OZCF offers small allotments for use within the farm for use by individuals, families and friends.
Why have an allotment?
The benefits of allotments are many:
- Fresh food and improved quality of life: if you cannot grow food at home, a garden allotment will allow you to grow healthy veg and herbs for yourself.
- Community and friendship: our farm brings many like-minded gardeners together with a common interest into a small area working and growing next to one another. Friendships and connections develop and strengthen every day.
- Relax and connect with nature: getting your hands into the soil, turning your focus to the health of other living creatures, watching the weather and the turn of seasons with fresh interest, establishing a real and meaningful connection with the growing world, spending time amid tranquil beauty — these all help refresh, inspire and heal us body, mind and soul.
How do I get an allotment?
We currently have 32 allotments at the farm, each of which is on a 6 month subscription period. The periods are staggered throughout the year, so the possibility of an allotment becoming available could happen any given month. Current allotment holders are given the option to renew at the end of their 6 months and thereby may retain their allotment, but when they choose not to, then that allotment becomes available and is offered to the next person on the waiting list.
Due to great demand, we are also opening up new allotments on the farm to increase the total number available. We will offer these to the waiting list first, and if there are still any available after that we will make a general announcement via social media and other channels.
The best way to get an allotment is to put yourself on the waiting list by e-mailing allotments@ozcf.co.za
Basic facts:
Allotment size: 6m2 is the normal size, but some vary from 5 to 8m2 . All pricing is given for the normal size, but for bigger or smaller allotments the costs are pro-rated proportionally.
Access: Allotment holders have access to a lock box with keys that provide them convenient daily access to their allotment
Cost: First time holders: R4500 for 6 months or R5400 to have the farm do all the watering for your allotment. Options for payment include 100% up front or 50% to secure your allotment and 50% within the first 30 days of the start of your allotment period. Payment can be by EFT, credit card or SnapScan. For renewing allotment holders, the costs drop to R3900 (normal) or R4800 (with full watering).
Conduct: All allotment holders must agree to sign and abide by the OZCF Allotment Holder Code of Conduct
What’s included?
- Bed preparation for planting (manure, levelling, irrigation)
- All seeds and seedlings for planting for each season, as well as a number of ‘fill’ or ‘replacement’ seedlings through the season (up to R150 value per 6 months)
- Trellises for climbers and stakes and other structures to use for supporting larger plants
- Hoop iron and netting for use to help protect young plants from birds, squirrels and other pests
- Organic fertilizers (chicken pellets, cow manure, etc.) to help maintain soil health and required nutrients (up to R100 value per 6 months)
- Basic irrigation to keep the beds at a basic level of moisture required for the season and weather, but depending on what’s planted in each allotment the holder will likely need to provide additional watering themselves (there is an option to pay to have that service provided by the farm).
- A slate marker you can write your name on or otherwise personalise your allotment
- First time holders also get
- Annual membership as a Friend of the Farm (one per allotment only)
- Practical mentoring and workshops to help you learn about soil health, pest management, watering, etc.
What is NOT included?
- Hand tools and personal items such as gloves, hats, etc.
- Weeding service
- Harvesting service
Additional terms and conditions:
- OZCF is an organic farm. All the seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, etc., used by the allotment holders will be provided by the farm. It is strictly prohibited to use products or materials that are not coming from the farm or previously authorised by the farm manager.
- Allotment holders have access to a key to the farm providing access between sunrise and sunset. Access at other times is expressly prohibited. Outside the normal operating hours of the farm, allotment holders are responsible not to let any other person who is not also an allotment holder to enter the farm by locking the gate behind them when they enter the farm and by locking the gate after they leave the farm, returning the key to the lockbox and securing the lockbox properly.
- OZCF may provide some resources for allotment holders to use during the farm’s normal operating hours (e.g., tools, teaching equipment, etc.). Allotment holders are responsible to keep the farm’s resources safe and respect the farm rules, including following instructions from farm employees, at all times. Resources are to be used only for their intended purposes and must be returned promptly once use is finished. Any damage or loss must be reported promptly.
- Allotment holders are to work their own designated allotment only, and may not touch or otherwise affect any other allotment without express prior approval from the holder of that allotment. Under no circumstances are allotment holders to work in or harvest from any other area of the farm unless given permission from the OZCF farm manager.
- Allotment holders are responsible for keeping their space well-maintained and not overrun with weeds, uncontrolled growth, pests or dead plants. OZCF reserves the right to clean up unsightly allotments at its sole discretion, regardless of the damage this may do to plants or other items in the allotment. Unkempt allotments will result in a written warning to the allotment holder requiring prompt rectification. Repeated offenses or ignoring of warnings will result in the allotment being cancelled without refund and with complete forfeit of all plants and harvests. The decision to cancel will be at the sole discretion of OZCF.
