veggie

New co-operative offers ‘veggie box scheme without the boxes’

A budding co-operative hopes Gloucestershire families will dig their new business venture: a veggie box scheme without the boxes.

Stroud-based Down to Earth will create vegetable patches at the homes of people who like the idea of organic produce grown in their own garden, but lack the time or enthusiasm to spend hours at the end of a fork or spade.

The company has been formed by professional gardener Amanda Godber, her daughter Jordana Godber and co-operative stalwart Stuart Major.

The co-operators are all passionate about encouraging customers to eat healthy, tasty, seasonal and locally-produced fruit and vegetables whilst reducing their carbon footprints by cutting down on food miles and packaging.

Amanda explained: “In recent years we have been encouraged to get in our cars and drive to the supermarket for our fruit and vegetables, which are often wrapped in plastic and flown in from around the world.

“Meanwhile, 80 percent of UK households have access to a garden, but less than a third are using them to grow anything to eat.

“Growing our own fruit and vegetables has many benefits. Because we harvest when we need to, the produce tastes better and fewer nutrients are lost. Food miles are, of course, reduced significantly.”

The services of the co-operative are available to a range of people, from ambitious hands-on gardeners who need start-up advice to the enthusiastic but time-limited garden owner who needs help to see the whole process through – from preparing the land and planting the seeds to nurturing and harvesting the produce.

Down to Earth is being launched with the help of Gloucester-based Co-operative Futures, an agency funded by Midcounties Co-operative that encourages the formation of new co-operatives in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Swindon, Wiltshire and the West Midlands.

Director Jim Pettipher said: “From the tiny seed of an idea about producing fresh and local produce, Down to Earth is blossoming into a real business success story, and one we’re very pleased to be associated with.”

Down to Earth services will be available from the end of January 2010. Anyone interested in finding out more can call 07575 286 818 or email downtoearthstroud@gmail.com.

Anyone interested in starting or growing a business that is a co-operative or community owned enterprise can contact Jim Pettipher at Co-operative Futures on 0845 456 2506 or at info@co-operativefutures.coop

Pictured: Jordana and Amanda Godber and Stuart Major celebrate the launch of the Down to Earth co-operative.