New tenant for Oakcroft Organic Estate
Organic since the early 1960s, Oakcroft Organic Gardens in Malpas, Cheshire has been owner, Mehr Fardoonji’s, life’s work.
The land has provided organic food for the local community for over 50 years and Mehr is dedicated to ensuring Oakcroft will always be available for organic growing. That’s why she has pledged it to the Soil Association Land Trust, of which she is a Trustee.
“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever; the goal is to create something that will.”
Mehr is looking for a new tenant to take on the lease of the 2.5 acres which includes two mobile glasshouses, propagating house, large barn, storage and preparation areas.
In her 20s, Mehr walked to collect land for the landless as part of Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan (land gift) movement. She spent four years in Shantipuri (a peace village) in the foothills of the Himalayas, settling the landless and helping families set up farms. She started growing organically on one acre of land and built her own Devonshire style cob cottage.
Returning to the UK in 1959, Mehr set up Oakcroft, one of the earliest certified organic gardens in the UK and ran it successfully for many years. In more recent times, the garden has been managed by helpers and tenants.
If you are interested in tenanting, full details can be found here.