An initiative linking the community directly with local ecological growers.
Subscribe for weekly veg boxes from Tir Awel to pick up at the Environment Centre on Fridays and Saturdays, or at Swansea University campus on Fridays.
Support local sustainable food production, protect and promote biodiversity, build community, eat healthy.
What veg boxes are available?
There are five boxes available:
large family-sized box of 10 different vegetables £19.95
medium sized box of 9 different vegetables £14.95
small box of 8 different vegetables £10.45
mini box of 6 to 8 different vegetables £8
fruit box of 5 different fruits for £15.95
Members of the Veg Hub can order their boxes weekly or fortnightly and pick them up from:
The Environment Centre, Pier Street, Swansea, SA1 1RY. Collections are on Friday between 4pm and 7pm or on the Saturday between 10am and 2pm.
Taliesin Create (the foyer area downstairs), Singleton Park campus, Swansea University on Fridays only, 2pm till 4pm.
A typical small sized veg box:
A typical medium sized veg box:
A typical large sized veg box:
Where does the veg come from?
Tir Awel provide vegetables grown from their site in Garnant, Carmarthenshire, but when there is not enough being grown on the site to make up a box, such as during the winter, then they will buy in organic vegetables from other places in order to ensure customers receive a full box. Typically, during the summer months, most or all of the vegetables in the box are grown on the site in Carmarthenshire, whereas during the winter months there is a greater proportion of organic vegetables from other sources.
Who are Tir Arwel?
Tir Awel consists of Lauren and Tino, who grow and source local veg that's best for the environment and best for the community. They're passionate about local food and local community, and so happy that they get to play a part in contributing to Swansea’s local sustainable food network.
How do I sign up?
If you are interested in joining our Veg Hub community you can subscribe directly at tirawel.co.uk/order-online. If you have any questions or problems then contact us using the form and we will get back to you.
More than a veg box
Community supported food growing is more than just a veg box, where the veg can come from anywhere in the world. You are directly supporting local growers who are growing the food near you, and who otherwise would not be able to compete with the produce in the supermarkets as they are not big enough. It is a relationship with a small, independent local grower and the land it is grown on. You can visit the site and see the veg growing, you can join in events at the site, and you can even volunteer and help grow the veg.
We all know that it’s more convenient and cheaper to buy vegetables at the supermarket. Community supported growing is for those who are not just interested in financial transactions or convenience, but who want to bring the community back into food. It is really for those who are passionate about their food, about local growing, about the land, about nature, and about community.
Food is not just a commodity, and community supported food growing is not only about ensuring ethical and sustainable practices, but also about bringing back our relationship with the land, the local community, and the food we eat.
The Veg Hub Community
As a member of the Veg Hub community at the Environment Centre, you will also be part of a growing hub of events and activities around food and growing. We will be organising meetings, talks, film screenings, visits to Tir Awel, and more. If you have any ideas for the Veg Hub community, then we would love to hear them.
FAQs
How do I sign up to receive a veg box from Tir Awel, collected from the Environment Centre?
If you are interested in joining our Veg Hub community you can subscribe directly at https://www.tirawel.co.uk/order-online. If you have any questions or problems then contact us using the contact form above and we will get back to you.
What’s the difference between the various box sizes?
The family box, with 10 different vegetables, doesn't sound like it's much bigger than the medium box, with 9 different vegetables, but you need to bear in mind that you may, for example, get parsnips in both boxes, but in the medium box you might only get two parsnips, whereas in the family box you might get 6. Parsnips count as one vegetable, despite how big or how many of them you get. That is the main difference between the boxes, along with the number of different vegetables.
Can I order more veg?
You can add individual items to your box through the website to top it up. You can also buy other food items such as pasta, dried nuts, or fruit.
What happens if I forget to pick up my veg box?
You will get a reminder by text and email on Friday that the box has been delivered. If you don’t pick it up by 2pm Saturday the Centre will be shut until Tuesday. We will either return the box to Tir Awel, share it out with volunteers and staff at the Centre, or donate it to a local foodbank as we cannot store the veg boxes at the Centre longer than overnight.
If you choose to pick up your veg box from the Swansea University, Singleton Park campus site, then you will need to pick up the box by 4pm on Friday, otherwise it will be returned to Tir Awel, distributed to the volunteers, or given to a food bank.