Arran Pioneer Project

Cordon Community Garden

July 2020 - present

We have worked with members of the Cordon community in Lamlash since summer 2020 to bring an old tattle field back into use as a community garden. Local volunteers have built a rabbit fence to keep the rabbit population of Cordon at bay, and we also helped to put up a small polytunnel which was donated to the project. Volunteers have worked to establish healthy no dig beds on a space that was previously overgrown with brambles, and they have overseen very productive first seasons in 2021 and 2022. The field has also been resident to twelve chickens in total, who have helped to keep pests at bay while adding fertility to the soil. Volunteer days are typically held every Thursday and Sunday.

Cladach Community Garden

July 2020 - present

We are delighted to be working with the Cladach Community Garden near Brodick. Over the last decade local volunteers have been using this space to grow vegetables and we have helped to continue activities here, attract new volunteers and expand the space. We have helped to purchase seeds and plant new fruit trees as well as supplying peat free compost and improving the infrastructure. Please email us if you would like to get involved.

Pirnmill Community Garden

October 2020 - present

Between 2021 and 2022, the community at Pirnmill did an amazing job of looking after pigs on this site, which we originally recommended as a natural way of tearing up the bracken from the roots in order to clear space for growing food. The site was made available to the community by Jamie Gibbs of Dougarie Estate and thanks to funding from Arran Trust were able to install fencing to keep the pigs in and the deer out. The community continues to tranfrorm this unused land into a growing space. Amoong other work, they have planted a small orchard, erected a polytunnel and built a soft fruit cage as well as planting native trees as a windbreak. Stones from the site have been used to build pathways and raised beds. Volunteer days are typically held on Sundays.

Kilpatrick

January 2021 - present

Local farmers Ailsa and Donald Currie approached us in winter 2020 with a view to turning a small corner of Bellevue Farm into a community garden. Given that this site is away from the centre of Blackwaterfoot village, the group has decided the space would be best suited to a perennial design to compliment the woodland aspect of the site and require less maintenance by volunteers. We helped to plant fruit trees and bushes and put up a garden shed which was donated to the site. Volunteers also grew tatties over the 2021 season. Please email us if you would like to get involved.

Glen Estate Garden

June 2021 - present

Since summer 2021 we have been working with Trust Housing association to help to improve the growing space at the Glen Estate sheltered housing. The estate already had access to a glass greenhouse and we have helped to improve this space. In 2022 we planted six fruit trees in the garden. Please email us if you would like to get involved.

Corrie Community Garden

June 2021 - December 2024

From 2021 to 2024, the Arran Pioneer Project helped establish a community garden at the old donkey field in Corrie. Working with local landowner Charles Fforde, we facilitated making this site available for community food production. Our work included establishing growing areas, building a deer fence, planting fruit trees and soft fruit, establishing a willow dome, and adding windbreaks for long term protection from storms, and native woodland to enhance biodiversity.

In 2023, Corrie Community Garden CIC was formed, taking on the management of the site and signing a lease with Arran estate. Throughout 2024, we occasionally visited to offer support to the group, as well as monitor the development of the trees and plants we had established. We maintain connection with the Corrie community through local initiatives such as the Zero Waste Cafe.

The site was connected to a larger plan to bring hutting to Arran through our associated project Arran Huts, and though the planning proposal submitted by Arran Estates was not successful in December 2022, we are now pursuing this in other parts of the island in partnership with Duthchas Arainn CBS.

Lochranza Community Farm

July 2020 - November 2022

We have worked closely with people from the village of Lochranza since summer 2020 to set up a community farm which has been exceptionally well received. The land was identified by local landowner Charles Fforde of Arran Estate when we approached him with regards to finding land to grow food. Local volunteers helped to build a deer fence and a polytunnel, which we were able to acquire through funding from the Arran Trust and the National Lottery communities fund. We have also helped to plant an orchard with schoolchildren in March 2021. The community have come together to run a successful growing season in 2021, and they organised market days throughout the season which the Pioneer Project helped to promote. Volunteer days are organised locally.

Robin Gray's Farm

April 2020 - June 2020

Between April and June 2020 volunteers helped to transform an overgrown piece of land at Sandbraes, Whiting Bay, into a productive part of Robin Gray's farm.