In 2018, LESS commissioned a feasibility study into a Lancaster-based FarmStart initiative. The work scoped the potential for sales of local produce; the interest of local people in training to be small-scale farmers and earning a living from growing food; and the logistics/partners for such a project.

In 2019, having secured grant funding, we ran a pilot Growers’ Support Course for would-be FarmStarters. This engaged an emerging community of those wanting to access opportunities for training as small-scale sustainable farmers. 

During those two years we were also seeking partners and a site for the programme. On 1 June 2020 we took over the lease of a small plot (just under an acre) of land at Old Holly Farm, located just off the A6 between Lancaster and Garstang. In January 2021 we also took over the lease for an indoor growing site on the Lancaster City Council White Lund Nursery site.

From two small paddocks and a polytunnel the sites will be developed into a training centre for would-be small-scale farmers and a supplier of local organic produce. Over time, our vision is to support the education and training needed for a ring of farms and associated food processing in North Lancashire.

We have set up a small society lottery fundraising scheme to raise money for the project and engage a wider community around the issues that the project stands for.

The site (in combination, we hope, with other sites around the city) will both act as an exemplar small growing business and host the FarmStart training programme which will cover business as well as horticultural skills.

In early 2026 we say goodbye (with thanks!) to our paddocks at Old Holly farm and focus on setting up a new market garden at Summerhouse Community Farm in Lancaster.

Our FarmStart programme is a year-long scheme, beginning each Spring and starting next in 2027. It aims to enable future growers to learn both business and horticulture skills needed to run a small-scale growing enterprise, and to help overcome some of the barriers to accessing land and markets.

The curriculum is delivered through specialist classroom sessions, on-the-job training (2 days a week), mentoring and farm visits to other local projects. 

The focus is on growing at commercial scale and on commercial terms, using organic, regenerative principles, and building a resilient local food production and distribution system within north Lancashire.

You can meet our current and former FarmStart trainees below in the News section.