Our Founding Vision
Having acquired the lease on Oakbrook Farm from the Biodynamic Land Trust (BDLT), Oakbrook Community Benefit Society (OCBS) holds a 100 year lease from the BDLT, which bought the land in a community buy out in 2015.
Oakbrook Community Farm CBS Ltd was founded in April 2019 with the purpose of reconnecting people with land, nature, food, regenerative, biodynamic farming.
These are our objectives:
- To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection, and improvement of the physical and natural environment, particularly but not exclusively by promoting and utilizing Rudolf Steiner’s methods and principles of biodynamic agriculture and horticulture, processes and practices, and related agro-ecological, regenerative, organic, and sustainable land management activities.
To conserve, protect, and enhance for the benefit of the public the environment of the countryside through the prudent management, holding, and farming of the land and use of natural resources, particularly but not exclusively within the Stroud district and Gloucestershire.
- To advance education, particularly concerning asset-based community development and enterprises with a community, environmental, or cultural focus. This includes the education of the public by disseminating research and best practices in developing viable forms of land and property trusteeship for healthy food growing, cultural and community facilities, and workspace. Additionally, educating the public in all aspects of agri-ecological, organic, regenerative, sustainable, and biodynamic agriculture, apiculture, and horticulture.
- To advance the education, well-being, and health of the public, particularly but not exclusively, by providing opportunities such as creative place-based education, outdoor education such as forest schools, engagement with the arts, nature-based learning, crafting, education about food, and promoting low-carbon lifestyles.
Vision: As stated in 2019, our desired future for Oakbrook Community Farm is a thriving cluster of viable, organic land-based enterprises creating at least 12 jobs, producing good food for Stroud people, and with community facilities to welcome people. The beautiful bee-friendly ‘nature corridor’ will offer havens for bees, animals, insects, flowers, and trees, with permissive access. The farm will connect families with nature and food, becoming Stroud’s community farm, within easy walking distance of the center. This will be a community carbon-capturing farm that aims to become climate change resilient, as conventional farming currently generates around 11% of global carbon emissions.
≈