The village of Martin, Hampshire, UK, is an excellent example of how a small town can reconnect and recontrol a large proportion of their food system. 101 of Martin’s 164 households have joined the Future Farms cooperative for an annual £2 fee. The “community allotment” on 8 acres of land raises 45 types of vegetable in addition to pigs and chickens. Produce is priced on a ‘production cost plus 20%’ basis, and is sold to all villagers, not just members, at a weekly market at the village hall. Future Farms is careful to avoid the use of the word ‘organic’, but says they “work the enterprise on an extensive system using the minimum of chemical inputs”.

For more information about Martin visit Change Alley and “The Real Good Life”.
For more information about the Future Farm cooperative model visit http://www.futurefarms.org.uk/index.html.