THE Community Forest Farm plan dreamed up by a Pandy farmer will be launched on St David's Day for people to take up the community share offer.

Stephen Powell wants to sell his land at Llwyn Ffranc Farm, on the slopes of Skirrid Fawr, or the Holy Mountain, to environmentally conscious people and turn it into a co-operative of food production, sustainable forestry and education. The community share offer is the next stage in the plan and this will stay open to those interested in investing their money, until the end of the calendar year. It is hoped this will raise £130,000 for 50 acres of woodland and a 13-acre field of grassland, orchard and young deciduous trees.

The shares are intended to be a long-term investment in the community. Shares need to be held for a minimum of three years but after that they can be sold back to the society. The minimum investment is £50, the maximum is £20,000. Interest would be paid at the discretion of the governing board.

He said: "Over time we seek to develop a range of marketable produce, from timber to organic beef, from hay to cider, and make Llwyn Franc Farm a meeting place for people interested in the human connection to land, food and forest."

Since going public on the plan Mr Powell has placed an advertisement on the Bio Dynamic website for a highly experienced professional farmer to take charge of the project. Peter Smith responded and arrived at the farm on January 6 this year. Mr Powell explained: "Peter had spent 24 years working with the Camphill Community at Larchfield near Middlesborough. The scheme is worldwide and is a project for adults with learning difficulties to work on farms and organic gardens, guided by professionals.

"He rang me in response to the advert on the website and arrived here on January 6, ironically the day the three wise men from the East arrived to worship the baby Jesus. He is my wise man from the east."

Mr Powell said the project also had the support of the Co-operative Enterprise Hub which offers up to four days' paid support to the project which will help them to put the finishing touches to the business plan.

A five-member board has been set up entitled the Community Benefit Board and comprising of Mr Powell, businessman Richard Bullock, professional gardener Clare Batchelor, community work professional Liz Court and Jim O'Shaughnessy, who has considerable experience in forestry, community building and the arts.

The next step in the enterprise will be to harvest the elderflowers to make cordial in June, then buy some Welsh Black cattle in July to establish the farm's own herd and a few pigs, followed by harvesting the apples and plums in September to make more cordial and market it. In recent years the grass let has been rented by a neighbouring farmer.

To contact the enterprise visit theWebsite athttp://www.communityforestfarm.co.uk">www.communityforestfarm.co.uk or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected] or ring 01873 890032.