Anam Cara Growing Community
Growing Together, Sharing the Harvest, Nourishing Our Community
Welcome to Anam Cara Growing Community
Imagine a place where people come together to grow fresh, healthy food, reconnect with nature, learn new skills and enjoy the simple pleasure of being part of a thriving community.
Welcome to Anam Cara Growing Community, an exciting new initiative set within eight acres of beautiful, unspoilt West Sussex countryside.
Our secluded, south-facing land has been free from chemical pesticides and artificial fertilisers for nearly 40 years. Surrounded by ancient woodland, with direct access to the National Forest, it offers an idyllic setting in which to grow, learn, relax and reconnect with the natural world.
A Community Rooted in Sharing
At the heart of Anam Cara is a simple philosophy: good food, healthy living and a connection with nature should be accessible to everyone.
We’re creating a welcoming and inclusive growing community where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can come together to cultivate fresh fruit and vegetables, share knowledge, make friendships and enjoy the rewards of working with the land.
The produce grown in our communal growing areas will be shared amongst participants, with surplus harvests generously donated to local food banks to help support those in need.
Membership is completely free and open to everyone.
Whether you’re a lifelong gardener, an enthusiastic amateur or someone who has never planted a seed, there’s a place for you here. All we ask is that you bring your enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.
Learn, Grow and Flourish
Our growing programme will be guided by a qualified and experienced horticulturist, providing expert advice and practical support throughout the seasons.
Regular workshops will offer opportunities to discover everything from preparing the soil and sowing seeds to organic growing methods, sustainable gardening, harvesting and preserving produce.
But Anam Cara is about much more than growing food.
We also want to create a vibrant social community, with regular gatherings, shared experiences and opportunities to enjoy the peace and beauty of the countryside.
With camping opportunities available, members can spend more time immersed in nature, enjoy evenings beneath the stars and experience the wonderful sense of belonging that comes from being part of something meaningful.
Your Own Little Piece of Paradise
For those who would love a more personal connection with the land, we will also be offering 50 individual plots available to rent for £100 per month.
These private spaces provide an opportunity to create your own countryside retreat within the wider Anam Cara community.
Whether you’d like to establish your own productive vegetable garden, create a beautiful natural space, or simply enjoy spending time in the countryside with your campervan or tent, your plot can become a place to call your own, subject to the site’s arrangements and applicable permissions.
You can landscape your space, grow your favourite fruits and vegetables, or simply enjoy the tranquillity of the surroundings.
The income generated from these individual plots will help fund the wider community project, supporting our horticultural programme, workshops, facilities and the continued development of our shared growing spaces.
Importantly, renting a plot is entirely optional.
You do not need to rent land, pay a membership fee or make any financial contribution to become part of Anam Cara Growing Community and share in the communal harvest.
More Than a Growing Project
Our vision is to create something truly special: a place where people support one another, where knowledge is freely shared, where friendships flourish and where the land provides nourishment for both body and spirit.
We believe that growing food together can do far more than fill our plates. It can improve wellbeing, reduce isolation, encourage sustainable living, strengthen community connections and help us rediscover our relationship with the natural environment.
At Anam Cara, everyone has something to contribute, everyone has something to learn, and everyone is welcome.
Come and Grow With Us
Whether you want to learn how to grow your own food, meet like-minded people, enjoy the countryside, help provide fresh produce for local families or simply become part of a friendly and supportive community, we’d love you to join us.
Free to join. Open to all. Growing together.
Anam Cara Growing Community — where seeds become harvests, strangers become friends, and communities flourish.
This is any opportunity to grow your own organic fruit and vegetables, to thrive in a community and work together for food security.
Our land has never been treated with pesticides or fertilisers for at least 34 years and all food growing here will be done organically.
Opportunities range from becoming a part of the growing community on a crop share basis, to RENTING your own small plot for seasonal use of your camper van and being a part owner of the land that will produce your food.
Or maybe you want to RENT a plot for your own personal camping space, set in the heart of the beautiful Sussex countryside, visiting to spend time amongst people heading back towards their roots, growing their own food, raising children with the skills to carry on in future generations.
As the community grows, we hope to see the beginnings of a forest school and other community events.
This a new concept for us and we don't have all the details ironed out, as a part of the community you will have a say in how we go forward.
Please get in touch and come see the land
Gallery
Anam Cara, Manor Copse Farm, Oak lane Shillinglee, GU8 4SY
Shillinglee, Chiddingfold