Water Harvesting, Water Pump and Storage

We are not connected to the mains water supply at Kippax CSA, and we are not planning on using standpipes or pumps. All watering is done by hand with watering cans and we are planning to keep it this way.

The only access to water at the site is through a spring fed pond. In the first year of the scheme we used the pond to water all of the plants in the field, this proved to be a very time consuming and laborious job! To save time and the distance involved in watering we devised a rain water catchment system. The system uses guttering attached to the sides of the polytunnel and the top of the cabin. This guttering is attached to 1000L IBC containers, which means that the water runs straight from the surface and into the containers. There is currently a 3000L capacity with a further 5000L capacity from storage in the field. A hand held water pump is used to fill these containers in the field during dry spells.

Rocket Stoves

We are not connected to mains electricity at Kippax CSA and there are no plans to do so. To boil water, cook food for social field days and social gatherings a highly efficient wood burning stove is used. Small amounts of sticks are used for fuel and smoke emissions are low. The stove is used at least once each day when the growers are on site. All of the fuel for the stove came from off-cuts from wood work projects around the site.

Hay Box

In days gone by a cooking pot containing food which had been cooking for a short time would be placed in a container (hay box) and packed on all sides with a thick layer of hay. This method of cooking was used to save time and fuel.

A modern version of a hay box is used at Kippax CSA for these same reasons. Instead of using hay, we have taken the old hay box concept and modernised it by using ‘Kingspan’ a modern insulative material. The hay box is used to cook food for the growers and members. A pan containing raw veggies for a stew or soup is brought to the boil on the rocket stove. Once boiling it is instantly transferred to the snug fitting hay box. Approximately 3 hours later the stew/soup is cooked to perfection. Cooking in this way means more nutrients are preserved in the food as the cooking takes place at a lower temperature.

Solar Generator

Two lights are fitted in the cabin on site to allow members to pick up their share in Winter when daylight hours are few. Solar panels are used to supply the energy for these lights.

Recycling

Kippax CSA runs on a tight budget. We use as many reclaimed and recycled materials as possible in order to complete our various projects. Any material that the scheme can get for free means that there are more funds available to re-invest in the scheme. We are currently saving up to build an animal proof boundary fence and a cabin to store produce.

The table shows the materials and equipment that have been recycled so far and what we still need. If you have any of the items in the table and would like to donate them to Kippax CSA please contact us.

Material/Equipment	Reclaimed from	More needed?
Plastic vegetable crates-used by supermarket delivery vans.	Skips and refuse centres	Yes.
Wooden pallets	Skips, shops and builders merchants	Yes. Always needed.
Guttering	Skip Moortown Leeds	No
Timber: boards, planks, posts and floorboards	Joiners, skips, side of road	Yes. Always needed
Wheelbarrows	Skips, side of road	No
Hay bails	X10 large bails from the resident farmer	Yes. Straw and hay is always needed. If any members know of any local suppliers of straw or hay please contact us.
2.5 m³ of Compost	The recreation ground in Ledston Luck Village.	Yes. Members are encouraged to bring any organic waste from the kitchen or garden to the site to compost.