The £1.4 million community farm could become a major attraction for people of all faiths and communities
THE Shree Swaminarayan Temple has bought a farm the size of 30 football pitches just a short drive from Cardiff, which it will use to grow fruit and vegetables, host community activities and large-scale religious festivals.
Organisers say the landmark project is the first of its kind in the UK, and could become a major destination for people from all walks of life to visit and enjoy nature.
The temple secured the 66-acre site in St Andrews Major, Dinas Powys, after five years of searching for a suitable plot close to the community in Cardiff.
Ysgubor Goch Farm, which is about a 20 minute drive from the city, between Penarth and Barry, includes 48 acres of open fields, 17 acres of woodland and a collection of farm buildings.
The idea was first dreamt up in 2019 after trustees identified the need for a large outdoor space that allowed people in the community to come together and connect with nature.
“With the elders and the youngsters, because of the formalities of the temple, there isn’t that opportunity to interact and play,” said Karsan Vaghani, one of the temple’s trustees and co-chair of the project.
“When we have events, you see people are craving those moments of conversation. So the idea is that people can go to the farm and just interact with each other.”
Hundreds of people use the temple each week, while major events for festivals such as Holi and Diwali can attract up to 1,000 people.
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But loneliness and isolation has been a concern for the community since Covid, as has poor mental health among men.
“We have had a couple of young men taking their lives in our community. And, as a community leader, I beat myself up,” said Mr Vaghani.
“A building with a roof doesn’t create that place where people can talk about how they’re feeling.
“The farm project is going to give us opportunities for men to have an outlet and do things. We’ve lost the art of pottering around, doing things, making things.”
Since the intention to buy a plot of land was announced, ideas for how to use the site have poured in, including a woodland trail, glamping and arts and crafts workshops – activities which can’t be facilitated at the city temple.
As well as hosting activities and events, the farm will allow the community to grow its own fruit and vegetables, which can be served at the farm café and events.
Click on the markers below to find out more about the community’s provisional plans for the site.
Organisers of the project had initially planned to launch a crowdfunding campaign to buy the £1.4 million plot.
“People were ready to put their hands in their pockets,” said Mr Vaghani.
But they soon secured funding from the temple’s mother organisation in India, who agreed to acquire the site for them. However, the community in Cardiff will be responsible for transforming and managing the farm.
In the future, Mr Vaghani sees the farm having an impact that spans much wider than his own community.
“This farm project has given us the opportunity to share our vision with all communities, and we want all communities to get involved. We want people from all walks of life and faiths to be part of it,” he said.
“I can see this being a landmark for Wales. We just lost Oakwood park, which is probably our only theme park in Wales. I’m not suggesting we turn this into a theme park, but I want to see it being recognised as a national tourist destination for spiritually minded individuals, who want to get back to nature.”
The temple is organising a launch event at the farm on July 19, where it hopes to host community leaders from across the world, and mark the occasion by planting 50 trees.
