In 2011 Llwyn Ffranc Limited, a community benefit society, launched a community share offer to buy part of Llwyn Ffranc Farm on the slopes of the Skirrid, a holy mountain close to the Welsh town of Abergavenny. We have raised about £44,000 and are now in the process of buying a 50-acre woodland at the farm.
We currently have 121 members in Wales, England, Scotland, France, Germany, Australia, the United States and Canada. Even after the formal end of the share offer on December 31, 2011 we are still able to welcome new shareholders who wish to purchase one or more £50 shares.
Our mission is to connect people with land, food and forest. A central aim is to create a viable model of community-owned farming for the 21st century. We sell regularly now at markets in Abergavenny and Cardiff, offering bara brith and a range of seasonal produce from wild garlic leaves to elderflower cordial, from apple and sloe jelly to fresh foraged fruit.
We want this farm to be a meeting place. On SaturdayApril 13 and Sunday May 12, 2013, we hold our third Wild Garlic Festival, a celebration of woodland and wild food, the first date at Llwyn Ffranc Farm and the second date at Arcadia Wood in nearby Pantygelli.
Liz Knight, whose food graces the shelves of Fortnum and Masons, shares her knowledge of how to cook with foraged food on day one at Llwyn Ffranc.
Franco Taruschio, the chef who made the Walnut Tree Inn famous, joined us last year and will be part of the festivities in Arcadia Wood on Sunday May 12, demonstrating how to cook with wild garlic and setting a relaxed festival tone.
For more information and guidance on how to book please go to the Wild Garlic Festival page.
