Exploring Models for Farm Incubators: A 2 day visit in Cornwall

From June 16th-17th 2026 the Landworkers' Alliance is collaborating with the EU Farm Incubator network Access to Land, for two days' of visits and workshops exploring different models supporting new entrants onto the land. The event will bring together members of the EU network with landworkers and farmstart network members in the UK, providing an opportunity to share ideas and knowledge from across a range of European contexts.

Sessions and visits include:

Day 1: Tuesday June 16th

10am -1pm: Visit to Tamar Grow Local Farmstart Site (PL17 8EX)

Tamar Grow Local is a farm start which is home to 4 small business tenants and 2 community projects including a vineyard, 3 traditional market gardens, a flax growing project and a lavender start-up. We'll be hearing how and why the farm start was established, looking at key aspects such as funding, land availability and routes to market.

2.30pm -5pm: Working with local councils to set up a Farmstart (Harrowbarrow Village Hall, PL17 8BQ)

Bethan McIlroy will be leading a session on how to work with local councils to set up new farm incubator sites, reflecting on her experience of working with Nottinghamshire County Council.

Day 2: Wednesday June 17th
10am- 1pm: Visit to Ecological Land Cooperative Site - Orchard Park (PL14 5BD)

 The Ecological Land Co-operative  purchases agricultural land, and works with ecologists, planning experts, and the local community, to put together an application to the local planning authority for a cluster of residential ecological smallholdings. Once planning permission has been granted, the ELC finds stewards to set up land-based enterprises. We'll be learning about the ELC model from Wild Tor Organics and Trelowen Flowers, who are the stewards of Orchard Park, and who will be showing us around the site. 

2.30pm - 5pm: 'Grow More Growers' Demonstration Pilot / Basic Income for Farmers (Calstock Arts, PL18 9QX )

Jo Poulton, founder of the Basic Income For Farmers campaign, will invite participants to collectively vision a world where all agricultural workers are financially secure, whilst exploring the details of their first demonstration pilot called ‘Grow More Growers’. The pilot seeks to empower new entrant growers with access of up to 3 acres of land, agroecological training, infrastructure, a peer-to-peer support network, a start-up grant and a Basic Income.

Transport and Accommodation

This event will take place across a number of different locations and you will need your own vehicle to move between them. If this is a barrier to you attending, please let us know and we can let you know if a space becomes available in the minibus being hired by the EU group.

You will also need to arrange your own accommodation.

Shared meals

Over the two days we will be having shared meals together, which will be a good opportunity to network and learn from the participants attending from the EU group.

Lunches will be provided (at Harrowbarrow Village Hall (PL17 8BQ) on Tues 16th, and Calstock Arts (PL18 9QX ) on Weds 17th) and there will also be a shared dinner at Harewood Farm (PL18 9SQ) on the evening of Tuesday 16th, at 6.30pm. These will be free for LWA members. For non-members we're asking for a contribution of £30 to cover the catering costs.

Sign-up details

Please note, the deadline for signing up to this event is June 1st.

We would like people to attend for both days so that they can get the most out of the visit. However, we appreciate it might be hard for some to commit for this length of time. If you are only able to come to one of the days, please indicate this on the booking form and we will contact you if we have enough places available to accommodate this.

CANCELLATIONS:

This event has been made possible through grant funding and there are limited spaces available. If you book but find you can’t attend, please let us know- as soon as possible so that we can assign your ticket to someone else.

If you have any enquiries in relation to this event, please contact chloe.broadfield@landworkersalliance.org.uk