Farm & Feast — Laurelbank Farm

What is Farm & Feast?

Farm & Feast is a community-supported agriculture scheme (CSA) based at Laurelbank Farm, in which members share the rewards and responsibilities of growing food. It’s a truly sustainable business model where members work together to grow and harvest delicious organic produce. The methods used help the land to regenerate, and respond to the ecosystem we live in. So if you would like to be happier, healthier and part of a community join us, and become more connected to the food you eat.

Join our waiting list

What does joining Farm & Feast Involve?

A Weekly Veg Box

On Wednesdays, from midday, you will be invited to collect your weekly organic veg box from Laurelbank Farm.

This season we are producing 28 weekly boxes of vegetables, from the beginning of May through until December. We will start and end with fortnightly boxes to reflect the gradual start to the growing season in Spring, and the slowing down of the harvest in Winter.

Weekly Recipes (and Farm News)

You will receive a dedicated newsletter each week with farm news and recipe suggestions for that week’s harvest. I’m always surprised and delighted that our weekly recipe suggestions are so valuable for our members - and so delighted to help you all with ideas for dinner that week!

Five Farm Gatherings across the Season

Over the growing season, you will be invited to the farm for Sundays spent taking part in farming tasks, before indulging in a delicious two-course lunch. You will experience a little of the hard graft of small-scale growing and a lot of the rewards of community growing and feasting.

Our farm gatherings this year will take place on the following Sundays: 28th April, 9th June, 28th July, 25th August, 22nd September.

Last year, tasks included creating an amazing Summer Solstice archway - the children painted the rays a fantastic vibrant yellow. We planted spuds, strawberries, and countless other vegetables and herbs. We dug beds, mulched, harvested, created a community book exchange, a bug hotel - the list goes on! Activities are very much optional - people drop in and out as they want. This about giving you and you the opportunity to experience the joys of growing food, being outside and communally creating lovely things - it’s not about who can work the hardest!

After a morning of growing and grafting, we will serve a delicious two course lunch in our magical event space The Gallery, using seasonal organic ingredients harvested from the farm, and the best of locally sourced produce.

An Exclusive End-of-Season Supper Club

In addition to the five Sundays we have planned, at the end of October, we will be inviting you to a special adult only end-of-season supper club on Saturday 2nd November. This is a chance for members to together and celebrate the end of the growing season. (The veg boxes will continue after this date, but as much of the hard work is done by then, we all deserve a big feast and a few drinks!)

To read testimonials from some of our pioneering members click here

Join our Farm & Feast waiting list

Membership Options:

Family Membership

FOR 2 ADULTS, PLUS KIDS
What you get:
26 large organic veg boxes to include vegetables, fruit, salad, herbs and edible flowers across the season, harvested from the farm.
A family pass to our 4 Sunday farm gatherings across the season. This entitles 2 adults (plus children) to attend.
Two tickets to attend our adult-only exclusive end-of-season supper club on Saturday 2nd November.
Total cost for the season: £1,078
Duo Membership

FOR 2 ADULTS
What you get:
26 large organic veg boxes to include vegetables, fruit, salad, herbs and edible flowers across the season, harvested from the farm.
A duo pass to our 4 Sunday farm gatherings across the season. This entitles 2 adults to attend.
Two tickets to attend our adult-only exclusive end-of-season supper club on Saturday 2nd November.
Total cost for the season: £997.50
Solo Membership

FOR 1 ADULT
What you get:
26 small organic veg boxes to include vegetables, fruit, salad, herbs and edible flowers across the season, harvested from the farm.
An individual pass to our 4 Sunday farm gatherings across the season. This entitles you (i.e. 1 adult) to attend.
What to bring a friend? Why not check out our “Pal Membership”!
One ticket to attend our adult-only exclusive end-of-season supper club on Saturday 2nd November.
Total cost for the season: £518
Pal Memberhip

FOR 1 ADULT,
What you get:
An individual pass to our 4 Sunday farm gatherings across the season. This entitles you (i.e. 1 adult) to attend.
One ticket to attend our adult-only exclusive end-of-season supper club on Saturday 2nd November.
Total cost for the season: £252
Veg Only Membership

What you get:
Organic veg boxes to include vegetables, fruit, salad, herbs and edible flowers across the season, harvested from the farm.
To be collected at the farm from 12 noon on Harvest Wednesdays, or from our Belfast pick-up point on Wednesday evenings.
Large Box: £24.00 per box (£504 for the season)
Small Box: £12.50 per box (£262.50 for the season)
First box for new members is on Wednesday 24h July continuing through until Christmas 2024. (21 boxes total)

FAQs

Q1. When can I pick up my vegetables?

Your share of the weekly harvest will be available for pick up from Laurelbank Farm on Wednesdays, any time after midday.
Alternatively you can pick up your vegetables from our East Belfast pick up point. Just let us know your preference when you sign-up.
First collection was on Wednesday 22nd May 2024. The first collection for our new members will be 5th June 2024.
Q2. How do I sign up?

We may be re-opening Farm & Feast to a small number of new members later in the season.
To keep up-to-date with everything going on at the farm, an to be first in line to join sign-up to our mailing list here!
Q3. What happens if I go on holiday?

If you are on holiday, you are very welcome to send someone else to pick up your share of the produce that week (let us know to expect someone different).
However, Farm & Feast Sunday gatherings are open to you and your family / pal only.
If you have joined as an individual pass member you are welcome to bring a different friend / family member to Farm & Feast Sundays (though do remember to tell us about their dietary requirements!)
Q4. Are children welcome at Farm & Feast Sundays?

Children of all ages are very welcome at Farm & Feast Sunday gatherings, and older children will be encouraged to get involved in tasks on the farm appropriate to their age and abilities. However it remains the parent or guardian's responsibility to supervise their children at all times.
It was such a joy to see families getting stuck into activities on the farm all together last year!
Q5. I just want to buy some vegetables. Is that possible?

Yes. We have a veg only membership options. You can choose between a large or small box of delicious organic produce.
We also have an honesty box style farm shop set up in our Cow Byre at the farm. You can drop in on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays to help yourself to the best of the seasonal produce of the week.
The selection of veg available will vary each week, but we’ll aim to always have a supply of our famous seasonal salad mix bags.
Check out our social media to find out what you’ll find available each week.
Q6. What dates will Farm & Feast gatherings be on over the summer?

The dates for Farm & Feast Sunday gatherings for the 2024 season are as follows:
Sunday 28th April, Sunday 9th June, Sunday 28th July, Sunday 25th August, Sunday 22nd September.
The supper club will be on Saturday 2nd November 2024
Q7. What vegetables will we grow?

Below are some photos from previous seasons to give you an idea of the produce we'll be growing this season.
We can never predict the weather or growing conditions but we aim to grow:
Basics like potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, parsnips, brussel sprouts, green beans, peas, tomatoes, cucumber, cauliflower & turnip.
Favourites like spring onions, aubergines, courgettes, shallots, beetroot, garlic, squash, radish, chillis, fennel, celery, spinach & mixed salad leaves.
As well as slightly more unusual vegetables like kohlrabi, rainbow chard, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, radicchio, kai-lan, romanesco, mouli & pak choi.
As always there will be herbs like coriander, dill, chocolate mint, rosemary, bay, chervil & thai basil. As well as fruits & edible flowers such as strawberries, raspberries, calendula, cornflowers, nasturtium, dahlias, borage & french marigolds!
We will provide recipes for any of the more unusual vegetables!
Q8. How big is the scheme?

We currently grow enough produce to feed around 30 families on around 0.5 acres of growing space here at Laurelbank Farm. One day, I hope this will expand to 50 families.
As memberships are purchased this season, we will be reviewing and amending the number and type of memberships still available.
Q9. Can you deliver my vegetables?

No. We ask our members to come to the farm to pick up the produce each week. Or if its more convenient we have an East Belfast pick-up point.
We believe that feeling the vegetables in your hands, touching the soil and seeing the produce grow are a vital part of the experience that we are offering!
(Having said that, if several members live close together, you are very welcome to take it in turns to pick up the veg). Or arrange to meet other members at the farm and enjoy the peace and quiet of rural County Down for a couple of hours. This is your farm too!
Q10. Are you vegetables really organic?

Yes. We completed our organic conversion period on 1 January 2023 so everything we now grow is officially, and proudly organic.
We are certified by the Organic Trust Ireland.
Q11. Do I need a "family membership" if I have a baby?

Babes-in-arms go free! If you have a young baby, feel free to sign up for the “duo” membership (if there are two of you) or the “solo” membership.