VISIT CLOUGHJORDAN 22ND-24TH FEBRUARY: Co-operative food event & gig!

From Friday to Sunday 22nd to 24th February, there are a number of great events on in Cloughjordan. There's a smallholder event, a co-operative and community food event, and a great fun(d) raising gig on the Saturday night. See below for much more, including full programme at the end on this posting.

TO BOOK CLICK HERE
In the boom times, a sense of community and co-operation seemed to waiver. The focus was on the individual, the personal property portfolio, and other private money making initiatives.

Meanwhile, the co-op movement plodded along. There are almost 1500 registered co-ops in Ireland, and many more companies and organisations with co-operative principles written into their constitution. There are over 300 co-ops in the argi-food, forestry and fisheries area alone.

According to Dr. Olive McCarthy of UCC's Centre for Co-operative studies “Historically, co-ops start out with the aim of achieving a fair price for production, and as hub for community development. An early motto was 'Better farming, Better business, Better living'. However Co-operative consciousness declined by the 1920s”.

Though under-emphasised in the history books, co-operatives were an integral part of the push for independence. After the Land Acts initiated a shift in land ownership and ownership of production, the co-ops initiated a change in distribution. Within a few decades, Irish peasants and small farmers controlled production and distribution of the main asset the land produced – milk. Political independence was just a step after that.

With co-ops, something happens along the way, however. Unless checked, they slowly loose their community focus and become primarily businesses focused, with full time managers ensuring profit. While this does of course have benefits and positives, it also undoubtedly represents a loss too.

So every few decades, the co-op movement reinvents itself. A small step in the process of re-enchanting the co-op, one I am involved in myself, is happening on the 23rd and 24th of this month, in Cloughjordan Tipperary. (a pre-event smallholder and CSA Salon is also on 22nd, see programme below)

There, in the newly built and innovative WeCreate space (see pic) in the town's ecovillage quarter, “Feeding Ourselves: How communities can benefit from co-operative food systems” will be held.

The aim of the event is to co-learn how a cooperative approach can strengthen and build more resilient and sustainable food systems, while at the same time supporting communities and local economies.

Case studies, presentations and breakout discussions will be held on topics such as community supported agriculture, food coops and buyers clubs, community kitchens, food hubs, community shops, on-line distribution models, community gardens and other local supply and distribution systems.

The format will, aptly, be very participatory. There will not be a sequence of experts pontificate from the podium. Instead, novel organisational techniques will be used to ensure that lots of the expertise in the room emerges and is made available to all.

“If you want to create and support jobs in your area, help secure your food supply, are part of a community that wants to strengthen its local economy, or are a grower looking for a rewarding and potentially profitable way of supplementing your income, this event is for you” says Davie Philip, chair of Cloughjordan Community Farm, which is organising the event.

The event should be of interest to GIY groups, transition towns movements, organic growers who want to learn how to access new markets, community organisations and many more.

The UK's Plunket Foundation are also involved. Mike Perry of the organisation sees this as “an important and timely event which we’re delighted to be part of”. They will bring what they have learned in their experiences with supporting the community food movement in the UK to Ireland.

Plunket were involved with another Tipperary initiative, the Loughmore's community cafe. Representatives of Loughmore will be outlining their initiative, and how it came about, at the event.

RTE's Ella McSweeney will host a panel discussion on the way forward for co-operative approaches to food.

Accommodation is available in the ecovillage's hostel, Djangos (087 2569348).

There is a Cloughjordan Community farm fundraiser Saturday 23rd, featuring the multi nation reggae band Dub Investigation, and the Pressure Drop reggae sound system. (see poster)

Weekend conference tickets are E50, individual sessions are also priced specifically, including an Irish Smallholders Association event on Friday 22nd. (E10 Friday; E35 saturday; E20 sunday) For bookings, email training@cloughjordancommunityfarm.ie or ring Davie on 087 6340697.

TO BOOK: CLICK HERE

Full programme Feeding Ourselves – Schedule

Friday
09.00 – 17.00 – Complete Introduction to Smallholding
With Lily de Sylva of the Irish Smallholders Association.
This full-day course covers all aspects of small-scale food production, giving you the basic information you need to get going on a small farm project, from your back yard to a few acres. The course costs €50 for the full day, including lunch. There are a maximum of 12 places available. For bookings, and further details, please visit http://www.smallholding.ie/courses.html

19.30 – 21.30 – The Community Supported Agriculture Salon
A ‘salon’ is a gathering of people held to increase the knowledge of the participants through conversation. This ‘salon’ on CSA will discuss what the different types are, where they have been developed, introduce how we do CSA here in Cloughjordan and explore the barriers to more being established.

Saturday
10.00 - Opening
10.10 – Voices form the Field. Short presentations/ case studies on different community approaches to growing and distributing food. The aim of this session is to provoke conversation in the café discussion.
Community Kitchens and Shops, Online Distribution Systems, Bread Club, Pork Share, Beef Bonds, CSAs, Food Coops/ Buyers Clubs, Food Sovereignty Initiatives, Cooperative Structures, Community Gardens
11.30 - World Café Discussion – ‘The opportunities and barriers of a cooperative approach’
13.00 - Lunch – Options Below
14.30 - Feeding Ourselves Panel Discussion - The Cooperative the Way Forward
Ella McSweeney of RTE will lead this discussion, which will build on what we have heard so far and look at the setting up, structuring and the financing of cooperative food systems.
16.00 - Break
16.15 - Making Local Food Work – James Alcock, Head of Frontline, Plunkett Foundation (UK)
James is responsible for Plunkett’s Frontline service, ensuring rural communities have access to advice and support setting up and running community enterprises.
17.00 - Close
20.00 – Eating Together at Cloughjordan House - €10
22.00 – Dancing Together at Cloughjordan House - €10 (Event participants) €12
The Dub Investigation supported by Pressure Drop Sound system will provide the inspiration to dance. Food, refreshments and drinks will be available. This is a fundraiser for the Cloughjordan Community Farm

Sunday
11.00 - Tour of the Ecovillage and Community Farm
12.30 - Lunch
13.30 - Open Space Session – Focused breakout sessions on specific topics….
Growers – (CSAs, single crop CSAs, Community Gardens, Securing Livelihoods)
Cooperative Approaches (Community Shops, Food Coops, Community Kitchens, Buyers Groups)
On Line Distribution, (OOOBY Model and other emerging online distribution systems)
Food Sovereignty (Food security through local, just and environmentally sound food systems)
15.30 – Plenary – Sharing our learning and moving forward.
16.00 - Close

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