WOULD you like to get your hands dirty with like-minded people? Then why not become part of a thriving farm group just outside of St Davids.

Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture (COCA) is a community supported agriculture scheme based at Caerhys Farm in Berea.

It was set up in 2010 as a result of meetings between Caerhys farmer Gerald Miles and St Davids Eco City Group, and remains the only scheme of its kind in Pembrokeshire.

Now firmly established, COCA has around 30 members, and it is hoped that number will rise to 50 over the next 12 months.

There are volunteer work days on the last Saturday of each month where people roll up their sleeves and get stuck into some work in the field.

Some of the produce they grow includes broad beans, French beans, radish, parsnip, carrots, potatoes, chard, beetroot and onions, and there are collection hubs in St Davids, Haverfordwest and Fishguard, where members can go and pick up their weekly share.

The group has exciting plans for 2014, including three international volunteer work camps, bee keeping, and growing workshops.

COCA held its AGM on the April 1, and elected to Wyn Buick, Val Buick, Gil Lewis, Fiona Michael, David Hunter, Stuart Johnson, Anthony Bullock, David Thomas to its committee, along with the growing team of Gerald and his son Carwyn Miles. It also saw the stepping down of Rupert Dunne and Dave Livingston who have worked tirelessly to make COCA what it is today.

Dave Thomas and his family have been COCA members since September 2012.

“We absolutely love it,” he said. “We get fantastic vegetables and salads every week that have 10 times the flavour of supermarket produce, plus zero food miles.

“But it’s more than that to us; it's about getting a genuine feeling of community. My kids are learning about where food comes from, how to grow it, and how to work together.”

COCA is having its official opening of its new Polytunnel funded by a Sustainable Development Fund grant from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority on Saturday, April 26. If you are interested in joining COCA visit www.coca-csa.org or call Dave on 07968 568 076.