fraiche and stir to warm through gently. Delicious with a few tiny crispy pieces of organic bacon on the top, some paprika and fresh warm bread.

Click here to see what's in your box?

2010-07-05T00:20:00.011+01:00

You can now see what is going to be in your weekly vegbox before you get it, also you can see how much you are being charged per kilo and each item, I think that you will be pleasantly surprised by the value for money! And the freshness but hopefully you know that already.

To see what is in your box visit:
www.trevalon.co.uk/docs/Latest/boxcontents.pdf

Trevalon Organic Pork now available

2010-07-04T23:49:00.006+01:00

Trevalon Organic sausages are now on sale £3.50 for 500g, bacon will be back from the butchers soon.

Spicy Marrow with Warm Brinjal Dressing

2010-07-01T19:35:00.006+01:00

Firstly go out to a garden centre and buy yourself a house plant sprayer. Bring it home, wash it out and fill it with organic olive oil. Wash and Slice your marrow or 'giant forgotten courgette' into 1cm rings. Don't peel it or de-seed it just slice it up .....at this time of year the skin and seeds are tender and add texture and taste to this dish. Line a large baking tin with parchment or greaseproof paper and lightly oil it using your spray gun set to 'mist' function (!), scatter with sea salt. Layer the marrow / giant forgotten courgette into the tin and then scatter again with sea salt and your favourite curry powder and cumin seeds over the slices. Mist the slices with more olive oil and place the tray in a hot oven for about an hour until the juices run in the bottom of the tin and the slices are tender and lightly browned. Half way through the cooking time I like to spoon up some of the juice to baste the top slices with to keep them moist. Mix together a very big heaped tablespoon of Brinjal Pickle with double the quantity of good fresh organic natural yogurt. I use a hand blender to buzz it all together to make a smooth dressing adding a bit of milk to get the consistency right. You need to end up with something about as thick as pourable double cream. Spoon the mixture over the top of the marrow slices, scatter with paprika and freshly ground black pepper and return the tin to the oven for about as long as it takes to heat the dressing through. Carefully spoon the marrow slices onto a warm plate and drizzle with the juice from the bottom of the baking tin. Scatter with lots of fresh coriander and a drizzle of chilli oil or even some of the oil from the Brinjal Pickle jar. It's nice and tasty .... very nice and tasty!

Moroccan Lamb Stew

2010-06-25T21:12:00.007+01:00

Yes!! In your box this week are lots of little turnips, onions, carrots and broad beans so that tells you you have to make a Moroccan Lamb Stew!!! Yes you do - I know it is summer and not the time of year you naturally think of making a stew but it works probably because of the colours and flavours and the fact that this stew does not have a thickened sauce! Peel and chunk up the onions, wash and chop the carrots, wash and chop the little turnips. Throw them all into a big casserole pot or a slow cooker and mix in some organic cubed lamb - don't brown it first just put it into the pot raw. Drizzle over with good quality organic olive oil, plenty of paprika, turmeric, a very light scattering of chilli powder, salt and pepper and some ground cumin add some chopped garlic and stir everything gently. Pour over enough water to cover the meat and put a lid on the pot and put in your oven on a low heat for roughly 2 hours or until the lamb is just tender and the vegetables nearly cooked. Tip in some cooked chick peas and raw broad beans from your box and cook for about another 30 minutes. Steam some cous cous and spoon the stew over the top along with the delicious juice. Scatter with freshly chopped coriander and serve with harissa, yogurt, lime pickle works well and mango chutney too! You'll love it!!.

Edited on 01 July 2010: Uh oh ...I forgot to add: Scatter a small handful of raisins into the stew before you put it into the oven .... sorry followers who have already cooked it! You will have to cook it again and include the raisins this time - it will be worth though as it as it will be even more delicious!

Ceri's Burgers

2010-06-25T20:56:00.005+01:00

I sent my step-daughter Ruth to Uni with this recipe - and she cooks them for her house mates - no greater accolade needed! Take an onion or two from your box and chop finely, throw into a large bowl with lots of organic steak mince add some crushed fresh garlic from your box and add a nice big free range egg, add some freshly chopped tarragon, salt, pepper and a big handful of grated parmesan cheese. Mix everything together well. I leave the mixture covered over in the fridge for a few hours for the flavours to infuse the meat however you can make the burgers straight away and they still taste great! Either shape the burgers yourself using the ultimate hand tool ie: your hand or press the mince into a scone ring if you like things nice an neat!!. Put the burgers on a greased grill rack over a baking tray and then put them into a hot oven ... cook for about 30 minutes or until just cooked through and nicely browned. Sometimes I put a slice or two of cheese on the top of each burger for the last few minutes of cooking - just until it melts. Stuff the burgers into a big tasty fresh bun with lots and lots of Mark's salad bag mixed leaves, mayonnaise or bearnaise sauce or maybe tomato sauce. You will never buy a ready made burger again ... ever!!

Caramel Onions

2010-06-25T20:47:00.003+01:00

Take those lovely little bunched young onions in your box , trim them, take off the thin outer skin and just a little and toss them in really good olive oil and some sea salt then roast them until they begin to soften and then scatter them with some soft brown sugar and a splash of balsamic vinegar and cook until they caramelise and break down. Crush them onto some home baked bread with a grating of mature organic cheddar and freshly ground nutmeg .... and toast them if you want too. OOOOOoooo!!!

The Sweet and Sour Spinach My Son Would Eat Every Day!

2010-06-16T20:11:00.006+01:00

So easy! Wash and chop your spinach, including the stems - waste non of it. Heat some good olive oil and a nutmeg size piece of butter in a large pan and stir fry the spinach. Scatter a heaped palm full of ground almonds into the spinach and toss the mixture around for a while. When the Spinach has wilted and 'shrunk' add some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then a big splash of sherry vinegar, let it bubble and then add a big blob of Creme Fraiche. Cook gently for a few minutes. Spoon the mixture into a warm bowl and just eat it with a heap of hot bread. If you can wait long enough .... you could also serve it with any grilled or BBQ'd fish or meat.

'Nearly Chermoula' Corugette and Pasta Salad

2010-06-16T18:10:00.008+01:00

There are endless versions of Chermoula - probably one for every household in Morocco. I've never been there so I don't feel guilty about not being totally authentic here! I make this Chermoula style dressing to be eaten raw, but it is equally good as a marinade for courgettes ... and anything else for that matter!

Cook some pasta that will stand up to being stirred about and sitting around for a while without falling apart eg: Penne - make it Organic Penne! I'm not going to keep writing 'organic' take it for granted it is organic unless you can't get an organic version.

Plunge the cooked pasta into cold water to stop it cooking any more and drain.

Chop a very big handful of fresh coriander, one of flat leaf parsley, put the chopped fresh herbs into a big mixing bowl and add a light scattering of ground cumin, a cautious amount of paprika, a whole lemon's worth of lemon juice and a whole lime's worth of lime juice, olive oil, crushed garlic, sea salt, black pepper and a splash of white balsamic vinegar, a small scattering of caster sugar and add a handful of finely sliced spring onions. Get hold of a mandolin slicer (unless you handed it in during the last dangerous weapons amnesty) and slice lots of nice fresh courgettes into the mixture. I scatter in some toasted cumin seeds here! Stir it all around and then cover it over and leave it for about an hour for the flavours to mix and for the salt to draw out the liquids to make a delicious dressing. Stir the mixture around once again and spoon it into a serving dish. Delicious with grilled fish or BBQ'd anything and lots of bread to dip into the dressing! ( .... and yes, I have used 'Space Man' pasta!)

Spring Greens with Anchovies, Creme Fraiche, Lemon and Pine Nuts

2010-06-15T10:26:00.005+01:00

Rinse your organic spring greens then remove the stems and chop (see Kale Recipe Below). Slice some organic fresh wet garlic lengthways and drop into a pan of boiling salted water for 7 - 10 minutes or until just beginning to be tender and opaque, add the leaves and and cook for about 4 minutes to soften them. Drain (saving the delicious liquid for ‘Green Stock’) then plunge the leaves and garlic into cold water to stop them cooking any more and then drain them once again.

Melt 4 or 5 (or more!) organic anchovies in a large pan with some of their oil and maybe a little bit more organic olive oil if you think they need it. Cook gently until they break down and soften. Add a good slug of organic Verjus (if you can find it) or organic white balsamic vinegar, a squirt of organic lemon juice and a huge blob of organic creme fraiche and lots of freshly ground black pepper (taste to check the seasoning). Tip the leaves and garlic into the mixture and toss around gently to warm and coat the leaves. Have a big dish of organic mashed potatoes or crushed organic new potatoes nearby and pour the mixture over the top. Scatter generously with some toasted organic pine nuts and serve straight away. Delicious with BBQ’d Organic Lamb!

Kale to Die For!

2010-06-15T09:56:00.004+01:00

Super-nutritious Kale - loaded with vitamins A, C and K .... but what do you do with it? Kale is a little bit tougher than other leafy greens such as Spinach, Spring Greens and Cabbage so that’s why most Kale recipes are for soups or stir fries. This recipe will have you addicted to Kale - I guarantee it! The kale comes out of the oven bronzed, brittle and salty, and almost like Chinese Crispy Seaweed!

Use the best quality Organic Olive Oil you can find, Cornish Sea Salt and every bit of Organic Kale from your box! It will look like a lot - but it will be fine!!

Preheat oven to 190 deg C or 375 degF . Rinse the Kale then fold the leaves in half lengthways and run a knife along the edge of the stem from the middle of the leaf downwards to remove the stem completely. Keep the stems for ‘Green Stock”. Cut the folded leaves into pieces about 3 cms thick. Drop the leaves into a carrier bag and a generous drizzling of Olive Oil and a good scattering of Sea Salt. ‘Tumble’ the contents of the bag around for a bit (making sure you have knotted the top of the bag - err hum!) until all the leaves are glossy and coated. Scatter them across the biggest roasting tray you have and put them straight into the oven. Roast for five minutes. Turn kale over. Roast another 7 to 10 minutes until kale turns brown and becomes paper thin and brittle. Eat it immediately - or you could leave some for other people!!!

'Green Stock'

2010-06-14T09:58:00.003+01:00

'Green Stock' is basically vegetable cooking water. I'm begging you not to throw it away! It is full of nutrients and taste and makes a great base for soups, sauces, risotto, casseroles - everything really! You can 'intentionally' make 'Green Stock' by just boiling upand draining all the 'off cuts' of your organic box vegetables and throw some onion in too! Use cabbage and Kale stems, and leaves, pea pods, cauliflower leaves, and more. Add carrot trimmings too. Avoid using starchy vegetables though such as Potatoes and Parsnips. Keep old milk containers for storing your Green Stock' in the fridge or freezer.

Singed Broad Beans with Garlic, Tarragon, Lemon and Parmesan

2010-06-14T09:50:00.008+01:00

Finely chop an organic onion and as much organic garlic as you like! (This recipe works with Mark’s fresh fresh wet garlic too but use more of that). Take the beans out of their pods but leave the bean skin on - the beans are lovely and tender just now and the skins thin and tasty so don’t waste time and nutrients peeling them! Heat a slug of organic olive oil in a pan and fry the beans until they blacken a little (about 1 minute). Take them out of the pan. Add a little more oil to your pan and fry the onion on a low heat until soft and opaque. Add about half a teaspoon of sugar, some ground black pepper and sea salt.

Cook and stir for a couple more minutes until the onions caramelise a little bit. Add the beans and some ‘green stock’ (read about ‘green stock’ in my next blog posting) - about enough to cover the beans and cook for about 20 minutes or so until the beans are tender and most of the liquid has been evaporated. Take the beans off the heat and add a squirt of organic lemon juice, some freshly, finely chopped organic Tarragon and lots of grated or shaved organic parmesan - mix well. Taste to check the seasoning. If you haven’t got any fresh Tarragon add some dried organic Tarragon when you add the stock.

Delicious warm on toasted Ciabatta but equally good cold the next day!

Black Radish Recipe

2010-06-13T14:10:00.001+01:00

Black Radish Haters Black Radish!
A recipe for Trevalon Organic Vegetables supplied by a customer

Wash, top, tail and peel the radish leaving little bands
of the black skin for a funky look!
Slice into half cm rings and toss in a small amount of good organic olive
oil, sea salt and ground black pepper.
Place in a roasting tin and scatter with organic caster sugar.
Roast in a pre heated oven (180 deg) for approximately 30 - 40 mins,
turning the slices over after 25 mins and scattering again with the caster
sugar, Roast until lightly browned.
When tender and nicely browned, sprinkle with a good quality organic
balsamic vinegar ... and eat warm.
Great with BBQ’d organic steak.
For a variation, whisk some organic cream cheese with salt, pepper and a
little milk and pour over the warm radish - YUM!

Press Release

2010-05-18T22:13:00.001+01:00

12 04 2010

PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNITY FOOD PROJECT IS NOW A STEP CLOSER.

A community group in South East Cornwall is now a step closer to taking over the running of an 18 acre organic farm with the intension of providing healthly organic food for the local community. After 5 months of consulation and discussion the group has now formalised its aims and objectives and is ready to incorporate as a cooperative under the name of "Trevalon Organic Cooperative".

"Trevalon Organic Cooperative", membership will include, customers, growers, food producers and land owners and intends to rent and take over the running of "Trevalon", an 18 acre organic farm near Herodsfoot in South East Cornwall.

Up until now the land has been managed by Mark Simon who has owned the land since 2005 and currently grows organic vegetables and runs a box scheme.

When asked why he now wanted to rent the land to a community group, Mark replied,

"Trevalon Organic Coopertive, is about creating a partnership between, the land owner, food producers, customers and the community, that will be to the benefit of everyone involved"

As a member of the cooperative Mark will still grow vegetables on part of the land and "Trevalon Organic Cooperative" intends to offer other people use of the land to grow vegetables, keep livestock, benefit wildlife and for recreation and education. Produce will be marketed collectively through the box scheme run by "Trevalon Organic Cooperative" on behalf of its members. People have already expressed and interest in helping grow vegetables, having allotment spaces, keeping hens, sheep and bees and running education courses.

The process began back in November 2009 when a public meeting was held in Liskeard and was attended by over 50 people. Out of that meeting a core group was formed who have been working together to come up with a plan to allow the community to take over the running of the farm. The project has been supported by Unltd, The Soil Association, The Plunkett Foundation and Cooperatives UK who have provided resources and specialist advice.

"Trevalon Organic Cooperative" now intends to formally register with the FSA and will soon be inviting people who want to get invloved to become members.

For more information about "Trevalon Organic Cooperative" see www.trevalon.co.uk

ENDS

More information contact Mark Simon
mark@trevalon.co.uk
07986 093699
also see links below:
General information and online shop www.trevalon.co.uk
Trevalon habitat management plan http://www.trevalon.co.uk/docs/TrevalonSurvey.pdf
Trevalon Organic Cooperative, aims and objectives http://www.trevalon.co.uk/docs/Aims&Objectives.pdf
Pictures of Trevalon http://picasaweb.google.com/mark.trevalon/Vegetables#

April newsletter

2010-04-23T22:45:00.003+01:00

Trevalon Community Supported Agriculture Scheme

At the public meeting in November last year people where asked if they would like to get more involved with Trevalon; growing vegetables, managing the land, keeping livestock, holding events and courses and taking over the running of the business.

The answer that we got back was yes to all of the above.

A core group has been meeting regularly and has been drawing up aims and objectives, writing a business plan, choosing a legal structure and writing grant applications.
We have decided that we are going to form a cooperative to take over the running of Trevalon. Mark will continue to grow the vegetables and manage the box scheme so you will not notice any changes for the time being.

You will soon be invited to become members of the the cooperative and then will have a say in everything that goes on at Trevalon.

The core group has set out its vision,mission and values and established a set of aims and objectives that people will sign up to if they want to become members. It has been decided that these aims and objectives will stand until the first AGM of the cooperative which will be held some time soon after incorporation, when members will be invited to am mend the rules and elect a
core group to run Trevalon.

Vision: Trevalon supports organic food production and sustainable land management. It provides space & resources where members of the community can enjoy working together,sharing experience and learning.

Mission : Trevalon is a social enterprise run by its members to: provide members
with fresh, locally produced organic food, enable members to participate in food
growing & the rearing of livestock, provide the opportunity for the community to come together to attend events and to learn, manage the land and organisation for the benefit of wildlife and present and future generations.

Values: Open & democratic,
Participatory, Accessible & inclusive,
Organic.

Aims: These are what we want to do over the next five years.

1. To provide a weekly supply of local,organic, fresh food to members and customers
2. To operate/ manage in a way which increases biodiversity and is environmentally sustainable
3. To create employment and volunteering opportunities
4. To develop a robust, democratically run organisation
5. To provide education, training & community events
6. To develop relationships within the wider community and other stakeholders and create awareness about Trevalon and local and organic food issues
7. To create a safe, accessible, attractive place & culture

Objectives: We have also developed a
more detailed set of objectives which
says how we will do these things and
when.

If you would like to be emailed a set of the aims and objectives please contact:
mark@trevalon.co.uk or visit: www.trevalon.co.uk/docs/Aims&Objectives.pdf

May Day Celebration

Everyone is invited to a BBQ and party at Trevalon on May 1st 2010 from 5pm till
late. This will be an opportunity to see Trevalon, meet the core group and other
customers and discuss the development of the cooperative.

There will be a BBQ from 5pm (please bring food to share), at 6pm there will be
a dance performance and circus show followed by live music and DJ's till late.
Overnight camping is available.

Mind the “hungry gap”

This is the time of year when the winter root vegetables are running out and when
the summer crops are not yet ready. It is traditionally a hungry time of year. At
Trevalon we are growing a number of crops in our 600m2 of poly tunnels such as kale, spinach, salad, radish, broad beans, cougettes and peas which will be ready a few weeks early than the outdoor crops.

We will also be buying in more crops which at this time of year which will be
more expensive so you may notice that there is less in the boxes. We try our best
for vegetables to always be local or from the UK, but at this time of year we may
use imported (non air-freighted) vegetables where there is no alternative.

Enjoying the sun

The break in the weather has allowed us to prepare the ground and plant the first
of the summer crops such as garlic,onions, broad beans and peas outside.A lot of the winter greens and salads have been cleared from the polytunnels and have been replaced with quick growing salads and greens to see us through the hungry gap, these will soon be cleared and replaced with summer crops such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are planted.

We have also been busy planting crops in our two propogation tunnels such as
leeks, cabbage, lettuce, french beans, cougettes, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers
and much more which will be planted out soon when the danger of frost has passed.

For more information on all of the above and direction to trevalon please
visit www.trevalon.co.uk and follow the
links to the Trevalon Facebook page for
the latest news, events and discussion.
Email: mark@trevalon.co.uk

Newsletter Jan 2010

2010-01-06T11:29:00.002Z

Trevalon Community Supported Agriculture Scheme

Guided tour of Trevalon, Sunday 10th January 2010. 12noon to 2pm, lunch provided. Another chance to look round Trevalon and see what is available. The core group will be here so this is a chance to talk to them and put forward your ideas so we can start to develop a plan. If you can't attend but would like to have an input please email your ideas.

Visit to Harrowbarrow CSA, near Callington, Monday 11th January, 11am till 3pm, near Callington. Networking event organised but the Soil Association. This event is now fully booked, five of us are attending this event and will hopefully make some useful contacts and learn more about how CSA's work.

Core group business meeting. Friday 15th January, 10.30am till 3.30pm. As part of the support offered by the National Lottery funded Making Local Food Works, Trevalon has access to four days business advice, with a trained business advisor and facilitator who will guide the core group through the process of creating a joint vision and producing a business plan.

This is the first of those meetings. It is not too late to get involved is you would like to be part of the core group. As a follow up to this meeting we hope to begin a consultation process with customers.

Visit to Stroud CSA. Funding has been approved by the Federation of City farms and Community gardens to take a mini bus to Stroud CSA, to see how this long established CSA works, if you are interested in attending please let us know.

National Lottery Local Food Fund. Last August Trevalon submitted an application to fund the expansion of community involvement, construct a packing barn and meeting space, expand the vegbox delivery and deliver training and education events. The application was for £238 000 over five years. We have now passed the first stage of the process and have been invited to develop our application and submit a second stage application.

This is an exiting development and will give an opportunity to the newly forming CSA to work together on a common vision with a real possibility of being able to access funding.

For more information on all of the above please visit www.trevalon.co.uk and follow the links to the Trevalon Facebook page for the latest news, events and discussion.

Email: mark@trevalon.co.uk
Tel. 01579 326144

Link to Slideshow

2010-01-05T11:49:00.000Z

National Lottery Application

2010-01-05T11:37:00.002Z

Below is the text for the first stage National Lottery application submitted in August 2009, for £238 000. Trevalon has now been invited to submit a full application. Over the next few months we will be consulting with customers to develop our bid.

"Trevalon is an 18 acre farm. It was purchased in 2005 by Orchard Land Trust Ltd with the intention of setting up a community food project. Part of the land is used to grow organic vegetables for a box scheme delivering to 80 customers a week.

A grant has been obtained to convert the current business, to a Community Supported Agriculture Scheme, incorporated as an IPS for the benefit of the community.

Investment for the land purchase and vegetable growing has come from customers of the box scheme and volunteer labor is provided by some customers in exchange for a weekly vegetable box. Two open days, a tree planting day, school and group visits and a work placement from Duchy College have taken place over the last three years.

With three years experience and an established customer base the project is ready to expand the number of people that benefit from the project and formally involve the community in decision making, land management and food growing.

The project intends to expand the number of vegetable boxes delivered to 200 per week and target local families to join the CSA and become involved in work shops, work days, food themed events, open days, informal training and accredited education.

The project is looking for lottery assistance to deliver the project over the next five years, Within two years core food production will be self sustaining and other project aims will be self sustaining with in five years. community Supported Agriculture Scheme, incorporated as an IPS for the benefit of the community.

Investment for the land purchase and vegetable growing has come from customers of the box scheme and volunteer labor is provided by some customers in exchange for a weekly vegetable box. Two open days, a tree planting day, school and group visits and a work placement from Duchy College have taken place over the last three years. With three years experience and an established customer base the project is ready to expand the number of people that benefit from the project and formally involve the community in decision making, land management and food growing.

The project intends to expand the number of vegetable boxes delivered to 200 per week and target local families to join the CSA and become involved in work shops, work days, food themed events, open days, informal training and accredited education.

The project is looking for lottery assistance to deliver the project over the next five years, Within two years core food production will be self sustaining and other project aims will be self sustaining with in five years".

Open day success

2009-12-07T12:12:00.002Z

On Sunday 6th December about twenty people braved the showers to come on a guided tour of Trevalon. Mark led a walk around the boundary of a about 1km, taking in the vegetable plots, newly planted wind breaks and hedges, the grazing meadow and river, orchard, pond, possible sites for allotments and the existing polytunnels.

People expressed an interest in being involved with the new Community Supported Agriculture Scheme at Trevalon, with some wanting an allotment, others interested in volunteering and others who wanted to sign up to a vegetable box.

The core group meeting, of people interested in helping take the project forward will take place tonight at 7pm.

Christmas boxes

2009-12-07T12:07:00.001Z

Christmas boxes 23rd & 24th December

Boxes will be packed the day before for early delivery the next day.

Please place your orders for Christmas boxes by Friday 18th December 12 noon.

Mini Box (£5): Kale 200g (Trevalon), Potatoes 600g, Parsnip 450g, (Cornwall), Carrots 400g, Onions 400g, Brussel Sprouts 300g, Cauliflower (Devon)
Small Box (£9): Potatoes 1.6kg, Parsnip 700g, leeks 600g, Savoy Cabbage (Cornwall), Cauliflower, Carrots 600g, Onions 600g, Brussel Sprouts 600g (Devon).
Large Box (£12): Kale 250g, Salad 100g, (Trevalon), Potatoes 1.8kg, Parsnip 700g, Leeks 600g, Savoy cabbage (Cornwall), Brussel Sprouts 600g, Carrots 600g, Cauliflower, Onions 600g, Beetroot 600g (Devon).
Family Box (£15): Kale 350g, Salad 150g, Spinach 250g (Trevalon), Potatoes 2.2kg, Parsnip 800g, Leeks 600g, Savoy cabbage (Cornwall), Cauliflower, Carrots 700g, Onions 700g, Beetroot 700g, Brussels 700g (Devon).

This weeks fruit boxes

Mini box (£4): Oranges 600g, Clementines 500g, Lemons 150g (Spain), Bramley Cooking Apples 500g (UK).
Small box (£7): Oranges 650g, Clementines 500g, Lemons 300g (Spain), Bramley Cooking Apples 650g (UK). Bananas 650g (Dominican Republic), Kiwi 350g (France).
Large box (£10): Oranges 900g, Clementines 500g, Lemons 300g (Spain), Bramley Cooking Apples 900g (UK), Kiwi 850g (France), Bananas 1kg (Dominican Republic).

Extras:

Kale 250g / £1
Mixed Salad 100g / £1
Clementines 500g / £1-30
Oranges 800g / £1-50
Parsnips 1kg / £1-80
Cauliflower £1
Savoy Cabbage £1

This weeks boxes

2009-12-06T18:23:00.001Z

This weeks vegetable boxes 9th & 10th December

Mini Box (£5): Spinach 150g (Trevalon), Potatoes 600g, Parsnip 550g (Cornwall), Carrots 400g, Onions 400g, Purple sprouting broccoli 150g (Devon)
Small Box (£9): Kale 250g (Trevalon), Potatoes 1.6kg, Parsnip 700g (Cornwall), Carrots 600g, Onions 600g, Purple sprouting broccoli 250g (Devon) Sweet potato 600g, Garlic 150g (Spain).
Large Box (£12): Kale 300g, Salad 100g, Pumpkin (Trevalon), Potatoes 1.8kg, Parsnip 700g (Cornwall), Carrots 600g, Onions 600g, Purple sprouting broccoli 250g (Devon) Sweet potato 600g, Garlic 150g (Spain).
Family Box (£15): Kale 300g, Salad 125g, Pumpkin, Spinach 250g (Trevalon), Potatoes 2.2kg, Parsnip 800g (Cornwall), Carrots 650g, Onions 650g, Purple sprouting broccoli 250g (Devon) Sweet potato 650g, Garlic 150g (Spain).

This weeks fruit boxes

Mini box (£4): Oranges 800g (Spain), Bananas 600g (Dominican Republic), Charles Ross apples 800g, Pears 650g (UK), Kiwi 420g (France).
Small box (£7): Oranges 800g (Spain), Bananas 600g (Dominican Republic), Charles Ross apples 800g (UK)
Large box (£10): Oranges 850g (Spain), Bananas 650g (Dominican Republic), Charles Ross apples 800g, Pears 850g (UK), Kiwi 450g (France). Pineapple (Ghana)

Public meeting success

2009-12-02T08:31:00.001Z

FIRST STEPS IN PLANNING THE FUTURE OF TREVALON FARM

On Tuesday 24th November 2009,50 people braved the winter storms to attended a Public Meeting at the Public Hall in Liskeard.

This was the first meeting aimed at involving the community in deciding the future of Trevalon Organic Farm near Herodsfoot.

The event began at 7pm, when people where invited view a display about Trevalon and discuss possibilities over a cup of organic fair-trade coffee or tea.
At 7.20pm the formal meeting began:

First there was an introduction by Klaudia Van-Gool who introduced the idea that we need to create local sustainable food systems in order to tackle the problem of peak oil and climate change.

This was followed by a presentation by Traci Lewis of the Soil Association, who outline the history of Community Supported Agriculture in the UK, including case studies of successful projects and possible legal structures.

Mark Simon from Trevalon then talked about the history of the farm, from its purchase in 2005 by Orchard Land Trust, the setting up of an organic vegetable box scheme in 2006 through to the present day and the vision of moving towards an organic farm being run for the community by the community.

During a short break people where given the task of talking to someone they did not know about the reasons why they had attended the event.

At 8pm the meeting continued with a question and answer session, including the following:

Q. Will allotments be provided and how many there will be?

A. Mark- I anticipate that an acre of land will be set aside for about 10 allotments. The allotments will be required to be organic certified with the surplus from these allotments will be sold through the existing box scheme.

Q. Is there a possibility of keeping livestock at Trevalon?

A. Mark – There is no livestock at Trevalon at the moment but there is plenty of scope for introducing it. There is 5 acres of steep grazing meadow suitable for sheep or horses, and within the existing vegetable rotation there are fallow periods where live stock such as sheep, chickens or pigs could graze.

Q. Would I be able to keep ducks at Trevalon?

A. Mark- yes but they would have to organic. I anticipate that they would graze the fallow vegetable plots rather than having their own exclusive area. It is not something I have any experience of so I anticipate that it would be a business opportunity for someone else or a community venture.

Q. How many hours would I be expected to work in exchange for a vegetable box?

A. Mark – at present there are two volunteers that work at Trevalon for two hours a week in exchange for a vegetable box. At the moment this arrangement works well but if this was extended to all members of the CSA then there would be no money to pay for stuff.

A. Traci – The point of a CSA is a mutual relationship between grower and members, so rather than work equating to paying for vegetable box, it is more about the community supporting the grower with labor and financial commitment in exchange for quality food from a know source, access to the land and an opportunity to have a say in how the farm is run.

Q. What are the sources of funding and support for the project?

A. Mark – This public meeting has been made possible by the support of the Soil Association. Funding has also been awarded by the National Lottery by Unltd, for a series of public meetings and workshops to involve the community and includes the cost of registering as a Co-operative. Making Local Food Works also offers 5 days of support in developing a business plan, 16 hours of technical mentoring and 16 hours of assistance in choosing a legal structure. 50% funding is available from DEFRA for the construction of a packing facility and meeting space. An application has been made to the National Lottery Local Food Fund, but we are still waiting to hear whether we have been successful. Also funding is available through the Rural Development Agency to support Community Food Projects. 100% funding is also available to community groups for the construction of wind turbines. Other smaller grants are also available from the Co-operative (Supermarket) and Biffa waste
management.

The formal part of the meeting ended at 8-30pm:

People where offered refreshments and an opportunity to carry on the discussion informally before the meeting closed a 9pm.

Everyone was asked to leave their contact details and a list of their interests:
Out of the 50 people that attended 35 people left their details and expressed an interested in being involved further with the project.

Seven people expressed an interest in being involved in the core group. Other areas of interest included: allotments (3), volunteering (3), Environmental education (3), chickens and ducks (1), livestock including sheep (3), Marketing (2), Fundraising (1), beekeeping (3), Horticultural Theopy (2), community composting (3), beekeeping (3).

NEXT STEPS

Guided tour of Trevalon, Sunday 6th December 2009, 11am to 12noon, and 1pm to 2pm. Lunch and discussion 12noon till 1pm.

Core Group Meeting, Monday 7th December 2009, 7pm till 9pm, 8 Trevecca Cottages, Liskeard. New members welcome, please contact us in advance.

Directions to both events available on request.
Mark Simon
E-mail: mark@trevalon.co.uk
Tel: 01579 326144
www.trevalon.co.uk

Trevalon CSA Core group meeting

2009-12-02T08:30:00.000Z

TAKE PART IN PLANNING THE FUTURE OF TREVALON

Thank you to everyone who attended the public meeting on the 24th November and put their name down for being part of the core group. Thank you also to those who have contacted me before and after the meeting. It will be the core group that will help to shape the project at Trevalon over the coming months. Of the choice of meeting dates suggested I have opted for a time when most people are able to attend, which is:

Trevalon, core group
Monday 7th December, 2009, 7pm till 9pm
8 Trevecca Cottages, Liskeard

Apologies to those who are not able to attend this meeting, I will keep everyone informed and anticipate that as the project moves forward, new people will join the core group, so we will structure the meetings so that people are able to commit to what they are able too.

The Agenda for the meeting will be as follows:

1.Introductions: Each person will have a chance to introduce themselves.

2.Introduction to support available: Introduction to the support available to the core group through, Making Local Food Works, The Soil Association and others.

3.Creating a vision of what the project will feel and look like: find the ideas we have in common, and start to develop aims and a time line.

4.Discuss ways of engaging membership: work towards forming a business model and legal structure.

5.Next step: assign tasks, planning for more meetings, events, newsletters surveys etc.

Details of this meeting have been sent to those people who have expressed an interested in being part of core group and has also been posted on the Trevalon facebook account and blog, if you are wishing to attend this meeting please tell me in advance so that we can plan for numbers.

DON'T FORGET: Guided Tour Sunday 6th December, 11am till 12noon and 1pm till 2pm. Lunch provided 12noon till 1pm: An opportunity to see what is on offer at Trevalon and a chance to talk.

Thanks

Mark Simon
Trevalon
Tel: 01579 326144
E-mail: mark@trevalon.co.uk

This weeks boxes

2009-12-02T08:21:00.002Z

This weeks vegetable boxes 2nd and 3rd December

Mini Box (£5): Mixed salad 100g, Chilli 20g, Radish 150g (Trevalon), Potatoes 600g, Cauliflower, Savoy Cabbage (Cornwall), Carrots 400g, (Devon) red onions 400g (UK).
Small Box (£9): Mixed salad 100g, Chilli 50g, Radish 175g (Trevalon), Potatoes 1.4g, Cauliflower, Savoy Cabbage, Leeks 570g, (Cornwall), Carrots 600g, Beetroot 650g (Devon) red onions 550g (UK).
Large Box (£12): Mixed salad 100g, Chilli 100g, Radish 175g, Spinach 250g (Trevalon), Potatoes 1.8g, Cauliflower, Savoy Cabbage, Leeks 600g, (Cornwall), Carrots 600g, Beetroot 600g Bramley apples 700g(Devon) red onions 550g (UK).
Family Box (£15): Mixed salad 150g, Chilli 100g, Radish 200g, Spinach 250g (Trevalon), Potatoes 2kg, Caulflower, Savoy Cabbage, Leeks 750g, (cornwall), Bramley apples 700g, beetrrot 650g (Devon) red onions 650g (UK).

This weeks fruit boxes

Mini box (£4):Bramley Apples 750g (Devon), Satsumas 460g (Spain), Bananas 600g (Dominican Republic).
Small box (£7): Bramley cooking apples 750g, Pears 600g(Devon) Charles Ross Desert Apples 650g (UK), Satsumas 460g (Spain), Bananas 600g (Dominican Republic).
Large box (£10): Bramley cooking apples 1kg, Pears 850g (Devon) Charles Ross Desert Apples 850g (UK), Satsumas 750g (Spain), Bananas 950g (Dominican Republic).

This weeks box 18th & 19th November

2009-11-21T17:38:00.001Z

This weeks vegetable boxes

Mini Box (£5): White cabbage, French Beans 175g (Trevalon), Potatoes 600g, leeks 400g, Celariac (Cornwall),Carrots 400g, onions 400g (Devon).
Small Box (£9): White cabbage, mixed salad 100g, Radish 200g(Trevalon), Potatoes 1.3kg, Celariac, leeks 570g (Cornwall), Carrots 550g, onions 550g, Cauliflower(Devon).
Large Box (£12): White Cabbage, French Beans 250g, Butternut Squash, mixed salad 100g, Radish 200g, Parsley 25g (Trevalon), Leeks 570g, Celariac, Potatoes 1.4kg (Cornwall) Carrots 550g, onions 550g, Cauliflower(Devon).
Family Box (£15): White Cabbage, French Beans 350g, Butternut Squash, mixed salad 100g, Radish 250g, Parsley 50g, Sweet Peppers(Trevalon), Leeks 620g, Celariac, Potatoes 2.2kg (Cornwall) Carrots 650g, onions 650g, Cauliflower(Devon).

This weeks fruit boxes

Mini box (£4): Pears 550g, Bramley Apples 650g (Devon), Kiwi 360g (France)
Small box (£7): Bramley cooking apples 650g, Russett Desert Apples 650g, Pears 550g(Devon) Clementines 330g (Spain), Kiwi 500g (France)
Large box (£10): Russett desert apples 880g, cooking apples 900g, pears 700g (Devon) and clementines 650g(Spain), Kiwi 650g(France)

100mph winds distroys polytunnel

2009-11-15T11:57:00.004Z

100mph winds have swept Wales, Cornwall and southern England. In the morning I awoke to a polytunnel minus plastic. The french beans that had been cropping nicely have been stripped of their leaves. The remaining 5kg of beans where harvested and frozen so they have not gone to waste. Time to buy a new sheet of plastic!

This weeks box contents

2009-11-08T12:34:00.002Z

This weeks vegetable boxes

Mini Box (£5): Potatoes 600g (Cornwall), Kale 150g, French Beans 175g and chilli 25g (Trevalon), Carrots 400g, onions 400g and Leeks 400g (Devon).
Small Box (£9): Potatoes 1.4kg (Cornwall), Chard 175g, Kale 250g, French Beans 250g, mixed salad 100g and chilli 25g (Trevalon), Carrots 550g, onions 550g, beetroot 650g and leeks 550g(Devon).
Large Box (£12): Potatoes 1.8kg (Cornwall), Chard 250g, Kale 300g, French Beans 250g, swede 650g, parsnip 600g, mixed salad 100g, and chilli 25g (Trevalon), Carrots 550g, onions 550g, beetroot 650g and leeks 550g (Devon).
Family Box (£15): Potatoes 2.2kg (Cornwall), Chard 250g, Kale 350g, French Beans 250g, butternut squash 1kg, swede 650g, parsnip 700g, mixed salad 150g, and chilli 25g (Trevalon), Carrots 600g, onions 600g, beetroot 650g and leeks 550g (Devon).
This weeks fruit boxes

Mini box (£4): Falstaff desert apples 570g, (Devon), clementines 500g (Spain) and Bananas 670g (Caribbean).
Small box (£7): Falstaff Desert apples 570g, cooking apples 590g, pears 600g (Devon) and clementines 500g (Spain), Banana 670g (Caribbean)..
Large box (£10): Falstaff Desert apples 870g, cooking apples 850g, pears 8500g (Devon) and clementines 500g (Spain), Banana 900g (Caribbean).

This weeks box contents

2009-11-03T16:06:00.002Z

This weeks vegetable boxes

Mini Box (£5): Potatoes (Cornwall), Spinach, Kale, French Beans and radish (Trevalon), Carrots, onions and cauliflower (Devon).
Small Box (£9): Potatoes (Cornwall), Spinach, Kale, French Beans, swede, mixed salad and radish (Trevalon), Carrots, onions and cauliflower (Devon).
Large Box (£12): Potatoes (Cornwall), Spinach, Kale, French Beans, swede, mixed salad, sweet pepper, parsley and radish (Trevalon), Carrots, onions and cauliflower (Devon).
Family Box (£15): Potatoes (Cornwall), Spinach, Kale, French Beans, swede, mixed salad, sweet pepper, parsley, parsnip and radish (Trevalon), Carrots, onions and cauliflower (Devon) and garlic (Spain).

This weeks fruit boxes

Mini box (£4): Pears (Devon), clementines (Spain) and Bananas (Caribbean).
Small box (£7): Desert apples, cooking apples, pears (Devon) and grapes (Spain).

Lottery Success

2009-10-31T08:53:00.004Z

Trevalon has been awarded a grant by the national Lottery through Unltd. We has been given the money for a series of public meetings and workshops so that we can set up a Community Supported Agriculture Scheme and register as a Co-operative.

The First event will be a public meeting on the 24th November at The Public Hall, West Street, Liskeard, 7-9pm, where we will be making presentations and asking people to get involved.

Vegetable Box, 4th & 5th March

2009-03-02T23:04:00.002Z

.
Item:small box/large box/source
Potatoes (valor):1.6kg/1.9kg/Devon
Carrots:600g/Devon
Red onions:600g/Holland
Red Russian kale:350g/Trevalon
Stir fry pack:200g/Trevalon
Beetroot:600g/Devon
Leeks:600g/Devon
Purple Sprouting Brocolli:350g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Parsnip:600g/Devon
Parsely:50g/Devon
Spinach or Chard:350g/Trevalon

Organic & fairtrade Fruit Boxes(imported/non airfreighted):£4/£7/£10/source
Braburn Apples:620g/810g/1kg/Italy
Clementines:500g/500g/1kg/Spain
Bananas:300g/700g/840g/Dominician Republic
Oranges:NA/660g/720g/Spain
Kiwi:260g/400g/720g/Italy

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Devon
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/300g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Garlic/60p/100g

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

This weeks vegetable box, 11th & 12th February

2009-02-10T23:20:00.002Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (valor):1.6kg/1.6kgTamar Valley
Carrots:600g/Devon
Red onions:600g/Holland
Cauliflower:x1/Devon
Red Russian kale:350g/Trevalon
Swede:750g/Devon
Parsnip:660g/Devon
Mushrooms:330g/350g/UK
Large Boxes only
Leeks:550g/Devon
Mixed salad:100g/Trevalon
Spinach:350g/Trevalon

Organic & fairtrade Fruit Boxes(imported/non airfreighted):£4/£7/£10/source
Braburn Apples:480g/800g/1kg/Italy
Mandarin:NA/650g/650g/Spain
Bananas:440g/700g/700g/Dominician Republic
Oranges:570g/620g/620g/Spain
Kiwi:NA/NA/700g/Italy
Lemons:350g/350g/350g/Italy

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/300g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Garlic/60p/100g

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

This Weeks Vegetable Box 4th & 5th February

2009-02-02T18:25:00.001Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (valor):1.7kg/1.9kgTamar Valley
Mixed salad:100g/Trevalon
Carrots:600g/Devon
Red onions:600g/Holland
Leeks:550g/Devon
Sweet Mama Squash:x1/Devon
January King Cabbage:x1/Devon
Beetroot:540g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Spinach:350g/Trevalon
Celariac:x1/Holland
Garlic:300g/Spain

Organic & fairtrade Fruit Boxes(imported/non airfreighted):£4/£7/£10/source
Braburn Apples:450g/800g/1kg/Italy
Mandarin:370g/370g/750g/Spain
Bananas:450g/630g/900g/Dominician Republic
Oranges:NA/800g/800g/Spain
Kiwi:320g/410g/700g/Italy

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/300g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Garlic/60p/100g

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

Candle Mass

2009-02-02T00:33:00.017Z

.
The 2nd of February is Candle Mass, which is half way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It is said that on candle mass, a farmer should have half his grain and hay remaining.

At Trevalon we have used up our store of potatoes and carrots, and there are very few leeks left to harvest, turnips and beetroot are on the way out too. We do have plenty left to harvest though. Spinach, chard and kale will continue to crop throughout the winter, we are able to harvest salads from the polytunnels. Purple sprouting brocolli has just begun and spring greens will soon be ready. Already we have begun to sow crops for late spring and early summer, inside the propogation tunnel seeds are already beginning to germinate.

Purple sprouting broccoli provides a mid winter treat

Spring greens will be ready soon and will bridge the "Hungry Gap".

.

When the weather is too severe and the outside crops have stopped growing the polytunnels come into their own, In Poly tunnel Number 3 we have five beds of chard that will be ready for harvesting by the end of February and mizuna that will be cut for the mixed salad this week.

Although many of the oriental mustards such as mizuna will grow outside all winter, the leaf quality may be poor, in a polytunnel growth is much more vigorous and we can get up to four cuts from the regrowth

We cut mizuna when it is about 10cm high, it is fast growing and has a mild mustard flavour,it is used as part of a winter salad mix with other leaves, such as, rocket, red mustard, green in snow and ruby chard.

Rocket has a characteristic pungent taste and adds flavour to a winter salad mix, these plants have self seeded from a single plant left in a corner of polytunnel number 2, and have proved to be the most productive

Green in snow is an extremely vigorous oriental mustard leaf, it is also very hardy and will grow outside all winter, so there is no need to waste valuable tunnel space. It has a strong mustard taste and spices up a salad mix.

Red mustard has a moderatly stong flavour, with softer leaves than Green in snow, we have plants growing outside but leaf quality and yield is better from the plants grown inside the polytunnel. It adds a splash of colour to a salad mix.

True spinach is moderately hardy and will crop inside a polytunnel during the winter. This variety is called "Giant Winter".

Spinach Beet, hardier than true spinach, still growing well outside, during really cold spells the leaves wilt and we resort to harvesting from inside the polytunnel.

Red Russian Kale, sown outside, August 2008, standing up to the cold and still cropping

Red Russian Kale, Sown mid January, just starting to germinate.

Pixie Cabbage, sown mid December.

Nice Sunset

2009-01-27T16:25:00.001Z

This weeks box: 28th & 29th January

2009-01-25T23:06:00.003Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (valor):1.6kg/1.9kgTamar Valley
Red Russian Kale:350g/Trevalon
Carrots:600g/Devon
Onions:550g/Holland
Leeks:550g/Devon
Cauliflower:x1/Devon
Purple Sprouting Broccoli:400g/Devon
Parsnip:600g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Spinach:350g/Trevalon
Fennel:350g/Spain
Mixed salad:100g/Trevalon

Organic Fruit Boxes(Local & imported):£4/£7/£10
This weeks fruit boxes contain a combination of:
Braburn Apples/Italy
Clementines/Spain
Bananas/Dominician Republic
Oranges/Spain
Lemons/Italy
Dates/Palistine

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/300g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Beetroot/75p/500g

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

Organic plants for sale

2009-01-25T22:51:00.003Z

As an extra service for those who are growing some of their own vegetables or are thinking of doing so, I am now pleased to offer vegetable plants for sale.

When sowing seeds in module trays for growing at Trevalon I will from now on be sowing more seeds in trays of 12 modules for sale. For now I am offering these at £1 per tray for most types of vegetable although more expensive seeds may be priced differently.

Trays of vegetables already sown and available soon are: Broad Beans, Spring cabbage, Red Russian Kale, Onions, Beetroot, Mizuna, Red Mustard, Ruby Chard, Lettuce, Rocket, Spinach, Green in Snow (salad mustard) and trays of mixed salad.

If you are interested please let me know as quantities are limited. If you would like me to propagate more plants throughout the season then I am happy to take advance orders.

Planting Outside crops

2009-01-25T10:52:00.003Z

Even in winter there is planting to be done. In the last week we have planted 2x 70m rows of Jerusalem Artichokes, and just before Christmas (an on Christmas Day) I planted 100 Rhubarb sets. Both these crops are in the ground for a long time so we have begun to mulch them with straw to help suppress the weeds.

Also planted in December were broad beans that were previously sown in module trays in November. Over wintered broad beans are always a few weeks earlier than spring sown ones but it is always a gamble as to whether they will survive. In previous years autumn sowings of beans direct into the ground have failed to make it through the winter. So far the method of transplanting from trays seems to have worked well.

New Poltunnels

2009-01-25T10:25:00.004Z

In November 2006 we obtained planning consent for 8 polytunnels each measuring 7mx20m. Up to summer 2008 we had only erected two of these, partly due to the spectra of planning enforcement hanging over our heads. With a positive outcome at the planning appeal in August 2008, we have now pushed head and put up three more tunnels, we now have a total of five, with a total protected growing space of 700m2. All the tunnel hoops were purchased second hand, and we have enough hoops to make one more tunnel (this will involve some major straightening of some hoops). To be able to erect the final two tunnels we are looking at about £2000 each, so for the time being they will have to wait.

In the recent cold weather the new tunnels have been valuable in providing us with fresh spinach, chard and salad the outside crops were too frozen to harvest.

In an attempt to get an extra early crop of broad beans, seeds were planted in module trays in November and planted out into the polytunnel in December (one week after it was erected, one of the wonders of sowing into module trays first). The broad beans in the polytunnel are now twice as tall as those planted outside at the same time.

"Mind The Gap"

2009-01-25T09:26:00.005Z

Planting seeds in propogation tunnel.

Last year we erected an 8m by 5.5m polytunnel that was used for the propagation of seedlings.

Over the last month we have been planting seeds in module trays to be planted out later into the polytunnels or under the protection of a cloche or fleeze, hopefully many of the crops will be ready in May and early June in an attempt to fill the "Hungry Gap" (the time of year when the stored winter produce is running out, but before summer crops are ready to harvest). The First tunnel is now full and we haven't even begun to plant the main summer crops.

Over the last week we have planted into module trays:
Onion seeds (multiple sown 3 seeds per module) x 1200 modules;
Khol Rhabi, Logo, (for planting in the polytunnels or under fleeze,one seed per module x 600;
Broad beans, Sutton, for planting out at end February x 1200;
Cabbage, Pixe (spring variety for spring / early summer cutting) x480;
Beetroot, Bolthardy, multiple sown 3 seeds per module x 720;
Red Russian Kale, For cutting small leaves in late spring early summer, x 720;
Turnip, Milan Purple top, multiple sown x 720;
Pea, mange tout, x 960;
Mizuna, for salad mix, 4 x 80;
Red mustard, for salad mix, 4 x 80;
Green in snow, for salad mix, 4x 80;
Rocket, for salad mix, 4x 80;
Ruby chard, for salad mix, 4x 80;
Mixed lettuce, for salad mix, 4x 80;
Lettuce, Little Gem, for salad mix, 4x 80;
Dwarf French Beans (for polytunnel or under cloches)3 seeds per module x 260.

Our first prorogation tunnel full, this week we began to erect a second tunnel, hopefully to be finished next week so we can begin to plant summer cabbage, beetroot, radish and more salad and broad beans and by the end of February, tomatoes, peppers and courgettes for planting in the polytunnels.

Complaint against planning officers reaches appeal stage

2009-01-08T12:06:00.000Z

28 12 08

The Monitoring Officer,
Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Re: Complaint to Planning Department dated 12 08 08 and 21 10 08
Ref: SBF/PAW

Dear Mrs Diggens,

I have recently made a complaint against Mark Andrews of the Caradon District Council Planning Department concerning false evidence that was presented to a planning public inquiry, concerning the appeal against refusal of planning permission and the appeal against enforcement, at Trevalon, Herodsfoot, local authority reference No. 07/00175/FUL & MA/LI/041136. The initial complaint was made on 12th August 2008. On 17th December 2008 I received a reply from Mr S Besford-Foster.

I am not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation and would therefore request that the original evidence is looked at again. This letter should be considered as a request to appeal the decision.

From the reply given by Mr S Besford-Foster it is apparent that the evidence that I presented has not been fully understood or that additional evidence given by the planning department has been misleading.

In my letter dated 12 08 08, I stated that,

“On a number of occasions in his dealings with planning matters at Trevalon and during the public inquiry, Mark Andrews has demonstrated bias and prejudice, this complaint however focuses specifically on two instances where false information was presented before the public inquiry”.

Mr S Besford-Foster has interpreted this to mean that my complaint is saying that Mr Andrews deliberately presented false information in an attempt to influence the outcome of the appeals.

It is my personal opinion that Mr Andrews has acted with bias and prejudice. However as stated in the above letter, the focus of my complaint is that the evidence presented to the inquiry was false. Evidence in support of this assertion was presented. I have not presented evidence as to the motive of why the evidence was false, only that it was false.

I regret any confusion that my have resulted from the wording of my original letter. I request that you firstly look at the evidence as it has been presented and determine whether false information was presented to a public inquiry. Secondly, if you find that my accusation is correct, then I request that you look for a reason for this happening, so that action can be taken to ensure that it does not happen again.

I fully accept the possibility that you may find additional reasons why false information was presented to a public inquiry. I respectfully ask you do not to dismiss the possibility that Mr Andrews acted with bias and prejudice, I realise that this is a serious accusation and I do not make it lightly. My understanding of Mr S Besford-Fosters response is that Mr Andrews has attempted to divert responsibility away from himself and direct it towards other planning officers that made recommendations to the planning committee and towards the planning committee itself. This response confirms to me my original but unstated belief that Mr Andrews has behaved extremely arrogantly. I believe he has placed his personal prejudices above his professional integrity.

In the letter from Mr S Besford-Foster dated 17 12 08 it states that:

“that you [Mr Simon] have, as a matter of fact, accepted explicitly by correspondence and actions, that the mobile home is indeed development and requires express planning consent”.

I am disappointed that in giving evidence to Mr S Besford-Foster, planning officers were unable or unwilling to clarify the distinction between “development” , “change of use” and “permitted development”. Mr Andrews seems to have implied that there has been confusion between “change of use”, “development” and “permitted development” and that the planning committee was also confused by this distinction.

I believe that in my correspondence with the Council I clearly made the distinction between what I considered was “permitted development” and what needed planning permission for “change of use”. I believe that the planning committee in coming to its decision on 6th September 2008 also understood this distinction and the recommendation made by the committee was clear.

I have always accepted that planning permission is explicitly required for “change of use” of the mobile home, but on many occasions stated that the siting of the mobile home does not need planning permission as it is “permitted development”.

In response to the enforcement questionnaire dated 26 08 07 I stated that,

“It is my honest belief that all the structures, which are subject to planning enforcement, are in fact temporary structures being used for agriculture and do not need planning permission. I believe that the only legitimate enforcement would be against the residential use of the mobile home, which requires permission from agricultural use to mixed agricultural and residential use, which has not yet been granted”.

In the minutes of the planning committee meeting on 6th September 2007, I believe that it is clear that officers and committee members understood the distinction between the siting of a storage container that was unauthorised “development” and the siting of the mobile home which was “permitted development” but which had unauthorised “change of use”.

In the minutes it states that,

“The Planning Manager (west) clarified that the presence of a caravan on the site as a storage receptacle was permitted development. He also drew attention to the wording of the recommendation in the report”.

Which stated,

“Unauthorised residential use of a static caravan and the unauthorised siting of a storage container at Trevalon, Church Hill, Herodsfoot (50700305).

Resolved: That appropriate enforcement action be taken in the form of an enforcement notice to secure the following:

1.The permanent removal of the storage container from the site; and
2.Permanent cessation of the residential use of the static caravan.

I request that you speak to the planning officer that gave evidence to the 6th September planning committee and also that you speak to the councillors on the same planning committee (including the chair), and ask them whether they understood that the siting of the mobile home for agricultural use was considered “permitted development”.

It is my belief that the committee's intention was clear, however the proposed wording for the enforcement notice did not address the possible landscape harm of the mobile home. I believe the decision was made in light of the evidence that the siting of the mobile home was in fact “permitted development”.

In the letter dated Mr S Besford-Foster's letter dated 17 12 08 it states that,

“the committee's intentions were not at all clear. The result has been that a gradual 'refinement' has taken place. ....”.

The letter goes on to say,

“Mr Andrews considered that he had to resolve the discrepancy that had emerged.”

I believe that my correspondence with planning officers and planning committee members before the 6th September committee meeting clearly and honestly stated the facts and that based on this, the planning committee made a clear recommendation.

I believe that in giving evidence to Mr S Besford-Foster, Mr Andrews has attempted to confuse the investigation in order to divert blame away from himself and direct it towards officers that made recommendations to the 6th September 08 Planning Committee Meeting and towards Councillors on the Planning Committee.

I stand firm in my belief that the evidence presented by Mr Andrews to the public inquiry was false. I ask that you do not dismiss the possibility that this was due to bias, prejudice and arrogance on the part of Mr Andrews.

Finally, Mr S Besford-Foster's letter dated 17 12 08, gives no reason for the failure of the Planning Department to respond to my initial complaint made on 12 08 08. I request that an explanation is sort for this failure.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Copies sent to: Cllr Paul Adams, Cllr George Hocking, Cllr Richard Pugh, Cllr Colin Riches, Cllr Hugh Francis and Cllr Bernie Ellis, Mr S Besford-Foster, The Chief Executive Byron Davies.

Letter to Councillors and Cheif Executive

2009-01-08T12:04:00.001Z

The letter below is asking councillors to submit evidence to the internal appeal.

28 12 08

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Re: Complaint to Planning Department dated 12 08 08 and 21 10 08
Ref: SBF/PAW

Dear Sir,

Enclosed is a copy of a letter sent to Caradon District Council, Monitoring Officer, in which I am appealing against a reply to a recent complaint made to the Planning Department.

This appeal is the last opportunity for Caradon District Council to deal with the complaint internally before it is put before the Local Government Ombudsman.

If you would like to comment on the complaint I suggest that you contact the monitoring officer.

Yours sincerely

Mark Simon

Copies sent to: Cllr Paul Adams, Cllr George Hocking, Cllr Richard Pugh, Cllr Colin Riches, Cllr Hugh Francis and Cllr Bernie Ellis, Mr S Besford-Foster & Byron Davies.

Planning fee ongoing

2009-01-08T12:02:00.001Z

Another letter to Caradon District Council concerning and incorrect charge for a planning application.

The Monitoring Officer,
Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Re: Complaints to Planning Department dated 08 01 08 / 25 04 08 / 01 06 08 /
06 11 08 / 10 11 08 & 11 11 08

Ref: DH/SW/WEST & 07/01775/LUCP

Dear Mrs Diggens,

I have made a complaint regarding a fee paid for planning application 07/01775/LUCP. The original complaint was made in a letter dated 08 01 08.

Following a number of follow up letters a reply was finally received on 6th November 2008. I questioned this reply and and on 19th December 2008 I received a letter confirming the councils position.

I am not happy with the response and would like to appeal the decision. I would also like an explanation as to why so many of my letters went unanswered and why it took 10 months to reply to my original letter.

I request that you look at the evidence again including The Certificate Of Lawful Use application and correspondence with the planning department prior to the application.

In the reply from Mrs Walters dated 6th November 2008 it states,

“you [Mr Simon] are of the opinion you should have been charged £25.00 (being half the fee for the agricultural prior approval application)”.

This incorrect. In my original letter dated 08 01 08 I stated,

“I still believe that the fee paid is incorrect. It is my understanding that for a certificate of lawful development a fee half of the normal planning application fee is payable. A normal agricultural application fee would be £50, therefore in normal circumstances a fee of £25 would be payable for a certificate of lawful development covering development for the purpose of agriculture. It also states in the planning guidance notes received with the application form that no fee is payable if the application is for development that would normally be covered by permitted development rights but where these rights have been removed by direction of the local planning authority”.

To clarify the above, I am suggesting that the fee payable should be half the fee for a normal agricultural planning application (which is £50), not half the fee for an agricultural prior notification application (which is also £50).

To clarify further:

If I was seeking to build a pond for agricultural purposes on an area of land less than 5 Ha, the application fee would be £50, therefore it follows that the normal fee for an agricultural pond would be considered £50. Half the normal fee for a certificate of lawful use would then be £25.

Another possibility is that the construction of a pond on an area of land of more than 5 Ha is covered by permitted development rights with out the need for a prior notification application. No fee would normally be payable therefore it would follow that a certificate of lawful use, charged at half the normal fee would be free.

A third possibility is that no fee is payable due to the fact that a certificate of lawful use for the construction of the pond was only submitted due to a direction of the planning authority removing these rights.

The reply by Mrs Walters states that the correct application fee should be £675. In my letter dated 11th November 2008 I requested that it was clarified whether this would be the fee payable for future applications contesting the removal of permitted development rights. In the reply dated 19th December 2008 this was not clarified.

I believe that the logic applied in this case is flawed. I request that a review of planning application fees is undertaken and that the correct fee for a certificate of lawfulness contesting the removal of permitted development rights is made public.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Letter to Caradon Planners

2009-01-08T11:57:00.002Z

I have had to fight a long battle with Caradon Planners to establish permitted development rights at Trevalon. There are a number of complaints running at the moment concerning the conduct of planning officers and in an effort to gather evidence before I have to go to the local government ombudsman I am again requesting details relating to refusal of permitted development rights.

Ref: 06/00536/PNA

Dear Mr Hoare,

I originally wrote to Mr Dean Mutton on 12 10 07 stating that,

I am attempting to put together a complete record of the planning applications made at Trevalon. I under stand that for the PNA the County Land Agent was employed to make an appraisal of the business. There is no copy of his appraisal on Caradon’s website so I would be grateful if you could send me a copy of the assessment. If no written assessment exists I would be grateful if you could send me a log of the conversation that you had with him concerning my application.

You have sent to me the appraisal carried out by the County Land Agent relating to application 07/01775/LUCP but I am still waiting for the land agents report relating to application reference 06/00536/PNA.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Vegetable box delivery 23rd & 24th December

2008-12-19T18:29:00.002Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (valor):1.6kg/1.9kgTamar Valley
Carrots:600g/Devon
Onions:600g/Holland
Leeks:550g/Devon
Cauliflower:x1/Devon
January King Cabbage:x1/Devon
Brussel Sprouts:650g/Devon
Parsnip:700g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Black Italian Kale:300g/Trevalon
Swede:700g/Devon
Mixed salad:100g/Trevalon

Organic Fruit Boxes(Local & imported):£4/£7/£10
This weeks fruit boxes contain a combination of:
Tommy Knight Desert Apples/Cornwall
Pears/Devon
Clementines/Spain
Bananas/Dominician Republic
Mango/Spain
Pineapple/Spain

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/30g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Beetroot/75p/500g

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

Newsletter 3rd and 4th December 2008

2008-12-01T20:33:00.002Z

Local Organic Meat

John and Lizzie Ridout of Penbugle Farm, Duloe who have been supplying Organic eggs for the Trevalon vegetable boxes are now offering a selection of organic Hams, bacon, chipolata sausages and plain or festive sausage meat for the Christmas period.

The pork comes from their rare breed Organic herd of Oxford Sandy and Black pigs.

In the New Year there will also be Beef and Lamb available as well as a growing selection of Culinary Delights using the above and produce from very local growers.

For more information contact John or Lizzie:
Telephone: 01579 326055
Mobile: 07974 268040
E-mail: penbugle@farming.co.uk

Extras:

Organic Fruit & Fruit Boxes:

Mixed Fruit boxes £4 / £7 / £10
Mixed fruit and veg box £9
Cornish Orchards organic apples:
Desert apples £1.50/kg
Cooking Apples £1.50/kg

Extra Organic Vegetables:

Mixed salad £1.00/100g
Spinach £1.00/250g
Beetroot 75p/500g
Ruby chard £1.00/250g
Russian Kale £1.00/250g
Italian Kale £1-00/250g
Potatoes 75p/kg
Carrots £1.00/kg

Local & Organic produce:

Penbugle Farm: Organic Hams, bacon, chipolata sausages and plain or festive sausage. (Prices on request).

Penbugle Farm organic free range eggs:, £1.60/½ doz

Apple Juice (Cornish Orchards):

5 L / Medium £11.65
75cl / Sharp £2-85
75cl / Medium £2-85
75cl / Sweet £2-85

Roskilly's Organic Milk,
Semi skimmed or whole:

1 pint 79p
2 pints £1.09
4 pints £1.81

Palestinian Produce
Organic & Fair-trade

Olive oil: 5l £39-00
Olive oil: 750ml £7-95
Olive oil: 500ml £5-95
Olive oil: 50ml £3-95
Medjoul Dates: 250g £2-95
Almonds: 150g £2-50
Za'atar(herb mix):50g £1-95
Black olives: 250g £3-00

Fairtrade soaps:

Olive & milk £1-95
Olive & Lemon £1-95
Olive & honey £1-95
Olive £1-95
4x Selection box £7-95

For more information on any of the above, contact Mark:

E-mail: mark@trevalon.co.uk
Telephone: 01579 326144

Cheques payable to:
“Trevalon”
Send to: Mark Simon, Trevalon, St Keyne, Liskeard PL14 4RS

Vegetable Box 2nd/3rd December

2008-11-30T21:50:00.002Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (valor):1.6kg/1.9kgTamar Valley
Carrots:600g/Devon
Ruby Chard:350g/Trevalon
Onions:600g/Holland
Leeks:550g/Devon
Cauliflower:x1/Devon
Mushrooms:280g/Devon
Jerusalem Artichokes:650g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Red Russian Kale:300g/Trevalon
Beetroot:500g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:125g/Trevalon

Organic Fruit Boxes(Local & imported):£4/£7/£10
This weeks fruit boxes contain a combination of:
Cooking Apples/Cornwall
Tommy Knight Desert Apples/Cornwall
Pears/Devon
Seville Oranges/Spain
Bananas/Dominician Republic
Sharon Fruit/Spain

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/30g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Turnips/75p/500g
Eating apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg
Cooking Apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

This weeks Vegetable Box

2008-11-24T15:59:00.002Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (charlotte):1.6kg/1.7kgTamar Valley
Carrots:650g/Devon
Spinach:300g/Trevalon
Onions:650g/Holland
Leeks:600g/650g/Devon
January King Cabbage:x1/Devon
Cooking apples:850g/Cornish Orchards, Duloe
Parsnip:650g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Italian Kale:300g/Trevalon
Turnips:500g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:125g/Trevalon

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic Fruit Boxes(Local & imported):£4/£7/£10
This weeks fruit boxes contain a combination of:
Cooking Apples/Cornwall
Tommy Knight eating apples/Cornwall
Pears/Devon
Mangos/Spain
Bananas/Dominician Republic
Clementines/Spain

Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/30g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Turnips/75p/500g
Eating apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg
Cooking Apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg

Organic and fair trade Palestinian Olive oil: £7-95/750ml

New logo and sign writing

2008-11-15T21:40:00.003Z

Both vehicles have now been sign written and are proving to be very good advertising.

Pole Barn

2008-11-15T21:00:00.006Z

The Pole barn is now a usable space although there is still much work to do including a proper floor, doors, creating a separate workshop space and putting in a floor upstairs.

Plans will be submitted soon (see previous blog) to extend a covered area to the rear, an extension on one side to be used as a tool store and prorogation space and a single story packing barn at the front in the yard area.

Vegetable Box 19th / 20th November

2008-11-15T20:46:00.003Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (charlotte):1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:600g/Devon
Red Russian Kale:300g/Trevalon
Onions:600g/Holland
Leeks:500g/Devon
Brussel Sprouts:500g/Devon
Sweet Potato: 500g/Spain
Cauliflower:1#/Devon
Large Boxes only
Ruby Chard:300g/Trevalon
Turnips:500g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:125g/Trevalon

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic Fruit Boxes(Local & imported):£4/£7/£10
This weeks fruit boxes contain a combination of:
Cooking Apples/Cornwall
Tommy Knight eating apples/Cornwall
Pears/Devon
Kiwi/Italy
Bananas/Dominician Republic
Clementines/Spain

Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/30g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Turnips/75p/500g
Eating apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg
Cooking Apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg

For many recipe ideas for seet potato and much more follow the link below:

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Sweet%20Potato%20Recipes.htm

This weeks vegetable box

2008-11-10T21:29:00.003Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (charlotte):1.6kg/1.8kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:600g/650g/Devon
Mixed salad:125g/Trevalon
Spinach:300g/Trevalon
Onions:550g/Holland
Savoy cabbage:1#/Devon
Leeks:550g/600g/Devon
Calabrese:350g/400g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Cauliflower:1#/Devon
Swede:1#/Devon
Turnips:500g/Trevalon

Extras: from Trevalon unless stated
Organic Fruit Boxes(Local & imported):£4/£7/£10
Organic free range eggs £1-60/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes 75p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/300g
Curly Kale/£1-00/30g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/300g
Winter Greens/£1-00/300g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Eating apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg
Cooking Apples (Duloe) £1-50/kg

Planting broad beans

2008-11-10T17:02:00.002Z

Previous attempts to over winter broad beans have not succeeded at Trevalon. Maybe it is the high clay content of 55% which means the ground stays wet most of the winter possibly rotting the beans or maybe they just get eaten by mice or pheasants.

So today I planted broad beans in module trays in the unheated prorogation tunnel. 5kg of beans filled 36 trays of 66 modules = 2376 plants. They should be ready to plant out side in 4 to 6 weeks. If planted in a standard 1.2m bed 20cms apart in rows 30cm apart then the length of bed that will be plated is 160m. This should provide enough broad beans to put in all the vegetable boxes for 3 to 4 weeks next June. If I plant a similar quantity of broad beans in January or February then there will be enough for all the vegetable boxes through June and July.

Correspondance with Caradon District Council

2008-11-10T14:24:00.005Z

Trevalon
Herodsfoot
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 4RS

08 11 08

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Dear Mrs Walters,

I am extremely disappointed by your response to my complaint dated 06 11 08. Your response demonstrates that you do not understand the sequence of events of planning applications at Trevalon or the way planning application fees work. I have requested details of how to appeal against your decision as regrettably you forgot to enclose a copy of the complaints procedure or details of how to appeal.

I request that you look at the complaint again this time taking expert advice on planning application fees and certificates of lawful use, as the latter in my experience seems to be a little understood and much misunderstood form of planning application.

By way of illustration of the above point I need to point out that in no way was I directed by the planning authority to submit a certificate of lawful use, on the contrary I was told on a number of occasions that I could not do this and that I would have to submitted a planning application as officers did not consider that I benefited from permitted development rights. The submitting of a certificate of lawful use was a formal way of challenging the “direction of planning officers” that I did not benefit from permitted development rights.

I would like to draw your attention to Caradon District Council guide to planning application fees,

EXEMPTIONS FROM FEES

“You are exempt from the payment of a fee if your application is...”

“...an application normally regarded as “permitted development” where the application is required only because of a direction or planning condition removing permitted development rights”.

If anything in this letter is unclear feel free to ring me on 01579 326144.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Trevalon
Herodsfoot
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 4RS

08 11 08

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Dear Mrs Walters,

On a number of occasions I have requested a copy of the report submitted to Caradon Planning Department from the County Land Agent regarding assessment of Permitted Development right entitlements for Trevalon in relation to a pre-determination applications submitted in 2005 and 2006. To date I have not been given a copy of the land agents report.

I would like to request a copy of this report as it will be required as evidence if I am required to take the matter of incorrect planning application fee further.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Trevalon
Herodsfoot
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 4RS

10 11 08

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Dear Mrs Walters,

I was disappointed by the telephone conversation I had with Divina Harris this morning. During the course of the conversation she stood by the decision that the correct fee for a certificate of lawful use submitted to establish permitted development rights should be £675. Please can you confirm that this is the fee required for future applications of this kind.

If so I consider that amounts to extortion. If you stand by this decision then planners will be free to demand planning applications for development that does not require it when ever they like, confident in the knowledge that an individual will be more willing to submit a planning application and pay a application fee rather than challenge the planning authority with a costly certificate of lawful use.

Before I formally appeal your decision and begin the inevitable road to the government ombudsman I would like to ask you again to reconsider your decision again and consider the facts below..

You state that the fee for my certificate of lawful use application calculated using the the fee sheet falls within section 9. In the guide to planning application fees from April 2008 is states,

“5) Application for a certificate of lawfulness for a proposed development. You will pay half the normal planning fee.”.

The construction of a pond (15m by 15m) for the purpose of agriculture on agricultural land over 5Ha does not require a planning application. The normal fee for not submitting a planning application is of course zero, and half of zero is also zero. The normal planning fee for the development that I proposed (a pond 15m by 15m) would be zero, therefore the fee for submitting a certificate of lawful use would also be zero.

If it were any other way I would consider it a form of corruption as planning officers would be able to demand fees for development that did not require planning permission and the submission of a planning application.

If anything in this letter is unclear feel free to ring me on 01579 326144.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Newsletter 5th 6th Nov

2008-11-04T20:16:00.000Z

This weeks box

In both small and large boxes there is, winter squash and Red Russian Kale (from Trevalon), Potatoes (charlotte) (from Tamar Valley), onions (from Holland) and carrots, leeks, parsnip and mushrooms (from Devon). The large boxes also contain turnips, ruby chard and mixed salad (from Trevalon).

In both small and large vegetable boxes this week there is also a sample of Tommy Knight apples a traditional Cornish apple variety from Cornish Orchards, Duloe (Organic in conversion) they are now available as an extra for all the veg boxes at £1.50/kg.
If you have space for your own apple tree, Cornish Variety apple trees (including Tommy Knight) are available from Trevalon (prices on request).

The fruit boxes contain a combination of Tommy Knight apples (from Duloe), Pears (from Devon), plums and Clementines (from Spain), grapes (from Italy) & Bananas (from Dominican Rep).

First frost

As a result of last weeks heavy frost some of the outside salad was damaged. The plants will grow back but until they have recovered we will be using a combination of the mustard leaves that were unaffected by the frost and salad cut from inside the polytunnels.

For a few weeks there will be enough for all the large boxes to get salad and some of the small boxes as well. This week depending on how much is available some small boxes will receive salad instead of Winter Squash. If you have a small box and would like to have salad over the next few weeks please let us know and we will make sure that you are get some.

Roskillys Organic Milk

I have contacted Cornish Organic Milk producer, Roskilly's, and depending on demand from customers I am looking to be able to offer Roskilly's Organic Milk every week as an extra.

Prices: semi & whole
1 pint 79p
2 pints £1.09
4 pints £1.81

If you are interested in receiving a regular weekly delivery of organic milk please contact us.

Volunteers

There are now two regular volunteers working at Trevalon, putting in two hours a week in exchange for a vegetable box. If you are also interested in helping out on Tuesdays let me know.

Mark

Toasty wood burner

2008-11-02T21:23:00.002Z

Today I have taken out a unit in the mobile home, much smashing with a hammer enjoyed by all and put in a small gas bottle wood burner (locally made buy Pete Buttery. Despite its small size I am now over heating and am down to a tea shirt. No more freezing nights and burning my own wood too!

Extras

2008-10-30T10:21:00.001Z

Extra's avaialble in addition to your vegetable boxes:

Fruit boxes £4 / £7 / £10
Mixed fruit and veg box £9

Mixed salad (Trevalon) £1.00/100g
Spinach (Trevalon) £1.00/250g
Squash £1.50/kg
Turnips (Trevalon) 75p/500g
Ruby chard (Trevalon) £1.00/250g
Russian Kale (Trevalon) £1.00/250g
Potatoes (Tamar Valley) 75p/kg
Carrots (Devon) £1.00/kg
Organic eggs ( Duloe) £1.60/½ doz
Apple juice (Cornish Orchards, Duloe)£11.65/5litres
Eating Apples (organic in conversion Cornish Orchards, Duloe) £1.50/kg
Cooking Apples (as above) £1.50/kg

Palistinian organic & fairtrade olive oil £7.95/750ml

Other organic and fairtrade products: prices on request.

Cheques payable to “Trevalon”
Send to: Mark Simon, Trevalon,
St Keyne, Liskeard PL14 4RS

2008-10-30T10:19:00.000Z

This weeks box

In small and large boxes there is, Lettuce or mixed salad, spinach, cucumber & pumpkins (from Trevalon), Potatoes (charlotte) and leeks (from Tamar Valley), Cooking apples (in conversion from Cornish Orchards, Duloe), onions and carrots (from Devon). The large boxes also contain turnips, runner beans and Italian kale (from Trevalon).

Local Organic Apples

The fruit boxes contain a combination of apples (from Duloe), Pears (from Devon), Melon & plums (from Spain), grapes (from Italy) & Bananas (from Dominican Rep).

Local eating and cooking apples (in conversion) are now available as an extra for all the veg boxes at £1.50/kg

First frost

This week has seen temperatures drop. We spent Monday and Tuesday covering beetroot, chard, spinach and lettuce with protective fleece in a effort to stop frost damage. Not expecting them to survive the cold snap we have now picked the last of the runner beans and cucumbers and have started clearing the last polytunnel ready for planting with module grown salads.

This week we will be sowing in the propogation tunnel, more oriental salads to be transplanted into polytunnel No5 (under construction), Spring greens and cabbage (for harvesting late spring, broad beans for planting out in one months time and peas for transplanting into the polytunnel for an spring crop.

Website back on-line

After months of being busy with the planning public inquiry and being too busy to update it, I have now retrieved the lost passwords for the Trevalon Blog and have started posting again. So to view the latest information and look at photographs of Trevalon go to www.trevalon.blogspot.com.

Palestinian Olive Oil

We are now stocking organic and fairtrade Palestinian Olive oil, olives, dates, almonds and olive oil soaps. A leaflet is enclosed with a full price list.

Work Day

The first Saturday of each month, there is a regular opportunity to come and help out at Trevalon. Weather permitting there will be a workday this Saturday from 10am, when we will be mulching the apple trees and pruning alder & raspberries (after eating any that are left). Please bring gloves and pruning tools if you have any. Tea, coffee, bread and soup will be provided plus a fire to to keep you warm.

New Packing Barn Planned

2008-10-26T08:41:00.006Z

After failing on our first application and then having an enforcement order put on a temporary structure we are now ready to resubmit plans for a permanent packing barn.

Trevalon Organic Vegetables has now been trading two years. In December 2005 we submitted plans to Caradon District Council for a vegetable packing barn so that we would have some where to pack our vegetable boxes once production began. The council decided that we had not yet established a need for a packing barn and we were asked to withdraw the plans. Having nowhere to pack vegetables we moved a food grade shipping container onto the site in October 2006 which was used to pack the boxes and store vegetables.

In September 2007, Caradon District Council issued an enforcement notice giving us two months to remove the container. The notice was appealed and in August 2008 a government inspector ruled that although the container would have to be removed, we had until August 2009 to obtain permission for a permanent packing barn.

He stated,

"The present container cannot amount to a temporary building under Part 4
Class A of the GPDO since planning permission has not yet been granted for a
permanent storage / packing facility [proviso A.1(b)]".

I am therefore of the opinion that once I have obtained planning permission for a packing barn, then the container can legitimately remain on site as a temporary structure until the barn is completed.

Below are plans that we intend to submit to the Council soon after informal consultation.

Plan view: Machinery store and workshop in the centre of the plans are part of the existing barn. Covered storage, tool storage/prorogation, packing and cold store are proposed new structures of a single story placed around the existing structure.

Elevation: Show the existing machinery/general purpose barn in the centre with the the single story extensions on three sides.

Complaint against the planning department.

2008-10-25T18:46:00.003+01:00

At the recent public inquiry held to decide the fate of Trevalon, Mark Andrews of Caradon District Council Development Control presented false information. A compalaint was made to the planning department but to date has gone unanswered. Now a complaint has been made to the Chief Executive and hopefully I will now get a reply.

Details of the complaint are copied below:

Letter to the chief exectutive:

Trevalon
Herodsfoot
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 4RS

21 10 08

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Dear Byron Davies,

I wish to draw your attention to a complaint made to Mrs Walters of Caradon District Council Planning Department on 12th August 2008 concerning the conduct of planning officer Mark Andrews at a recent public inquiry.

It is now over two months since the complaint was made and I still have not received an acknowledgement.

Enclosed is a copy of the letter and evidence sent to Mrs Walters. Since making the complaint the appeal decision has been issued and a copy enclosed.

I hope you will appreciate that presenting false information to a public inquiry is a serious matter and would like to ask your reassurance that this complaint is taken seriously.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Letter to Caradon Planning Department:

Trevalon
Herodsfoot
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 4RS

12 08 08

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Dear Mrs Walters,

I wish to make a complaint concerning the conduct of planning officer Mark Andrews at the public inquiry held on 9th and 10th July 2008.

The public inquiry concerned the appeal against refusal of planning permission and the appeal against enforcement at Trevalon, Herodsfoot, local authority reference No. 07/00175/FUL & MA/LI/041136.

On a number of occasions in his dealings with planning matters at Trevalon and during the public inquiry, Mark Andrews has demonstrated bias and prejudice, this complaint however focuses specifically on two instances where false information was presented before the public inquiry.

In the Proof of evidence of Caradon District Council, Para 5.5, Mark Andrews states,

“The appellants accept that the mobile home is development requiring the express planning consent of the local planning authority”

This statement is untrue, in numerous dealings with the planning department I have stated and restated my belief that the mobile home is a temporary agricultural structure.

In a letter dated 26 08 07 (copy enclosed) I stated,

“It is my honest belief that all the structures, which are subject to planning enforcement, are in fact temporary structures being used for agriculture and do not need planning permission. I believe that the only legitimate enforcement would be against the residential use of the mobile home, which requires permission from agricultural use to mixed agricultural and residential use, which has not yet been granted”.

In a letter responding to the social consequences questionnaire, also dated 26 08 07 (copy enclosed) I stated,

“The mobile home on site is a temporary structure used for the purpose of agriculture. Its function is that of a workers rest room”.

I also stated,

“The mobile home on site is also used as a temporary agricultural structure for the purpose of a site office”.

In a letter to councillors (copied to planning officers) (copy enclosed),dated 02 09 07, I stated,

“I believe all the structures subject to enforcement are temporary and in use for agricultural purposes and that enforcement is therefore inappropriate”.

In paragraph 6.32 of the proof of evidence of Caradon District Council, Mark Andrews states,

“ The enforcement notice issued in respect of the mobile home and storage container, owing to error, fails to require the mobile home to be removed from site”.

This statement is untrue. In the minutes of the council meeting held on 6th September 2007 (copy enclosed) it states that,

“The planning officer (West) clarified that the presence of a caravan was permitted development, he also drew attention to the wording of the recommendation in the report”

At this meeting it was resolved that the wording of the enforcement notice be,

“permanent cessation of the residential use of the static caravan”

The enforcement notice issued on the 17th September 2007 (copy enclosed) stated,

“cease the residential occupation of or the remove the static caravan from the site”.

Presenting false evidence to a public inquiry is a very serious matter and I expect that this matter will be dealt with appropriately.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon

Copies sent to: Cllr Paul Adams, Cllr George Hocking, Cllr Richard Pugh, Cllr Colin Riches, Cllr Hugh Francis and Cllr Bernie Ellis.

Appeal victory in the WMN

2008-10-25T18:41:00.001+01:00

Appeal Victory

2008-10-25T18:19:00.003+01:00

On August 11th 2008 the follow decision was published by the planning inspectorate allowing Mark Simon to continue to live at Trevalon.

Appeal Decisions
Inquiry held on 9/10 July 2008
Site visit made on 10 July 2008
by Roger Priestley BA(Hons) DipTP MRTPI FRGS
The Planning Inspectorate
4/11 Eagle Wing
Temple Quay House
The Square
Temple Quay
Bristol BS1 6PN
0117 372 6372
email:enquiries@pins.gsi.gov.uk
an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State
for Communities and Local Government
Decision date:
12 August 2008
Appeal Refs: APP/K0805/C/07/2058055 and 2058053
Trevalon, Herodsfoot, Liskeard PL14 4RS

• The appeals are made under section 174 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as
amended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991.
• The appeals are made by Mr Mark Simon (ref. 2058055) and Orchard Land Trust Ltd
(ref. 2058053) against an enforcement notice issued by Caradon District Council.
• The Council's reference is MA/LI/041136.
• The notice was issued on 17 September 2007.
• The breach of planning control as alleged in the notice is (i) the unauthorised residential use of a static caravan and (ii) the unauthorised siting of a storage container.

• The requirements of the notice are :
(i) Cease the residential occupation of or remove the static caravan from the site; and
(ii) Permanently remove the storage container from the site.
• The period for compliance with the requirements is 2 months.
• The appeal by Mr Mark Simon is proceeding on the grounds set out in section 174(2)(c)and (g) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended. The ground (c) appeal relates to the storage container only.
• The appeal by Orchard Land Trust Ltd is proceeding on the grounds set out in section 174(a), (c) and (g). The ground (c) appeal is likewise made in respect of the storage container only.

Appeal Ref: APP/K0805/A/07/2058497
Trevalon, Herodsfoot, Liskeard PL14 4RS
• The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
against a refusal to grant planning permission.
• The appeal is made by Orchard Land Trust Ltd against the decision of Caradon District Council.
• The application Ref 07/00175/FUL, dated 1 February 2007, was refused by notice dated 3 May 2007.
• The development proposed is mobile home, for residential use by key agricultural
worker, as workers rest room and office.

Decisions
The s.174 appeals
1. I direct that the enforcement notice be corrected by the deletion of allegation
(i) and the substitution of “a material change to a mixed use for agriculture and
for the stationing of a caravan for residential purposes”. I allow the appeal on
ground (a) insofar as it relates to the residential caravan and I grant planning
permission on the application deemed to have been made under section 177(5)
of the 1990 Act as amended, for the stationing of a caravan for residential
purposes subject to the following conditions:
(a) The use of the land for the stationing of a caravan for residential
purposes, as hereby approved, shall be temporary and the
residential use shall be discontinued and cease on or before the
expiration of 3 years from the date of this decision or upon the
cessation of the caravan’s occupation by Mr M Simon and his
dependants.
(b) The occupation of the caravan shall be limited to a person solely or
mainly employed on the agricultural unit at Trevalon in agriculture
and to any resident dependants.

2. I direct that the enforcement notice be varied by the substitution of 12 months
for 2 months in the time for compliance in clause 6. I dismiss the appeal and
uphold the enforcement notice as corrected and varied insofar as it relates to
the storage container, and I refuse planning permission in respect of the
storage container, on the application deemed to have been made under section
177(5) of the 1990 Act as amended.
The s.78 appeal

3. I allow the appeal, and grant planning permission for the stationing of a mobile
home, for residential use by key agricultural worker, as worker’s rest room and
office, as already carried out at Trevalon, St Keyne, Liskeard PL14 4RS, in
accordance with the terms of the application, Ref 07/00175/FUL, dated 1
February 2007, and the plans submitted with it, subject to conditions set out
above.

Procedural matters

The allegation

4. A material change of use is alleged in relation to the siting of a caravan for
residential purposes. The parties are agreed, however, that the notice should
more accurately describe a mixed use reflecting the agricultural use of the
land. I shall correct the notice to this effect and am satisfied that I can do so
without causing injustice.

The requirements

5. Insofar as the static caravan is concerned the requirement is to either cease
the residential occupation or remove the caravan from the site. At the
commencement of the Inquiry the Council asked that this be varied so as to
require both the cessation of the residential use and the removal of the static
caravan from the land.

6. The injustice argument for the appellants has force in that implementation of
such a variation would place them in a worse situation than if the notice had
not been appealed. It follows that I do not intend to vary the notice. In any
event I am alive to the extent to which the caravan as a matter of fact is
arranged and used as a farm office by Mr Simon. The strong likelihood is that
should residential use not be permitted then use as a rest room and farm office
would continue. At the inquiry attention was drawn in this regard to the findingin Wealden DC v. SSE and Day [1986] that a use for the purposes of storage,shelter and food preparation was ancillary to the primary agricultural use such that no development or breach of control had occurred.

The s.78 appeal – description of development

7. The application as submitted was for a mobile home for residential use by key
agricultural worker, as worker’s rest room and office. The Council’s revised
wording which appears in the refusal notice would not appear to have been
agreed by the appellant at any stage and I shall therefore proceed on the basis
of the application as initially described. As the development has already
commenced I shall consider the application as retrospective, relating to an
application made under s.73A of the Act, as amended.

The site visit

8. My site visit was carried out during the morning of 10 July. Mr Taylor of The
Byre, Coombe farm, St Keyne and Mr and Mrs Wright of Coombe Farm House
arrived at the site at the appointed time but Mr Simon was unwilling for them
to be on his land. I indicated that I would proceed at the site itself
accompanied by the principal parties only. Mr Taylor complained at being
excluded but I explained that the inquiry had adjourned and that I would not
be hearing evidence. At the same time I agreed to a request to view the land
afterwards from Coombe Farm House and Coombe Barn (Mr Mallard). Mr and
Mrs Wright and Mr Mallard were opposed to Mr Simon being present on their
land. Both Mr Simon and Mr Andrews, the Council’s representative, were
agreeable for me to continue with this part of my visit in their absence. These
procedural arrangements were explained when the inquiry resumed.

Background

9. Trevalon Organic Vegetables is an organic horticultural enterprise established
by Mr Simon, company secretary of Orchard Land Trust Ltd which purchased
the 7.39 ha of land in 2005. When the enterprise was established Mr Simon
was living at Portwrinkle some 9 miles to the south east; he moved to the site
in February 2007. Trevalon is now registered with the Soil Association and
received full organic status in September 2007. The first full season of
vegetation production was in 2006/07 when 0.6ha were cultivated. At the time
of the inquiry some 1.6ha were being used for vegetable production. Two
polytunnels are in use and also a propagation polytunnel. An area of fruit trees
and bushes has also been planted and a barn nears completion. Planning
permissions have been granted for the erection of further polytunnels. Two
people are employed on Wednesdays and Thursdays when delivery of boxed
vegetables takes place and three customers work on a casual basis in exchange
for vegetable boxes. There is also currently, for 8 weeks, a volunteer worker
from France who occupies one of 4 tourer-type caravans on the land. Another
of these caravans is used for the storage of cardboard boxes prior to their use.
The ground (c) appeals – The storage container

10. The metal storage container measures some 6.1 metres in length, 2.4 metres
in width and 2.4 metres in height. It weighs around 3 tons and rests on
railway sleepers. It was off-loaded by crane when it was brought to the site in
September 2006 and has not been moved since. It is used as a vegetable storage / packing facility.

11. When considering that the container has been in the one position since being
moved onto the land, its size, substantial weight and the resultant likelihood
that it could not be moved without the use of a crane or similar lifting gear, I
find as a matter of fact and degree that its siting has amounted to operational
development. I find close comparison with the Thurrock and Rochdale decisions which the Council have drawn to my notice. I appreciate that in the ‘Twin Oaks’ case handed in for the appellants the Inspector found a container and van body to amount to a use of land, but as there is little information apart from the indication that the container in that instance was small I am unable to ascribe that case any significant weight.

12. The present container cannot amount to a temporary building under Part 4
Class A of the GPDO since planning permission has not yet been granted for a
permanent storage / packing facility [proviso A.1(b)]. The container,
moreover, does not store materials or equipment connected with the pole barn
now nearing completion and is unrelated to the construction of that barn. The
appellants cannot benefit from the provisions of Part VI of the GPDO since the
container was plainly not designed for agricultural purposes. It follows in these
circumstances that the ground (c) appeals fail.

The s.174 ground (a) appeal, the deemed application and the s.78 appeal
The caravan

13. I address these appeals together since in effect they concern the same
development, and consider the main issue to be the agricultural need for the
residential accommodation on the holding bearing in mind prevailing planning
policies and in particular the advice set out in Annex A to Planning Policy
Statement (PPS) 7 – Sustainable Development in Rural Area. Although not
clear from the application form it was made plain for the appellants at the
opening of the inquiry that a temporary permission was sought. I proceed on
this basis.

14. Annex A to PPS7 in relation to temporary dwellings sets out in paragraph 12
the criteria which should be satisfied for planning permission to be granted.
Criterion (i) calls for clear evidence of a firm intention and ability to develop the
enterprise and the Council take no issue on this point. Given Mr Simon’s
experience living and working full-time on an organic farm that grew
vegetables for a box scheme before moving to Cornwall, and the extent to
which the existing enterprise, incorporating the provision of the polytunnels
and the barn, has already developed, I see no reason to conclude otherwise. I
reach this view having taken into account the concerns of a local resident as to
continuing piecemeal development. I have also borne in mind the article about
Trevalon in the Telegraph Magazine which refers amongst other things to the
‘Community Farm’.

15. Criterion (ii) concerns functional need. There is at present on the holding a
predominance of salad crops, and cultivation and harvesting is almost
continuous. Mr Simon raises his own transplants and I can appreciate that by
doing so plants such as sweetcorn which I heard is particularly sensitive can be
re-planted when they have reached their optimum growing point and when soil
and weather conditions are most appropriate. It is plainly imperative to maximise efficiency.

16. A thermostatically controlled gas heater is used in the propagation tunnel,
connected to an alarm that will alert Mr Simon when the temperature drops
below 3º. I fully accept that this could require action late at night or in the
early hours of the morning during March and April when a large number of
seedlings are being propagated. As to crops growing outside the polytunnels I
can appreciate also that specific localised conditions might not necessarily be
reflected in meteorological predictions and have noted that Mr Simon has
placed a fleece over crops at midnight when a frost was expected so as to allow
him to harvest the crop the next day.

17. This, moreover, is an exposed site and I heard that Mr Simon once saved the
polytunnels by moving 200 bales of hay up the hill in the middle of the night to
form a wind break. A polytunnel frame of the variety used at Trevalon and
costing around £1000 could be saved from contortion by cutting the plastic and
I accept that such an eventuality could only be properly watched for by on-site
presence. Weather conditions were atrocious on the first day of the inquiry
when Mr Simon was necessarily away from the holding for several hours. The
agriguard covering was in part blown off and I saw the next morning that the
crops which had been left exposed had been badly affected by pests, in all
likelihood, rabbits. That said, I do not attach weight to the threat to outdoor
crops from stock from neighbouring farms as I believe that this could be
prevented by attention to gateways.

18. There is also a security factor here, albeit by itself of limited weight. During
the first year of the operation prior to Mr Simon moving onto the site half a
dozen incidents occurred, reported to the police, including an arson attack on a
caravan, the theft of a post box and a gate lock being super-glued. There have
been no such incidents since Mr Simon moved onto the site in February 2007.

19. The role of routine jobs on the holding is also material when considering the
hours involved. Irrigation in the height of summer takes some 2½ hours both
morning (07:00 – 09:30) and evening (18:30 – 21:00); as much as 10,000
litres of water can applied per day on a schedule involving altering pipes every
half hour. Efficiency is again important since the water source is a tank filled
steadily by a spring and once empty takes all day to fill. The early morning
work at Trevalon also involves the harvesting of salads and other leaf crops
such as spinach and chard when they are cool and full of moisture. Taking all
these factors together, I consider it to be essential for the proper functioning of
the enterprise for someone to be readily available at most times.

20. Criterion (iii) requires clear evidence that the enterprise has been planned on a
sound financial basis. A business plan was prepared in January 2007 setting
out the nature of the organic horticultural enterprise including the vegetable
box proposals, the wholesale of vegetables and salads, and the diversification
into fruit trees/soft fruits. Much progress has been made.

21. Having said that, the profit and loss projections were overly optimistic. The
demand for boxed vegetables has exceeded what has been available from the
holding and the amount of bought-in produce has been greater than
anticipated. The draft accounts, moreover, for 2007/08 show that if the
bought-in produce for that year were deducted there would have been anoverall loss rather than profit. The information in this respect supplied on the second day of the inquiry showed that boxed deliveries for the first week of July 2008 totalled in value some £344 of Trevalon produce and approximately £277 of produce bought-in and then marked up for re-sale. Mr Simon concedes that there is “a hole in his record keeping. I am conscious, however, that there were difficult conditions in the summer of 2007 with high rainfall experienced. I am mindful also that Mr Simon’s business partner Mr Cavendish left during the winter of 2007/08 and that as a consequence he has had to undertake a larger proportion of the work himself.

22. Despite these setbacks and the limited detail at this stage on the split between
Trevalon and bought-in sales, I am content that the enterprise nonetheless has
been planned on a sound financial basis. Paragraph 1.47 supporting Local Plan
countryside housing Policy H07 states in terms that temporary accommodation
may be granted for up to 3 years to allow an applicant the time to demonstrate
that the business is sustainable.

23. Turning to criterion (iv), the suggestion that the appellant looks to rent a
dwelling in Liskeard or nearby village which has a greenhouse or similar facility
for plant propagation or which has space in a garden for a structure to be so
used, is to my mind unrealistic. Without an on-site presence Mr Simon would
be unlikely to propagate his own seedlings, and, irrespective of additional cost,
the efficiency of the enterprise would be compromised. His capital, moreover,
has gone into the business and additional polytunnels which have received
planning permission are proposed. I can well understand Mr Simon’s concerns
as to the viability of the enterprise in the context of the likely costs of renting
alternative accommodation in the area. Mr Simon, moreover, has 2 sons aged
9 and 11 in his care 3 to 4 days a week and, albeit a personal consideration
carrying more limited weight, this is nonetheless material in the context of the
long working day at Trevalon. I am not therefore satisfied that the functional
need could be met by other accommodation which is suitable and available.

24. Annex A criterion (v) requires other normal planning requirements to be met
and in this regard I have considered the objections of the Council and others as
to the visual impact of the caravan in what is designated locally as an Area of
Great Landscape Value (AGLV). It falls within the South Caradon Landscape
Character Area. The caravan is situated on high ground above the well wooded
and heavily incised valleys of the East and West Looe rivers. Even so, and
whilst recognising that my inspection took place in mid summer with trees and
hedges in full growth, views of the caravan from public vantage points are
limited. The enforcement notice as I have explained does not seek the removal
of the caravan and in any event if a residential use is not permitted then the
use of the caravan for purposes ancillary to horticulture would be likely to take
place. This is a pertinent fall back position, and against this background I find
no substantive landscape objection.

25. The requirements of Annex A paragraph 12 in relation to temporary
accommodation are met; a temporary permission would be consistent with the
objectives of Policy HO7.

The storage container

26. The key issue here is visual amenity, and the container is similarly situated on
high ground. Mr Simon concedes that it is not a pretty structure but seeks a
temporary permission pending the provision of a more permanent facility.
Whilst aware that he would be prepared to either clad it or paint it, and against
the background of ‘saved’ Policy CL9 and Structure Plan Policy 2 which seek to
protect the character of AGLVs, I am not persuaded that express consent for
the container, even on a temporary basis, would be appropriate in this setting.
Summary on ground (a), the deemed application and the s.78 appeal

27. The appeals in relation to the residential caravan succeed on the basis of the
horticultural need. Of lesser significance are the ecological arguments made
for the appellants in the context of the Planning and Climate Change
Supplement to PPS1 and the permaculture principles which are applied.
Furthermore, the sustainability benefits of living on-site would need to be
weighed against the need for journeys to school and other community facilities
in and around Liskeard. Neither these factors nor the question as to whether
or not the restaurant ‘Fifteen Cornwall’ is supplied by produce from Trevalon
alter the balance of my conclusions. The ground (a) appeal and the s.78
appeal in relation to the caravan succeed. Ground (a) on the storage container
fails.

The ground (g) appeals – The storage container

28. An 18 month period is sought to enable an application to be submitted for a
storage barn, for permission to be granted and for it to be erected, but
balanced against the degree of harm and conflict with CL9 and SP Policy 2 this
would be excessive. Mindful, however, of the degree to which Mr Simon has
liaised with the Council from the outset and taking into account what seems to
me to have been a constructive meeting between the principal parties a few
days before the inquiry, I consider it reasonable to extend the compliance
period to 12 months to enable a more appropriate solution to come forward.
To this extent the appeals on ground (g) succeed.

Conditions

29. Despite the fact that residential use of the caravan has already commenced I
believe it to be reasonable and appropriate to attach a 3 year limit rather than
2 years as suggested by the Council and to this end I shall adopt a condition on
the lines attached to the permission in the Sydling Brook appeal. I also attach
the suggested agricultural occupancy condition.

Roger Priestley
Inspector

APPEARANCES
FOR THE APPELLANTS:
Ms J Sargoni South West Law, 1 Hide Market, West Street,
Bristol, BS2 0BH
She called
Mr W J Knight BSc Keveral Farm, St Martins, Looe, PL13 1PA
(Ecological Footprint)
Ms R Laughton BSc MSc Agricultural Consultant, Tamarisk Farm, West
Bexington, Dorchester, DT2 9DF
Mr M Simon Appellant and Company Secretary, Orchard Land
Trust Ltd, Trevalon, St Keyne, PL13 4RS
FOR THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY:
Mr P Barkley Solicitor, Caradon District Council
He called
Mr M V Andrews BSc
(Hons) DipTP MA(Dist)
DMS MRTPI MCIM
Assistant Head of Development Control, Caradon
DC
Mr J Alford MRICS Chief Land Agent, Cornwall County Council
DOCUMENTS
1 The Council’s letter of notification of the Inquiry.
2 Bundle of correspondence from Mr P Taylor.
3 Extract from Committee Minutes, 6 September 2007
4 Sales, including box deliveries 2/3 July 2008
5 Suggested planning conditions
PLANS
A(i) The plan attached to the enforcement notice
A(ii) The application plans (1-3)

Thank you

2008-10-25T15:30:00.001+01:00

Thank you to everyone who wrote letters of support for my planning appeal. At the recent public inquiry a government planning inspector overturned Caradon District Council and granted planning permission for residential use of the mobile home at Trevalon. He also extended the time the shipping container is allowed to stay on site to 12 months, to allow time to obtain planning permission for a permanent packing barn. Caradon District Council where also seeking the removal of the mobile home being used as an office and rest room, but the inspector decided that this structure did not need planning permission and could remain.

Pushing ahead

After a year of uncertainty, due to the planning enforcement, success at the planning appeal means I can now push ahead with establishing the business. In the last month we have erected two more polytunnels, which means the protected cropping space is now 600m2. This week we are planting the newly erected tunnels with potatoes and carrots which will be ready to harvest Christmas or new year.

Pole Barn now in use

The pole barn has now got walls and a roof, and is being used for storage and as a workshop. Lack of funds means that we are not yet able to afford doors or put in the floor upstairs. We hope that work will continue in the spring.

We are still here!!!!

2008-06-01T15:06:00.004+01:00

This is a busy time of year, planting and weeding, also deadline approaches for planning appeal so we are totally snowed under with paperwork. Will post soon as soon as I get the chance. Plenty to tell.

The propagation tunnel is full of plants waiting to go out.

Work continues on the pole barn.

Plot No 3 newly ploughed in South Park

2008-03-31T20:55:00.002+01:00

We managed to time a spell of dry weather with the arrival of the contractor to spread farm yard manure with the arrival of another contractor to do the ploughing. Ploughing finished just as it began to rain again. The plot will now be left for 4 weeks for the grass to die and then it will be cultivated and planted with main crop potatoes in one half and then a conbination of sweetcorn, pumpkin and beans (known in South America as the three sisters)in the other half.

Pole barn not there yet but looking grand

2008-03-31T20:42:00.002+01:00

Making the most of the polytunnels

2008-03-26T01:02:00.008Z

Polytunnel number one:

We are now harvesting salad leaves; Claytonia, Red Mustard, Green in Snow (salad mustard), lettuce and mitzuna.

This week we also sowed carrots between the rows that will continue to grow after we have removed the salad leaves after their second or third cut.

Rows of mitzuna regrowing after first cut.

"Red Mustard" adds a spicy tange to the mixed salad.

Lettuce, is mixed with baby chard and claytonia for a mild mixed salad.

Polytunnel number two:

The salads in polytunnel number two had been cut three times and were either running to seed or starting to be over-run with chickweed.

This tunnel has now been cleared and we made the decision to change the bed layout from three central beds to four. This will mean more rows of salad can be planted and the beds are now narrower for easier harvesting.

The beds have been prepared and watered, we will wait afew days for a "weed flush" to appear before hoeing the beds again ready for planting with more cut and come again salads. Because we do not use chemicals to control weeds the preparation of what is called a "stale seed bed" is important for allowing the new salad seedlings to get a head start on the weeds as it will be two weeks before they are big enough to allow the rows to be weeded again.

Full moon on spring equinox

2008-03-21T19:28:00.004Z

Good Friday falls on the first Friday after the first full moon after the spring equinox.

Today is equinox, full moon and good Friday and Easter will not be this early again for 136 years.

Planting apple trees and spreading compost.

2008-03-09T20:28:00.003Z

With the help of neighbour and his mini digger we planted 28 apple trees in the steeper part of the small field.

It took about an hour to dig 28 holes with a mini digger which otherwise would have probably taken two of us all day. We then planted Locally grown Cornish Heritage apple trees from Tim Pickles of Lower Killogorick. For more information about Cornish Heritage apples trees phone Tim on 01579 321570.

In each hole we put a bucket full of well composted farm yard manure that was kindly supplied by our neighbour at Penbugle Farm.

Today we planted:

3x Pascoe's Pippin (M26 mid/late Desert)
3x Collogett Pippin (MM111 mid season Cooker/Cider)
3x King Byerd (MM111 Desert mid/late)
3x Fairfield (MM106 Dersert second early)
3x Strawberry Pippin (M26 Desert early)
3x Tommy Knight (MM106 Desert/cider late)
3x Polly Whitehair (MM106 late dersert/cooker)
1x Hockings green (M26 Desert/cooker mid to late)
3x Long keeper (MM106 Dersert mid to late)
3x Bread Fruit (M26 Desert/cooker late)

While the mini digger was here this morning it assisted in loading the muckspreader with compost. In total about 10 tons of compost was spread on plot 1 of South Park. Next time it is dry enough (hopefully next weekend) it will be rotavated and we will plant the next lot of broad beans and begin to drill salad, chard, turnips, radish, carrots and beetroot.

Temporary structure?

2008-03-08T23:03:00.002Z

Container at Coombe Farm. Is it a temporary structure or oporational development? Maybe Caradon District Council Planning Department know the answer.

View of Trevalon from over the valley

2008-03-08T22:53:00.002Z

Trees arrive

2008-03-08T21:46:00.006Z

Hedge plants arrive from Perihale nursery and are healed in before they are planted.

Locally grown Cornish varieties of apple tree arrive from Tim Pickles of Killigorrick Farm, 1/2 mile from Trevalon, healed in prior to planting on Sunday.

Trevalon Today

2008-03-06T23:25:00.020Z

Keeping busy while the sun shines

2008-03-04T20:24:00.005Z

After an early start harvesting salad leaves the Keveral Vege Boxes and the Taste Cornwall shop we set to work on framing the doors of the propogation tunnel. Last year propogation of transplants took place in a corner of the main growing tunnel. This year propogation will take place in a separate tunnel which is situated closer the the barn and mobile home. Once the wooden frame is constructed we will be ready to put the plastic on.

Meanwhile Dan, Anthony and Becky have been making steady progress putting the cladding on the polebarn.

All the plywood is on the roof and ready to be covered with plastic. In front of the barn is a newly constructed hedgebank planted with hazel, oak, hawthorn. Soon it will also be planted with three Cornish apple trees that will be pruned as standards.

Harvesting for "Taste Cornwall"

2008-03-03T23:31:00.001Z

A new shop has opened in Liskeard called "Taste Cornwall". Run by the Guild of Cornish Smallholders is stocks food produced within a 30 mile radius of Liskeard. We are now supplying them with fresh vegetables three times a week. Today we supplied them with Kale, Spring greens, purple sprouting brocolli, leeks and mixed salad.

Weather boarding starts to go up

2008-03-03T23:17:00.005Z

Today we started to put the western red cedar cladding onto the pole barn (inbetween the snow and rain).

6th March Vegetable box

2008-02-26T08:20:00.005Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (Cesear):1.2kg/1.3kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Devon
Mixed salad:100g/Trevalon
Curly Kale:350g/Trevalon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Cauliflower:1#/Tamar Valley
Cherry tomatoes:250g/Spain
Purple sprouting brocolli:300g/Trevalon
Large Boxes only
Sweet mama squash:1#/Devon
Beetroot:500g/Devon
Leeks:500g/Tamar Valley

Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic Fruit Boxes(fruit from wholesalers):£7/£10 (7 days notice)
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes Ceasar 65p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/Devon/75p/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/350g
Curly Kale/£1-00/350g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/350g
Winter Greens/£1-00/350g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g
Salad Rocket/£1-00/100g

28th February vegetable box

2008-02-25T23:36:00.002Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes (Cesear):1.3kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:100g/125g/Trevalon
Spring greens or Red Russian Kale:350g/Trevalon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Swede:700g/Tamar Valley
Mushrooms:250g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Purple Sprouting Brocolli:350g/Trevalon
Jerusulm Aritichokes:500g/Devon
Spring onions:100g/Trevalon or Garlic:150g/Spain
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic Fruit Boxes(from wholesalers):£7/£10 (need 7 days notice)
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Cornish Orchards Apple Juice £11-65/5l box
Potatoes Ceasar 65p/kg/Tamar valley
Carrots/75p/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/350g
Curly Kale/£1-00/350g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/350g
Winter Greens/£1-00/350g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g

Outdoor salad plots in Great Meadow

Winter greens in Great Meadow

Work continues on the pole barn

2008-02-25T21:45:00.019Z

Dan and Becky at work on the roof

Pole barn viewed from the roof of the compost toilet

The polebarn as seen from Great Meadow

Toasting the "topping out" of the barn

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The seed potatos arrive and are stored in the shipping container

24th January Vegetable Box

2008-01-21T21:32:00.000Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes:1.2kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:100g/125g/Trevalon
Black Italian Kale:350g/Trevalon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Sweet peppers:300g/350g/Holland
Cherry Tomatoes:300g/350g/Spain
Jerusulm Aritichokes:500g/Devon
Garlic:150g/Spain
Large Boxes only
Purple Sprouting Brocolli:350g/Trevalon
Celery:x1/Devon
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Fruit Boxes:£7/£10 (need 7 days notice)
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Ceasar 65p/kg
Stripy Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Yellow Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Carrots/75p/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/350g
Curly Kale/£1-00/350g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/350g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g

Packing vegetables

2008-01-12T16:17:00.001Z

On a thursday 85 vegetable boxes are laid out in our steel lined food grade shipping container. Things are a bit cramped and we are anticipating having to split the delivery onto two days as the business grows.

We will soon be putting a planning application for a purpoase built packing barn but for the time being we will have to make do with the shipping container.

Link to Cornish Voices

2007-12-26T18:09:00.001Z

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nk34l1EzHkM&feature=related

22nd November 2007 vegetable box

2007-11-19T00:42:00.000Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes:1.2kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Chard:300g/350g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:100g/125g/Trevalon
Leeks:500g/550g/Tamar Valley
Cabbage:x1/Trevalon
Pumpkin:x1/Devon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Beetroot:500g/550g/Trevalon
Cauliflower:x1/Devon
Celery:x1/Devon
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/55p/kg
Green Chard/£1-00/300g
Ruby Chard/£1-00/300g
Red Beetroot/£1-20/kg
Stripy Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Yellow Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Carrots/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/350g
Curly Kale/£1-00/350g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/350g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g

15th Novemeber Vegetable box

2007-11-11T09:14:00.000Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes:1.2kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Chard:300g/350g/Trevalon
Brussel sprouts:350g/400g/Trevalon
Mixed salad:100g/125g/Trevalon
Leeks:500g/550g/Tamar Valley
Parsnip:500/550g/Devon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Kale:350g/Trevalon
Swede:600g/Tamar Valley
Mushrooms:250g/UK
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/55p/kg
Green Chard/£1-00/300g
Ruby Chard/£1-00/300g
Red Beetroot/£1-20/kg
Stripy Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Yellow Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Carrots/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/350g
Curly Kale/£1-00/350g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/350g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g

8th November vegetable box

2007-11-03T08:10:00.000Z

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes:1.2kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Beetroot:500g/550g/Trevalon
Italian Kale:300g/350g/Trevalon
Bramley apples:600g/700g/SE Cornwall
Harliquin Squash:250g/300g/Tamar valley
Mixed salad:100g/125g/Trevalon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Chard:350g/Trevalon
Brussel sprouts:350g/Trevalon
Cauliflower:x1/Devon
Spring onion or Radish:100g/Trevalon
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/55p/kg
Green Chard/£1-00/300g
Ruby Chard/£1-00/300g
Red Beetroot/£1-20/kg
Stripy Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Yellow Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Carrots/£1-00/kg
Red Russian Kale/£1-00/350g
Curly Kale/£1-00/350g
Black Italian Kale/£1-00/350g
Mixed baby leaf salad/£1-00/100g

2007-10-27T10:25:00.000+01:00

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes:1.2kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Parsnip:500g/550g/Devon
Chard:300g/350g/Trevalon
Calabrese:350g/400g/Tamar Valley
leeks:500g/550g/Tamar valley
Mixed salad:100g/Trevalon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Mushroom:150g/270g/UK
Large Boxes only
Kale:350g/Trevalon
Garlic:x2/Spain
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/55p/kg
Chard/£1-00/300g
Beetroot/£1-20/kg
Carrots/£1-20/kg
Kale/£1-00/350g

25th October vegetable box

2007-10-19T21:01:00.000+01:00

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes:1.2kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
Beetroot:500g/Trevalon
Brussel sprout tops:350g/Trevalon
Calabrese:350g/400g/Tamar Valley
Pumpkin:x1/Tamar valley
Swede:700g/Cornwall
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Salad:100g/Trevalon
Chard:300g/Trevalon
Garlic:x2/Spain
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/75p/kg
Chard/£1-00/300g
Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Baby Carrots/£1-50/kg
Kale/£1-00/300g
Parsnip/1-50/kg

18th October vegetable box

2007-10-15T00:07:00.000+01:00

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes(Sharpo):1kg/1.3kg/Trevalon
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
French beans:250g/300g/Trevalon
Chard:300g/Trevalon
Parsnips:500g/550g/Trevalon
Bramley Apples:600g/SE Cornwall
Leeks:500g/550g/Cornwall
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Brussel Sprouts:200g/Trevalon
Kale:300g/Trevalon
Mushrooms:350g/Trevalon
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/75p/kg
Chard/£1-00/300g
Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Baby Carrots/£1-50/kg
Kale/£1-00/300g
Parsnip/1-50/kg

Sweetcorn harvest

2007-10-07T14:39:00.000+01:00

This week the ripening sweetcorn has been receiving the attention of our resident badger. A number of plants have been trampled to the ground and the corn has been eaten. We are taking the badgers approval as a sign that it is time to harvest, so this week every box will be getting a treat of fresh sweetcorn. Although the corns are only small they are very sweet. For best results we recomend that you eat them as soon as possible before the sugar turns to starch.

11th October vegetable box

2007-10-07T14:26:00.000+01:00

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
Potatoes(Sharpo):1kg/1.3kg/Trevalon
Carrots:500g/550g/Trevalon
French beans:250g/300g/Trevalon
Brussel sprout tops:300g/Trevalon
Sweetcorn (small):x4/x5/Trevalon
Parsnips:500g/550g/Trevalon
Beetroot:500g/Trevalon
Onions:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Chard:350g/Trevalon
Cherry Tomatoes:250g/Devon
Cougette:550g/Devon
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Potatoes Valor or sharpo/75p/kg
Chard/£1-00/300g
Beetroot/£1-50/kg
Baby Carrots/£1-50/kg
Kale/£1-00/300g
Parsnip/1-50/kg

4th October vegetable box

2007-09-29T20:51:00.000+01:00

Item:Small box/Large box/Source
New potatoes(Sharpo):1kg/1.3kg/Trevalon
Carrots:500g/500g/Trevalon
French/Runner beans:250g/350g/Trevalon
Chard:350g/Trevalon
Onions:550g/650g/Tamar Valley
Pumkin:1kg/1.5kg/Tamar Valley
Turnips:500g/Tamar Valley
Leeks:500g/550g/Devon
Large Boxes only
Kale:350g/Trevalon
Parsnip:500g/Trevalon
Celery:x1/Devon
Extras: All from Trevalon unless stated
Organic free range eggs £1-40/x6 (Penbugle, Duloe)
Salad Potatoes Charlotte/£1-00/kg
New maincrop Valor or sharpo/75p/kg
Chard £1-00/300g
Perpetual Spinach £1-00/300g
Beetroot £1-50/kg
Baby Carrots £1-50/kg
Dwarf french beans £4-00/kg
Runner beans £3-00/kg

Another letter to the council

2007-09-23T15:28:00.000+01:00

In response to the last letter from the planning department another letter has been written and is posted below.

Trevalon
Herodsfoot
Liskeard
PL14 4RS

27 09 07

Luxstowe House
Liskeard
Cornwall
PL14 3DZ

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your letter dated 18th September 2007. Unfortunately it fails to answer most of the questions that I put to you in my letter dated 13th of September. Whether or not I intend to appeal, the matters, which I have raised, remain unanswered and I would prefer to continue to attempt to resolve them with the relevant authority rather than presume prematurely that we are at an impassable disagreement.

Firstly, as requested, below are details of the use to which each field is put at Trevalon

Trevalon, Holding number 070680052, 7.39Ha

Field number 9945, Midsummer Meadow, 1.88Ha, permanent pasture, grazing by two working horses.

Field number 1264, Great Meadow, 2.20Ha, vegetable plots of which 1/3 are fertility building clover leys which are also used for grazing the two working horses.

Field number 8956, South Park, 2.14Ha, barn and yard area plus vegetable plots of which 1/3 are fertility building clover leys which are also used for grazing by two working horses. This field also includes the reinstated field of Three Corners, 0.2Ha used for grazing by two working horses.

Field number 0258, Small field, 0.95Ha, 0.35Ha are used for polytunnels and fruit production, 0.35Ha the are under fertility building clover leys and 0.25Ha are not yet included in the cropping cycle but will be planted with fruit trees this winter.

Field number 0258, Small Field Woodland, 0.2Ha

Spring, 0.02Ha

From the above it is clear that the area of land being used for an agricultural trade or business is currently about 6.92Ha and within the next few months this will rise to 7.17Ha, the remaining areas being woodland and the non-cropping area of the spring. I hope this resolves the issue of the extent of the agricultural enterprise. As far as I am aware, the assessment of the county land agent is the established means of judging the extent of an agricultural enterprise. I would like to draw your attention to the assessment made by the County Land Agent for planning application number 07/00175/Ful where he stated that 2Ha of vegetables were being grown. Also when he made an assessment for planning application number 06/00622/FUL he stated that 5Ha of land were being farmed, this assessment was made before the two working horses where also grazing the land.

It was in attempt to understand why you consider my agricultural enterprise to be less than 5 ha that I asked for your methods of assessment, which you have not provided. Please can you provide these along with full references to the case law referred to by Mr Mutton when he made his assessments.

Secondly, you responded to my question regarding how I am to establish a need for packing facilities, by stating that “this is what planning applications are for [as you did in your previously refused application]”. You seem to imply that establishing a need for packing facilities is related to the unsuccessful application for residential use. During this application, the County Land Agent assessed a business plan for Trevalon. This was considered to meet the financial test but not the functional test. His opinion regarding the functional need for my residential use of the land (on which the application was refused) seems to me irrelevant when considering whether I have established a need for vegetable packing facilities.

In your letter dated 9th September 2007 you acknowledged that vegetable packing facilities, office and rest-room are necessary for the maintenance of my business. In the same letter you have also acknowledged the pole barn is still under construction. When submitting applications for barns and polytunnels in 2006 I also submitted a detailed business plan, which was assessed by the County Land Agent as being justification for the machinery barn and polytunnels. These structures were given planning permission in November 2006 and are presently under construction. During that application process I was asked to remove plans for a vegetable packing barn. The business plan that was submitted was considered to be sound but it was stated that I had not actually established my business to a point where I was able to demonstrate a need for a vegetable packing barn. I would appreciate, as stated in my last letter, if you could briefly outline the process you anticipated me taking to establish my business to a point where I could demonstrate a need for permanent packing facilities without first making use of a temporary structure at a time when there were no other suitable structures present on the land.

Thank you for also for acknowledging that I am able to discuss the temporary provision of packing facilities with Development Control. Development Control have been aware of the shipping container, that is used for packing vegetables since it first arrived at Trevalon, when Mr Mutton visited Trevalon in February he stated that he would investigate whether it required planning permission since then I have not had a reply from him. This was also the position when at my request I had a meeting with Jonathan Luker of Caradon Enforcement Team who visited Trevalon in July 2007. After some discussion he said that he would talk to my planning case officer, Dean Mutton, and arrange a meeting in order to discuss submitting an amended application for residential use. He also said he would look into whether I needed to submit a planning application for the shipping container that was being used for packing vegetables. Instead of making arrangements for this meeting or inviting me to submit a planning application, I received enforcement documents. I have, since then, requested a meeting with my case officer and Susan Walters, so far no suggestion for a meeting date has been forthcoming. I therefore would like to request again, with whoever is appropriate, a meeting to discuss planning matters at Trevalon.

To the matter of permitted development rights, I have copied below the relevant section of the GDPO and would like to draw your attention to (Part 6, Class A, section A paragraph (b)). Please could you explain to me how this section excludes excavations from permitted development rights.

A. The carrying out on agricultural land comprised in an agricultural unit of 5 hectares or more in area of—
(a) works for the erection, extension or alteration of a building; or
(b) any excavation or engineering operations,
which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture within that unit.

I would also like to draw your attention to section A.2 (2) paragraph(c).

A.2 (2) Subject to paragraph (3), development consisting of—

(a) the erection, extension or alteration of a building;
(b) the formation or alteration of a private way;
(c) the carrying out of excavations or the deposit of waste material (where the relevant area, as defined in paragraph D.4 below, exceeds 0.5 hectare); or
(d) the placing or assembly of a tank in any waters,
is permitted by Class A subject to the following conditions—

I repeat that I would like you to review the decisions relating to Permitted Development Rights at Trevalon.

So far I have been told that I need to develop the business to a point where I can demonstrate a need for permanent packing facilities but have been served with an enforcement order when attempting to do this using temporary structures. I have been told that I need planning permission for a pond because the agricultural enterprise is not greater than 5ha but have been given no reasoning behind the decision to ignore the County Land Agents assessment on the matter. It seems that you are now arguing that a pond is not covered by permitted development rights at all. You have suggested that packing facilities could be housed in the barn with no regard to the successful planning application for construction of this barn for other agreed uses. You have previously stated that I have not convinced you of a functional need, despite not requesting this information, and you serve an enforcement order despite my social consequences statement making it clear that my business would close down if the enforcement was carried out. You have also failed to agree to further meetings since the decision to enforce. You have used planning laws and case history referring to caravan sites and supermarkets but have ignored legislation relevant to farms. A planning application for an agricultural barn on a farm was considered controversial and was put before the planning committee. An application for a dwelling in the open countryside was surprisingly not considered controversial and was refused without proper consideration and debate despite other similar applications being successful in the recent past. As you can see, it is difficult for me to come to any conclusion other than that you are trying to make it as difficult as possible for me to carry out my business of organic vegetable production at Trevalon regardless of the information I provide. If I do not receive satisfactory answers to these repeated questions I will be taking the matter up with the local government ombudsman.

Unfortunately your last letter also overlooked my request for full references to the case law relating to the shipping container and residential use of mobile home. Please can you provide full references for all case law used so that I can pass these on to my solicitor.

Yours Sincerely

Mark Simon