EVER dreamt of living the "good life" but find yourself unable to rear your own animals or grow fruit and veg?
A Notts farmer may just have the answer.
David Rose is inviting people to his Screveton farm near Bingham to pay to adopt a lamb, watch it grow and then have it butchered and delivered.
Or customers can adopt a tree and enjoy its fruits over the year as they ripen.
A community group could even rent an area of land to use to grow their own produce.
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These are just a few ideas the farmer has to get the community involved in farming and eating local produce.
Mr Rose said: "I've been involved in local food for the last 10 to 15 years. I understand what local food is all about and how important it is with the growing demand.
"The interest in local food has basically doubled in the last five years. I see this as another great opportunity to create a food system that gives food security to the people of Nottingham.
"I think it's something that could benefit the general public and the farming community."
Mr Rose also plans to build an eco building made from straw at the farm to serve as an educational base for students from across the county to visit.
Pupils aged 14 to 19 on a new diploma in environmental and land-based studies, offered at some Notts schools from September, could spend one day a week at Home Farm as part of the course.
The building could also be used by community groups and primary schools.
He says the straw building will last as long as a brick building and will be almost entirely self-insulating.
At the front of the building there will be a 5ft gap between triple glazed windows and a compressed earth wall. The sunlight will heat this space which will then be used to heat the rest of the building, using minimum oil and electricity.
The farm has been approved for the European Union's higher level stewardship scheme which means it will receive funding to improve environmental management and public access to the farm.
Wheat and oilseed rape are currently grown and lambs are reared but Mr Rose hopes to return to the farm's 1930s glory days when his grandfather grew more with a greater variety of food for locals.
He said: "There are a lot of people wanting to grow food, farms are struggling from moving from big farming systems to smaller local food systems. If they work with the community they'd have the drive and the labour force and new skills to create local food systems."
The farm will also host circular walks around the farm so people can bird watch or paint as well as lamb-birth visits in the spring.
Rushcliffe Borough Council will now decide whether to grant planning permission for the proposed building.
Mr Rose hopes to start work in the spring and meet with the community to discuss his ideas.
To get involved email Mr Rose at david@sustainweb.org.
