Llangybi Organics Newsletter: Important; please read versiwn cymraeg
Weather and disease: The cool 'summer' and endless rain have made veg growing difficult this season. We've lost whole crops whilst others just haven't done well. The result has been that some items have been smaller or not as tasty as they should have been and overall variety of different veg is less than we'd hoped to have.

Please remember to…
1. Make cheques payable to Val Lynas and not Llangybi Organics.
2. Pay. Some people run many weeks in arrears and Val has to nag, which she hates. Most of you are really good about paying every week or in advance. If you're in a group, you can always mail a cheque to Val at Mur Crusto or if you do Internet banking, you can pay by direct bank transfer. Ask Val for details.
3. Close the gate at the end of the drive if you are the last customer to leave. If the gate's open when you arrive, it means either that another customer is already there or someone has forgotten to close it. We like to keep it closed always, except for the brief time while you drive down to collect your veg.

Packaging: You may have noticed that we are changing over to compostable plastics as well as the re-usable bags and boxes we provide you with. This is a requirement of our organic certifying body, the Soil Association, though we'd do it anyway. But packaging costs us hundreds of pounds every year so we really appreciate it when you return as much of it as you can. Some wonderful customers return almost all their packaging, clean and neatly folded. We can and do re-use this. In any case, please do return those strong white bags you get your veg in and, of course, the boxes.

Thanks: We probably wouldn't be able to keep going if it wasn't for our wonderful volunteers. We'd particularly like to thank Deio who, when he's not in France, is a regular stalwart, harvesting in all weathers and helping with the packing every week. We've had other help too: Rosemary, Arabella and Colin have all helped with getting the packing done and Rosemary, Mayumi and all the Batten family valiantly helped Mike, Jill, Bry and Val in the massive task of lifting all the potatoes and getting in the onions. A huge Thank You to all of you kind and committed people. Now read on to the really important related bit…

Llangybi Organics 2.0? You're used to Llangybi Organics version 1.0 where we grow and you buy. In fact half of Llangybi Organics staff are in their 60s and we all feel the need to have a little more time for ourselves and a little less commitment. All four of us want more holiday and don't want to have to be around every day of the year without elaborate and complex preparations months in advance. We will need your help to achieve this for if we don't - this is the important bit - Llangybi Organics will either have to reduce or close altogether. What happens next depends on your feeling of commitment to locally-grown organic veg and fruit. To survive, we need support from our customer 'community'. Some of you may be familiar with Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and it is this that we want to get started in some simple form.

CSAs work: There are many ways in which CSA has become successful all around the world and we have a page devoted to it on our website here. The basic notion is that you undertake to help us with some of the actual growing over the year. It is reciprocal, of course. In return, you get your veg at a reduced rate. There are many different ways to organise this and what we suggest is that you read our web page, follow its up-to-date links and then let us know if you would be interested. If we can assemble a CSA core group of half a dozen people, that would be fine. Everyone else could then continue as at present. What we propose to do is merely act as co-ordinators and get you to meet up and decide how your group will work, just as many of you have already done with your group collection rotas. We'll tell you what we need and liaise with you but it's up to you to work out how to accomplish this.

What sort of help do we need? The help we need to keep going is not enormous, nor need it be skilled. A typical example would be that Val and Bry from Mur Crusto want to go for a long camping holiday in Scotland during May and June, normally a fairly busy time for us. We ask you - the CSA group - to arrange to keep things in order here will we're away. That would mostly mean weeding outside and in the polytunnel and some grass-cutting. Anything that group members didn't understand, we'd explain in as much detail as necessary. There's little point in going into more detail at this point because first we need to know if there are enough of you to make this CSA work. So please have a think and, if you're up for it, let us know by the end of November. You won't be committed to anything by getting involved at this stage - except, perhaps, a meeting of like-minded people.

If the CSA group fails to get started, we may have to considerably reduce what we grow and the period we produce veg for bags each year. Jill and Mike are more interested in summer to early-winter production because they have mainly field crops; horrible to dig and cut when the weather is freezing, wet or windy. Val and Bry are more interested in winter-early spring growing, on a reduced scale and concentrating on salads/oriental leafy veg, because of that wonderful polytunnel. We don't mind being committed to being here all the time for most of the year, just not May and June when so many crops have to be sown or nursed.

So now, dear customers, it's your turn. Will you help us?

Christmas box and bag dates - Please note! We'll be harvesting and packing your bags and boxes on Saturday 20th December and Friday 2nd January 2009. There will be no boxes or bags on 26th December. We're having one week off!

Contact details:
Val & Bry (newsletter), Mur Crusto, 01766 819109
Jill & Mike, Ty'n Lon. 01766 810915
Email: info@llangybi-organics.co.uk
Llangybi Organics website: http://www.llangybi-organics.co.uk/
Llangybi Organics news blog: http://llangybi-organics-news.blogspot.com/
Llangybi Organics OneClimate group: http://www.oneclimate.net/group/llangybi-organics
Postal address: Mur Crusto, Llangybi, Pwllheli, LL53 6LX.

Cylchlythyr Menter Organig: pwysig!

Drycin a haint: Bu tyfu llysiau yn anodd eleni ar gyfri’r ha’ oer a’r glaw mawr. Collwyd cnydau cyfan, ac mae rhai eraill yn ddigon siomedig. Pen draw hynny ydi bod rhai o’ch llysiau chi yn llai neu heb fod llawn mor flasus ag y dylen nhw fod. Ac mae llai o amrywiaeth hefyd.

Cofier…
1. Sgrifennu’ch tsieciau i Val Lynas, nid i Fenter Organig Llangybi.
2. Talu. Bydd rhai ar ei hôl hi yn ofnadwy, a Val yn gorfod swnian. Os oes criw ohonoch efo’ch gilydd, gallwch anfon siec at Val i Fur Crusto. Neu, os ydach chi’n bancio ar y we, gallwch dalu felly. Holwch Val.
3. Cau’r giât ym mhen y lôn. Os ydi’r giât yn agored pan gyrhaeddwch, rhaid bod cwsmer arall wedi cyrraedd o’ch blaen, neu bod rhywun wedi anghofio ei chau.

Pacio: Efallai eich bod wedi sylwi ein bod ni’n dechrau defnyddio bagiau plastig y gellir eu taflu ar y domen gompost, yn ogystal â’r bagiau a’r bocsus y gallwch eu hail-ddefnyddio. Mae hyn yn unol â disgwyliadau’r awdurdod sy’n rhoi tystysgrif inni, ac yn unol â’n hegwyddorion hefyd. Ond mae hi’n costio cannoedd o bunnau bob blwyddyn, ac rydym yn ddiolchgar ichi am ddychwelyd hynny fedrwch chi, yn enwedig y bagiau gwynion cry rheini, a’r bocsus.

Diolch: Go brin y buasem yn medru dal ati heb gymorth ein gwirfoddolwyr. Diolch yn arbennig i Deio fydd yn cynaeafu yn selog ar haul neu law, ac yn helpu i bacio bob wythnos – oni bai ei fod yn Ffrainc! Diolch hefyd i Rosmary, Arabella a Colin am helpu i bacio, ac i Rosemary, Mayumi a’r Batteniaid i gyd am helpu Mike, Jill, Bry a Val i godi’r tatws, a chadw’r nionod o dan do. Diolch o galon ichi bobol ffeind ac ymroddedig. Daliwch i ddarllen! Rydach chi bron â chyrraedd y darn pwysig…

Menter Organig Llangybi ar ei newydd wedd? Y drefn rydach chi wedi arfer â hi ydi ein bod ni yn tyfu a chithau’n prynu. Ond mae hanner staff Menter Organig Llangybi dros eu 60, ac yn dyheu am gael mwy o amser iddyn eu hunain, a chydig llai o gyfrifoldeb. Mae gorfod bod hyd y lle bob diwrnod o’r flwyddyn wedi mynd yn faich ar y pedwar ohonom, ac mae arnom angen eich help chi i newid chydig ar y drefn. Achos os na wnawn ni hynny – a dyma’r darn pwysig – mi fydd yn rhaid i Fenter Organig Llangybi fynd yn llai, neu fynd i’r wal. Mae’r hyn sy’n digwydd nesa’ yn dibynnu ar faint eich ymroddiad chi i lysiau a ffrwythau organig lleol. Er mwyn parhau, rhaid inni wrth gefnogaeth ‘cymuned’ ein cwsmeriaid. Efallai bod rhai ohonoch yn gyfarwydd â Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Rhyw lun ar CSA yr hoffem ni ei gychwyn yma.

Gwaith CSA: Mae CSA wedi llwyddo drwy’r byd mewn amryw o wahanol ffyrdd. Mae tudalen am hynny ar ein gwefan – mae’r cyfeiriad isod: cliciwch ar ‘CSA group’. Y syniad yn y bôn ydi eich bod chi yn ein helpu ni i dyfu’r llysiau yn ystod y flwyddyn. Yn dâl am hyn, mi gewch eich llysiau am bris gostyngedig. Mae mwy nag un ffordd i fynd ati, a’n cyngor ni ydi ichi ddarllen ein gwefan, ac wedyn rhoi gwybod inni os oes gynnoch chi ddiddordeb. Mi fasai criw o hanner dwsin yn ddigon i bawb arall gael parhau yn union fel y maen nhw. Rhyw gydlynu y byddwn ni, er mwyn dod â chi at eich gilydd i benderfynu sut y byddwch yn gweithredu fel grwp, yn union yr un fath ag y mae llawer wedi gwneud efo’r rotas nôl llysiau. Mi gewch wybod gennym ni beth sydd ei angen, ond eich gwaith chi fydd penderfynu sut mae mynd o’i gwmpas.

Sut fath o gymorth rydan ni ei angen? Tydi’r math o gymorth rydan ni ei angen ddim yn drwm iawn, a does dim angen cymwysterau! Dywedwch fod Val a Bry o Fur Crusto awydd mynd i wersylla i’r Alban yn ystod mis Mai a mis Mehefin, adeg brysur gan amla’. Byddem yn gofyn i chi, y criw CSA, gadw trefn yma tra byddem i ffwrdd. Chwynnu fasai hynny yn benna’, y tu allan ac yn y twnel, a hefyd torri gwair. Waeth inni heb â mynd i fwy o fanylder cyn cael gwybod oes digon ohonoch chi i wneud i’r cynllun weithio. Os oes gynnoch chi ddiddordeb, rhowch wybod inni cyn diwedd mis Tachwedd, os gwelwch yn dda. Fyddwch chi ddim yn ymrwymo i ddim ar hyn y bryd, heblaw cyfarfod â rhai eraill o gyfelyb fryd, efallai.

Os methiant fydd y cynllun CSA, bydd yn rhaid inni gyfyngu dipyn go lew ar yr hyn rydym yn ei dyfu, ac ar y cyfnod y bydd y bagiau a’r bocsus llysiau ar gael. Mae’n well gan Jill a Mike gynhyrchu yn gynnar yn y gaea’ oherwydd mai cnydau cae sydd ganddyn nhw yn benna’. Mae gan Val a Bry fwy o ddiddordeb i gynhyrchu yn y gaea’ ac yn gynnar yn y gwanwyn, a hynny ar raddfa lai, gan ganolbwyntio ar salad a deiliach oherwydd eu twnel. Does dim gwahaniaeth gennym fod yma rownd y ril am y rhan fwya’ o’r flwyddyn – ond nid ym Mai a Mehefin, adeg hau’r cnydau.

Atoch chi rwan, gwsmeriaid! A wnewch chi ein helpu ni?

Dyddiadau bocsus a bagiau Dolig: Bydd eich bagiau a’ch bocsus yn barod yr un fath ag arfer ar ddydd 20 o Ragfyr, ac ar ddydd Gwener 2 o Ionawr 2009. Fydd dim bocsus na bagiau ar y 26 o Ragfyr – wythnos i’r brenin!

Sut i gysylltu: Val & Bry (cylchlythyr), Mur Crusto, 01766 819109
Jill & Mike, Ty’n Lon. 01766 810915
Ebost: info@llangybi-organics.co.uk
Gwefan Menter Organig Llangybi: http://www.llangybi-organics.co.uk/
Blog newyddion Menter Organig Llangybi: http://llangybi-organics-news.blogspot.com/
Grwp ‘Un Hinsawdd’ Menter Organig Llangybi: http://www.oneclimate.net/group/llangybi-organics
Post: Mur Crusto, Llangybi, Pwllheli, LL53 6LX.

Carbon-free transport

A lesson to us all? As all our customers obviously know, we at Llangybi Organics, run a vegetable box scheme. Every Friday, we harvest and pack our veg in boxes and bags for our customers to collect. Everything we produce is grown on our two farms which are within one mile of each other. So food miles = 1 at the outset. Some customers collect their veg on foot and some collect by bike. The two in the photo cycle around 5 miles to get theirs and so does another regular. This is the way food distribution should be if we, as a species, are to reduce our heavy footprints on the planet's biosphere.

Not carbon-free but worthy: Most of our customers live too far distant to collect our produce by self-propelled means and have to rely on cars. But they're smart: they have almost all organised themselves into local groups so that only one person and car need make the journey each week, collecting for the others in the group.

And the moral of the story? Our ideal would be to have all our customers within riding or walking distance so no cars were involved at all. Sadly, most people in the area are stuck in the supermarket rut and have no interest in supporting locally-grown organic veg. But maybe our customers' example will inspire other local growers and communties to at least aspire to car-free food transport.

News

Starting again: Once again, we're about to start harvesting and packing boxes and bags. The first collection day will be Friday 25 July. Val has tried to be in touch with every customer about this. To get in touch, remember there's our contact page on the Llangybi Organics website.

Help 1! We need a few more customers. Several former customers have left, mainly because of the travel involved in these days of rising fuel prices. Happily, most of you are members of self-organised groups which really keeps costs, carbon footprints and inconvenience down. So please spread the word to friends, family and neighbours about our vegetables.

Help 2: This is a good place to say a big thank you to Deio, our stalwart and trusty volunteer who comes to help us on a regular basis. His wife Danielle comes too from time to time, so thanks to her too! We could do with a few more people who'd be prepared to come and help out now and then. Please contact Val or Jill if you could. What we really need is a few people who'd be happy to come when we're doing something which needs several people. The potato harvest is a good example of the sort of thing.

The year so far: It's customary to grumble about the weather at this point. Since everyone does that all the time this 'summer', I can say that it has suited us quite well. Regular rain and sunny periods and not too much hot weather work well for the range of veg we grow. The rain brings on the weeds, of course, and we've all, aided by Deio once again, been weeding like mad over the recent weeks, especially the carrots (picture shows Val handweeding at Mur Crusto). But on the whole, things have done quite well and potato blight, although in the area, hasn't hit us yet. So the bags and boxes should have plenty of tasty fresh veg in them. Raspberries will be increasingly available as our autumn raspberries 'kick in' as will fruit like apples and pears.