Arran Pioneer Project

Cordon Community Garden

July 2020 - present

We have worked with local volunteers in Cordon, 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’ve also helped to put up a small polytunnel which was donated to the project. Volunteers have worked to establish healthy vegetable on a space that was previously overgrown with brambles, and they have overseen a very productive first season in 2021. The field has also been resident to nine 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 from 11am to 1pm.

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 improve the space. We have helped to purchase seeds and plant new fruit trees as well as supplying peat free compost. Please email us if you would like to get involved.

Corrie Community Garden

June 2021 - present

Over winter 2021/2022 we are helping to establish a community garden at the old donkey field in Corrie. As well as working with local landowner Charles Fforde to make this site available for food production, we have helped to acquire a polytunnel frame and deer fencing for this site. The site is connected to a larger plan to bring hutting to Arran through our associated project Arran Huts. 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 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.

Pirnmill Community Farm

October 2020 - present

Three little pigs have been tearing up a storm in the north west, and the community at Pirnmill are doing an amazing job of looking after them. We originally recommended pigs as a natural way of tearing up the bracken from the roots on this site - which was made available to the community by Jamie Gibbs of Dougarie Estate - in order to clear space for growing food. Thanks to funding from Arran Trust were able to install fencing to keep the pigs in and the deer out. Now the volunteers are making plans about what to do with the space in the future, and transforming this unused land into a community growing space. We’re very excited to see how the site develops and delighted to have been able to help make this happen. Volunteer days are typically held on Sundays from 11am.

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, we 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.

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.