BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK Bristol’s local food update community project news · courses · publications · events november–december 2012

The harvest (such as it is) is in, winter is coming, it’s time to order the seed catalogues and to start thinking about how it could all be so much more fruitful next year – not just our own little patches of land, but Bristol as a whole. If this Update has a theme at all, then it’s about the benefits of joining-up – whether that’s literal, physical cooperation across growing sites in Bristol, or in shared learning with great projects from further afield.If you’d like to help us join up more dots in 2013, then we’d love to hear from you.

Please email any suggestions for content of the January–February newsletter to [email protected] by 10 December. Scaling-up Bristol’s urban agriculture Mike Lloyd-Jones of the Bristol Pound If you’re interested in any of the themes Farm Link Scheme on developing local that emerged from the ‘scaling-up’ markets using our local currency meeting, or if you’d like to get involved by helping to organise future meetings, or by In the second part of the meeting, the helping develop a ‘Bristol Brand’ please group split into groups, to consider: email us: [email protected] n A ‘Bristol grown’ brand and markets For the full notes of the meeting, go to: n Digital tools for supporting community www.bristolfoodnetwork. level cooperation org/2012/10/15/photo-report-from- n Learning and skills scaling-up-urban-agriculture-event-on- n A plan & central coordinating strategy On 3 October, 50–60 local activists, 3rd-october/ n Bristol grower cooperation growers, and growing enthusiasts got together to address the burning This was a lot to think about in one question: “How do we scale-up urban evening, but we covered a lot of ground agriculture in Bristol?” in a short space of time. We know what the challenges are and we know what The first part of the meeting had short resources are in place. There are some presentations, to get everyone thinking: ideas beginning to emerge, which Misty Tunks of Knowle West Media hopefully will take us in a new direction Centre and the ELM project on using as a network. Bristol’s local food update is produced by technology to link growers and their volunteers at the Bristol Food Network, There are two specific ideas to build upon with support from Bristol City Council. markets – a growers cooperation meeting to be Keith Cowling of Ashley Vale Allotment The Bristol Food Network is an umbrella hosted by Severn Project and a group to group, made up of individuals, Association on the barriers to setting-up think more about a possible Bristol Grown community projects, organisations urban agriculture projects brand and food markets idea. and businesses who share a vision to Rebecca Marshall of the Federation of transform Bristol into a sustainable City Farms and Community Gardens on We also hope that the ‘scaling-up’ meeting food city. The Network connects people their Community Land Advisory Service and subsequent growers’ get-together will working on diverse food-related issues – from getting more people growing, to toolkit for urban agriculture start-ups kick-start a series of Bristol Food Network developing healthy-eating projects; from Tim Lawrence of Sims Hill Shared Harvest themed meetings – but we need more tackling food waste, to making Bristol on urban agriculture and climate change help to make this happen. more self-sufficient. Round the world…

Seattle Food Action plan digest: Recommended by Kevin Morgan, Chair of the Bristol Food Policy, who says “This food action plan from Seattle is one of the very best that I’ve ever seen.” www.seattle.gov/environment/ documents/Seattle_Food_Action_ Plan_10-24-12.pdf

The convening power Sol Food Mobile Farm digest: A 57-passenger red school bus, equipped with solar panels, of Food (Projects) green roof, mobile greenhouse, on board composting and water recycling, is travelling across the US, In mid-October visitors from 8 European to bring in extra resources to help progress delivering gardening workshops and cities visited Bristol to see and food work in the city. This will include both demonstrations. understand the scale of sustainable financial support and access to expertise. food activity in the city, to share some http://blogs.worldwatch.org/ The focus of the proposed next phase ideas of the nature of food projects nourishingtheplanet/sol-food- will be around three themes: growing, in their cities and to help plan the mobile-farm-leading-the-food-justice- delivering and enjoying (food). Bristol will next phase of a joint European project movement-to-your-backyard/ lead on the enjoying theme working with titled ‘Sustainable Food in Urban Oslo and Vaslui. Core to this theme is the Communities’. Forest gardens in Honduras make the issue of disengagement from food, the best of two worlds The cities represented were: Oslo extent of which is different from country digest: Conventional agriculture says (Norway), Gotenburg (Sweden), Vaslui to country. The spectrum ranges from the that forests are about wilderness and (Romania), Brussels (Belgium), Amersfoot extreme in this country (but with positive have to be cleared before fields can (Holland), Athens (Greece), Messina trends to recover some of the ground) produce agriculture and civilization. (Italy), and Lyon (France). The project will to southern European countries where But a new generation see forests as a also include Ourense in Spain. this is seemingly a new phenomenon but way to grow food. one that is making inroads. The project The highlight of the visit was an evening encompasses all aspects of food: growing www.energybulletin.net/ session at MShed that illustrated food and production, access, choices and stories/2012-09-06/forest-gardens- projects in each city, with presentations health. This is great news for us and will honduras-make-best-two-worlds limited to 3 minutes each. It was also a provide a mechanism to promote the great opportunity for people to meet and Bristol Good Food Charter and measure Detroit’s good food cure share ideas informally. Watching people its impact on changing the food culture digest: What happens when the Motor struggle to keep their presentations to of the city. City transforms itself into the capital of 3 minutes greatly added to the convivial grow-your-own food? atmosphere. We learnt about some really For people wanting to find out more about inspiring projects. We will share more the project there is a website: www.yesmagazine.org/issues/its- information about these through the your-body/the-good-food-cure http://urbact.eu/en/projects/ newsletter in coming issues. low-carbon-urban-environments/ Regenerative Adelaide Alongside the sharing the other main sustainable-food-in-urban- digest: New government policies on outcome of the visit was for the cities to communities/homepage/ energy efficiency, renewable energy, work together to finalise the proposals Also by contacting Steve Marriott or sustainable transport, zero waste, for the second phase of the project. The Dorothy Greaves at the City Council you organic waste composting, water project, if approved, will run from April can access a briefing paper on the project efficiency, wastewater irrigation of crops, next year for two and half years and will taken to the Food Policy Council meeting peri-urban agriculture, and reforestation support each city to set up a local support in October and ‘State of the Art’ paper have taken Adelaide to the forefront of group (Bristol is ahead of the game with produced by the URBACT team. We hope eco-friendly urban development. the Food Policy Council) and to develop to make this available through the Food and start implementing their action plans. www.energybulletin.net/ Policy Council website. Again, we have done much work towards stories/2012-09-11/regenerative- this already in Bristol. The benefit for [email protected] or adelaide Bristol in being involved in the project is [email protected] Green infrastructure and food digest: The Toronto declaration holds that “good food, green buildings, great cities grow together.” http://wayneroberts.ca/archives/908 http://urbanagsummit.org/index.php/ homepage/urbanagblog 2 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 The Golden Hill harvest Lucy Mitchell

As the nights draw in and the rain comes shelter from the elements!) As the hectic fresh vegetables in our darkest months, down it’s easy to wonder whether we growing season winds down, we’ll have few things more beautiful than the low even had a summer but at the Golden time to tackle our list of infrastructure winter sun shining golden behind frosty Hill Community Garden, we can’t jobs including: building more raised beds, leeks and few things that lift the spirits complain. We’ve had a great year and an setting up our outdoor kitchen, building a more than the first green shoots coming excellent first growing season, which we herb garden, planting soft fruits, making through in the new year. celebrated last month with a fantastic lots of beautiful signage, building pond We are open and accessible to everyone, Harvest Festival. Almost 400 people were dipping platforms, and putting in more and especially welcome volunteers with entertained by live art from the P.U.P. rainwater harvesting and composting mental or physical health issues, or those group (our wonderfully creative Monday systems. If you’d like to learn about any who would find it difficult to garden on a evening drawing group), morris dancing of these things or have skills or ideas to conventional site. Please get in touch if from the Pigsty Dancers, wonderful live offer then please get in touch. you have any questions about accessibility music in the Shed Stage and lots more. We’ve also got all sorts of exciting or parking, or if you would like help with And are we planning to lock the gates and up-cycling ideas including growing travel expenses. See you in the Garden! put our feet up over winter? No way! We mushrooms in spent coffee grounds, and are planning to open every Wednesday building walls for our shelter out of tetra- Wednesdays 10am–4pm Check the 10am–4pm (except Boxing Day) as well packs and plastic bottles. website or call for Saturday dates. as one Saturday a month and we have all I know some people are dubious about Lucy Mitchell sorts of exciting plans to keep us busy. winter gardening but let me say I think The Golden Hill Community Garden: We have finally put up our second poly there is no better way to get outside during Horfield’s Accessible Allotment and tunnel and will be growing in both tunnels our precious few hours of sunshine. I can Edible Forest · 07506 905 394 over winter. (It’s also another place to think of few things finer then harvesting www.thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com

3 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 csa news

The Community Farm launches Learning Programme Claire Rosling

It’s exciting times for us here at The contribute written words and objects to Harvest Festival Community Farm. Thanks to funding the sculpture on the day. We welcomed over 300 people to our from the Lottery, we’re in the process Alongside the art installation, we’ll be Harvest festival this year and it was a of establishing a learning programme showcasing local talent from the area with fantastic day with sunshine, food, a from the Farm which will engage a real stalls from local food and craft producers talk from The Soil Association’s Helen diversity of groups out on the field. Our for you to get those Christmas presents Browning, and an organic grower’s very own Farm manager, Andy Dibben, you’re after. We’ll be running an Organic question time featuring our very own Andy will be leading a series of workshop on Bake-off on the day for your chance to Dibben, Ben Raskin, Phil Haughton and organic vegetable production, and we win some fantastic prizes; there’ll be kids Ian Sumpter and music from ‘Woe to the have many other adult learning courses activities, farm tours, music and more! Provoker’. Keeping on the Harvest theme, in store – keep an eye on our website as children got involved making paints from the programme will be released in the If you haven’t yet visited us at the farm vegetables and helped make a vegetable next few weeks. then this will be a great opportunity. mandala on the field. Bristol Community Transport Minibuses Alongside adult learning, we’ll be will be running to and from Bristol The day was rounded off by a visit from providing a school learning programme throughout the day and you can learn some fantastic vintage tractors on their and children’s activity days which will about how we manage the land here annual tour of the Chew Valley. enable children and young people to learn with a tour of the farm from one of our about the importance of local, organically For those of you that came, we hope you growers. We do hope you can join us in the grown produce and how we manage the had a great time and will come back again celebration! land at The Community Farm. next year. If you weren’t able to come – see you next time! This is all made possible through the Other news from the farm: funding which we are using to build a Winning Scarecrow! www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk fantastic 24 ft ‘Yurt for Learning’ which will If you’ve been in the Chew Valley over the serve as a shelter and teaching space. last few weeks you may have noticed a few celebrity additions to the area! Over 70 Yurt Celebration –Saturday 24 November celebrity scarecrows were entered for the To celebrate our yurt and this new phase Winford Parish Scarecrow Competition in for the farm, we’ll be holding our Launch aid of the Harvey Hext Appeal. Event on Saturday 24 November at which We’re delighted that our Michael we have an exciting art installation for you Eavis scarecrow won the Community to get involved with! Artists Magdalena Involvement award! Thanks to all of Francke and Dan Smith from Mother our volunteers who helped put Michael Courage Arts (www.mothercouragearts. together, especially Bonnie Hewson for co.uk) will be creating a wooden her fantastic sewing skills in making a sculptural piece for the event: ‘The very realistic head for Michael! Thanks Seed’, which promises to be ‘interactive, must also go to Michael Eavis himself – educational and fun, reflecting the aims of he was so chuffed that we were making a the farm and focusing on land, people and scarecrow of him that he donated his own food.’ As community is such a core part of clothes for it! the farm, we will be inviting the public to

4 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 csa news Sims Hill’s year Feed

Sims Hill, like many other UK growers, The Board proposes that we get Jay has been having a challenging time with Abrahams to give us a design and a quote Bristol the weather this year. As reported in for the integrated approach. (Jay dug Matt Cracknell the last Bristol local food update, this the existing pond and is a trustee of the As one growing season comes to a has caused the Board to step back and permaculture association) This would close we are busy getting ready for rethink the direction of the project. On meet both an urgent need (drainage) and the next. It seems like we are still 25 September we took several concrete be a strategy that applies our commitment very busy at Feed Bristol getting in proposals to our members and we are to permaculture principles. The integrated our winter veg in the polytunnels and happy to report that they received approach may well necessitate some planning the new beds to expand into almost unanimous support. The Board is adaptations to our current growing for the coming year. We have plenty now seeking funding and expert advice methods. of space to play with and there are on how to take these proposals forward. some exciting developments we are New project direction Below is a summary of the meeting and considering for the new season. The the actions taken. We look forward to a As a result of facing challenges on Shift Bristol course will be taking up successful implementation of the plans numerous fronts, the Board spent some residence in the new year to manage beginning in the new year. time considering the life of Sims Hill in some experimental plots to do some the round and revisiting our principles compare and contrasting organic Growing conditions and drainage issues (CSA, permaculture, and community land management techniques. We are It has been extremely difficult to get development) in order to find a strategic looking at expanding our herb beds anything done in the field this year, which solution that moves towards our to create a space that could be used also explains why there have been no overall aims as well as dealing with the as a medicinal garden. We have also community work days – the field has been immediate and diverse issues. started work on planning for a round that wet. Following this process, the board house build which will take place in March if funding is secured. Last winter it became apparent that there proposes to develop as a Permaculture LAND centre with an apprenticeship were some wet patches in the field that There are plans, now we have got scheme. The apprentices would in effect affected the yield and our ability to work on top of the site infrastructure, to accelerate putting permaculture and the land. In the spring we had a lovely explore ways of community groups community development principles into pond dug, since then it has been record- managing some livestock on the practice, and increase our capacity to breakingly wet. The pond has not been site. Everything we do has to be pursue our ecological, education and able to cope, and the extent of the wet community-led and managed, which community aims. We want to thank all of patches (both size and duration) have means setting up a system where our members for their support throughout made the field virtually unworkable. It the local community can look after this challenging year. seems that old land drains running down livestock and receive the benefits. The Sims Hill Shared Harvest Board the hill and under the field have been Hopefully we will find someone out broken at some stage. We need to do https://simshillsharedharvest. there that wants to keep their hive on the site which would be a nice something to remedy this. wordpress.com addition to the butterfly meadow where we have lots of space for In San Francisco, a secret project creating more pollination corridors. Fruitful projects bears fruit Events for next year digest: The Guerrilla Grafters are a Peak Moment 217: Portland’s backyard renegade band of idealistic produce- We will continue to host workshops fruit – from waste to feast lovers who graft fruit-growing branches on the first Saturday of the month digest: Volunteer groups harvest trees to San Francisco’s public trees, where and hopefully be open for people to whose fruit would otherwise go to waste. productive fruit trees are banned. drop in and volunteer every Saturday. Half of the fruit goes to neighbourhood Our first event will a Pruning and http://articles.latimes.com/2012/ food banks, and the remainder goes Grafting workshop on 2 February. home with the volunteers. Tree Care sep/11/local/la-me-guerrilla- This will contribute towards creating workshops offered to the public cover grafters-20120912 a rootstock nursery onsite. We have pruning, thinning and pest and disease some old varieties of apple which control. They also train Tree Care Teams Transition Norwich’s School of Apples amazingly did OK in this bad year for who adopt clusters of fruit trees in a digest: A community orchard of 100 apples so we are keen to propagate neighbourhood. From harvesting 8000 trees bears fruit, while a local school from them. A lot of our trees are quite pounds of fruit in 2008 to three times takes-on an Abundance-type project. old so it would be wise to start off a that in 2010, this growing project is http://transitionnorwich.blogspot. new orchard and expand our forest bearing fruit and benefitting thousands. co.uk/2012/10/a-school-of-apples.html garden. www.energybulletin.net/ http://transitionnorwich.blogspot. Keep an eye on the blog and website media/2012-08-30/peak-moment-217- co.uk/2012/10/low-carbon-coobook- for future events: portlands-backyard-fruit-waste-feast foragers.html www.feedbristol.org.uk

5 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 “Sharing memories, sharing futures Artist Joe Newt with his illustrations of Iwona, volunteer Tree Officer, on a foraging project” older peoples group peoples food memories walk with the Bristol Home School Network Windmill Hill City Farm Active Citizen Projects

WHCF Active Citizen Projects have Community Action Group Recent Projects been very busy over the past couple of n Interested in a wide range of months. Here are some highlights of volunteering opportunities? Apple Day Event 21 October what we have been doing and what we n Do you want to have a go at something Our first Apple Day event was an are developing. different? appletastic success, with over 500 people turning up to try out various apple themed “Sharing memories, sharing futures n Want to get to know your community activities, apple bobbing, an apple wish project” and meet new people? tree (our wish was the sun would stay n Share skills with others at your own Jules is working with local artist Joe Newt, out, which thankfully it did) storytelling pace and learn together? to develop a project called “Sharing our and local artisan food stalls. Local cider Memories” as part of the Farm’s Active We meet at the farm on the second and sausages were gobbled down home Citizens Project. Over the next year Joe and Saturday of every month, and we will be made apple juice made on the farm that Jules will be working with various local having a go at a wide range of volunteer day from our orchard apples and apple groups and local people finding out their opportunities. In our first CAG meet up in pressing equipment. We are looking to stories of food. October we collected apples from the farm hire out our apple pressing and juicing We started working with Windmill Hill Farm orchard and then learnt how to make them equipment, so do contact us if you would Older Peoples Group in September 2012, into apple juice, in preparation for our like to know more. finding out about the food they grew up Apple Day event the following weekend. Foraging Walks with in their childhoods and ways to stay It’s open to everyone who is interested in thrifty in difficult times. They will be working getting involved in volunteering with us. Our foraging walks have been really lovely, getting to know our local area, seeing with them over the next year to create Lindsey our new Volunteer CAG Blogger, what there is to forage, and what trees and illustrated cards, postcards and recipe chatted to people to find out about what plants are around us. We recently took the cards capturing the members’ memories. inspired people to come along on the Bristol Home School Network on a walk, day and what they would like to get out Jules said “We have been to a couple of the learning together we discovered many of it. Lindsey spoke to Amy who is new to Older People sessions to get to know some natural fruitful gems a stones throw away volunteering. of the members, staff and volunteers. from the farm. They are such a lovely group so warm and “I hope that volunteering at the farm will welcoming, we chatted over a cuppa and connect me with people as my family Jam and chutney making a piece of cake and found out all about don’t live in the area and it feels that the There is nothing better than foraging for the food they grew up eating. Many of the community can be like a family. It’s nice to food then turning it into jam. We still have members can recall living off rations when feel like you are part of something.” a couple of places left on our chutney every part of the animal was used. We making session, a great home made way learnt how one lady would cook every part Project SOS of making Christmas presents. 7–9.30pm of the pig from its brain to its trotters!” Everyone’s talking about being “green” 21 November. and “sustainable”. It’s all a bit mind- “My nan used to take her chicken for a To get involved in these projects or boggling! At the farm, we want to find out walk in the pram … I can see her now, the volunteering please contact Jules Allan more and that is why we are launching chicken with a bonnet on it.” The Community Development and project SOS! – We want to know whether Volunteer Coordinator: ”My mother in law taught me how to cook, it can save us money, make our lives I grew up in an orphanage you see, no happier and more relaxed. Have you been [email protected] mam and dad, and I had no one to teach meaning to make a green change for a 0117 963 3252 me. Chickens was a luxury, my mother while, but never quite got around to it? Or have a look at our Website for more info in law would hang the chickens on the Why not join us here at the farm in 2013? on the farm: washing line so all the blood ran out. They We will be hosting workshops, courses www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk showed me how to be a family, I had all the and activities and there will be plenty of love from my husband’s family.” tea and cake. Watch this space!

6 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 The Commercial Food Waste initiative Martin Fodor

Discarded food and preparation leftovers comprise one of the most problematic wastes for a café or restaurant. Yet a food waste collection alongside dry recyclables is not always practical or viable for smaller premises. This is the challenge now being tackled in a local initiative in the city. May/June’s newsletter reported a survey of food and others wastes from a cluster of cafés and restaurants. One of the conclusions of this exercise is that tackling the problem as a group should be more effective than each café or restaurant trying to deal with the problem individually. This piece updates readers on the progress towards an innovative project to develop a commercial food waste collection service for clusters of local food hospitality premises.

Service specification Work is now underway in the Stokes Croft area to identify key features of a service then identified what businesses need better rates the more companies opt in, specification that will meet multiple in terms of practicalities, highlighting and to handle notice of termination of premises’ needs, ensure responsible what would be good for the community current contracts so the service can be management of food waste, and improve and good for the environment, as well as phased in. the street scene. This initiative is intended issues of cost. Martin stressed the goal The group thought that advice for staff, to pilot a collective arrangement that will is a service costing no more than current and information for customers, as well maximise benefits for the traders, the waste services, and preferably less. as ways to promote the (hoped-for) environment and the community. This There should also be support for waste innovative service would be helpful and should then be available to more areas of reduction alongside the collection. worthwhile to highlight what goes on in the city and create a solution to a pressing Current food waste arrangements (if any) Stokes Croft. Staff were also keen to see problem that’s ever more expensive and were reviewed and a few current issues how their waste was being treated. environmentally undesirable: how to were highlighted. The group then moved ensure unavoidable food waste does not At the time of writing businesses in the on to the service they’d like to see. end up in landfill. area are providing details to enable the This included finding a single preferred service requirement and the scale of Following the report in the newsletter the contractor for Stokes Croft, the idea the task to be collated so prospective author had the opportunity to present the being to reduce vehicle movements, get a contractors can be asked for their pitch. finding to the Stokes Croft Traders’ group, group contract and encourage contractors With other areas like Harbourside already the area surveyed. This session helped to make a competitive pitch to the interested in something similar the project them to understand the common issues businesses. looks set to develop something that could they faced and explore the way informal We discussed questions that need to be benefit many more businesses in the solutions and irregular collections did not clarified: how often waste is collected, city. There has also been interest from necessarily meet their needs or secure cost, when current contracts terminate Business West’s Go Green initiative and them against risks from their waste (and notice periods), and bin sizes. Some Bristol Green Capital who are keen to see causing problems. of the companies agreed that they have this environmental improvement in the The session started with a positive look environmental values and are prepared to area. at their area which identified what’s great pay more to ensure sustainability. Martin Fodor about Stokes Croft as a food destination: While the possibility of shared storage [email protected] its diversity and social hub effect, and the compounds to bring waste bins together quality of local food on offer. This provided and improve the street scene was raised a positive perspective with participants it was agreed this would take a lot longer keen to develop the idea of a local service to resolve or agree. The group therefore that will be available to them and their agreed to consider how to get an initial colleagues. contract in place that might be offered to To find the shape of a viable food waste each business on Stokes Croft. At least programme for local food businesses we one contractor had in fact agreed to offer

7 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Successful start to new Southmead street market What’s cooking? Saturday 20 October saw a small, but very successful start to a new street Cooking class brings healthy glow to Stokes Croft market in Arnside Road, Southmead. Chicken chow mein and cheesy vegetable Traders and community organisations omelette were on the menu at the Coexist including from Working in Community Kitchen on Tuesday as clients Southmead for Health, Business in of local charity, The Matthew Tree Project the Community (see www.bitc.org. (TMTP), helped confirm a good feed in uk), The Pound Store, Greggs, Bristol great company can make us happier. City Council, the Police, David Lloyd After a two-hour theory and practical at Leisure and Tesco came together to the Cook Smart, Eat Well Cookery School, organise and support the market as attendees took to the dining room to share a way of attracting more people to their freshly made feast and lots of laughs. Arnside shopping area. Held in Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Traders and organisations at the first and funded by the University of the West market included The Happy Fish Co of England, the school has been set up (fishmonger), Grounds 4 Change by poverty-fighting local charity TMTP to (plants and garden equipment), Miz show healthy grub doesn’t have to involve The Coexist Community Kitchen is Meats (meat seller), Southmead hours in the kitchen or be prohibitively registered with the local authority with a Community Association Fruit & expensive. The chicken chow mein for food hygiene rating of 5 and has been set Vegetables, Bob’s Bikes, Donut instance, quickly whipped together in a up to share knowledge and skills around Delight, Bristol Credit Union, Greggs healthy stir-fry, cost just £2 a portion. food and cooking with you and others in (with a special Children in Need stall) the local community. and Bristol City Council Parks team. Food Inside Out, which seeks to demonstrate physical and mental health We provide a space for small start Stuart from The Happy Fish Company can be significantly improved by making up businesses, organisations and said ‘For the first market here, I am the right food choices, is running the individuals, who wish to cater for events, very impressed with the turnout. two-week courses. Bev Campbell, who run workshops or develop their food People have given me lots of leads the practical element, explained: business whilst enjoying one of Coexist’s feedback that it is good to see fish on “Eating together really does help build beautiful community resources. sell here, there’s no fishmonger in the relationships with family members and local area.’ friends. It can be stress busting to chop We regularly struggle through hefty funding applications and thanks to a grant Toni from Southmead Community ingredients and self-esteem building from UWE we have been facilitating our Association Fruit & Vegetables said to prepare food. Ultimately, it gives you first set of non-profit cookery courses. ‘We have done really well and sold control of what you cook and eat.” In collaboration with the MatthewTree most of our produce. We’ve met loads Dietician Sue Baic helps attendees Project and Food Inside Out we are of new people and received great overhaul their bad habits with a Diet MOT running three short courses on basic feedback, people like our quality and food diary and nutritional advice at the cookery skills and nutrition. prices.’ beginning of each session. We are also organising a programme of Feedback from existing Arnside Attendees of the pilot were happily courses for the public, working with cooks, businesses is very positive, they feel satisfied by the evening. “I think it’s a chefs and tutors to bring an inspiring line that the market brought lots more good way of learning nutritious, cost- up of food related workshops to the table. people to the area. effective cooking,” said mother of four Please get in touch if you have any ideas Ruth, who added that she found it Karen Green, market organiser from or would like to take part: liberated her from her usual repertoire, Working in Southmead for Health [email protected] said ‘Today’s market is a small start, which includes costly imported but it could become one of Bristol’s ingredients and long preparation times. Links most popular community markets. Upon completion, participants take home Coexist Community Kitchen We look forward to seeing more a Coexist Community Kitchen apron, as well www.hamiltonhouse.org/ traders and people at our special as a cooking starter pack worth £20. For Matthew Tree Project Christmas market on 1 December.’ more information, email Mark Goodway: www.the-matthew-tree-project.org/ [email protected]. Shopper feedback suggests that Food Inside Out people would like to see more stalls Hannah Stuart-Leach www.foodinsideout.org.uk/ selling food, clothing, pet supplies and toys. For more information on the Christmas market planned for Want to read more about current local food issues in Bristol? 1 December contact Karen Green, Download Maddy Longhurst’s article about pressures on Grade 1 agricultural land: tel: 0117 903 1626 Healthy soil and local food or tarmac and cars? at www.bristollocalfood.co.uk/

8 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Community Retailing In Partnership with Bobbetts Fruit and Veg, a locally owned green grocer in Shirehampton. ‘Roots and Fruits’ a community fruit and vegetable initiative was set up at The Bungalow in Lawrence Weston, to offer local residents access to affordable fresh Fruit and Veg (at cost price). Health and Wellbeing Fruit and Veg is on sale every Monday (except Bank Holidays) Helping people to live healthy lifestyles, cashews, walnuts and pine nuts to name a from 12–4pm. It is also a time make healthy choices and reduce nutrition few. On each of the six visits, four different when people come together and related health inequalities was one of ladies from Awaz Utaoh prepared and enjoy catching up with friends and the key aims of a recent collaboration served a healthy lunch for all attending neighbours. between Bristol Public Health and Awaz and on the last visit a grand finale of The scheme has gone from strength Utaoh. (Awaz Utaoh primarily serves the dishes were provided. to strength and we now order more South Asian community but anyone and As well as nut gathering, activities such produce that when the scheme first everyone is welcome). as tree stories, trees that clothe us, started earlier this year, so we know At the end of the project, keeping the bark cloth bags, den building, making that fruit and vegetable consumption healthy food theme alive was felt to be bookmarks with tree dyes, owl whistling, is rising in our area. We offer a wide very important by the many people who willow weaving and bird box creations variety of produce and any items left had attended a whole range of activities were enjoyed by all. on a Monday go on sale during the over the 10 months of the project. So Awaz week. Our vision is to extend our Walking and tree gazing was a big part of Utaoh in partnership with Westonbirt core offer even further in the new the programme so lots of physical activity Arboretum set up a programme of year. Watch this space! to increase appetites for the health activities called Hidden Voices. Around lunches; buggies were provided for those Donna Sealey 35–40 people took part visiting the who needed them. Health Promotion Specialist for Arboretum on six occasions over the last Lawrence Weston and Avonmouth, six months. A feast of ‘food from trees’ For more information, contact: NHS Bristol Public Health Directorate was a huge success with so many being Simi at [email protected] thrilled at the chance to learn about and Liz Fox [email protected] [email protected] see the many food giving trees: almonds,

9 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Whisk’s plans for 2013 Mike Merelie on The Community Bakery & The Sunday Lunch Club

This month marks our first anniversary cookery school meets coffee morning Work should always be rewarded so we all running The Café at Knowle West Health meets creche meets social club. The six enjoyed a hearty staff dinner and massive Park and we’re really proud of what Saturday mornings were an amazing blend mugs of tea. The volunteers asked about we’ve achieved in that time: grown from of serious artisan baking, conversation, our plans to re-open on Sundays and, a team of 2 to a team of 11, opened the family and friendship. Beyond that, through the conversation, we arrived at Atrium Café at Arnos Vale Cemetery, though, Bread Café gave people who may The Sunday Lunch Club. If you want lunch taken on an apprentice, strengthened not have experienced work before, or for you can book a place, turn up, eat and our relationships with local independent some considerable time, an opportunity to leave. However, if you want to experience suppliers and become an access point simply be in a professional environment the pleasure of cooking as well as the joy for the Bristol Pound. without pressure but still with purpose. of eating you can be part of the kitchen team and what you pay for lunch reflects When we opened The Café at Knowle West The Community Bakery your contribution to its preparation. And Health Park we knew that our relationship The success of Bread Café has been the the washing up, or course. Volunteers will with the community would be critical to catalyst for the Community Bakery and The get our training and support and, just as our success and that we could do a lot Sunday Lunch Club projects which we’re with Bread Café, the opportunity to learn more with the space than simply run a really excited about. and develop is what we want to underpin. nice café. The Community Bakery will begin as a One of our guiding principles is ‘to share weekly pop up bakery in The Café, and These projects represent how we are our love for the craft of cooking and there’s already a list of Bread Café bakers rethinking what we mean when we say demonstrate ways in which people can put ready to get their aprons on and get ‘customers’, ‘community’ and even food at the heart of their lives’ although kneading. when we opened the café we didn’t know ‘business’. We’ll offer the bakers prep space and what that might mean in real terms. It doesn’t make sense to think in old, oven-time in return for some of the bread simple, linear terms of Whisk! as a A year ago our focus was to establish they bake but the majority of the bread will supplier that sells to its customers and the café as a great place to eat fresh, be on sale to the community. The bakers that community exists separately and seasonal and delicious food; reviews, will receive training and support from us is something for which we have to be tweets and blogs suggest we’ve achieved with the aim to train and develop a team socially responsible as a corporation. The that and our busy lunchtimes corroborate of community bakers so the bakery can boundaries are not clear and that’s what those kind words. More recently, though, operate more frequently. we’ve had a chance to think about the makes life fun and interesting. We’re exploring models of ownership bigger picture and how we develop the Although it suits the food industry to label that make sense and our view is that relationships we have with our customers us as all simply as consumers we are Whisk! and The Peaceful Way are simply and our community. The first step has all much more than that. In a good food curating the space in which the bakery can been to acknowledge that to differentiate future we may need to be comfortable with flourish. The bakery will always be ‘open’ ‘customers’ from ‘community’ is fallacy. being labelled, not as consumers, but as so that newcomers can get involved at Everyone eats, everyone is welcome in the cooks, growers, bakers, farmers, thinkers, any time; the work starts at 8am for the café and everyone has the opportunity to teachers, sharers, learners, traders and bakers but at 10am the focus shifts to fun connect with us to share our approach to wearers of all these labels at the same when newbies can have a go. We’ve got food. time. Thursdays pencilled in the diary but watch The Bread Café this space! Through conversation, exploration and a The Sunday Lunch Club desire to collaborate we have developed The Sunday Lunch Club launches in the a working relationship with The Peaceful new year and will be a monthly feast for Way: an informal network of Christians all! We’ve not opened on Sundays for a living in communities across Bristol while and we really like the idea that is www.whisk-uk.com/ that would normally be considered as taking shape. A handful of Bread Café marginalised or disadvantaged. participants expressed an interest in The Peaceful Way get involved in everyday getting more involved in the kitchen and a life and friendship, seeking to stand few volunteered their services to help us in solidarity with neighbours in places prep for an event after one Bread Café. where life is often hard. Their approach It was really funny to see customers that resonated very strongly and we felt we we’d normally serve working in our kitchen could achieve a lot together. but the reality is that it is a two way street: Our first project, Bread Café, ran for six they benefitted from the experience as consecutive Saturdays until the end of much as we did by learning new skills September and is best described as and being part of a professional dynamic.

10 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Land grabs Jessica Lockley, Oxfam

Land sold off in last decade could grow enough food to feed a billion people. An exciting new land grabs campaign was launched on 4 October across the world. The campaign, which is part of GROW, is asking the World Bank for a freeze of all large scale land deals for 6 months until measures are put in place that take into account the women and men that often rely on the land for their livelihoods. Powerful corporations and countries are acquiring farmland on an unprecedented countries of the investors. In Mozambique land, to ensure greater transparency of scale. It is sold as ‘unused’ or between 2007 and 2009 only around deals, to ensure local communities are ‘underdeveloped’ – but many poor 7 per cent of land approved for agriculture consulted and consent is obtained and communities call it home. A new Oxfam investment was for food crops, at a time that their land rights and food security report Our Land, Our Lives shows that when more than a third of families in is guaranteed. Specifically, Oxfam wants many big land deals in poor countries are the country did not have enough food to the World Bank’s freeze to send a strong forcing families from their land, unfairly eat. In Liberia, 30 per cent of the country signal to global investors to follow these evicting them from their homes and has been swallowed up by land deals principles and stop land-grabbing. leaving them with no way to grow food in just five years. This isn’t just about The UK government can use its influence or earn a living. Oxfam recognizes the one company or one country – we are in the World Bank to persuade it to potential benefits of private investment taking on the whole industry. The World implement the freeze. It can also play a in agriculture but all too often today’s Bank however is a critical player as an crucial role as President of the G8, which land deals fail to deliver benefits for investor, influencer of governments and takes place here next year, by putting food local individuals and communities. Most key standard setter globally and we are and hunger at the heart of the agenda, worryingly, big land deals often lead to urging it to show leadership to help fix and addressing land grabs as part of ‘land grabs’ which is a land deal that this problem. Change is essential – and this. Critically, it can also press the EU to violates human rights, fails to consult possible. Therefore we are challenging the reverse biofuels targets – a key driver of affected people, does not get proper World Bank to freeze all its investments land grabs. consent and happens in secret. in big land deals whilst this out of control situation is sorted out. Action is urgently needed so do sign Every six days, land the size of London and share the petition to Jim Yong Kim, is being sold to foreign investors in Oxfam campaigned for progress towards president of the World Bank to urge the developing countries, and two-thirds the freeze at the World Bank’s firstA nnual World Bank to freeze its investments. of these agricultural land deals are in Meeting, since Jim Kim was installed We need the UK government to act – countries with a serious hunger problem. as its new President, which took place individuals can contact their MP to ask Yet much of the land is either being left in Tokyo from 12–14 October. The World them to press the UK Government on this idle, as speculators wait for its value to Bank is in a unique position to help stop issue. To check out the latest information increase and then sell it at a profit, or land grabs becoming one of the biggest and action look up #landgrabs on Twitter, it is predominantly used to grow crops scandals of the century and must act now visit Landgrabs, or you can find our for export, often biofuels or food for the to freeze its agricultural investments in activist’s resources.

www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/ campaign-with-us/our-campaigns/ grow/guide-to-land-grabs www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/ campaign-with-us/how-to-campaign/ campaign-tools-and-resources?cid=rdt_ toolkit

Links www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExCQlobfAUU &feature=player_embedded www.imf-wb.2012tokyo.mof.go.jp/en/ www.oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/ campaign-with-us/find-an-action/land- freeze?cid=rdt_land www.theyworkforyou.com/

11 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Regional Fairtrade Round the world… Postcard from Eastern Oregon: When planting food is illegal Business Awards digest: What we can learn from ‘The Hoop’, an ancient tradition of 1. Best Fairtrade Office food gathering and cultivation that 2. Best Fairtrade Retailer sustained the Native Americans and 3. Best Fairtrade Food Outlet the land in good health for thousands 4. Best Fairtrade Accommodation of years. 5. Best Fairtrade Suppliers 6. Best overall Fairtrade Business www.energybulletin.net/ stories/2012-09-17/postcard- The Awards are free to enter and open to eastern-oregon-when-planting-food- all, from sole traders based at home to illegal large organisations. Businesses can enter online www.bristolfairtrade.org.uk Hopeful Harvest: Food and The Fairtrade Business Awards agriculture as a foundation for peace demonstrate how a growing range of in Northern Afghanistan The first ever Fairtrade Business Awards businesses in the region aim to be ethical digest: Case studies from the for the South West region are open for and fair. If your business fulfils the criteria province of Badakhshan, in Northern applications from all sizes of business for a bronze level or above, do submit an Afghanistan – all offering bottom- in the area. The aim of the Awards is application as winning has a very positive up local-level solutions to food to increase sales of, and support for, effect on staff and customers. As Essential production and diversification. Fairtrade amongst businesses in the Trading said about their 2012 award: region, by promoting those companies www.thesolutionsjournal.com/ “Thanks very much for organising this that support Fairtrade and encouraging node/1152 fantastic event, I really enjoyed it and for others to do more. Essential it is very positive achievement. Innovative crops of the Alai Valley Increasing sales of Fairtrade products I learned a lot from both the presentation digest: Following independence from enables more small scale farmers in the and discussion and the meeting after the Soviet-era top-down governance, developing world to make a sustainable presentation of the awards provided a collective farms and jobs in livestock living, which makes a great contribution great opportunity to network.” to a company’s sustainability and CSR breeding, Alai Valley villagers in the The Awards ceremony will be held at the commitments. Buying Fairtrade sits well mountains of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan Colston Hall on 8 March 2013. It will be the alongside a commitment to local and have struggled to regain traditional major event in the South West for Fairtrade organic food as part of an ethical supply agricultural knowledge. Fortnight, 25 February–10 March. If your policy. http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/ business needs more information on how innovative-crops-of-the-alai-valley/ “As a result of taking part in the Awards, and where to buy Fairtrade products, we have reviewed our purchasing process particularly in bulk, come to the Land grabbing and food sovereignty and added all available Fairtrade products.” Fairtrade Procurement Conference at in West and Central Africa Minuteman Press, Bristol Fairtrade UWE on 13 February. Details will be digest: Large-scale land appropriation Business Silver award winners 2012. available soon at www.swspn.org.uk really took off with the food crisis Following the successful launch of Fairtrade For more details, contact Jenny Foster of 2008. As the many cases of land Business Awards in Bristol in March 2012, Bristol & Southwest Fairtrade Co-ordinator grabbing identified in West and Central the South West Awards will have a wider [email protected] Africa have demonstrated, profit reach and additional categories: 07970 878337 seems to be the only motive pursued. www.grain.org/article/entries/4575- National Ethical Investment Week land-grabbing-and-food-sovereignty- in-west-and-central-africa 14–20 October 2012 the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility. Bristol is a centre of Make Your Money Count in Bristol What do we really mean by rural food excellence in sustainability – runners up was the first event for National Ethical security? for the title of European Green Capital digest: There are approximately Investment Week. 100 people gathered and a leading Fairtrade City. Amongst 400–500 million small farms around at the Council House to explore what the many contributors to the event, the the world, worked by around a third it means for money to be ‘ethical’ and keynote speakers were Sarah Pennells, of the planet’s population. The speed make a positive impact, such as through founder of SavvyWoman.co.uk and and scope of climate change seriously sustainability and fair trade. author of ‘Green Money’ and James compounds existing challenges to Vaccaro, Triodos Bank and UKSIF. Part of National Ethical Investment week smallholders. and Bristol Festival of Ideas, the event Presentations and some of the http://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/ was organised by leaders in the ethical workshops are available at: What-do-really-mean-rural-food- money arena, including Triodos Bank, http://bristolgreencapital.org/make- security%3F?utm_ Bristol Credit Union, Shared Interest and your-money-count/

12 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 On the web…

Is the end of cheap food just an agricultural problem? digest: Food is getting scarce – and expensive. This is no longer news. But can we really confine ourselves to thinking about the agricultural end of this problem? www.opendemocracy.net/ openeconomy/julian-sayarer/is- end-of-cheap-food-just-agricultural- problem

Will EU subsidy reforms be enough to encourage greener farming? digest: Nearly 50% of the EU budget The Food for Life Partnership goes into European agriculture. But climate change, soil erosion and The Food for Life Partnership Somerset and make sure Food other environmental pressures call for is a network of schools and for Life stays high on the agenda. radical changes in farming practices. communities across England Food for Life is also currently www.theecologist.org/News/news_ committed to transforming promoting its annual analysis/1630603/will_eu_subsidy_ food culture. National Roast Dinner Day on reforms_be_enough_to_encourage_ It aims to reach out through 14 November 2012. Roast Dinner greener_farming.html schools to give communities Day helps embed learning access to seasonal, local and about wholesome, healthy food The devil in the details organic food, and to the skills they need to and also provides the opportunity to digest: Responses to the Stanford cook and grow fresh food. The programme experience the social element of dining. University paper which concluded harnesses the expertise of four partner It aims to help teachers and schools that “The published literature lacks organisations, the Soil Association, consider the ways they can integrate strong evidence that organic foods Health Education Trust, Garden Organic cooking into the curriculum, get are significantly more nutritious and the Focus on Food Campaign. It pupils interested in food and learn valuable than conventional foods” and that uses food as a way to improve the whole life skills. To take part schools have to “Consumption of organic foods may school experience. It helps to make serve a locally sourced or organic roast reduce exposure to pesticide residues lunchtimes a more positive feature of dinner, followed by a seasonal crumble. and antibiotic-resistant bacteria”. the day and enriches classroom learning Roast Dinner Day is also an opportunity for www.energybulletin.net/ with farm visits, as well as practical the school to invite the local community in stories/2012-09-06/devil-details cooking and growing. The programme to enjoy the meal; parents, grandparents, has been evaluated independently and local businesses, councillors and the www.energybulletin.net/ been shown to have a transformational press are all welcome to come and stories/2012-09-26/citywatch- impact in the schools and communities experience local and/or organic food and getting-right-question-nutrient- it works with. It gives pupils, teachers, see what the school is up to! benefits-organic-food caterers and community groups the To find out more about the Food for Life confidence, resources and training they Vote for the Dinner Party Programme, National Roast Dinner Day or need to lead the change themselves. The digest: Michael Pollan asks “Is this to find out if your school has signed up: achievements of the schools that take part the year that the food movement [email protected] · 0117 3145180 in the programme are recognised through finally enters politics?” an award scheme that gives them the www.foodforlife.org.uk www.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/ motivational framework for continuous magazine/why-californias- improvement. proposition-37-should-matter-to- The Food for Life Team have recently been anyone-who-cares-about-food. successful in securing funding to employ html?pagewanted=all&_r=2& a local programme manager to work with schools in Bath and North East Somerset. Farmers, Workers, Consumers, Unite! This funding will allow the programme New Visions in Food Justice to be promoted at a local level and offer digest: How do we make sure that our support to primary and secondary schools food contributes to the health of our in the area to help them achieve at least communities and ecosystems? bronze award level. This is a really exciting www.yesmagazine.org/peace- opportunity to continue and build on the justice/farmers-workers-consumers- good work that has already taken place unite-new-visions-food-justice in the schools in Bath and North East

13 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 over climatic conditions. Polytunnel polythene is pretty cheap but comes in wide rolls. For a small tunnel therefore, sharing a purchase with a friend works well. But protecting plants with polythene imposes different disciplines on growers. Ventilation needs regular attention, along with watering to prevent parching, especially in sunny periods. This may not be practical if you have a busy life. The third major effect of damp and humid summers is the increased incidence of disease, especially fungal attacks. Peas get mildews, beans get rusts and grapes get moulds. But most common and perhaps worst of all is blight on potatoes and tomatoes. Almost everyone has suffered this year. But although good cultivation and rotation techniques can help with this, there’s no really effective organic answer. Conventional farmers use a range of spray fungicides and at the allotment level its possible to spray preventively with Bordeaux mixture, a combination of copper sulphate and slaked lime. These are not complicated Following the Plot no.13 and persistent chemicals, and Bordeaux Keith Cowling used to be allowable within organic certifications. But these days its considered to be harmful in water courses There’s rosy autumn sunshine outside pest problem this summer has been the and also to earthworms. as I write, but it’s only a brief respite gastropod explosion. Slugs slaughtered What to do about potatoes and tomatoes from the worst growing season for most emerging seedlings and by August is tricky therefore. Tomatoes and early decades. Faced with rain deluges and had become so numerous that they could potatoes work well in polytunnels if armies of slugs, many plot holders be found eating even mature vegetables. there’s room, but main crop spuds need simply gave up the unequal struggle But there’s no silver bullet for slug space and a cooler regime. In any case, to coax vegetables out of the ground. problems, especially in a summer that on allotments with a bed rotation system So with ‘summer’ drawn to a close by even washed away slug pellets within spuds are usually a crucial element, the first frosts, it’s time to take stock, days. Keeping the slug population within providing the opportunity to work the soil consider what we have learned and try acceptable limits relies on a combination deeply and also to add bulk nutrients. to plan for next year. of barrier methods, traps, removal of habitats, biological controls and even Spuds are also perhaps, the vegetable The first consideration must be, ‘is this pellets sometimes. A winner at the where taste differs most between shop the new normal?’ There’s no popular produce show on my allotment site hinted bought and home grown. consensus on this, of course, but after a that part of his secret was a relentless war three-year pattern of wet summers, we Ominously, I’m writing in the week in on weeds (slug habitats) and keeping a need to face the real possibility that this which the Potato Council has accused barrier zone of cleaned soil between grass may not be a ‘blip’. Research by climate allotment growers of worsening this year’s paths and delicate crops. scientists suggests that the regular west- severe blight attacks by not spraying to-east flow of the jet stream is being But combating weeds became impossible enough and composting diseased plants. strongly affected by the melting polar ice, this summer. The waterlogged soil It suggested that amateurs should leave which is creating huge ‘Rossby Waves’, or favoured perennial weeds like bindweed potato growing to the ‘professionals’. giant meanders in its direction. As a result and couch grass, which thrive in soils with Ironic really from the representatives of of this, the UK is tending to get locked on poor aeration. In drier years, perennial an industry which is one of the largest the northern – colder and wetter – side weeds can be tackled with digging and global contributors to the greenhouse gas during our summer. So there are good rotovating, but there’s been precious emissions that seems to be behind our grounds for expecting more wet summers. little opportunity this year. The answer wet summers. It seems clear therefore that And, as if this wasn’t enough, food prices may be a strategy of better weed control as the climate changes and world food are rising sharply because of rising world and higher hummus content from organic security diminishes, not even allotment commodity prices, so there’s pressure on supplements, but recently the twin horrors holders will escape the consequences. all of us to grow more of our own food. of slugs and weeds have reinforced each Keith Cowling · [email protected] other. Persistent rain brings several overlapping Ashley Vale Allotments Association problems for veg growers – broadly For those with a little more time and www.ashleyvaleallotmentsassociation. speaking, more pests, more diseases cash, increasing the area under glass org/index.php and difficult soil conditions. The big or polythene could give more control

14 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Events Vegucated UWE Farmers’ Market Events at Tyntesfield

6.30–10pm Thursday 1 November or 10am–3pm Tuesday 6 November 2012 & Tyntesfield’s fungi Tuesday 6 November 2012 Christmas market Tuesday 4 December 4 dates between 3 November and Polish Club, 50 St Paul’s Road, Courtyard outside main reception 17 November Bristol BS8 1LP Frenchay campus Adult £10, Child £10 FREE (donations welcome!) Come along to UWE’s farmers’ market. Discover the magical world of fungi Free vegan food · stand-up comedy ·film Take a break, have lunch or buy something with our two experts. The forays screening · raffle · discussion special for supper! Lots of delicious local around the Tyntesfield estate will start food – breads, jams, cakes, meats, pies Students returning to their courses this with an introduction at the Sawmill. and sausages, fish, chilli sauces and autumn will not only be learning about cooking oils, local lamb, cheeses, chorizo their chosen studies – they will also get Tyntesfield’s food and craft market and more. Plus bird and insect boxes, a chance to be ‘Vegucated’ about their 10am Sunday 4 November 2012 plants and local eggs. eating habits, with two free screenings Free event (normal admission charges in November of this life-altering https://info.uwe.ac.uk/events/event. apply) documentary. aspx?id=13638 Come along and stroll around Home Part sociological experiment and part Farm, enjoy the atmosphere and pick adventure comedy, ‘Vegucated’ follows Avon Organic Group up some seasonal treats. From freshly three meat- and cheese-loving New baked cakes and fine cheeses to hand Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet Heritage seeds and plants made jewellery and ceramics you’re for six weeks. Lured by tales of weight meeting sure to find something to tempt you! Come along and stroll around Home lost and health regained, they begin 7.30pm Wednesday 7 November Farm, enjoy the atmosphere and pick to uncover the hidden sides of animal Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft BS1 3QY agriculture that make them wonder up some seasonal treats. From freshly whether solutions offered in films like Members swap seeds and plants and baked cakes and fine cheeses to hand Food, Inc. go far enough. This entertaining share seed saving stories and know-how. made jewellery and ceramics you’re documentary showcases the rapid and at Gardeners have selected, saved and sure to find something to tempt you! times comedic evolution of three people passed on seeds and plants down the Feel Good Friday: cookery who discover they can change the world generations – creating vibrant food demonstration one bite at a time. cultures and protecting genetic diversity. 11am Friday 9 November 2012 Book tickets at: www.groworganicbristol.org £6.50 http://bristolgreencapital.org/ latest/2012/08/a-little-less-meat-a- Get ready for Christmas and watch one little-less-carbon/ Practical workshop – of our lovely chefs at work, learn some Build a compost toilet top festive cooking tips and maybe even have a taste. The demonstration Fungi Foray on Troopers Hill 10am–4.30pm Saturday 10 November will last approximately one to one and Local Nature Reserve The Community Farm, Chew Valley a half hours. £35 (members of The Community Farm 10.30am–12pm Sunday 4 November receive a 10% discount) Christmas food and craft market Meet on Troopers Hill Field at the end of Lunch and refreshments will be provided. 10am Sunday 2 December 2012

Malvern Road, BS5 8JA (normal admission charges Join Nick Ward on a practical workshop to Free event apply) Join expert Justin Smith in a hunt for build a compost toilet here on site at The mushrooms and toadstools. Community Farm. You will explore practical Get ready for Christmas at Tyntesfield The event is free but we need to limit design considerations and will work as a as the upper courtyard at Home Farm numbers so booking is essential. Phone group to build a compost toilet complete turns into a hive of festive activity Judith on 0117 955 9819 Tues–Sat 9am– with rain water harvesting system for and colour as local food and craft 5pm, or Susan on 0117 947 5037 at other hand-washing. producers set up their stalls and showcase their wares. There will times, to book your place on this event, or This workshop is limited to a maximum be jolly live music too. With special email [email protected]. of 10 people so be sure to book soon to musical festive cheer included! There is no on site car parking, see avoid disappointment. To book, please our website for details of how to get to phone Emily (9am–3pm, Mon–Thurs) www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ Troopers Hill by public transport. on 0117 3643123. If there are sufficient tyntesfield/things-to-see-and-do/ numbers, we will run a minibus from events/#iframeEvents www.troopers-hill.org.uk Bristol Hippodrome and Bristol Temple Meads to and from the farm on the day (£5 per person). If interested, please let us know when you book.

15 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 …more events Planting the Olympic park Independence day Keeping Bristol’s high streets with Professor Nigel Dunnett Supermarkets, big retail and alive 7.30pm Thursday 15 November 2012 the future of our communities 7–9pm Monday 19 November 2012 Room B75, School of Biological Sciences, 10.30am–4pm Saturday 17 November Colston Hall no 2 University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Wesley Chapel, Frome, Somerset Free and open to all: doors open 6.30pm BS8 1UG Registration £11 including booking fee, (please arrive early). Free to Friends (on production of tickets are available by phone from the In her report published last December, membership card). Visitors will be asked Frome Cheese and Grain box office: retail expert Mary Portas set out her vision for a £5 donation. No booking required. 01373 455420 for Britain’s high streets, and warned that Visitors to the Olympic Park this summer People are campaigning against the “after many years of erosion, neglect and were enchanted by the 25 acres of expansion of supermarkets and big box mismanagement” they will “disappear perennial and annual meadows, which retail all over Britain and beyond – but forever” unless urgent action is taken. could be viable alternatives to traditional too often, they are isolated and atomised, This major public event, free and open to bedding in public parks. Professor Nigel whereas the corporations they are up all, is intended to inform Bristolians about Dunnett will explain the designing and against are well-resourced, and spread what is being done in this city in response preparation of this landscape. across the country (if not the world). to these findings, to stimulate ideas and Professor of Planting Design and It’s time to start redressing the balance, act as a catalyst for further action. Vegetation Technology and Director of The which is why a high-profile activist group Cathy Parker, Professor of Retail and Green Roof Centre, University of Sheffield, from the South West have organised Marketing Enterprise, Manchester Nigel manages research programmes in Independence Day, a one-day event aimed Metropolitan University, will give the sustainable landscape planting and green at bringing people together to discuss keynote address, introduce the issues and roof development, is active in design the fate of the High Street, the increasing give examples from other cities of how the and consultancy, and writes widely for dominance of the big four supermarkets, problems might be addressed. horticultural and gardening publications. and a better vision of the future. Councillor Anthony Negus, Bristol City His work revolves around innovative What kind of places do we want to live and Council Cabinet Member for Housing, approaches to planting design and the work in? Is there an alternative to so-called Property and Regeneration will respond integration of ecology and horticulture ‘big box’ retailing? How do we ensure that with the actions the City Council is/has to achieve low-input, dynamic, diverse, regeneration and redevelopment include taken. ecologically-tuned designed landscapes, a central role for independent business Tony Miles Chair of the Clifton Village at small and large scale. Major areas of and the interests of local communities? Traders Association will speak about focus include green roofs, rain gardens, For one day of workshops, speaker-led the proposal for a Clifton Business pictorial meadows and naturalistic sessions and more, all these questions Improvement District. planting design. will on the agenda. Ben Barker, Secretary of Greater Further information: 0117 331 4906 The opening and closing sessions will be Bedminster Community Partnership will led by keynote speakers, including: speak about Bedminster’s successful bid www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden/ for funding to become a ‘Portas Pilot’ area. events/2012/61.html n Joanna Blythman, the acclaimed food writer, and author of Shopped, the George Grace, consultant from brilliant expose of British supermarkets Towncentred will talk about regenerating Gloucester Road and the Town Teams Show of Strength return to n Andrew Simms, a fellow of the New Initiative. Bedminster’s shops Economics Foundation and the author of the acclaimed book Tescopoly All speakers will then form a panel on the 10am–5pm last Saturday of the stage for an hour of questions/debate month, starting 24 November n Rob Hopkins, the co-founder of (Nov–March, excluding Dec) Transition Towns Totnes and the from the floor. Transition network As part of the Portas Pilot project run www.bristolcivicsociety.org.uk/ n by Bedminster’s Town Team, Show Neal Lawson, chair of Compass of Strength’s mini monologues in n The Guardian columnist John Harris shops return to the high streets of In between, there will be a series of Bedminster. breakout sessions, focusing on the For more details: nitty-gritty of campaigning, the future of www.bedminstertownteam.org/ the High Street, what supermarkets do to our food supply, the experiences of communities who have fought battles with big retail, and more.

www.independenceday2012.co.uk

16 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 …more events CSA UK – Building and growing Animal husbandry regained: North Street Christmas Fayre the movement The place of farm animals in Saturday 8 December 9.30am–3.30pm Friday 23 November sustainable agriculture North Street, Bedminster/Southville Occombe Farm, Near Paignton, Devon 1pm Wednesday 5 December 2012 North Street will be closed to traffic Following the success of the recent University of Bristol, Cabot Institute between the Tobacco Factory and the networking and consultation event for Langford campus Hen & Chicken, and will be open to the community for a day of fun, family CSA’s at the Community Farm in Bristol, Speaker: Professor John Webster we are offering another opportunity to activities, and a celebration of everything build on the discussion and actions from While world demand from a growing local. and more affluent human population this to develop the CSA movement. There The organisers would like to hear is increasing rapidly, there are strong will be the chance to visit and learn from from stallholders, community groups, counter-arguments that we should eat Occombe Farm’s CSA and to network musicians and volunteer stewards. with other like-minded CSA growers and less meat and pay more attention to practitioners. environmental protection, animal welfare www.northstreetbs3.com and human health and well-being. This We are pleased to be able to offer this as presentation identifies and explains a free event, courtesy of Occombe Farm. the causes and contributors to current Communities Buying Land There will be donations for refreshments, problems in animal husbandry, especially training day please bring biscuits and cakes to share. those related to ‘factory farming’, and 10.30am–4pm Wednesday 30 January Lunch can be purchased from Occombe advances arguments that may contribute Cardiff (venue to be confirmed) Farm shop/café or bring your own. to its successful re-orientation. This event is aimed at community groups For any queries please contact Laura www.bristol.ac.uk/cabot/ interested in buying land, particularly for Creen, Head Grower, Occombe Farm on events/2012/203.html community gardens. Advisors and support 01803 696 241. Places are limited so organisations also welcome. We will cover: please book asap at: http://csauk.eventbrite.co.uk/ n When is buying land appropriate and when is it not appropriate? n Your responsibilities as a land owner Ashton Court Christmas food n How to buy land – auctions, valuations, and craft fayre insurance, land agents, assessing the 10.30am–4.30pm Saturday 1 site & Sunday 2 December n Getting the money – loans, grants and Ashton Court Love Food Festival presents shares The Ashton Court Christmas food and Christmas at the Spiegeltent n Community share issues and craft fayre is back again this year. With incorporating as an Industrial and free entry and ample parking close by 10am–4pm Sunday 9 December Provident Society Millenium Square, Bristol in the Mansion car park, it’s the perfect n Hearing from groups who have already day out with acitivites including a deer Adults £2.50, Children free bought land walk, carols and mulled wine, wreath Feasting and festivities will be the order of n Advice from the experts making workshop and most importantly, the day as Love Food Festival presents a n Discussion and networking the opportunity to shop for unusual and very special Christmas event at the unique unique gifts, all within the beautiful and magical ‘Spiegeltent’. This 1920s style This event is being hosted by the surrounds of one of Bristol’s finest ‘big top’ tent will transport you back to a Federation of City Farms & Community estates. by-gone era of traditional Christmas cheer, Gardens. with original stained glass windows, www.facebook.com/ Book via the link, or get further flooring and mirrors all playing home to AshtonCourtChristmasFayre2012 information from Abby on 02920 225942 a bustling Love Food market, seasonal or [email protected] demonstration theatre, some delicious hot food, a café and festive inspired children’s http://en.communitylandadvice.org. activities. uk/en/news/25092012-1054/event- communities-buying-land-training- Demonstration theatre with well-known cardiff local chefs · Love Food market · street food · children’s activities

www.lovefoodfestival.com/christmas. html

17 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Courses MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at the Royal Agricultural College This course combines the principles n Agricultural and Rural Policy – to Entry requirements of sustainable development with an examine the role of policies such as n The normal minimum entry requirement examination of the various systems of WTO and CAP in delivering sustainable will be an Honours degree at upper food production in the context of providing agriculture. second level. a secure supply to meet the ever- The student will then choose three n Mature candidates with significant changing requirements of a growing world additional modules – at least two from relevant work experience and lower population. It provides an opportunity Sustainable Agricultural Intensification, academic qualifications may also be for graduates or professionals in other Small Scale Farming, Organic Production considered for entry, following personal disciplines to direct their careers towards and Marketing plus any one other interview with the Course Manager. agriculture and food supply. preferably from the MSc International n If the student first language is not The principal aim of the course is to Rural Development modules excluding English, we will accept the International enable students to gain the specialised Natural Resource Appraisal and Economics English Language Test (IELTS) with a knowledge, understanding, skills of the Environment. All students will minimum score of 6.5 in all elements. and attitudes necessary to contribute complete an independent research project n If the student has other qualifications, effectively and ethically to strategic on a topic related to one of the key themes including overseas awards and other decision making, opinion forming of the course, presented as two journal English language qualifications, they and operational management for the papers, one a review of the topic, the are advised to contact Admissions to sustainable development of agricultural other a research paper. discuss the suitability of his/her award and food supply systems in both for entry onto the course. developed and developing regions. Learning style? Student will gain a broader understanding New for 2012! International Internship Career prospects of relevant issues through knowledge Grants of £1000 to assist with travel costs This is a new course but closely related to acquisition, intellectual enquiry, debate, to enable students to gain valuable work the MSc International Rural Development and team/individual research. The course experience. where graduates have entered careers in will also provide a learning environment research, consultancy, policy formulation that encourages the student to explore Who is the course for? and project management for international factors influencing sustainability while Anyone who is concerned that our food organisations, government departments at the same time reflecting on his own production systems will not be fit for and national agencies, NGOs, research actions and attitudes, and those of purpose by the middle of this century! institutes and commercial companies others. In addition to lectures, student This is the ideal course for those looking across the world. will participate in case studies, seminars for a career in production, policy, and and management projects dependent on http://rac.ac.uk/study/postgraduate- sustainable development focusing on food module selections. This approach fosters study/sustainable-agriculture-and-food- or resource consumption in agriculture. teamwork and complements individual security The student should have a degree in a study and student learning. related subject or an interest in a career in one of the key themes. This course Students will be involved in several team Seminars at the RAC attracts students from a wide age group projects; including producing a magazine The improvement of beef quality and a wide range of backgrounds and is and organising a national conference. 10am–3pm Wednesday 14 November particularly appropriate for more mature The following themes will be developed: students who are re-directing their How meat quality can be improved, careers. n Human exploitation of the Earth’s whilst maintaining a profitable resources for food production and the beef industry in the UK in a highly How is the course organised? global and local implications of human competitive global market The course may be studied full-time over development. http://rac.ac.uk/business-services/ one academic year, or part-time over two n The ecological basis for resource south-west-rural-update/networking- years with five core modules: utilisation allied to wider environmental events/south-west-rural-update- n Development Project Management – and landscape considerations of food events/the-improvement-of-beef- to develop the necessary skills. production and supply. quality n Poverty and Food Security – to n The role and function of institutional Trees for farms understand the demand for food and structures in relation to development, 10am–6pm Wednesday 5 December the issues in providing it. resource exploitation, social, cultural, ethical and inter-generation How tree planting in the right place can n Integrated Agricultural Systems – to considerations. help productivity and sustainability, examine the sustainability of a range of not just create new woodland cover. food producing management systems. n The application of development paradigms, models and tools to http://rac.ac.uk/business-services/ n Sustainable Management of Soil and build capacity within communities, south-west-rural-update/networking- Water – to understand the issues in institutions and individuals. events/south-west-rural-update- managing the two key natural resources events/trees-for-farms for plant growth.

18 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 …more courses & training Chutney Making Workshop The Low-impact living 7–9pm Wednesday 21 November initiative (LILI) Windmill Hill City Farm For all course information: £12/£6 concessions http://lowimpact.org/venues_south_ Come along to the farm and learn how to west.html make delectably tangy chutney. We will Gardening: propagation for beginners be using produce picked from our local 10am–4pm Thursday 1 November · £95 chutney walk. Ideal to be given as gifts for Cotswold Gardening School, Gossington the upcoming Christmas period. Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN

www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk/ Wild fermentation – sourdough baking course/workshops.html and vegetable preservation 9am–5pm Saturday 3 November · £50 Training with Voscur Embercombe, Near Exeter, Devon Apple Tree Pruning Greening your organisation Habitat management for lower plants 10.30am–12.30pm Saturday 24 10am–12.30pm Wed 7 November and fungi November The Southville Centre, Beauley Road, 10am–4pm Tuesday 6 November · Lawrence Weston Community Farm Southville, Bristol BS3 1QG £100/£75 Free but please book £10 for Voluntary and Community Cleeve, North Somerset Sector Organisations Learn the secrets to pruning young apple People & permaculture design course trees in order for them to have productive www.supporthub.org.uk/greening- 7–22 November (2 weeks) or fruiting lives. your-organisation 27 January–9 February · £750–£975 http://lwfarm.org.uk/learning.html Monkton Wyld Court, Near Charmouth, Prove it! – Convincing funders your Bridport, Dorset DT6 6DQ project is needed Permaculture Design Course Lower Shaw Farm Cookery School 9.30am–3.30pm Thurs 13 December 9–11 November · £105–£150 Phoenix Social Enterprise, 5 Russell 12 Thursday evenings plus a choice of Lower Shaw Farm, Shaw, Swindon SN5 5PJ Town Avenue, Redfield BS5 9LT weekend field trips and practical days. Voscur Full Members £55, Associate Woodland coppicing Members £75, Non Members £125 St Werburgh’s Centre, Bristol 10am–4pm Sunday 11 November or 6.45–9.30 pm every Thursday, Sunday 6 January · £49 www.supporthub.org.uk/prove-it- 10 January–28 March (half term 7 Feb) Coberley, Gloucestershire GL53 convincing-funders-your-project- Full £325, Low wage £225 or unwaged £115 needed-0 (limited places) Gardening: propagation morning class 9.30am–1pm Tuesday 20 November · £50 Volunteers and the Law Led by Sarah Pugh with Mike Feingold and Cotswold Gardening School, Gossington 9.30am–1pm Thursday 24 January other guest tutors. Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN Location TBC An inspiring and informative exploration Woodland coppicing Voscur Full Members £55, Associate of the principles and practice of 9.30am–5pm Saturday 24 November · £49 Members £75, Non Members £125 Permaculture Design; a common Heartwood Project, Near Bath sense, holistic and simple approach to www.supporthub.org.uk/ sustainable living and growing. Kitchen garden planning volunteers-and-law-0 9.30am–1pm Tuesday 27 November or Visits to plots around the SW including Saturday 12 January · £50 intentional communities, eco-builders, Cotswold Gardening School, Gossington no-dig and forest gardeners and energy Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN projects give you first hand experience from practitioners and experts. Learn Winter garden week hands on skills in a choice of practical 3–7 December · £50–£150 sessions. The course culminates in group Monkton Wyld Court, Near Charmouth, design projects on local projects. Bridport, Dorset DT6 6DQ

www.sarah-pugh.co.uk Orchard creation & maintenance 10am–4pm Saturday 26 January · £80 Mumbleys Farmhouse, Mumbleys, Near Thornbury BS35 3JY

19 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Publications Extreme Weather, Extreme Nature’s matrix: Linking Prospects for the Future: Prices: The costs of feeding a agriculture, conservation and Scaling up the community food warming world food sovereignty sector Tracy Carty, Climate Change Policy Ivette Perfecto, John Vandermeer, and Research by Cardiff University for the Adviser, Oxfam GB Angus Wright Making Local Food Work Programme Climate change is making extreme weather In any discussion of biodiversity and Over the last decade, social enterprises much more likely. As the 2012 drought in species extinction, someone insists that in the UK have played a pioneering role the USA shows, extreme weather means overpopulation is the problem. More in responding to society’s demands extreme food prices. people equals more farms equals less for a more sustainable food system. wilderness equals more extinctions. Life Initiatives like farmers’ markets, Our failure to slash greenhouse gas is a zero-sum game: you can have people community food shops and community emissions presents a future of greater and farming OR wildlife and biodiversity, supported agriculture schemes have food price volatility, with severe but not both. been instrumental in facilitating face-to- consequences for the precarious lives and face relationships between producers livelihoods of people living in poverty. Nature’s Matrix offers a convincing and consumers, thereby providing antidote to such views. Drawing on their This briefing draws on new research a concrete response to widespread extensive practical experience with commissioned by Oxfam which models concerns about the lack of transparency conservation and agriculture in Central the impact of extreme weather – like and accountability in the conventional, America and the Amazon, combined droughts, floods and heat waves – on the industrialised food system. with recent research in ecology and prices of key international staple crops in agronomy, the authors propose a radical While community food enterprises are 2030. It suggests that existing research, ‘new paradigm’ for conservation, a providing local markets for goods and which considers the gradual effects of strategy based on powerful evidence that initiating demand for ethical, sustainable climate change but does not take account preserving biodiversity is inseparable from food stuffs, the community food sector of extreme weather, is significantly the growing struggle of peasant farmers alone cannot make changes to the global underestimating the potential implications for human rights, land, and sustainable food system. Community food enterprises of climate change for food prices. agriculture. are helping to change behaviour on a local This research shows how extreme weather level; however, to make global changes, a www.energybulletin.net/ events in a single year could bring about shift in consumer and industry behaviour stories/2012-10-19/natures-matrix- price spikes of comparable magnitude requires action from key decision makers linking-agriculture-conservation-and- to two decades of long-run price rises. It at national and international levels. food-sovereignty signals the urgent need for a full stress- http://orca.cf.ac.uk/38352/ testing of the global food system in a warming world. ‘Our land, our lives’ Time out www.oxfam.org/en/grow/policy/ on the global land rush How to compost in your extreme-weather-extreme-prices apartment Oxfam briefing All you need to know about composting In the past decade an area of land eight indoors with worms –and a promise of no Full Planet, Empty Plates: The times the size of the UK has been sold smells and no pests. new geopolitics of food scarcity off globally. This land could feed a billion people, equivalent to the number of www.sustainableamerica.org/blog/how- Lester R. Brown, Earth Policy Institute people who go hungry each night. In poor to-compost-in-your-apartment/ The world is in transition from an era of countries, foreign investors have been food abundance to one of scarcity. Over buying an area the size of London every six the last decade, world grain reserves have days. With food prices spiking for the third Ecosystem services from fallen by one third. World food prices time in four years, investors see land as a Environmental Stewardship have more than doubled, triggering a good long-term bet. All too often, forced that benefit agricultural worldwide land rush and ushering in a evictions are a consequence of these new geopolitics of food. Food is the new land deals in developing countries. In the production oil. Land is the new gold. past the World Bank has chosen to freeze Natural England lending when poor standards have caused Read the first chapter at: The report shows how Environmental dispossession and suffering. It needs to www.earth-policy.org/books/fpep/ Stewardship schemes can help protect do so again, in order to play a key role in fpepch1 soil and water, regulate pest species and stopping the global land rush. improve pollination, which in turn helps www.oxfamamerica.org/files/our-land- support crop production. our-lives.pdf http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2012/08/ environmental-stewardship-and-food- security/?utm_source=email&dm_ i=A78,Y0GO,2ZA1OE,2U358,1

20 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 …more publications Herbal remedies: Publications from the Vala (Bristol’s first community- How to make, use & grow them Government department supported publishing co-operative) proudly invites you to a celebration of Sorrell Robbins, LILI · £11.95 for Communities and Local our latest book Learn about identifying and harvesting Government medicinal plants. Make a range of simple Space for food growing: Guide Feeding Orchids to the Slugs: medicines including ointments, salves, www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ Tales from a Zen Kitchen syrups, oils, compresses, infusions and communities/foodgrowingguide decoctions. Florencia Clifford Get the green space you want: Come and taste delicious recipes from www.lowimpact.org/acatalog/books_ How the Government can help the book, meet the author and artist, herbal_medicine.html www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ and hear how food and cooking can communities/greenspacehelp bring about magical shifts in your life. Growing gourmet and Potential funding for community green 6.30–8.30pm Thursday 22 November spaces medicinal mushrooms St Stephen’s Church, Bristol BS1 1EQ www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ Paul Stamets · £43 communities/greenspacefunding Florencia will be signing copies of the Production techniques for home and book, which will be on sale for £15.99 Food growing: Case studies commercial cultivation, detailed growth RSVP by 16 November: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ parameters for 31 mushroom species, [email protected] communities/foodgrowingcasestudies a trouble-shooting guide, and handy www.valapublishers.coop/ gardening tips. Community orchards: How to guide feedingorchidstotheslugs www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ http://lowimpact.org/acatalog/books_ communities/orchardshowto www.facebook.com/ mushrooms.html FeedingOrchidsToTheSlugs Community orchards: Case studies www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ Sprouts and sprouting communities/orchardscasestudies Valerie Cupillard · £12.99 Turn your kitchen into a garden. Discover About That First Tweet – the pleasures of transforming wheat, New practical guide for charities lentils, mustard or alfalfa into sprouts and shoots. This book includes 70 healthy and on using social media creative recipes with an accent on raw The guide assembles the thoughts of nutrition and flavour. nearly 200 small and medium-sized www.lowimpact.org/acatalog/books_ charities and social enterprises on social sprouting.html#a193 media. It includes interviews with social media experts from Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, all of who give tips on how The ultimate fruit & nut guide to best engage with the platforms they provide; case studies of organisations Susanna Lyle · £40 who’ve successfully used social media Everything a gardener needs to know to achieve off-line goals; a checklist of and much that a commercial producer reminders and tips; and further reading. would find valuable in terms of choice of varieties and marketing of the harvest. www.supporthub.org.uk/ news/11102012-333pm/about-first- www.lowimpact.org/acatalog/books_ tweet-new-practical-guide-charities- fruit_trees_and_orchards.html#a1722 using-social-media

Odds & ends… A crowd-funded blight-resistant potato?

The Sarvari Research Trust breeds non-GM, send seeds for government testing (very market research and therefore a private blight-resistant potatoes that don’t need expensive) over two growing seasons. If matter. Breeders of GM resistant potatoes constant spraying. These are known as the regulators agree that the potato would do get grant support. Funders will get to Sarpo varieties. make a useful new variety, they will award field-test the new variety for themselves. it National List status. Sarvari need £5000 They have a promising new seedling www.buzzbnk.org/ProjectDetails. to help do this. whose performance needs to be tested aspx?projectId=84&dm_ against standard varieties in the field/ Sarvari can’t get grant funding for this i=4UO,ZLMK,JCI86,300FP,1 garden and in the kitchen. Then they can kind of work because is thought to be near

21 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 The Soil Association is Odds & ends asking people to help Keep Britain Buzzing! Allotments available Billions of bees have been lost in Many allotment sites in Bristol only have recent years, seriously jeopardising short waiting lists (the numbers of sites Buzzing by donating to their campaign. future food supplies. Their loss is a with years long lists is actually very small). As a thank you they’ll send anyone sign that something is badly wrong. Sites with vacancies at the moment are: who donates £5 or more a campaign The Soil Association want neonicotinoid badge and pack of bee-friendly organic n Whittock Road, Stockwood pesticides, widely used in agriculture phacelia seeds. n Wedmore Vale, Bedminster and domestic gardens to be banned n Park, Brislington and we want to promote bee-friendly Support the campaign at: n Wickham Hill, Stapleton organic farming so everyone can make www.soilassociation.org/supportus/ n Atwood Drive, Lawrence Weston a difference by simply changing their keepbritainbuzzing n Fortfield Road, Whitchurch shopping habits. Find out more about the dangers facing n Speedwell (by the old swimming baths) You can support the Soil Association’s bees here: Applicants can contact us at 0117 922 3737 work, protect bees, and Keep Britain www.soilassociation.org/wildlife/bees or can apply via our website: www.bristol.gov.uk/allotments BCfm Green City The Forest of Avon: Wired 4 Food BCfm, Bristol’s community radio station, Supporting Local Tree Action Coders, hackers and designers came now have a weekly programme covering It’s what we do and we are pleased to together at the Wired 4 Food 24-hour environmental issues. ‘Green City’, continue to offer a FREE advisory meeting hackathon at the University of Bristol presented by Joe Evans, goes out every for any group/individual considering: Campus in September to help transform Monday between 10am and 12pm, and the way we produce and consume features interviews, news and discussion n Grants for trees, including all Forestry food. The event was part of Forum for on issues ranging from local food, Commission grants the Future’s Wired for Change series – sustainable energy, transport and more. n The management requirements of trees/ designed to inspire and engage the digital The show on 22 October had a theme of woodlands communities in the global problems we ‘food’ and featured interviews with Joy n Planting or managing trees face. See the winning prototypes which Carey, author of Who Feeds Bristol?, and n Setting up a group to get more trees emerged on the day: Phil Haughton of the Better Food Company planted, or to manage a woodland and Chew Valley Community Farm. n Planting trees in gardens www.forumforthefuture.org/project/ n Planting fruit trees wired-change/more/wired-food-projects You can catch the show live on 93.2FM or n Forest School accredited training. listen to past shows online at: www.bcfm.org.uk/category/shows/ We also directly support local action The Allotments Regeneration green-city. through our Free Trees, Garden Forest Initiative and Street Orchard schemes. This quarter we have worked groups/ individuals in After ten years’ work, the Allotments Give your organisation a Clevedon, Bedminster, Haydon, Knowle Regeneration Initiative, a partnership Boost! with a professional West, Nailsea, Pensford, Keynsham and between the Federation of City Farms Radstock. We have also secured funding and Community Gardens and the volunteer from South Gloucestershire Council to National Society of Allotment and Leisure The Boost! programme (managed by erect woodland signs promoting access on Gardeners, has reached its natural Volunteer Bristol in partnership with the foot, at sites at Siston and Upton Cheyney. conclusion. The project will close on Support Hub at Voscur) aims to match http://forestofavontrust.org/ 31 October 2012 but please check partner highly skilled individuals from a variety websites for details of ongoing work. of professional backgrounds with an Fruit Trees offer www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari organisation in need of specialist support. Fruit trees are ideal for all gardens/ www.nsalg.org.uk/ Volunteer Bristol currently have a number allotments and because they can grow on of volunteers with expertise in areas such dwarf rootstocks, they can make even the as website design, financial planning, smallest space green and productive. Bristol Fair Sustainable business development, photography and Once again we have sourced top quality Future? Ask your Mayorial HR looking for opportunities to support voluntary organisations on a specific short fruit trees at close to wholesale prices. Candidates term project or task. If you interested and a Bristol allotment holder, please go to: If you couldn’t get a ticket for the hustings, If you think you could benefit from having you can watch 5 of the mayoral candidates http://forestofavontrust.org/2012/07/ a Boost! volunteer, call Mel at Volunteer respond to ‘green’ questions (including a attention-all-bristol-allotment-holders/ Bristol on 0117 989 7734 or e-mail; couple about food) at: [email protected] for further others please go to: http://forestofavontrust.org/2012/09/ www.bristolfoe.org.uk/mayor information. its-time-to-order-your-fruit-trees/

22 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012 Regular things Royate Hill Community Orchard Regular monthly workdays New Community Orchard in Eastside Roots volunteer days 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month Brislington/St Anne’s Stapleton Road Train Station 11am–4pm (drop by anytime, but cleaning Workdays 1st Saturday of the month 10am–4pm Fridays, 11am–4pm Saturdays up starts around 3pm) Located on the edge of Nightingale Valley Improve your local community, meet new As well as the fruit trees, we also plant on former allotment ground at Woodcroft friends, learn new skills and keep fit. vegetables, and whoever shows up for Road. The land is full of promise, drop by Email: [email protected] workdays when there is a harvest, gets to and get involved to help shape the future. www.eastsideroots.org.uk take food home. Drinks available, bring We have funding thanks to the Brislington snacks to share. Tools and gardening gloves provided. There is also a compost Neighbourhood partnership for trees and Metford Rd Community Orchard toilet at the orchard. Everybody welcome, equipment. Contact Frank White: regardless of experience. [email protected] Usually third Sunday of the month Meet at Metford Road Gates (green metal www.kebelecoop.org/?page_id=28 Easton Community Allotment gate in between numbers 37 and 39) at about 11.30am, bring gardening gloves. Trinity Community Gardens Thursdays 12–4pm (5pm summer) There should be a notice on the gate Gardening and Permaculture sessions telling you a mobile number to ring if we’re We are a beautiful, green enclave nestled Last Saturday of the month 11am–5pm on the edge of Easton. It’s a social space already there, and we’ll come and let you for people who want to grow vegetables, in. If there’s no notice, and nobody there Volunteer drop-in sessions. Learn to grow drink tea and share the harvest. – you’re the first, be patient! If you’ve fruit, veg & herbs at the Trinity Gardens. No experience necessary – just drop in. never been before then you can ring Joe on Get fit, work outside, meet people, and Email for map/directions: 07840 059079 to tell us you’re coming. gain knowledge and practical experience. [email protected] www.sustainableredland.org.uk/what- Drinks provided, but please bring lunch! eastoncommallot.wordpress.com can-i-do/metford-road-community-orchard www.3ca.org.uk/projects/trinity-gardens

Regular markets Stokes Croft Market Follow us on Facebook! Full Moon, Hamilton House, Boston www.facebook.com/ Ashton Court Producers Market Tea Party, 2nd Saturday of the month Stables Courtyard, 3rd Sunday of the pages/Bristols-local-food- 11am–6pm month 10.30am–2.30pm update/117246931647992?created#!/ Tobacco Factory Market pages/Bristols-local-food- Bristol Farmers’ Market Corner of Raleigh Road/North Street, Corn Street, Wednesdays 9.30am– update/117246931647992?v=info Southville, Sundays 10am–2.30pm 2.30pm Westbury-on-Trym Market Friday Food Market, Wine Street Medical Centre Car Park, Westbury Hill, 10am–4pm. 4th Saturday of the month, 9am–1pm Harbourside Market (except December) Every weekend outside the Watershed Whiteladies Road Market Bristol’s local food update 11am–4pm. saVe THe GReen BeLT sPecIaL may–june 2009 HEN hundreds of us last year took the Eat the Change challenge and tried to spend a Corner of Whiteladies Road and Apsley weekW eating only local, organic food free Save our soils – use our soils Richard Spalding from plastic packaging, we discovered just how limited local sustainable food It is great to hear that in the near future is. There are myriad reasons for this, but we might see beef cattle grazing historic the reality remains that with fossil fuels Stoke park as Bristol City Council begin , Village Hall, likely to become extremely scarce within Long Ashton Village Market to think through reconnections between our lifetimes and food miles contributing town and countryside. I would want to so intensely to climate change, we will

soon have little choice but to produce Road, 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month, the camera lens up and over this idyllic most of our food locally. In light of this, scene to settle on “the Blue Finger”. it is essential that we start preparing Smallholdings in Frenchay now by ring fencing land for sustainable I have coined this phrase to get us all food production now. thinking about high quality agricultural the M32 becoming an edible landscape land on the north Bristol fringe which for the city. It would be a beacon for a Transition Network is beginning to 1st Saturday of the month 9.30am–1pm used to be at the heart of what was called new AGRI-CULTURE which would help to explore how Britain can best feed itself, the Bristol Dairying and Market Garden nourish our bellies and our communities. analysing Britain’s land potential for Sub-Region. We can follow a blue [colour- It would mark the beginning of a truly food production in light of nutritional 8.30am–2pm coded] fi nger of high quality soils on the sustainable agriculture which reconnects needs, climate change, fl ood predictions, 1953 Agricultural Land Classifi cation map people and the land. It would celebrate soil quality, population densities etc. But of England and Wales which shows a strip the importance of city and countryside what is already overwhelmingly obvious of fertile land stretching from Frenchay, working together to deliver food security. is that we will need every inch of land through Hambrook and Winterbourne and Impossible you say? suitable for food production, in both the out into open country. The post Second Corn Street, countryside and cities, if we are going to One thing is certain in my mind; the idea Slow Food Market War assessment of land and soil quality be able to feed ourselves in the future. of covering up the best farm land in the shows just how such land was valued as a country with city extensions, park and This edition of Bristol’s Local Food strategically important resource under the rides and notions of green infrastructure Zion Food Market Update shines the spotlight on how banner of “Best and Most Versatile” soils need to be challenged, in order that food Bristol’s Green Belt and agricultural for local food production. produced from these soils takes its right - hinterlands are increasingly being given The soils are deep, red, largely stone- ful place at the discussion table. There are over to development in the pursuit of free and close to the city. They have the some signs that we are beginning to think further economic growth (largely in capacity to help feed us, especially in the again about the importance of the soil and 1st Sunday of the month 10am–3pm response to central government targets), context of climate change, peak oil and the land to ALL our futures and I would like despite the increasing imperative to food insecurity. The soils themselves now to see Bristol and South Gloucestershire save our soils for food production. lie largely derelict, the market gardens Councils working together to enable the Zion, Bishopsworth Rd, Bedminster Down The Avon Green Belt, an area fi ve times having fallen prey to the global food re-creation of the food economies on and the size of Bristol and predominantly economy and the land now de-valued for around the “Blue Finger”. classifi ed as farmland (but much of food production. We need to audit this I am very keen to establish a wide-ranging which currently lies fallow) is being private and public land to establish just set of debates about this topic and am increasingly earmarked by Local how possible it might be to re-create a convinced that it might be possible to Authorities for developments such local foodscape for our region. begin looking forward to another, and as 117,000 new houses in the South There is much to gain from doing this arguably more important, “dig for victory” West. We all need to act now to ensure and my campaign seeks to mobilise campaign. I sense that the cattle of Stoke that Bristol City Council ring fences all Every 4th Saturday another “dig for victory” campaign Park might just be the idea that sparks suitable land for food production: read to allow food communities, new food a new and regionally important symbol on and stay in touch to fi nd out how to businesses and all of us eaters to begin around which to secure and re-invent our make your voice heard. the process of re-shaping our local food local foodscapes. If you want to contribute Claire Milne culture. I have a vision for this foodscape to this debate, then please contact me at: Transition Bristol and Bristol Food Hub which sees the northern gateway along [email protected]

Some content for this newsletter is taken Growing Schools newsletter Bristol’s local food update from the following e-newsletters: www.growingschools.org.uk If you didn’t receive this PDF by email, you Soil Association e-news Food Climate Research network can send a subscription request for future www.soilassociation.org/ www.fcrn.org.uk (go to email sign-up) issues to be sent direct to you, to: TodaysNewsLogin/tabid/639/Default. F3 Local food news [email protected] aspx www.localfood.org.uk/index.html Subscribers will be e-mailed a maximum of three times between issues of the Garden Organic e-news Voscur newsletter, with any event information www.gardenorganic.org.uk/e-news/ www.voscur.org/news that missed the deadline. sign_up.php Food Lovers Britain This issue of Bristol’s local food update Urban Agriculture newsletter www.foodloversbritain.com/register/ was compiled by Jane Stevenson and Kristin www.sustainweb.org/cityharvest/ register.php Sponsler. Design by Jane Stevenson: www.janestevensondesign.co.uk newsletter/ Defra’s SD scene newsletter The views expressed in this newsletter Forest of Avon http://sd.defra.gov.uk/subscribe/ are not necessarily endorsed by the City http://forestofavontrust.org/ Council.

23 bristol’s local food update · novEMBER–decemBER 2012