Tuesday saw the launch of Cultivate, a co-operative organisation that aims to strengthen our local food economy. Dan Betterton, one of the five founding members of the co-operative, explains that Cultivate is about new ways of feeding Oxford and keeping our money circulating locally.

He describes it as a people-powered co-operative that aims to bring people together and push local food forward in practical ways. These will include setting up a mobile greengrocery van running regular pop-up markets in neighbourhoods and workplaces in and around Oxford. By being mobile, Dan believes the co-op can supply fresh local produce to people in a way that works for them. The van will call at industrial estates at lunchtime or the end of the working day, outside schools when mothers are there to pick up their children or wherever people want them to visit. They also hope to enter into partnerships with forward-looking local restaurants and caterers.

The van will not remain in one spot all day, just long enough to offer people a chance to stock up with their fresh fruit and vegetables. “I suppose we will be rather like the mobile ice cream or fish and chip vans,” Dan said, adding that they will probably ring a bell to show they have arrived.

Much of the produce will come from the co-op’s five-acre market garden where food is grown without pesticides and fertilisers. Obviously, they will be working with other local organic producers to ensure a good variety is always available. They also aim to cultivate herbs and oriental vegetables that grow well in a cool climate.

Cultivate is a co-operative organisation formally registered as an Industrial and Provident Society for Community Benefit. This means that members make any important decisions about the direction and objectives of the enterprise. Anyone can become a member, either by investing in the community share offer, or by paying an annual subscription (in cash or through voluntary work). Any profits will be reinvested into the business.

Thirty-year-old Dan, who is a keen cook and an allotment holder, has spent the past five years of his life working in a London-based office. He sees the co-operative as a way of making a positive career change that embraces his gardening and cooking hobbies and gets him out of the office environment which was beginning to stifle him.

The co-op was born after he met like-minded people who also wanted be involved in a project that would reduce food miles, avoid ecosystem degeneration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with oil-based chemicals,.

He said: “Our market garden, ten miles south of Oxford, will be open to visitors and volunteers and used for education and training. Our rules state that Cultivate operates for the benefit of the community by empowering members to take joint strategic action in Oxfordshire and work towards a more socially beneficial and environmentally sustainable food system.

“People are now questioning conventional business models and feel pretty powerless. As I see it, this is a way of making something happen and giving everyone a chance to get involved at a deep level and in a really tangible way. The time is right,” he added confidently.

The morning I spoke to Dan a gale force wind and torrential rain were doing their worst. Though he had only run from his car to my gate, he arrived looking rather like a drowned rat.

‘How on earth will you survive working in hostile weather conditions like this?” I asked, as I hung his dripping coat over a radiator to dry. It was a question that didn’t seem to bother him too much. He pointed out that rain was necessary if their produce was to flourish. I was impressed by this young man’s enthusiasm. He senses that if we want to survive we all have to do something and now, to ensure food stability before it is too late. If that means working on the land in adverse weather conditions, and driving a van around Oxfordshire — that is fine by him.

Dan can be contacted on 01865 420624, info@cultivate.org or by going to www.cultivateoxford.org