Community Fund – COCA – February Update

February has been both “fill dyke” and also dry so a variety of tasks have been achieved at COCA this month. Caz has been helped latterly by Flemming, from Germany, here as Wwoofer until mid March. Bit by bit, old crops are being cleared from the field, the ancient woody stems of cabbages and cauli’s shredded for compost, and black plastic mulches are being lifted and stored for another season. In the polytunnels, new salads have been planted out and are growing away strongly, while the greens planted in November are cropping well so that members have enjoyed big bags of wonderful tasty mustards, mizuna, parsley, rocket and lettuce leaves. We have been let down with the over-winter carrot crop, since a rat or rabbit got in, and chewed off half the plants in just two days, as well as damaging our indoor spinach and broccoli plants. Grrr!

Despite that, Caz and Anne have planted up trays and trays of onion seed, various cabbages and all the tomatoes and peppers for the summer, and the propagation area is full with green shoots shooting. The outdoor cropping season begins next month as the field is cultivated bit by bit when the weather suits. Meanwhile, the Core Group has agreed that we can set up a hub for share collections in Goodwick (at the Seafront Garage), and design work for the new Cartref COCA share shed has begun in earnest. It’s going to be a busy year!