In this week’s column Anna Clayton from FoodFutures invites you to help shape the future of Summerhouse Farm.
In February 2025 LESS, a Lancaster based community organisation, bought three acres of land known as Summerhouse Farm. This land purchase was made possible by a local Charitable Trust and UK Shared Prosperity funding from the UK Government. Thank you!
This agricultural piece of land borders Lancaster canal, is home to a large modern barn and open fields and is within walking distance from Lancaster City Centre. It was bought as part of a wider FoodFutures strategy and dream to see more land put into community ownership and being used for education and growing healthy soils, biodiversity and sustainable food for local residents.
LESS has now created a survey and is organising a series of events over the autumn and winter to invite visions for the site, to welcome visitors to get to know it and its surrounding communities, and to co-create a permaculture design that enables:
- Food growing
- Education and training
- Community building
To help shape how the site develops, please complete this short survey by 26 September 2026: www.surveymonkey.com/r/summerhouse_farm_dreams Your response will directly feed into the site’s permaculture design and how it develops going forward.
The programme of Summerhouse Farm workshops and events can be found at foodfutures.org.uk/whats-on/ and below. They will include a compost toilet workshop series and a Biofertiliser workshop with Matt Dunwell in August and September.
A Regenerative Enterprise workshop, open day and a water harvest design workshop with Dr Rod Everett will be held in October.
November will see a Permaculture design unveiling and REcommoning exhibition where you can feedback on the initial Summerhouse Farm Permaculture Design, learn stories about its past and approaches to REcommoning going forwards.
February will see a number of tree planting sessions and a bed prep workshop with Dr Dionysios ‘Dennis’ Touliatos. Dennis will also run a workshop on ‘extending the growing season’.
If you would also like to be kept in the loop about Summerhouse Farm activities, workshops and other events, please share your email address when completing the survey and answer fully the questions around your interests in getting involved.
UPCOMING EVENTS
10 September 9:30 – 12:30 Summerhouse Farm Bio Blitz. Book here.
30 September: Biofertiliser workshop with Matt Dunwell. Book here.
3 October: 10:00 – 14:00. Regenerative Enterprise Workshop. Book here.
4 October: 11:00 – 15:00. Summerhouse Farm Open Day.
12 October: 10:00 – 17:00 Water harvest design workshop. Book here.
8 November: 11:00 – 14:00 Permaculture design unveiling & REcommoning exhibition. Book here.
