BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK Bristol’s local food update2014 community project news · courses · publications · events september–october Green Capital update The Green Capital Food Action Group has which is: local, seasonal, organic, n Events & workshop programme to share been busy pulling-together a whole load fairtrade and/or what they are doing to skills, best practice and support new of energy and activity across the city ‘green’ their business (e.g. food waste developments into some potential collaborative plans policy, energy or water usage reduction n Research e.g. urban food production for 2015. If you’d like to get involved, or measures etc). The project would also survey; new business opportunities. to help bring any of these projects into work with a pilot set of businesses, to fruition next year, please get in touch: help make their supply chains more City wide surplus food project: [email protected] sustainable. Food Routes Using online tools to better-connect those Let’s all cook & eat Urban Growing Trail (making urban with a food surplus with those in need. growing more visible) Taking ‘low carbon’ cooking out to all parts To develop a flexible system, that will work of Bristol, with tasting/cooking sessions Creating an Urban Growing Trail between equally well for those with a surplus of and free recipe cards, using a themed e.g. Bristol Temple Meads and the FOOD 10 pumpkins, as it does for those dealing vehicle such as an innovative ‘Good Food exhibition at @Bristol. The Trail would with supermarket mass quantities. tour’ electric bike + trailer, which unpacks start at an edible-ified Temple Meads, to create a mini mobile kitchen – one and take-in some existing growing Health & Wellbeing Action Group’s burner, a bag of ingredients and very basic projects which are open 24/7 e.g. the ‘Kitchens on Prescription’ kitchen preparation equipment (e.g. a revamped Arup bed, Castle Park veg Advocating GPs’ social prescription of chopping board and small knife). With bed, Ballast garden; then arriving at the cookery classes, delivered in community such limited equipment, Let’s all cook and Incredible Edible garden in Millenium kitchens. Rather than telling a patient to eat will demonstrate that it’s possible to Square. The Trail should demonstrate a go away and start dieting, their GP might cook healthy, simple, affordable and tasty range of urban growing techniques from direct them to a free cookery course. dishes (and implicitly ‘low carbon’), on take-over of public spaces to high-tech a low budget. hydroponic/aquaponic systems, and all How to get involved guide things inbetween. This is a proposal from Bristol Food Network The Big Picnic (who would work with multiple partners) Participating schools will gather together Urban growers’ collaboration to develop a printed How to get involved in local clusters on one day – probably We have had one meeting so far. Potential guide for anyone inspired by food during on the finale Friday of Big Green Week for collaborations already on-the-table before 2015, to help convert interest to action. Schools – for a Big Picnic in a local green the meeting, included: Severn Project’s space. Potentially, there could also be collective distribution and marketing, one central flagship public picnic (this with the potential to develop online could be an ‘Eat in’ on College Green, as ordering; developing a ‘Centre for good organized by the Sustainable Food Trust food excellence’; and the Bloomberg during Food Connections). Schools learn submission (see p.18). Issues to be about sustainable food, and then cook/ explored further include: prepare produce which they’ve grown, and bring something to share – both in terms n Develop a collaborative training Bristol’s local food update is produced of food, and in the sharing of knowledge programme and agricultural bursary by Bristol Food Network CIC, with support from Bristol City Council. and experience. n Establish a centre/network of excellence Bristol Food Network CIC supports, informs on urban food production & distribution and connects individuals, community Highlight and increase local/sustainable (physical & virtual) projects, organisations and businesses supply n Demonstration sites to inspire others who share a vision to transform Bristol To supply blackboards to Green Capital into a sustainable food city. n Information hub pledgers – independent food shops, cafés Registered office: 7 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4JE and restaurants – where they can self- n Places to buy edible plants and compost A Community Interest Company, Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. declare what they’re selling/purchasing n Support for community food enterprise Registration no. 8838348. Bristol’s Food Policy Council update It has been a few months since our last the Bristol Food the many projects proper update. However, during this time Poverty Report and coming out of the much has been happening! Check out the bringing engagement Bristol Green Capital diaries of some of our members below. from the health Food Action Group. sector. Her job (See cover for more Tom Andrews is transferred from the information, and Associate Director at NHS to Bristol City email us if you would the Soil Association Council (April 2013) like to take part: and manager of and since then she bristollocalfood@ Sustainable Food has helped make sure that the work of googlemail.com) Cities, a UK-wide the Health and Wellbeing Board explicitly partnership And finally, welcome supports the Bristol Good Food Plan. programme to to Jerry Naish from Together with Zoe Willcox she invited a help places take a Yeo Valley who is ‘Peer Review Team’ to examine how well joined up approach to all aspects standing in for Tor Bristol City Council is doing in supporting of food, health and sustainability: Crockatt while she’s Good Food. The recommendations www.sustainablefoodcities.org on maternity leave. will be presented to the Health and Joy Carey is an Wellbeing Board in September: http:// independent bristolfoodpolicycouncil.org/food-and- consultant on planning-developmental-review-a-report- Bristol Food Policy Council Sustainable Food based-on-interviews-with-bristol-city- meeting, 9 July 2014 System Planning, the council-staff-about-their-work-on-food/ The Bristol Food Policy Council met on author of Who Feeds Nina Skubala is 9 July at City Hall. While fewer in number Bristol? Towards a Vice-Chair of the than normal, the FPC got through a packed resilient food plan, Green Capital agenda which included updates from the a Director of f3 local Partnership. Bloomberg project and included a visit food consultants CIC, and Bristol Food A keen advocate from University of Cardiff Master’s student Network CIC (BFN). Among many other of sustainability Bella Beynon. projects, she is currently collating the with a Masters findings from the URBACT-funded survey in Environmental Food and Planning Peer Review Report of local food growing projects in Bristol. Management, Nina Angela Raffle reported on the recent Food The report should be available at the joined Business West in 2010 as an and Planning Peer Review, written by Bristol Food Conference on 20 October Environmental Adviser where she worked Marcus Grant of WHO Collaborating Centre (see p.3), which Joy is helping to plan. with over 250 SMEs to ‘Go Green’. She for Healthy Urban Environments, UWE, and Joy is also co-chairing the Bristol Green is now manager of their West of England Lawrence Carmichael of SHINE, Supporting Capital Food Action Group with BFN Initiative the business leadership team, Healthy Inclusive Neighbourhood Director Jane Stevenson (see cover). whose remit is to bring private and public Environment, Bristol University.This report Gus Hoyt, sectors together by leading and supporting was based on interviews with Bristol City Assistant Mayor for economic prosperity in order make this Council staff about their roles in improving Neighbourhoods, area the best place to live and work. the health, sustainability and resilience of is the Cabinet the food system that serves Bristol. Sid Sharma is the officer responsible The report can be accessed at: http:// co-founder of the for overseeing the bristolfoodpolicycouncil.org/food-and- Thali Cafés, the Bristol’s Bloomberg planning-developmental-review-a-report- Shambala Festival, Challenge (see p.18.) based-on-interviews-with-bristol-city- and a Director of council-staff-about-their-work-on-food/ Kevin Morgan, Chair BFN. Sid co-curated of the Food Policy the extremely Update on Bloomberg bid Council and Professor successful Food Deborah Kinghorn of the Mayor’s Office of Governance and Connections Festival reported to the group that Bristol’s Development, last May and currently has his head down Bloomberg idea has been shortlisted for City and Regional planning next year’s Festival, which is the award along with 21 other cities. The Planning School, going to be an even more spectacular 2013–2014 Bloomberg Mayors’ Challenge Cardiff University, addition to the 2015 Green Capital year. is described as “an ideas competition for will be the keynote Sid also took part in the recent Bristol European cities – a chance to win funding speaker at the upcoming Bristol Food Food Policy Task & Finish group (see p.3). for a bold new solution to a major urban Conference (see p.3). Kristin Sponsler is community groups rep challenge. It exists to bring powerful new Dr Angela Raffle is a Consultant in Public on the Bristol Food Policy Council, Director ideas to life – not only to help your own Health and has served on the Food Policy of BFN, and has been busy with planning city, but to encourage others to adopt Council since it began, helping with Who the upcoming Bristol Food Conference, creative approaches as well.” Feeds Bristol?, the Bristol Good Food Plan, as well as getting involved with some of continued

2 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Food Policy Council update continued STOP PRESS!!

There are 4 key criteria that the Bristol UWE offers free ICT Bristol’s Food Conference 2014 bid will be judged on: Vision, Impact, consultancy for voluntary & Implementation and Transferability to 9am–5pm Monday 20 October community organisations other cities. Deborah said, “I think it is Event Suite, @Bristol fair to say that the Bristol bid is the most Anyone involved in community With only a few months to go before bold and ambitious of the 21 cities that action in and around Bristol might Bristol’s year of being EU Green Capital are shortlisted, and it is also the only be interested in opportunities 2015 the Food Policy Council are hosting project that focuses on food. We welcome for organisations to partner with a Conference with a suitably international Food Policy Council advice and support in University of the West of England’s flavour. Cities all around the world are engaging key stakeholders in the project.” Department of Computer Science and starting to look at how they can reduce Creative Technologies. The shortlisted bids can be viewed here: harmful greenhouse gas emissions that http://mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org/ are contributing to climate change, and UWE’s long-standing and popular index.cfm?objectid=88E27CD0-BF20-11E3- how some of this can be through food student consultancy scheme offers B2360050569A3ED0 system changes. The event will include free consultancy in ICT or related areas learning and best practice from our Partner to local social enterprise, community For more detail see p.18 Cities in the EU URBACT ‘Sustainable Food and voluntary organisations in exchange for hosting level 3 Feedback from Task and Finish group in Urban Communities’ network and how undergraduate project teams as part on future of the Food Policy Council this can further inspire and influence our already dynamic food scene in Bristol. of our ‘CAKE’ (Community Action and The task and finish group (Kevin Morgan, Following on from last year’s successful Knowledge Exchange) initiative. Sid Sharma, Kathy Derrick, Gus Hoyt, Joy Food Gathering in November 2013, this Carey, Claire Lowman and Kristin Sponsler) Applications are now open for the event will provide plenty of time for net- met on 30 May 2014 with a remit to look 2014 round of projects – deadline for working and discussing some of the most at Bristol Food Policy Council Terms of expressions of interest 19 September pressing issues in our current food system. Reference, Functions, Membership, Links, http://www.uwe.ac.uk/et/cake via ‘Student Consultancy’ link. Funding/bidding, and Unifying/linking Conference Menu the brands. It was decided that the group n Starters: an overview of the URBACT city should have a strategic role rather than network by Lead Expert Francois Jegou. a delivery one. The key functions were Big Green Narratives identified as: n Mid-morning snack: consists of speedy In collaboration with the Bristol presentations from Bristol participants Green Capital Partnership n Strategic who have visited Amersfoort in the n Knowledge of local, regional, Netherlands, Gothenburg in Sweden, 1.30–5pm Thursday 25 September national and international policy Oslo in Norway, Messina in Sicily, Lyon Paintworks, Bath Road, Brislington n Lobbying in France & Vaslui in Romania. What are the stories that will lift your vision off the page and inspire people n Identifying funding streams and Main course to get involved in your project? making applications n First course: A keynote speech by n Linking to national campaigns Professor Kevin Morgan, chair of Bristol Big Green Week CiC and the Bristol Food Policy Council Green Capital Partnership invite you n Having a city-region focus n Second course: A delectable expert to attend an afternoon event helping The group discussed whether the Good panel sharing their knowledge and organisations across Bristol prepare Food Plan needs action plans and theme reflections on how we as a city can for Big Green Week 2015 and beyond. leads but it was not thought that this respond to really make a difference. Big Green Week offers Bristol’s would be achievable in the 8 hours that businesses, social entrepreneurs n Third course: This is entirely up to you, we meet per year and group members and community organisations an our food community, as you digest want to be flexible to contribute to a opportunity to engage with thousands and transform information into action range of objectives and adapt according of residents and visitors. We are ideas in a session facilitated by Liz to short and long term needs. Instead linking with the 2015 grants process to Zeidler, Co-Chair of Bristol Green Capital it was proposed that the 8 objectives ensure successful applicants are able Partnership are used as a framework for discussion to make best use of the 9 days each at each meeting and that we develop a Selection of desserts: should you have the year. So, how can your Action Group or collective responsibility for delivering the appetite to continue into the afternoon: business establish a presence, as well aims. Angela Raffle added that monitoring n Joy Carey’s Local Food Roots film as build momentum for future years? progress against the baseline report n a funding surgery to help turn inspiring AIM 1: To improve the impact of your (being prepared by Beth Bennett-Britton) ideas into action communications with customers and will be important. n space to continue networking stakeholders n and maybe some site visits. The amended terms of reference were AIM 2: To engage your organisation finalized and can be found at: http:// Register for the Conference at: in Big Green Week and increase bristolfoodpolicycouncil.org/about/ https://bristol-foodconference-2014. behaviour change eventbrite.co.uk And last but most certainly not least, we are having another Food Conference! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/big-green- narratives-tickets-12723431125

3 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 FUSIONS Dorothy Greaves

FUSIONS (www.eu-fusions.org) is a wide ranging food waste project running from 2012–2016 working towards a more resource efficient Europe. FUSIONS has 21 project partners from 13 countries. 3 partners are from the UK – WRAP (www.wrap.org.uk), Institute for Food Research (www.ifr.ac.uk) and Feeding the 5,000 (www.feeding5k.org) Social innovation is at the heart of the project and new examples are welcomed throughout the life of the project to build an inventory of initiatives to reduce food waste. Feasibility studies are also key to fully evaluate what makes the most impact. WRAP, whose ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ utilisation hierarchy, European GSCOP 1 Introduction awareness raising campaign has (Groceries Supply Code of Practice), 2 Defining a sustainable food system contributed to significant improvements and improved demand forecasting. The in the UK with food waste levels reduced challenge for this approach is the need for 3 Moving towards a sustainable food by 20% since 2007, is supporting, greater engagement across policy areas system, and attaining the 2050 vision through the FUSIONS project, an EU target compared to the current orientation of 3.1 Preventing and reducing Food waste reduction of 50% by 2050. policies. i Technical advice, better knowledge A series of regional meetings included a You can engage with FUSIONS through and setting objectives to guide day in London on 28th May 2014 with an the usual social media channels and policy making inspiring and diverse range of speakers subscribe to their newsletter. The May ii Better redistribution for human and projects. The presentations are well 2014 edition highlights the House of consumption worth studying with some very effective Lords report on food waste. The report iii Better use of resources in the food campaigns including ‘Trim your bin’, calls for urgent action citing the fact that and feed chain ‘Disco Boco’,’Let’s get cooking’ ‘Gleaning’ consumers in industrialised countries etc. (www.eu-fusions.org/uploads/ waste almost as much food as the entire iv Promoting more effective use and keynotes/NW_RPM_Presentations.pdf) net food production of sub-Saharan understanding of date marking on Africa (222 million tonnes of food wasted food products The second European Platform meeting compared to 230 million tonnes produced) v Promoting better awareness and is due to take place in Brussels on 30 (www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ understanding of food waste and and 31 October 2014. The meeting is free ld201314/ldselect/ldeucom/154/154.pdf) facilitating exchanges of best and there is a travel and accommodation practices budget available for approximately The draft European Commission 3.2 Better technical knowledge on the 12 small non-profit organisations. communication Building a Sustainable environmental impacts of food European Food System owes much to In terms of food waste policy FUSIONS products FUSIONS and certainly echoes our URBACT is working to identify a wider more project, is outlined opposite. 3.3 Stimulating more resource efficient, systematic problem definition. Policy fairer and inclusive food production outputs could include adaptation of Dorothy Greaves 3.4 Promoting sustainable food CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), [email protected] consumption links to healthier eating, green public procurement, transparency in food 4 Taking the next steps towards a waste reporting, policies to support food genuinely sustainable food system

4 BRISTOL’S LOCAL FOOD UPDATE · SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2014 GreenCook: Towards a global sustainable management of food Dorothy Greaves

The GreenCook initiative (www.green- The London meeting in October 2013 cook.org) is aimed at reducing food was one of the ‘At the Restaurant’ wastage and making North West Europe series and was based at Westminster a model of sustainable food management Kingsway College, (www.westking.ac.uk/ through in depth work within a multi- visitor/16-18/) where one of the project sector partnership. Ambassadors is a tutor. We toured the enormous kitchens where training The project operates under the 4 headings: includes Hospitality, Culinary Art and n At home Chef courses. Other site visits included n At the canteen the Skip Garden at Kings Cross n At the supermarket (www.kingscross.co.uk/skip-garden) and n At the restaurant Stepney City Farm (stepneycityfarm.org) where ‘the Pig Idea’ (http://thepigidea.org) can be found. Finally we had a delicious ‘landfill lunch’ at Rejuce (www.sustainweb.org/foodwaste/rejuce/) a small successful business that converts surplus fruit and veg from London’s wholesale markets into soups, juices and smoothies. Establishing ‘Ambassadors’ is key to this approach, champions who can share The wasted food issue is big and complex their enthusiasm and knowledge while and while GreenCook seeks to address continuing to learn and explore new ideas this ultimately through influencing with others. Transnational meetings, international policy, the practical nature site visits and living laboratories have of the project demonstrated the value and resulted in the production of a wide necessity of involving those individuals range of practical handbooks and who are directly working with food, training modules, food audit trails, stock whether on the supermarket shop floor management software, smart decision or in the kitchens as their collaboration is making and planning tools, cook books, key to identifying and actioning effective awareness raising videos etc. local solutions.

You are invited to the

South West Fairtrade Day ‘The Fairtrade Journey’ Saturday 13th September 10.45am-4.30pm Truro City Hall TR1 2NE

• Meet a Fairtrade Producer • Latest Fairtrade news • Vote for rep on National Campaigner Committee • Meet other Fairtrade groups in the region • Workshops, discussions, resources

Free to attend with lunch provided. Travel expenses available To book a place email: [email protected]

Thanks to Truro, Camborne and Falmouth Fairtrade for hosting this day.

Disabled access available but please inform us of your needs in advance. Free lunch provided – vegetarian and gluten free options available.

5 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Inspiration from Milan Steve Marriott

In May this year I was invited to present of scale and also by developing market an overview of food initiatives in Bristol mechanisms in the city bringing fresh, to a food conference held in Milan. organic and local produce directly from farmers to local shops and catering This conference is the second under the operators, associations and organized Project so far include: title of AGRICULTURAL METROPOLIS – groups (e.g. sustainable solidarity Strategies, policies and practices to renew n Mapping of projects, partners and districts, purchasing groups, etc.). agriculture and services between town and interests to understand their needs and Its projects have included: country. It was organized by the Cariplo benefits to the overall project. A logistic Foundation in collaboration with the FAI n The Milan Earth Market (Slow Food tool has been developed to improve and (Fondo Ambiente Italiano, equivalent Farmers’ market) has been the first facilitate the matching of supply and to the National Trust), the Province of to run and is the engine of the whole demand for sustainable food products Milan and the South Milan Agricultural system, because is a meeting point of between the South Milan Agricultural Park. Cariplo Foundation is a grant all the actors. Park and its communities. funding foundation which has supported n The bread chain, encouraging the n Table of Connection: This is the process several projects aiming to strengthen the re- planting of a tradition grain crop of collaboration between project relationship between city and Lombardy used for bread making and working with partners region countryside, particularly in South bakeries to re-instigate traditional bread n Competence Centre: Offers support Milan Agricultural Park. The conference practices. to those who decide to change their allowed an exploration of these themes n To encourage the farming of a traditional methods of production, processing, in terms of strategies, public policies and species of endangered cow; again distribution and purchase in terms of practical experiences from civil society working with local shops to distribute sustainability. with presentations from all over Europe. the produce. n Laboratory for experimental new The conference was really valuable for me, agriculture: in connection with the emphasising that the energy and creativity In 2012, Feeding Milan established Competence Centre promotes the of people and organisations here in Coltviando, The convivial garden at process of change in production Bristol can be found elsewhere but that it Politecnico di Milano, with the support of systems and to strive for sustainability expresses itself differently due to differing the Politecnico. The vegetable garden was links between town and country. contexts. I want to describe two projects set up in the public green space of Bovisa that I feel have real resonance with what campus of Politecnico. People working n Local Administrations Committee: we are doing in Bristol but still challenge and studying at Politecnico, as well as Bringing together the municipalities and us. the Bovisa neighborhood, were involved councils interested in the project. from the early stage of the design process. n Scientific Committee: consists of a pool Before describing the first project the Coltivando has been the way to open up of experts on issues concerning the context needs to be understood. Parco the public space of the university to the territory and sustainability and supports Agricolo Sud Milano (‘Rural Park South people living in the area, and to build a the partners in the process of analysis Milan’) is a large (47,000 hectares) strong network with other gardens, local and change. protected rural area south and south-east players and initiatives. of Milan, Italy. The park was established So, these two projects alone are the focus in 1990 with the purpose of preserving, The second project is Genuinagente. of considerable resource, expertise and safeguarding, and enhancing the This aims to establish alternative and activity working toward more sustainable sustainable food networks in local natural and historical heritage of the food in the Milan region. There are many communities by: Po Valley. The park is directly managed more. I would really like to thank the by the Province of Milan. In land area n Sharing skills, resources and results Cariplo Foundation for inviting me and this compares with the West of England of operations and projects of the Rural allowing me to share the fantastic work (Bristol, South Gloucester, Bath and North Park South Milan. going on in our city and I hope these two projects can inspire the bringing together East Somerset and North Somerset) of n Collect and make useful the skills of of our rural neighbours with the city food 83,573 hectares. research centres, universities and other community to work together very closely entities operating in the territory of The first project isFeeding Milan, Energy and bring the sustainable food system we South Milan Agricultural Park for change. It involves 3 partners; Slow are all working towards. Food, Università degli Studi di Scienze n Encourage the development and Gastronomiche (University of Gastronomic implementation of measures that Steve Marriott Sciences) and Politecnico di Milano. Its are collaborative (public, private and www.provincia.milano.it/parcosud aim is to design a system of services community), built on solid evidence www.genuinagente.net and infrastructure to develop a more and best practice approaches which efficient and effective Milanese agri- maximize funding and other resource food chain. It is doing this by bringing opportunities to achieve positive producers together to achieve economies change.

6 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 FOOD! @Bristol

Earlier this summer, At-Bristol Science and mixing up some unusual juices, holding exciting events, and supporting Centre launched a brand-new exhibition, experimenting with cake, and trying a local food groups. As part of At-Bristol’s Food!, aiming to inspire and engage taste of some ‘future sushi’... ongoing ‘Meet The Expert’ programme, people in this subject which is so this Summer we’ve already welcomed integral to everyday life. The visitor journey... beekeepers, who’ve showed us how to A key element of Food! is its strong focus encourage bees into our gardens, and The new exhibition aims to inspire people on visitor-generated content. Visitors flavour scientists from local company to explore the concept of ‘food’ as a are encouraged to get hands-on at every TasteTech, who’ve helped us discover whole, by focusing on four key areas of the opportunity, creating both physical and more about the psychology behind food journey: Grow It, Cook It, Eat It, and virtual legacies to help continue the At- flavour. Coming up in October, we’re Love It. From picking up top tips on how Bristol experience at home. With Grinding looking forward to getting stuck into to start windowsill growing to exploring Grain, for example, visitors grind their own making our own apple juice, as the technologies developed for use in space, wholewheat flour – it’s brilliant to see National Trust Apple Pressing Tour stop off the exhibition is a chance to engage with children make the connection between in At-Bristol to show us how to transform food in unusual ways, discover new skills, the processed flour they buy in the shops, our apple harvest into juice, using and get even the youngest children enthused and the fields of wheat they see out in traditional methods and equipment. In the by the food they eat. Sounds ambitious?! the countryside. Once you’ve ground future we also hope to use our beautiful Here’s an update on what we’ve been up enough wheat to make about 50g of flour new space to host a wide range of foodie to in the first couple of months – and what (this takes a surprising amount of time events, adding to Bristol’s existing vibrant we’ve got planned for the future: and effort to achieve by hand!), move on calendar of festivals and its growing Food! includes 11 brand-new exhibits, all and have a chat with the RoboChef – a reputation as a food capital of the UK. conceived, designed and developed as very clever robotic chef who converses a joint venture by At-Bristol’s in-house with humans by asking questions and Transforming our outdoor spaces Exhibitions and Learning teams. Amongst reading their facial expressions to judge Anyone passing by At-Bristol over the these new experiences, visitors can grind their answers. She’ll ask you what kind of past few months might have noticed their own grain, try their hand at milking food you like, and then suggest potential a few changes to the raised beds in a life-size cow, sample the delights of dishes you could try back home in your Millennium Square. As part of our the Every Flavour Fountain, converse own kitchen – perhaps a seasonal fruit ongoing commitment to working with with a robot chef, and explore diets from crumble, using your very own freshly- local communities and taking learning different global cultures. We’ve also milled flour? Scan the unique barcode on outside, we’ve been working closely unveiled our big-top style Kitchen and your At-Bristol wristband and when you with Almondsbury Garden Centre and travelling Greenhouse, two new spaces get home you’ll receive the full recipe so Incredible Edible Bristol to transform our where our expert Live Science Team are you can get cooking – then take a photo public space into an edible haven for on-hand to host activities which mirror the of your culinary creation and send it to everyone to enjoy. Please feel free to stop changing seasons. So far this summer, in us so we can share it with future visitors. by and pick anything that’s ready to eat, the Kitchen we’ve rolled up our sleeves In this way, we hope to inspire people to and even better, if you have an hour or and got stuck in making super-cool ice continue engaging with food long after so to spare then our next planting day is cream, churning our own butter, and they leave our doors – as well as using our the 25 September so do pop down and dissecting our favourite summertime fruit visitors’ achievements as an integral part lend a hand! Check out the website or – strawberries! Meanwhile, things have of the ongoing exhibition. follow us on Twitter (@AtBristol) for more been hotting up in the Greenhouse as information on how to help us keep the we’ve been encouraging visitors to have a An exciting space for inspiring events beds in good shape, and when we’ll be go at growing their own! Coming up in the The exhibition is also designed to be a harvesting our urban veggies. autumn we’ll be bringing in the harvest fantastic new space for hosting experts, www.at-bristol.org.uk/food

Photos of FOOD! © Lee Pullen

7 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Bristol Pound’s 2nd birthday night market 5.30–9.30pm Friday 19 September Corn Street and St Nicks Market Bristol Pound will be hosting a night market to celebrate its 2nd birthday. The event will take place along Corn St and throughout the glass arcade of St Nick’s market, from 5.30– 9.30pm. On the evening there’ll be music, entertainment and an exciting market to showcase the best of Bristol. We are currently looking for traders to come along and be part of the festivities!

Stall hire Food stall: £B15/£20 Non-food stall: £B10/£15

How to take part As it’s a Bristol Pound event, all businesses trading on the night will need to sign up to become a Bristol Pound member. It’s quick, easy and FREE! Bristol Pound members benefit from: Real Economy launches n Free promotion and marketing through the online business directory, print press and social food buying groups media. Beatrix Oliver n High profile media coverage through Bristol Pound 17 September will see a new era for is higher and/or where there are few n Strong branding to help ordering fresh food in the city as Real outlets to buy affordable fresh food. As a differentiate against big nationals Economy, a project of Bristol Pound, result, it wil be possible for members to and multinationals. launches its ordering tool for buying make orders without using a computer. n Opportunity to increase business groups. The scheme is encouraging Individuals or community groups in these to business networking for people in neighbourhoods to club areas of Bristol will receive support and suppliers and retailers. together to order various fresh foods training from the project’s co-ordinator, n Take part in exciting events like directly from local producers. Bea Oliver. the night market!! The event will introduce suppliers to Real Economy is a co-operative. This If you would like to apply for a stall members and potential members and will will be its first meeting and it is open to at the Bristol Pound 2nd Birthday offer a whistle-stop tour of how people anyone interested in the project. Come Party, please email market@ can get together to order a wide variety along to meet the producers, find out how bristolpound.org and we will get an of fresh and store-cupboard foods. There the groups function and to join or create application out to you. will be music and refreshments provided one yourself. You can register your space by local, emerging enterprises that are at the launch by leaving a message on supported by Real Economy. 0744 365 3172. It’ll be held on 7–9pm Wednesday 17 September, Broadmead Buying groups come together to order Baptist Church, 1 Whippington Court, food in bulk, which serves to make it Bristol BS1 3HY more affordable, to bring people together in neighbourhoods and to increase the amount of fresh food sold directly into Bristol. The expectation is that they will also be beneficial for health, food education and social isolation in the city. Beatrix Oliver The groups are designed to be accessible Real Economy Co-ordinator to people in areas where unemployment Bristol Pound CIC

8 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Countdown to International Incredible Edible Update! Fair Trade Towns Conference Sara Venn begins! The countdown has begun. A year today, It’s certainly been a crazy busy summer about to be recovered from a life under Bristol will host the 9th International at Incredible Edible Bristol and we grass and we have begun to grow some Fair Trade Towns Conference. crops in the raised beds, which we have thought it would be a good idea to share On 4 & 5 July, up to 400 delegates from brought back to life with a lick of paint with you what has been going on and across the world will descend on Bristol and a barrow load of compost. We hope what is happening in the foreseeable under the conference theme of ‘Fair this will continue after the summer and future. Trade For Sustainability’. A wide range of become a space that can be accessed by Primarily our aim is to work with related topics will be discussed from the several groups. community groups all across the city to importance of sustainable food to the bring food growing to the fore and to In Easton, behind All Hallows Church, impact of climate change and the global support groups however they need us to a community orchard is springing up, post 2015 development goals. so that they can achieve their goals. This and in Southville and Bedminster a new Some of the best speakers in the Fair has ranged from helping new groups to garden has begun on North Street Green Trade movement will provide new insights start and finding them spaces to garden and the containers on East Street have and analysis of the Fair Trade sector in, to supporting groups that already been reinvigorated with new herbs. A alongside diverse opinions from leading existed but were struggling to continue new herb bed has been put in at the Silai ethical business brands, Fair Trade Town for various reasons. We have a network Centre for use by the cafe that serves that representatives and Fairtrade farmers from of over 600 people to whom we can now community, and we are looking at a space the south, including a Fairtrade gold miner. turn to for help and we have also begun in Lockleaze that we hope will be a new to collaborate with various organisations. community orchard. Opposite St Mary With a range of formats including panel Collaboration, be it between different Redcliffe we have begun to look after the discussions, keynotes, ‘Ted talks’ type growing groups or various organisations beds that were tended by Arup. presentations and speed networking, as gives strength and we hope to see a well as a lively Fair Trade marketplace, In Fishponds, Edible Fishponds has begun network of collaborations open up and the conference will provide a complete in the beds on Straits Parade, with help help each other in the coming months. overview of current practices and debates from Sims Hill Harvest who very kindly on Fair Trade. One of these collaborations is with donated some plants, and we have @Bristol and Almondsbury Garden no doubt that this project will go from Nearly half of those attending are Centre to turn the beds in Millennium strength to strength. expected to come from Europe. In Square into food growing beds to show addition, the US, Japan and Brazil are We are also working with UWE to create people different types of food growing amongst the wider emerging Fairtrade IncrEdible UWE, which will bring the food and inspire them to go home and try markets expected to be represented. debate to the fore within the university, to grow something themselves. This as well as give students experience Bristol and South West Fairtrade is in conjunction with @Bristol’s new of growing food in the campus and to Coordinator, Jenny Foster, said: ‘Next year exhibition, FOOD, which will run for three volunteer at other food growing projects is cause for double celebrations across the years. It’s an exciting project and we hope across the city. This will begin in Freshers city. As well as Bristol being crowned the to see great success there, but we are Week and continue throughout the year for 2015 European Green capital, it also marks running the beds as if they are allotments all students who want to get involved. a decade since Bristol became a Fairtrade and we are bound to see failures-already city. This is a fantastic opportunity for the pigeons have eaten a lot of our We are also working with schools and Bristol to demonstrate to the world that it brassicas. The next ones will be netted! early years centres to introduce IncEdible is a true leader on ethical business, green Schools which would see a network of We are also collaborating with PRSC in the issues and sustainability’. schools learning to grow and cook their Stokes Croft area, with 2 small gardens own food. So far we have around 20 Fairtrade represents a positive ethical already in place and more exciting things schools on our books but please shout standard. There are now over 1300 to come. During the Stokes Croft Arts out if you know of any others who would Fairtrade towns in 22 countries worldwide. Festival, from 8–13 September, we will like to be involved. None of this would be Fairtrade sales have doubled year on year be planting up several areas around possible without the amazing support we since 2003, and consumer trust has now Stokes Croft with fruit bushes and turning have had from the people of Bristol and reached 90%. Through guaranteeing a fair some unloved areas into areas that are we hope that going into next year we will and living wage for small scale farmers in once again cared for, litter free and are continue to grow with that support and be developing countries, Fairtrade is also an producing food for the community. able to support more and more groups to excellent anti-poverty tool which supports One of our aims is to improve education grow within the urban landscape. Here’s sustainable farming methods across the around food and food growing and to an incredible future. globe. we have been working with Learning Sara Venn [email protected] For more information, please contact: Partnership West at The Vench, the Jenny Foster, Bristol and South West adventure playground in Lockleaze, to For further information and an up to date Fairtrade Co-ordinator bring an unloved garden back to life, along list of volunteering opportunities please 0117 922 4916 with some young people that they engage see www.ediblebristol.org.uk [email protected] with as part of their great work. The area join our Facebook group or follow us on has been weeded, cleared, the pond is Twitter @EdibleBristol www.bristolfairtrade.org.uk

9 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Aquaponic grow bed Basil roots A tilapia Grow Bristol: Growing from a project into a business Dermot O’Regan & Peter Whiting

It has been a busy time for Grow Bristol We also had an official visit from the ongoing involvement with the Green since we introduced ourselves and our then Lord Mayor Faruk Choudhury and Capital Partnership and the Food Action innovative new urban growing project in Councillor Gus Hoyt – you can see a film Group. For 2015 we aim to demonstrate the Local Food Update of May–June 2014. of their visit on YouTube (www.youtube. and promote our work with a new Grow We have invited lots of people to see the com/watch?v=bReZJwBZNdw) produced Box in a central public location in Bristol, Grow Box, our growing systems and our by Hannah Falcon-Lang of local business install some innovative growing systems produce, with very positive feedback. Button Media. in local offices and cafes, and start We have applied for funding to scale up to offer volunteering and educational and promote our work. And have been Getting funding and support opportunities. This could be part of an putting in place what we need to become We have also been quite successful in urban growing trail linking other projects a small business and active social getting funding and other support to help near to the city centre. We will need more enterprise. us complete our pilot project and move partners to achieve this so if you can help towards becoming a viable business or just want some more information about Engaging with different people and social enterprise. We applied to the Grow Bristol please do get in touch. Over the summer we have had lots of two main organisations which support We look forward to hearing from you. visitors to the Grow Box: chefs and social enterprises at every stage of their Dermot O’Regan & Peter Whiting restaurateurs; food retailers and food development and received a ‘Do It Award’ Co-founders, Grow Bristol writers; filmmakers and policymakers; from UnLtd and were accepted by the 07905 170346 representatives from other growing School for Social Entrepreneurs to join [email protected] projects and other interested parties. them for their ‘Start Up’ programme It has been great working alongside the for 2014–2015. Both of these bring in a www.growbristol.co.uk Severn Project and engaging with so small grant plus mentoring and other many different people and co-promoting support which should prove very useful. our respective projects. In early June we Further, we have secured funding from were part of Bristol Food Network’s Get the Technology Strategy Board as a ‘green Growing Trail and such a range of people tech’ venture which allows us to work visited the site. We recorded comments with a group of experts in the field of in our visitor book and comments like urban agriculture and vertical growing to ‘fascinating’, ‘inspiring’, ‘pioneering’ and gain new knowledge, innovate and grow ‘this is the future’ were really welcome! our business. And finally, we entered a competition for start ups called ‘The Pitch 2014’ and have been selected as ‘one of Britain’s 100 best small companies’ to compete for a chance to pitch our ideas to an audience of investors and potential partners, so watch this space for more on this exciting opportunity.

Next steps and Green Capital 2015 All this progress means we can now scale up our systems, set up as a small business, begin to market some of our The Lord Mayor Faruk Choudhury talks to produce, and start to deliver some social Dermot outside the Grow Box outcomes. We will do this alongside our Vertical herbs

10 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Redcliffe Children’s Centre Food Project BBC Food and Farming Awards Food Heroes 2014 Jo Ingleby, Co-ordinator of the Food Project

Redcliffe Children’s Centre and all of their senses and in their own time the Centre’s dedicated staff. The children Maintained Nursery is located at the foot with us, as adults, observing and learning have access to open sided shelves full of of high rise flats in the Redcliffe area alongside rather than following recipes cookery equipment and child safe knives. of central Bristol. The Centre is not a and teaching. Key to the Food Project is We also have an allotment at Windmill private Nursery; most of the 120 children that we don’t aim to teach the children Hill City Farm which is a short walk away who attend do so as part of the free how to cook-we observe their interests and means that we can grow vegetables childcare allowance which is allocated to and explorations and learn from this. We and fruit with the children so that they early years children. All of the children document through photography and film can follow the whole process from seed are aged between two and four. Since and writing what the children have been to plate. For children who have little or 2007 we have been working on the Food saying and doing. Each session is based no access to outside space at home this Project and this year we were delighted on what the children ask us to bring, is invaluable. We buy all of our fruit and that our Head, Elizabeth Carruthers was follows on from what we have observed vegetables from local grocers or grow our awarded Local Food Hero at the BBC Food from other sessions or around the centre own at the allotment and on site. and Farming Awards. in other activities or by what is in season. After winning the Food and Farming Award We don’t predict what the children will “The winner is totally worthy. What she has we have been keen to share what we are achieved is beautiful. It sets an example do; one child may want to chop and cook doing with the wider community and to for other parts of the city, other parts of the while another may be telling a story or welcome collaboration, working with other country and those kids will appreciate that simply exploring how a vegetable feels, educational settings as well as other food when they have their own kids.” smells, sounds or tastes. organisations and projects. We are also Jamie Oliver “Children need the freedom to appreciate offering support and help to others who the infinite resources of their hands, their would like to run a food project which will The Food Project has evolved over the eyes and their ears, the resources of forms, be an accredited qualification beginning last seven years. I was initially invited to materials sounds and colours. They need this November. We are planning an edible join the centre as an artist in residence the freedom to realise how reason, thought garden at the Centre with the help of as part of the 5x5x5=creativity project and imagination can create continuous Edible Bristol and are bidding for funding which researches children’s ideas and interweaving of things, and can move and as part of the 2015 European Green creativity and links educational settings shake the world.” Capital; what better way to celebrate with artists and cultural centres. I trained Bristol’s Green future that to put the focus Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio as an artist and have worked for many on the very young, the next generation of Emilia preschools years on community arts projects, but at eaters, growers and cooks. the same time followed my other passion We initially started by using a small Jo Ingleby for food. I was Head Chef of Demuths room in the centre which had a cooker Restaurant in Bath and have taught at and sink but very little space. As the Contact us at: Redcliffe Children’s Centre, their Cookery School since 2001 and have Ship Lane, Bristol, BS1 6RR project developed so too did the kitchen. also worked with many local food projects, Elizabeth acquired some space which was 0117 9030334 schools and cookery schools. Right from previously storage for the flats above and [email protected] our initial meeting Elizabeth recognised installed a kitchen which has a three year the potential of following young children’s old height induction hob, surfaces and We have produced an interactive guide creativity through food rather than through sink as well as an adult height kitchen. In to cooking with children under 5 with conventional visual arts. this exciting kitchen I cook the children’s BBC iWonder which you can visit at: We wanted to encourage the children to lunches and we run the Food Sessions all www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zymgq6f learn about food for themselves using through the week which are supported by

11 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Read more online

Sims Hill update Differences between organic and James Adamson non-organic food digest: New findings – organic As I write this we have begun sowing crops, such as fruit, vegetables and our winter salad crops destined for cereals, and crop-based foods are the tables of Sims Hill members in up to 60% higher in a number of November and December. It’s amazing key antioxidants than non-organic how fast the year can whizz by when crops. The findings shatter the myth you’re fully immersed in the turning of that how we farm does not affect the the seasons. It feels like only yesterday quality of the food we eat. we were being battered by a relentless www.soilassociation.org/ succession of storms steaming through organicisdifferent a very challenging winter. Although we See also the blog by Hugh Fearnley- did suffer damage to the soil and the Whittingstall on the findings: greenhouse we’re lucky enough to have access to at Feed Bristol, I consider www.soilassociation.org/blogs/ ourselves fortunate when compared to latestblog/article/1014/organic-is- other farmers in the South West. different The soil did eventually dry out and we are Healthy yards and urban now well past the half way mark of what is agriculture growing in Nicaragua turning out to be a decent growing season. digest: Barney Thompson examines We were offered more field space at Feed lessons in urban farming from the Bristol at the start of the year and this has Sandinistas in Nicaragua. meant we can grow all our early crops on www.enca.org.uk/documents/ their amazing sandy loam. At the start of and relationships forms the backbone of enca60/index.html#/10 spring we suffered a major blow when Tim the local food movement and we must badly hurt his knee, and he has been out embrace this if we are to flourish in the ‘Fracking’ our food and farming of action for 5 months now. We were lucky years to come. The City Council Planners system: ‘Extreme agriculture’ and enough to find a great replacement in have announced a date when a decision the politics of denial the form of Bruce, an experienced grower will be made about the application digest: As we approach the who has worked with a number of growing for their MetroBus scheme* which will ecological limits to growth, the latest projects including a CSA in Bradford potentially have a destructive impact on technofix ‘solutions’ to our needs on Avon. Somehow we’ve managed to food growing land in Frenchay, including have as much to do with denying the follow our crop plan on time and all our a large part of Avon Wildlife Trust’s Feed existence of those limits, as they are main crops are well established now and Bristol project, allotments, smallholdings intended to provide more food or looking good. The recent rains although and ecologically valuable green space. energy. heavy have given all the field crops a real Although it feels very positive to be part of www.fraw.org.uk/mei/ boost. The next few months will see what the local food movement in Bristol it’s very ecolonomics/2014/ I hope to be an epic corn and squash disturbing to hear that decision makers ecolonomics_14-fracking_our_ harvest and the start of our brassicas and think that developments such as these food_and_farming_system.shtml leeks which form such an important part that destroy our natural assets are more of the winter share. valuable than real tangible attempts to Agrivoltism meet some of our basic needs from within We’ve also expanded our wholesale digest: What is the best way to our communities. operation thanks to a new tunnel we utilize sunlight: grow food or to raised in the spring and we now have a simshill.co.uk produce fuel? few regular customers, which provide a http://carbonpilgrim.wordpress. useful addition. *The Bristol City Council Development com/2014/07/16/agrivoltism/ Control meeting on 27 August, voted by The next month will see the start of Farming peace for Palestine a majority of 6:4 to pass the MetroBus construction of our packing shed at Sims planning application. This will mean a loss digest: Olive trees are a renowned Hill. This will be a timber frame, cob walled of allotments in Stapleton (though there symbol of peace, but many of building with a living roof and will be a seems to be some dispute about whether these trees are being violently much needed piece of our infrastructure. or not there will be a net loss of allotment destroyed as a form of collective We will be running this as a course so get space once the scheme is completed); punishment, in an attempt to force in contact if you’d like to learn about low and loss of land at the Feed Bristol site. Palestinians from their land. Despite impact building. It remains to be seen what mitigation this desecration many Palestinian We’re also in talks with Feed Bristol package will be offered to Feed Bristol and farmers are using farming as a form about developing a closer working Sims Hill, to tide-over both projects during of resistance to fight for peace. partnership where we share resources the 2-year period of disruption, noise and http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ and collaborate to meet shared goals so nuisance which will blight the area during articles/farming-in-palestine/ watch this space. It feels like collaboration construction.

12 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 The Sustainable Food Trust Tessa Tricks

“We all need to eat, but we face huge community with its wider work. We take and videos from the entire conference challenges to the ways we produce great joy from our small garden which can be found on our website (http:// our food. Challenges that will affect overlooks the city and provides our sustainablefoodtrust.org/true-cost/). We everyone.” team good lunches from the odd glut of continue to commission and communicate its vegetables, and from the valuable independent research that investigates The Sustainable Food Trust is a Bristol- Bristol partnerships we’ve established. the impact of existing farming practises based charity which believes that we We’ve recently been collaborating with and the potential benefits of sustainable urgently need to transition to more FoodCycle (http://sustainablefoodtrust. alternatives. sustainable food systems. We work org/partners/foodcycle/), Bristol Green internationally and collaboratively from Capital and the Wells Literature Festival, 2) Communications our small Totterdown office to increase whilst we hosted a public potluck picnic, Unless we harness the power of informed the scale of collaboration between the what we call an ‘Eat-In’, with hundreds public opinion, we are not going to bring millions of individuals and thousands of of attendees on College Green (http:// about the changes that are needed. We organisations working in the wider food sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/eat-in- believe that communication is essential movement. bristol-short-film/) during the Bristol Food and that everyone should have access to Founded by Patrick Holden (http:// Connections festival this past May. information and resources that can help sustainablefoodtrust.org/contributors/ in understanding how global food issues patrick-holden-ceo/), former director of Later that week we hosted an evening are relevant to them, and the changes that the Soil Association, the organisation’s (http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/ they can make in their personal lives to mission is shaped by Holden’s thinking bristol-food-connections/) on True Cost support a more sustainable way of farming as a longstanding sustainability advocate Accounting (http://sustainablefoodtrust. and eating. with a wealth of practical farming org/articles/what-is-true-cost- As such we try to positively harness experience. Following a childhood in accounting/), with food writer for the the power of social media and use our London Patrick was deeply influenced Telegraph Xanthe Clay and speakers website as a resource and a platform for by a year spent in California in the early from our partner organisations Triodos discussion on global food issues. To name seventies. He returned to the UK to study Bank (http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ a few of our key concerns, these include biodynamic agriculture and soon became partners/triodos/) and Compassion in combating antibiotic resistance (http:// a community dairy farm, Bwlchwernen, in World Farming. sustainablefoodtrust.org/?s=antibiotics), Lampeter (http://sustainablefoodtrust. True Cost Accounting is one of our key advocating for a reduction in chemical org/articles/on-the-farm-with-patrick- programs and it falls into the first of the inputs (http://sustainablefoodtrust. holden/) which he has managed for three strands of work that we undertake org/?s=chemicals) into our food systems 40 years and now owns. It is the longest here at the SFT: and raising awareness of the benefits to standing organic dairy farm in Wales British agriculture and health of grass fed, with a herd of 75 Ayrshire cows. The milk 1) Policy and Research pasture reared, beef and lamb (http:// produced is now made into Hafod cheese, We all face the ever increasing threats of sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles/the- a raw milk cheddar made by his son, Sam climate change, decreasing oil supplies great-debate-on-eating-less-and-better- Holden and Sam’s wife Rachel Holden. and water shortages, and we believe that meat/), are top of our agenda. Remarkably, amidst the herding and we will not be able to feed the world’s milking of cows, Patrick found time to population sustainably without further 3) Leadership and collaboration establish the British Organic Farmers, conflict in the future, without a change We aim to develop existing partnerships which subsequently merged with the in the world’s economic and policy to mobilise a global network and build Soil Association in 1995. He then served environment. consensus around strategies to enable as its director for the next 15 years, Our focus lies on the current economics the transition to more sustainable food spearheading a number of prominent of food and farming. It is, currently, systems across the globe. food campaigns around BSE, pesticide more profitable to farm in ways that are We’ve barely scratched the surface here, residues and GM food. In the last decade damaging to human and environmental and we would like to share more with you Patrick has served as member of the health than to farm sustainably. In on the work we do and the steps you can UK Government’s working group on the order to combat this, we’re advocating take towards a healthier food future for us Foresight report into the ‘Future of Food the introduction of a new economic and the planet. Please visit our website, and Farming’ (www.gov.uk/government/ model, which aims to put a price on share your thoughts and sign up to get publications/future-of-food-and-farming); the ‘externalities’ or hidden costs of new articles straight to your inbox. he was awarded a CBE for services to our food systems. This is called ‘true- organic farming in 2005 and is Advisor cost accounting’. Last December, we to the Prince of Wales’ International convened an international group of Sustainability Unit (www.pcfisu.org/) and scientists, policy makers, healthcare Patron of the UK Biodynamic Agriculture and food industry professionals, press Association (www.biodynamic.org.uk/). and members of the public for an open The Sustainable Food Trust aims to discussion on the merits and barriers to marry a grounding in the local area and true-cost accounting. More information http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/

13 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 ‘Food for Life’ in Bristol Glyn Owen

With Bristol Green Capital 2015 Academy, Oasis Brightstowe, Oasis John share the work they have been doing so approaching I am very excited about Williams. they can all learn from each other. At the my role as Local Programme Manager Special School: New Fosseway. picnics we also hope to have some special for Food For Life Partnership (FFLP) in workshops and cookery demonstrations Bristol. So far I have managed to meet and make around the theme of sustainable food, strong contacts with the majority of the so please contact me if you feel your Food For Life Partnership’s aim is to schools and the year really kicks off with organisation would like to be at one of the help children understand about where a launch event on 9 September where all picnics. food comes from and to give them the representatives from all the schools will be knowledge of food to help them make able to meet up and discuss how they can I am sure that all the schools would healthy food choices in their lives. In May support each other and how I can support appreciate any help that local 2014 Bristol City Council commissioned communities and organisations could them. The meeting will hopefully also be FFLP to spend a year supporting 14 Bristol offer with growing, cooking and farm attended by Gus Hoyt, Bristol’s Assistant Schools in working through the FFLP award experience, so if you feel you can help Mayor, who will be talking about links scheme with a main focus on growing food either contact the schools direct or contact between FFLP and the Mayor’s Award for at the school sites. me so I can help co-ordinate this. Excellence as a Health Improving School. The 14 schools are spread across Bristol It will be an incredibly exciting year and As well as the award scheme, a main and are: I feel proud to be based here in Bristol target the schools will be aiming for is to during this special period. Primary: Ashton Vale, Brentry, Merchants grow food for the Bristol Big Green Week Academy, Bridge Learning. in June 2015. During Big Green Week we Glyn Owen, Local Programme Manager Secondary: Ashton Park, Bedminster are planning 5 picnics across Bristol where Bristol, Food for Life Partnership Down, Bridge Learning, Bristol Met, the commissioned schools can meet up 07467 149 174 Henbury, Merchants Academy, Orchard with other schools in the locality and [email protected] The Conqueror Worm: SusWoT Wormeries Project Alex Dunn

We don’t think of worms as being at the been provided with a book as a guide to provided free to the trialists but if they top of the food chain; that is the place using a wormery. So far things seem to be find them useful they will be rented out as for humans, tigers, lions and eagles. But going well. Worms are more active in the a way of providing money to obtain more in the days before cremation we were summer so the processing of material is wormeries. quicker. all ultimately food for the conqueror I have not yet found any of our food, worm. What a wormery does is harness The plan now is to see how people get on cooked or uncooked that the worms can’t worms’ ability to turn all used food with wormeries for the rest of the year. We tackle. The most impressive thing so far is into compost. Crucially what makes it will be meeting in September to discuss the composting of a chicken carcass. The different to a compost heap is that it issues and swap notes. The aim of the wormeries also produce a liquid feed that is a safe way to compost cooked food first part of the project is to see if it is is diluted ten to one to produce a liquid that would otherwise be put in the practical for people to use wormeries in fertilizer. The worms in the tray wormery municipal waste system. It is a closed different situations; to decide which is the seem to be able to process all the waste system that composts cooked food as most appropriate wormery for different food produced by two people quite easily well as uncooked waste food fast. You people; to build up a body of people with and a wormery should be able to handle can literally scrape the plate into the the experience of running a wormery that the waste from a family of four. The tank wormery bin. There is no problem with they can pass on to new users and to see wormery is larger and is able to handle rats or other vermin. if the food waste that would not normally more food. be composted is sufficient to justify Sustainable Westbury on Trym’s (SusWoT) A big difference between the two styles introducing wormeries across all Bristol. trial of wormeries has been running a few of wormery is that the tray wormery is months. There are 18 wormeries in it, the Each person with a wormery has agreed emptied quite frequently one tray at a four original pilots and 14 new people to be part of this trial and will provide time, but the tank wormery is only emptied trialling them. Nine are tray type and input that will be used to decide what to once a year. nine are tanks. Each new trialist has also do next year. The wormeries have been Photos on next page

14 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 SusWoT Wormeries in action

Worms in the tray style wormery living The liquid fertilizer being tapped of by The wormery sump showing where the contented lives. You can see the wide the worm farmer and author. liquid feed collects before being drained. mesh that worms can move through to move up the wormery.

The top tray showing how it is removed. A tank style wormery. Notice the tap at Rhys feeding the worms in a tank style Worms appreciate having woody the bottom for drawing off liquid ferlilizer wormery. shreddings added to their wormery to concentrate. prevent the food just turning into a soggy mess.

Finn helping with the setting-up in spring.

http://suswot.wordpress.com/what-we- do/wormeries/

15 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Following the Plot no.21 Keith Cowling

Then there are the over winter crops to consider. Leeks should have been planted with a dibber by mid August and it’s also too late now to do much about broccoli, kale and cabbages for the spring unless you have a greenhouse, but there is time enough to get over-winter onions, especially the Japanese varieties, planted before mid November, and garlic can cope with a planting date as late as December, as the old adage ‘plant on the shortest day, harvest on the longest’ testifies. Winter salads such as rocket, mizuna, mustard and even winter lettuce – sown indoors or under glass and planted out before the end of November – will stand until spring and give small but valuable crops of fresh leaves for winter salads. They will need all the slug protection you can give them and will benefit from any light transmitting cover that is available, such as fleece or cloches. Those lucky enough to have covered growing space have a much wider selection of autumn salads and bedding plants to choose from and can be planting potatoes now for Christmas dinner! When you have taken care of the tidying, The baking weather in July didn’t The main considerations for over-wintering removed as many as possible of the slug continue far into August, so the late are composting spent crops, removing and snail habitats that have accumulated summer has been mostly wetter and weed growth, making sure that over- over summer and seen to your over- colder than usual. Many potato crops wintering crops have room and nutrients wintering crops, now is the time to get that ran short of water in July suffered and covering any bare soil areas to bare earth covered. The mainstream subsequently from the target spot suppress weed growth. This should be approach is to spread black plastic sheet fungus, which has caused premature a time when the compost heap fills up over the soil and weight it down with die back and smaller yields on my plot. nicely therefore. It probably won’t heat up stones and bricks. This works well but is However, the plentiful supply of rain much over winter unless your heap is big costly at any significant scale. Another since has meant that most late maturing and you have lots of green haulms. But it approach is to spread a thick mulch of crops have done well however and many will decay well by next spring and supply dead leaves. This works well enough and plot holders are harvesting bumper wonderful nutrition to go under planted gives worms plenty of scope for pulling crops of corn, beans, pumpkins and seedlings when the last of the winter frost leaf material down into the soil, but on tomatoes. risk is over. Roots of perennial weeds will exposed sites the leaves can sometimes have rich stores of minerals from summer be blown away in winter storms. Another Harvest is a great time of year when we growth, but don’t load them straight into technique is to use cardboard boxes that can enjoy the fruits of our labours in this heap, as they will probably survive furniture and white goods come wrapped meals of fresh produce, full freezers and until next spring. First, spread them out on in. Flatten these out and layer then across preserving bottles, jars of dried beans some hard standing or impervious layer to bare soil, weighting down as with the and packets of saved seed. I have written wilt and die before they are added. plastic mulch. They should survive the about many of the techniques involved in winter, but check in early February to make harvesting in previous columns. But the If your soil lacks humus, September is the sure that they are still excluding light other great consideration, as we head into time to sow green manures to build up a from potential weeds. In spring, peel off shorter, colder days, is to bed the plot bulk of vegetable material over winter for the covering and consign any unrotted down for winter and in order to get a flying spring digging in. Use tares or vetches to remains to the compost heap before start next spring. There is always pressure fix nitrogen where next year’s brassicas working up a tilth for the new season’s on time when the days start to lengthen in will be and over-winter rye for bulk under sowings. March and the annual seed sowing cycle potatoes and beans. In Bristol, tares need begins. You don’t want to find yourself to be sown by the end of the third week in Keith Cowling · [email protected] clearing beds, digging and weeding before September and rye by the end of the first Ashley Vale Allotments Association this can start, making it difficult to get week in October in order to germinate well www.ashleyvaleallotmentsassociation. everything done. and put on plenty of growth by spring. org/index.php

16 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Read more online

Courtney White: Grass, Soil, Hope Interview digest: What if the solution for reducing our collective carbon footprint were right under our feet? Soil is a natural and planet-healthy

repository for CO2 – a slight rise in carbon dioxide levels in the soil could help fend off the encroaching warming of the climate. www.resilience.org/ stories/2014-08-06/courtney- white-grass-soil-hope

How to get better food on restaurant Putting grasslands to work digest: Water is often in the news menus in your local area because of pollution, depletion, disease and flooding… but how Lyndsey Knight, FoodTrade often do we hear about soil? Land degradation is actually the root Whatever your taste, everyone loves a software is ‘open data’, so anyone can add cause of many of these problems. good hearty meal out. But if you’re an information about the food network. In particular, in the context of ethically-conscious diner, you’ll have climate change, we can no longer to drive a few miles or trek across town The Wikipedia of food just think about the air, because to get a half decent plate of grub. Have you used Wikipedia? Of course diminishing soil health plays a key you have. Everyone can go on and share part in our changing landscapes. Let’s say it’s Friday night, and after information about literally anything on you’ve decided whether you’d rather http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ Wikipedia, and then other people can read eat Vietnamese fusion or contemporary articles/allan-savory-holistic- it, and learn from it. And that’s exactly Scottish, or whatever else is trending, grazing/ what we do … but with food! It’s called you want to find a reputable, good value ‘collaborative intelligence’. So you can add How safe is eating meat? place to eat that is near to you. But does it in what’s growing in a farm next to your digest: Dr Michael Mosley goes on a sources quality, local ingredients? house, or what cider the local pub sells, or high-meat diet to see what effects a Ahah, there’s the tricky bit. Local where to get local eggs, or where that doubling of intake would have. food. Now, how does one find out this chicken is from in your lunchtime sandwich. www.bbc.co.uk/news/ information? Google certainly doesn’t That kinda thing. Sharing the good stuff, health-28797106 share it. There’s no TripAdvisor rating for so that everyone around us can benefit. sustainability yet, and FourSquare sadly Available on the iPlayer till As a culture, we’re not very practised at doesn’t offer a Mayor of Responsible 15 September: sharing. We’d rather throw our food in Sourcing badge. We’re left with other the bin than share it with a neighbour. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/ peoples’ recommendations, and past At FoodTrade, we think sharing is a simple b006mgxf/episodes/ experiences. Neither are great resources idea, and a clever one. Because if we all guide#b04fhr2g when you’re hungry. share information, the world becomes Garden Organic school resources So here’s the good news – it doesn’t need quite brilliant – we become able to do to be like this anymore. Now there’s a something, to take action. You see, even Garden Organic have new education way to compare your local hangouts at everyone reading this article, if we all resources available. You’ll find links the click of a button. Whether it’s falafel share what we know, then together we’ve to practical advice and activities for and a pitta, or fillet au jus, you can got the knowledge to make better choices, all ages on how to start and maintain head to FoodTrade to find out where the and these choices will create a better, an organic food growing garden – ingredients are from. fairer food system. handy, quick-reference Growing Instruction Cards, activity sheets and Though we’re a global network, we’ve You can get great food on the map – much more. been mapping our hometown of Bristol from the farms that grow the crops, to www.gardenorganic. quite intensely for the past month or the factories that process our food, to the org.uk/schools?dm_ so. Whiteladies and Gloucester Road restaurants we enjoy for dinner, to our i=4UO,2Q9SC,JCI86,9Y34F,1 were first on our list, but with the help kitchen cupboards at home – by joining of some incredible ambassadors, we’re our map at www.foodtrade.com reaching further afield. Don’t worry – you Together, we can get good food, don’t have to wait for the business to everywhere, for everyone. be signed up to FoodTrade until you can reap the benefits of this food map – our Lyndsey Knight, FoodTrade

17 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Bristol in the running for Bloomberg prize for local food revolution

Bristol is one of 21 shortlisted European Since then, Bristol City Council has worked to purchase affordable local produce cities for the Bloomberg Philanthropies closely with Mark to develop the proposal from. These will be tested and explored Mayors Challenge award, giving it a further, taking account of the wide range in a range of venues such as children’s chance at winning a prize of between of expertise and knowledge in the city and centres, stand-alone kiosks and ‘pop-up €1m and €5m to spark a local food through its partnerships related to the shops’ and include opportunities to taste revolution. sustainable food agenda. These include and learn through cookery demos and fun the Bristol Food Policy Council and Bristol cooking events. The competition is exclusively open Food Network; building upon the to cities within the European Union The project would partly rely on the BBC Food Connections Festival held earlier with populations over 100,000. The input of local businesses and creative this year. competition invited cities to put forward organisations to help improve the food bold and innovative solutions to urban The council has now put forward the options open to local people, with the challenges and winners will receive final bold plan which would support and council making a concerted effort to funding and further support from the encourage people from less advantaged encourage their involvement to enable Bloomberg team and international areas to buy and cook fresh healthy food a sustainable whole city approach that innovators network. in order to maintain a healthy nutritious supports access to good local food and diet. The plan aims to overcome traditional employment opportunities. Bristol’s proposition is the ‘Learn, Grow, barriers including the availability and cost Eat Revolution’. It’s an idea which would Cllr Gus Hoyt, Bristol City Council’s of good food. help bring good, healthy and affordable Assistant Mayor for Neighbourhoods local food to the residents who need it The project also supports Bristol’s added: “Bristol already has a strong most. status as European Green Capital 2015 reputation for being home to some by supporting sustainable local food great local businesses which produce Bristol’s Mayor, George Ferguson, said: production and reducing costly food miles, high quality fresh food. In order for the “The Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayor’s elements which were further developed Learn, Grow, Eat Revolution to succeed, Challenge is an excellent opportunity during coaching and development it would need these businesses to work to use Bristol’s strengths in the sessions with Bloomberg Philanthropies together with us to make this sector more environmental and business sectors to and partners Eurocities, LSECities, Nesta accessible to less advantaged areas of the tackle a major social urban issue. and Deloitte as the refined proposal came city. “Good food is at the heart of a healthy to fruition. “This is a bold proposal which will make lifestyle and should be available to The originator of the idea Mark Goodway a significant contribution to addressing everyone, irrespective of where they live or said: “I was delighted when the Mayor this city’s equality gap. I do hope the how much they earn. This proposal would picked our idea from all the submissions Bloomberg Philanthropies judging panel make good, affordable, local food an to his Ideas Lab to represent Bristol in this shows it their support and helps us lead absolute reality for many of Bristol’s most Europe-wide competition. Developing and a good food revolution for the benefit of disadvantaged areas, especially for those refining the original proposal has been local people.” currently fighting food poverty. a very rewarding process, and together Entries to the Bloomberg Philanthropies “Our shortlisting for this award is a we’ve created a really strong contender for Mayors Challenge are judged on the scope tangible recognition of the vision and Bloomberg’s prize. of their vision, potential impact on society, capability of the council to initiate change. “I’m proud to live in a city which takes how well the plan can be implemented If we are successful, I hope that this award inequality and food poverty seriously and and its ability to be transferred to other will help us to tackle the vital issue of puts this kind of effort in to tackling the cities so that they too may benefit from the health and wealth inequality and share issue. Having an idea is one thing, but idea. The winner of the competition will this learning with others.” having so many people and organisations be announced in the autumn of this year. The idea was put forward by Mark working together to find a practical Alongside the overall winner of €5m, four Goodway, Founder & Charity Director of solution is something very special.” runners up will also receive €1m each and The Matthew Tree Project, a Bristol based support to implement and share learning If successful in winning funding, the charity addressing the underlying causes on their projects. council would work with local people of poverty in the UK. It was posted on to further encourage and support food For more information contact: Mayor George Ferguson’s online ‘Ideas growing and production whilst also Deborah Kinghorn Lab’, where it was selected as Bristol’s making local produce far more available [email protected] Bloomberg entry. Mark had developed to a wide range of communities. By the idea working with a range of local www.bloomberg.org/ working in partnership with local growers organisations, including the Better Food http://mayorschallenge.bloomberg.org/ and providers across the city, the council Company/Chew Valley Community Farm, http://georgesideaslab.dialogue-app. would introduce several new outlets in FareShare South West, Bristol councillors com/ areas that currently have limited access Gus Hoyt and Daniella Radice and Mayor to this type of local food, for residents Ferguson.

18 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Read more online

Crops of the Past – and the Future digest: Perennials are growing all around us – in fields, forests, and grasslands. These plants regenerate themselves each year and survive through a hardy network of roots. Unfortunately, many farmers in the industrialized world rely on monocultures of annual crops that need to be planted from season to season and can place a heavy toll on soil, water sources, and biodiversity. http://foodtank.com/ news/2014/07/crops-of-the- Golden Hill update pastand-the-future Lucy Mitchell Livestock: More than meat It’s been a wonderful summer in the ​The straw bale building carries on taking digest: Beyond the debate garden! The blazing sun has been great shape. We have a door! We have a floor! about meat in our diet and the for our cucumber, tomatoes, melons and we have a wood burning stove! We have environmental impact of cows, there aubergines, the edible forest has been solar powered electrics! The final lime is an emotional and cultural angle transformed into a sea of sunflowers and finish is going on now and it’s slow work on our human relationship with the garden has been buzzing with life. but the finish is gorgeous. Hats off to Red livestock that is rarely discussed. And we’re happy and grateful for a £1000 Kite builders Bob, Maria, Jack and Pete Farm animals are embedded in the donation from the fabulous Gloucester and everyone else who has put time in on public’s imaginings of rural Britain Rd WI and £300 from Henleaze Waitrose. the building crew. Now we just need steps and their expectations of the British and a ramp and then it’ll be available for The Golden Adventure days had an animal landscape, whilst for traditional hire for meetings, kids’ parties and all theme this summer so the garden was farmers, their animals hold an sorts. over run with 6–12 year old tigers, rabbits, intense personal significance. and snow leopards all making bows and And finally we’ll be celebrating all this http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ arrows, building dens, cooking pizza and and more at our Harvest Festival 1–3pm articles/livestock-more-than- eating too many blackberries. Brilliant! our 13 September. Expect music and free meat/ next kids day is in the October half term kids’ activities, pizza from the clay frog and will have a spooky monster theme so and soup from the garden, cake, tea and Indigenous seed savers gather in get in touch to find out more. loveliness. Suggested donation £1. the Andes, agree to fight climate change with biodiversity It’s a new term of Golden Buds our green See you in the garden digest: As climate change makes it toddler group so Bristol’s 18 month to 2 Lucy Mitchell, Community Project Worker more difficult to practice agriculture year olds can expect a term of digging, The Golden Hill Community Garden: in their ancestral homelands, dipping, crafting, singing, story telling and Horfield’s Accessible Allotment and indigenous communities are munching tasty things from the garden. Edible Forest exchanging seeds in hopes of We’re fully booked but get in touch for our finding the hardiest varieties. next term starting 5 November – we run 07506 905 394 whatever the weather and there’ll be warm www.thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com www.yesmagazine.org/planet/ indoor space in our cosy new strawbale indigenous-seed-savers building for warming cold toes. 20 Urban Food Forests from around the World digest: A food forest is quite literally a forest that produces food for people to eat. Urban communities are increasingly using the practice as a way to put underutilized city land to work and combine urban agriculture goals with goals for open space, recreation, and community development. It’s a rather North American-centric Top 20, but... www.shareable.net/blog/20- urban-food-forests-from-around- the-world

19 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 News from River Cottage Canteen Bristol

Supplier of the month: Forager John Wright Neal’s Yard, Whiteladies Road “We get so many lovely comments about the hand wash and lotion in our toilets, sourced from our neighbours just up the road, Neal’s Yard.” Sarah Kieck, general manager River Cottage Canteen Bristol. It was over 33 years ago that Neal’s Yard Remedies opened the doors of their first shop in Neal’s Yard, a once forgotten corner of Covent Garden, London. From the beginning they have been driven by a passion for transforming people’s lives, by empowering them to live more healthily through the power of nature, and this As the summer nights start to draw in, Following a summer break, the popular passion is still at the heart of the River Cottage Canteen Bristol serves River Cottage Canteen Cookery Demos company today. up an autumnal mix of new seasonal are back, with a new seasonal twist. The restaurant’s charismatic chefs will lead the Neal’s Yard Remedies believe in cookery demos along with its regular fortnightly cookery demos – encouraging people to lead a more monthly events, all topped off with Wednesdays . On 3 September guests will natural, holistic way of life. The a special Veg and Hedge evening on at 10.30am learn how to make delicious focaccia herbal scientists at the heart of Tuesday 30 September. bread as well as River Cottage scones and the business have been unlocking August at River Cottage Canteen saw an things get a little festive on 17 September the healing and rejuvenating exciting ‘wild’ takeover of the children’s with Christmas cake and mince-meat properties of nature’s plants and menu with dishes named after Bristol Zoo preparation. The tickets are £30 which mixing them with cutting edge Garden’s famous animals. Donations from includes coffee or tea on arrival and a technology to create a fantastic the seasonally selected dishes helped delicious two course set lunch. For a full line up of award-winning products. to raise money for the Bristol Zoological list of the upcoming cookery demos and Nearly every one of the certified Society charity, ensuring the safeguarding for more information on booking, please organic products – the largest of animals across the globe, whilst also visit the canteen’s website. range in the UK – is handmade at helping to promote the message of ‘saving the eco-factory in Dorset, using wildlife together.’ Festivity seems to be in the air at River home-grown and sustainably Cottage Canteen, as well as the Christmas Meanwhile, the warmer months have sourced, certified organic themed cookery demo, the restaurant’s provided the canteen with an abundance ingredients. chefs have been busy perfecting their of mouth-watering produce and the Christmas party menu – which can be On Saturday 18 October, River restaurant’s chefs are now busy preparing viewed online www.rivercottage.net/ Cottage Canteen’s bar area will for the start of the harvest season, with canteens/bristol/christmas-at-bristol/ – be transformed into a Neal’s Yard its hedgerow delights, game and tasty with little treats such as the pork and haven, with a display of delicious autumn vegetables. game rillettes, slow roasted duck leg and smelling lotions and the newly star anise spiced pears it’s already proving launched superfood range for Veg and Hedge is a brand new dining popular with local businesses. The menu guests to sample. If you’re lucky, event for the Bristol canteen and will is available throughout December for you might get a soothing hand be hosted by charismatic forager John parties over 6 and there is a gift for the massage with your morning coffee. Wright, famed for his regular appearances party organiser. For more details, pop in and talk to on the River Cottage TV series. Guests will enjoy a three course set menu based a member of staff. Regular monthly Tuesday night events, around locally sourced, seasonal veg and Veg Out, Spice Night and Cocktails & hedgerow produce, whilst John leads a Sharing Boards are all still firmly on the talk and demo on how to best forage the menu and the new Canteen Cocktail Club English hedgerow, giving guests a taste is a fantastic end to the week, with guests of his recent pickings. The evening will enjoying two cocktails for £10 between consist of 2 sittings, 7pm and 8.30pm on 5–7.30pm on Friday nights. Tuesday 30 September. Tickets, £28 are available now from the canteen. www.rivercottage.net/canteens/bristol/

20 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 The Community Farm Courses with Voscur Kick Start your Organisation The Community Farm’s vegetable boxes and bars, camping and a chance find out Is there a group of people in your are currently full of an abundance of all about the farm. The festival plans to community that wants to make things delicious organic vegetables from its raise funds for The Community Farm and a happen? Are you trying to start an own fields and those of other local number of charities including Penny Brohn organisation – or have recently started Somerset growers. The fine weather has Cancer Care. one – but are not sure what your next bought a plentiful harvest of courgettes, www.miniv.co.uk steps should be? If so, ‘Kick Start Your chard, beetroot, new potatoes, spring Organisation’ could be just what you onions, cabbages, broad beans, cherry School Visits need. Spread over six evening sessions, tomatoes, chillies, and cucumbers. On Tuesday 16 and Thursday 18 September it will kick start your group into action, Earlier in the summer staff and the Community Farm will be holding open covering the essentials you need for a volunteers were picking lettuces evening events for teachers to come and successful and long-lasting group. weighing as much as 1 kilo in weight! find out what the farm has to offer and n The need and purpose of your group www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/boxes explore the options for a school visit. (16 September 2014)

Glut Gastronomy with Rachel Demuth Providing a fun learning experience, n Different structures for organisations 10am–4.30pm Sunday 21 September school visits to The Community Farm are and how they should be managed £60 per person practical and hands-on. The learning (23 September 2014) (15% discount for Farm members) programme is currently geared towards n Funding, finance and how to get primary school visits, although secondary money (7 October 2014) Inundated with courgettes or runner or pre-school groups are also welcome. beans? Rachel Demuth of Demuths n Developing policies and procedures Cookery School will be providing A representative from The Farm can also (21 October 2014) inspiration for cooking with seasonal attend schools for a day or half day to n Marketing and publicity vegetable gluts. Using food freshly undertake curriculum-based activities (4 November 2014) based around healthy eating, gardening, harvested from the fields, Rachel will show n Action planning and where else you farming and the environment. Pupils you dishes that can be made from fresh can get support (18 November 2014) summer produce typically found in your could explore where their food comes garden, vegetable patch or Community from, making healthy food choices and For more information email: Farm box. gain food preparation skills, for example. [email protected] The Farm will also be offering Continuing Download the Kick Start Your www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ Professional Development for teachers to Organisation pack: glutgastronomy enable them to have key skills to deliver www.supporthub.org.uk/sites/ gardening sessions to children of all Key Community Farmer Days and supporthub.org.uk/files/Kick%20 Stages. If you are a teacher and would like Volunteering Start%20Your%20Organisation%20 more information, please email Handbook%20Season%207.pdf As the name suggests, The Community [email protected] Farm is all about involving members of To apply complete our online form: the local community in farming. One great Corporate Away Days and Employee www.voscur.org/civicrm/event/ way to get involved is to volunteer in the Volunteering info?id=3252&reset=1 fields. There are plenty of opportunities The Community Farm has a number of to volunteer regularly on weekdays or exciting opportunities for groups of staff Mind the Gap: CICs – at Community Farmer Days. Combine to come out to the farm for team-building planting, tending, weeding or harvesting and away days. Get your team outdoors Your questions answered with a chance to meet new people and for some fresh thinking, while helping out 12–2pm Wednesday 24 September enjoy the farm’s beautiful surroundings. the local community. Royal Oak House, Royal Oak Avenue, Community Farmer Days this autumn are: Bristol, BS1 4GB www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ n Saturday 27 September £15 per person volunteering/away_days/ n Saturday 11 October Sara Burgess, CIC Regulator, will give n Saturday 25 October Autumn half term you the facts about these companies n Saturday 15 November During the autumn half term there’ll with community purpose and will www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ be some fabulous foody activities for answer your questions. Her role includes volunteering Children at The Community Farm. deciding whether an organisation is More details soon at: eligible to become, or continue to be, a Mini-V Harvest Festival CIC. She is responsible for investigating www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ 6 & 7 September complaints and taking action if learning/childrens-activities The Community Farm will be taking part necessary, and her office provides in Mini-V – a harvest extravaganza in the guidance and assistance to help people Chew Valley organised by Community set up CICs. Farm board member and land-owner Luke www.voscur.org/content/mind-gap- Hasell. There will be live music, a dance cics-community-interest-companies- tent, children’s workshops, quality food your-questions-answered

21 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 The Urban Pollinators Project stall at the A bee on Inula hookeri Mike Feingold of Royate Hill Community Bee and Pollination festival 2013 Orchard gets apple mashing Buzz in to Bristol’s bee and pollination festival Alice Maltby

Imagine a world without cappuccinos, food projects springing up all over The Bumblebee Conservation Trust will chocolate, apples, strawberries or even the place, the Festival offers plenty of have ideas on how to make your garden Somerset cider. These are all dependent encouragement. Bristol City Council more bee-friendly whatever your budget. on insect pollination. Yet in recent years allotments team and Avon Organic Group Sunday visitors are being requested to there has been a dramatic decline in will show a host of ideas for improving bring apples to make their own juice. your efforts with their garden displays. bee and pollinator populations. The Mike Feingold, of Royate Hill Community University of Bristol Botanic Garden’s The RSPB will be highlighting the Orchard and Bristol Permaculture Group, Festival (6 and 7 September 10am–5pm) successful Dungeness project which will be demonstrating apple pressing and aims to show how you can make a involved reintroducing a bee which mashing. difference even if you only have a single was declared extinct in the UK in 2000. Other exhibitors include Willa Ashworth, window box. The short-haired bumblebee, brought metal work sculptor, who will be bringing over from Sweden, has now nested and This year’s theme focuses on the unusual bird feeders, fire pits and wind produced its first offspring. importance of pollination for growing chime flowers; artists, Jenny Brooks fruit and vegetables. A transient fruit Botanic Garden Guides are often asked and Cath Hodsman, Redcliffe Press and orchard is being set up with experts on where visitors can buy the Jurassic giants Forever Knowledge bee products. hand to answer fruit growing techniques. in the Evolutionary Dell or the hardy exotics Nick Wray, Curator at the Botanic Researchers at the University of Reading they see during their tour. The Festival Garden said: “This event will highlight calculated that the total value of crops provides this opportunity as a variety of the important role that bees have in pollinated by insects in the UK was nurseries will be selling stunning insect- pollinating plants and the numerous ways an estimated £510m per year, yet the friendly plants for all types of gardens. estimated annual cost of replacing in which we can help them to carry out this pollination services provided free by The Festival does not just focus on UK vital role.” issues. In line with the Botanic Garden’s insects with hand pollination would Free demonstrations and talks will take mission objectives which are to educate, be in the region of £1.8bn per year. place throughout the festival which will communicate and conserve, the display The University of Bristol’s School of range from beekeeping techniques and by the Bees for Development Trust will Biological Sciences will showcase its the workings of a live hive, to research demonstrate how it undertakes practical Urban Pollinators Project. Visitors may projects about urban pollinators, how to projects overseas to develop people’s have already enjoyed their urban flower build insect hotels and weave enchanting knowledge of how to create reliable income meadows in Bristol. The creation of eye- willow sculptures. Tours will be offered from bees and beekeeping. A couple of catching pollinator-friendly floral displays throughout the weekend giving visitors the bee colonies can generate income that is proving beneficial for both the human chance to see and learn something new allows a family to buy essential medicine and insect communities in urban areas. about the garden which will be ablaze with or send a child to school. September colour, including many autumn The Bristol Branch of the Avon Beekeepers Butcombe Brewery and Mad Apple Cider flowering salvias, anemones, grasses, Association will stage its annual Bristol will be providing tastings and Riverford toad lilies and hardy bromeliads. Light Honey Festival, with displays of honey and Organic Farms is returning this year. refreshments available. bee products. A live hive will give visitors Orchid enthusiasts, including Writhlington an insight into the workings of the honey- Admission: £3.50 for adults; free to School Orchid Project and Kelvin Bush bee along with talks and displays on the University staff, Friends of the Botanic orchids, will show the relationship importance and pleasure of keeping bees. Garden, students and children under 16. between pollinators and flowers in a While honey is a major feature, exhibitors display of orchids, Bristol Naturalists University of Bristol Botanic Garden, will also explain the importance of will give advice on identifying bees and The Holmes, Stoke Park Road, BS9 1JG beeswax and other bee products. Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge will 0117 331 4906 With the increase in people growing explain how they protect and enhance www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden their own food and community urban this area for the benefit of wildlife.

22 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Events at Tyntesfield Wraxall, North Somerset BS48 1NX National Trust Tyntesfield food and craft market 10am–3pm Sunday 7 September Free. Normal admission applies for Apple Pressing Tour 2014 entry into house and gardens.

The upper and lower courtyards at The National Trust at Leigh Woods is Home Farm turn into a hive of activity going all out during October this year and colour as local food and craft for an exciting month of apple pressing. producers set up their stalls and We’ve got over twenty dates planned at showcase their wares. Local folk talent sites throughout Bristol, following the ‘Highly Strung’ will also be playing in great success of the events last year. the upper courtyard. We invite families and communities to get Tyntesfield Lecture Series: involved in this unique tour at allotments, 2014 Tour dates Fungi with John and Doreen Bailey city farms, markets and schools across n 29/9 – Whitehall Primary School 11am–1pm Friday 19 September the city. Enjoy the wonderful experience (2.30–5pm) £5 person (includes a cuppa) of bringing along your own apples for our n 2/10 – HHEAG: Hartcliffe Health Discover more about the magical world scratter (turning the apples into pulp) and Environment Action Group (times tbc) of fungi from experts, John and Doreen taking home the freshly pressed juice! n 3/10 – Redmaids Junior School Bailey. For beginners to enthusiasts The tour’s aims are two-fold; in bringing (times tbc) alike, John and Doreen will take you communities together in tasting and through the varieties which grow on gaining a greater understanding of local n 4/10 – Woodcroft Community Orchard the Tyntesfield estate. produce, and in raising awareness of (times tbc) a new orchard which will be planted n 5/10 – Tobacco Factory Harvest hoedown at Tyntesfield over the next few years. (9.30am–2.30pm) 7–11pm Friday 19 September The orchard at Tyntesfield will be a £10 per person (food not included) n 8/10 – Perretts Park (times tbc) combination of productive fruit trees and n 10/10 – Hengrove allotments (times tbc) Get your welly wiggle on and head to a special heritage orchard which will Tyntesfield to celebrate the beginning include rare local varieties. Many unusual n 11/10 – Redland Green allotments of harvest with a good old ceilidh varieties are dying out despite them (times tbc) hoedown. There’ll be a toe-tappin’ being delicious and we hope to share the n 13/10 – Feed Bristol (pm tbc) band, traditional ceilidh dance caller, unique flavours and shapes and sizes with n 14/10 – Ilminster Avenue E-Act Academy Somerset cider and hearty barbecue. visitors over the years as the trees mature. (2.30–5pm) Wellies and your best checked shirt There will also be lots of opportunities for n 17/10 – St Philip’s Marsh Nursery School will be essential! people to get involved with workshops in (times tbc) www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ grafting and pruning amongst others. n 18/10 – Falcondale Road allotment tyntesfield Now back to the 2014 Apple Pressing (times tbc) Tour. Some of our exciting events n 19/10 – St Werburgh’s city farm include a wonderful day of tasting both (11am–5pm) mulled apple juice and cider at St Werburgh’s City Farm on 19 October, n 21/10 – Blaise Hamlet Apple Picking with a horticulturalist on site to tell you with Imayla (3–5.30pm) about the apples, a magical storyteller n 22/10 – TBC Victoria Park Primary School for the kids and a live folk band! n 23/10 – St Aidan’s Allotments, We also have a fantastic day planned at St George (3–6pm) National Trust Leigh Woods, just a hop n 26/10 – Love Food Festival (9am–5pm) over the Suspension Bridge away on 28 October between 10am–2pm perfect n 27/10 – Blaise Hamlet Juice Run if you’re looking to amuse the kids for a (times tbc) few hours over the half term break. n 28/10 – Leigh woods (9am–2pm) Most of the tour dates are open to n 29/10 – @Bristol (times tbc) everyone to enjoy. Last year the tour was n 31/10 – Springfield allotments, Knowle run on a much smaller scale, but was West Health Association (times tbc) really positively received with people n 31/10 – Windmill City Farm (times tbc) commenting on the great community feel n 1/11 – St Paul’s adventure playground at the events which provided friendly advice, fun hands on activities and For more information on all our tour events beautiful fresh juice to all. please contact:

Nicole Daw The National Trust at Leigh Woods [email protected] or 07557 801087

23 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 From left to right: Scraping the apple barrel for juicing; Crushing apples for juice; and Pressing apple juice; all at Horfield Organic Community Orchard Apple Day October 2013 © jamie carstairs How does our community orchard grow? Shannon Smith

The fruitfulness of Horfield Organic the fact that no late frosts snapped at Community Orchard has been affected them. Denniston’s Superb greengage All welcome to celebrate by the weather extremes of the past lived up to its name – juicy, melting, Apple Day three years (2012, 2013, 2014). These honeyed, and much less riddled by plum 2–4pm Sunday 19 October extremes have been experienced within moth caterpillars than other varieties. Horfield Organic Community Orchard each growing season, and every year Many of our tree fruits have suffered a has given us a weather pattern utterly moth population explosion – probably n Taste local apples different from the previous one. This another consequence of the mild winter n Juice pressing year we were treated to the mildest and and warm spring. Plenty of plum’s wild n Make merry with Pigsty Morris wettest of winters, an early and warm cousins, sloes and bullace, abound in the n Refreshments, local produce, and trees spring, followed by a high summer of hedgerows for later foraging. for sale n Orchard Roots Bristol exhibition prolonged heat and almost no rain. It looks like it will be an average year for n Fruit growing questions & answers Soft-fruit always does well – regardless apples and pears. The older trees in the n Find out how to become a member of the chops and changes of the weather orchard have the habit of cropping every – particularly the gooseberries. Ours are other year, and some others seem to be To find the orchard: Walk down the lane mystery cuttings from a long ago garden. resting after last year’s bountiful harvest. beside 22 Kings Drive, BS7 8JP (between We let the red ones mature fully and The summer heat and lack of rain ‘ripened’ Bishop Road and Kellaway Avenue), turn they tasted more delicious than grapes. some early-ripening apples too quickly – left and it’s the first gate on the right Because gooseberries fruit so early in Beauty of Bath tasted bitter, and instead OR Take the lane beside 134 Longmead the summer they seemed unaffected by of a lovely pink flush, the flesh was beige. Avenue, BS7 8QQ, until you come to the lack of rain, unlike the later ripening The mid-August change in weather pattern the last gate on the left. (Dogs on leads, has brought much-needed rain and a and under-succulent blackcurrants. please.) welcome moderation in temperature. Blackberries (wild and cultivated) More information at The range of fruits and varieties we are astounding this year – ample and grow brings resilience through diversity. www.community-orchard.org.uk ambrosial, and at least a month earlier Whatever the weather over the coming than usual. weeks and months there are bound to It’s also a magnificent year for plums be lots of lovely apples for all to taste at of all kinds. These early bloomers this year’s Apple Day celebrations at the benefitted from the warm spring, and orchard.

24 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Yummy and thought provoking stuff at The Coexist Community Kitchen... Ari Cantwell

Although we are no longer at school, it This presentation will help you understand Start Up Slots seems that we still revolve around the how fermented foods can support healthy At The Coexist Community Kitchen we school term-time... summer feels like digestion and health from within. Isa will really want to be able to support small we should have loads of time off and introduce the techniques and processes to start up businesses who need a registered September feels like new beginnings safely ferment foods at home, and you’ll kitchen to cook and bake their delicious and time to sharpen our minds. This also get to try a few delicious tasters. food that they will be selling all around idea is definitely reflected in the events Isabelle Redon is a trained Nutritionist Bristol. We are offering 50% discount to we have coming up here at the Coexist and professional Chef. She has a passion small businesses to use the kitchen space Community Kitchen with delicious for healthy eating and loves to share her between 9pm and 9am... If you think food that not only fills the tummy but enthusiasm about the healing power of you would love to get involved with an provokes and stimulates the mind too. food. She believes that good nutrition opportunity like this and you need to bake We think that food is best served with starts in the kitchen and that it’s all about and cook early in the morning then contact delicious conversation anyway! flavours, texture and taste. us at [email protected]. So first and foremost we have… The very next day we are hosting ‘Bristol Upcomings The Power of Fermented Food – a FREE Bright Night’ – Another exciting and FREE We are running a delicious course called talk on the health benefits of fermented event. Bristol Bright Night brings you an Full Power Palak with our wonderful foods (6.30–7.30pm Thursday 25 inspiring evening of good food and good in house Indian cookery tutor. It will September at Hamilton House) conversation at Hamilton House. be 6–9pm on 28 October. Experience Join us for a cooking workshop with local the magic of Indian cookery taught by academics to help prepare a delicious yogi Ajay Sharma (AKA Joe Baba). Learn dinner whilst finding out about food- fundamental Indian cooking techniques, related research. Make sure to invite a spice blends and authentic vegetarian friend to join us after the workshop to cooking. We will be using seasonal British relax, chat and enjoy the incredible food vegetables, and combining these with you prepared earlier. Indian spices for optimum taste, nutrition and digestion. Dishes will include channa This event is part of a wider programme masala, two main vegetarian dishes, of free events taking place throughout masala garlic rice, and we will finish with Central Bristol on Friday 26 September a sweet Indian dessert, halwa. from afternoon until midnight, including free evening entry to At-Bristol, talks at the Watershed and much more. The Festival of Nature, the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England are working in partnership to bring you Bristol Bright Night, which is part of the prestigious annual Europe- wide Researchers’ Night programme www.hamiltonhouse.org/community- and is funded by the EU Commission. kitchen/

M ullion Cove markets at Temple Quay and Brunel’s SS Great Britain Temple Quay Market and drink as well as a fine selection of the stunning scenery that Bristol has 11.30–2.30pm, craft stalls too. Expect local producers to offer. selling artisan bread and cheese, hearty 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month Saturday 25 October pies, bison and venison burgers, chilli www.facebook.com/ Saturday 13 December (Christmas) sauces, handmade jewellery, local art TempleQuayMarket?fref=ts and pottery, fudge, cakes and treats, 10am–4pm in Brunel Square, outside preserves and sauces, local craft beer, Brunel’s ss Great Britain, Great Western SS Great Britain Market wine and cider and much more! With Dockyard, Bristol BS1 6TY Mullion Cove are collaborating with free entry, ample parking and a ferry 0117 926 0680 Brunel’s SS Great Britain to bring stop close-by, the seasonal market is www.ssgreatbritain.org seasonal markets to Bristol’s historic the perfect way to spend a Saturday www.mullioncove.net harbourside. There is an emphasis afternoon; browsing the stalls, relaxing on showcasing the best in local food in the Dockyard Cafe Bar and soaking up

25 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Events 35th Westbury Village Show Grape & Grain Festival Montpelier Bean Feast 11am–5pm Saturday 6 September 11–14 September Saturday 13 September Westbury-on-Trym Village Hall Millennium Square Montpelier Park Early bird tickets £15 This year will be very nautical in both the The Bean Feast was a much loved annual Adult £22.50, Children £5, Under 2s free classes and entertainment, but there’s event in Montpelier in the 18th century. still a traditional vegetable competition, Bodacious beers, fine wines and vibrant A few years ago it was reborn as a street and Sustainable Westbury-on-Trym are fresh foods from regional producers, party in Montpelier Park to celebrate local sponsoring three categories: businesses and restaurants, brought heritage, harvest and creative genius. And n Plant/produce grown from SusWot seeds together in Bristol’s vibrant harbour side the importance of plenty of cake. venue with some of Bristol’s best music. n My first plant or produce We’d love to hear from you if you fancy Discover something new, learn from our n Vegetarian dish where the main getting involved – ping pong maestros, experts, or simply relax, with delicious ingredient is home grown talented craftsters, costume makers, tea & food and drink – and meet Pitfield cake makers, dresser uppers, performers www.wotvs.co.uk/ Brewery, Ashridge Cider and London & musicians… & Scottish at the Soil Association’s organic bar. Plus, there will be special Email [email protected] International Conference appearances from Great British Bake Off’s if you have anything you’d like to share. on Vertical Farming and very own Mary Berry, and brothers http://montpelierbeanfeast.org.uk Urban Agriculture 2014 Tom and Henry Herbert of Channel 4’s The Fabulous Bakers Brothers fame. 9–10 September 2014 The University of Nottingham http://grapegrainfestival.co.uk/ Bringing together scientists, engineers, industrialists and policymakers to discuss Factoberfest current ideas, technologies, commercial applications and research opportunities 12–14 September in Vertical Farming and Urban Agriculture. Tobacco Factory Terrace & Yard, corner Evaluating the benefits, opportunities, of North St & Raleigh Road, Southville Free entry risks and challenges of vertical farming/ urban agriculture and providing a forum Held every September at the Tobacco for establishing collaboration between Factory Cafe/Bar, just up the road from academic researchers and commercial the Bristol Beer Factory, the event kicks interests. Evolve as the main conference’s off on the Friday night and finishes on the M ade in North Somerset sponsors may negotiate with the organisers Sunday evening. With around 60 beers Festival about reasonable discounted fees. Contact (and some local ciders), it provides a 13 September–5 October Nathalia nathalia@evolvegrowingsolutions. whole weekend of beer joy. As well as the Venues across North Somerset co.uk by Friday 5 September. beer, there’s live music, great food and children’s entertainment – creating The annual ‘Made in North Somerset’ http://vfua.org/ a family friendly atmosphere. festival is an exciting three week programme of events to celebrate and www.bristolbeerfactory.co.uk/ showcase some of the best local food, It’s time to spill the beans! factoberfest.php drink, art and craft ‘Made in North From 6.30pm Wednesday 10 September Somerset’. The festival finale is a ‘Made The Folk House Café, 40a Park Street, Urban Food Fortnight 2014 in north somerset’ Showcase at National Bristol BS1 5JG Trust Tyntesfield over the weekend of £8.50 Delicious food included Friday 12–Sunday 28 September 4 & 5 October, with stalls, music, Venues across Greater London Lentils are not sexy. Who dares say so? children’s activities, food trail, bake off Here in the Folk House Café we think Urban Food Fortnight is a chance to and Kitchen Garden tours. they are gorgeous, and because we love celebrate the fabulous ultra-local The aim of the festival is to promote them and want you to get the message produce being grown, produced and individual food, drink and creative we are hosting a wonderful evening of cooked on London’s doorstep. Unique businesses; by helping to raise their cooking, discussing, learning and eating events and delicious menus are here for profile, encourage people to shop local all kinds of pulses and grains with Jenny a limited time. So get involved and you which retains money in the local economy Chandler, author, cook and champion will be supporting London’s small food and to put the area on the map as an area of the beleaguered bean, and our own enterprises and growers. known for its high quality local products. Louise Marchione, nutritionist, cook and www.capitalgrowth.org/events/ delicious healthy food banner waver. http://innorthsomerset.co.uk/get- urbanfoodfortnight/?dm_ involved/made-in-north-somerset https://billetto.co.uk/spilling-the-beans i=8UC,2PXO7,13R0UQ,9X0JT,1

26 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Avon Wildlife Trust events

Forage for Wild Food …more events 12–5pm Sunday 12 October Folly Farm, StoweyBS39 4DW · £35 A not-for-profit economy by Should we be eating less Enjoy a walk through the woodland as 2050? A Schumacher Institute meat? What should we be expert food forager, gardener and writer, event doing to make our diets more Dave Hamilton, enlightens you on wild food and where to find it. 6–8pm Tuesday 16 September sustainable? http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. Armada House Webinar in partnership with the Eating co.uk/events/2014/10/12/forage-wild- Entry by suggested donation of £5 Better Alliance food?instance=0 Donnie Maclurcan, one of our 2.30–4pm 24 September Distinguished Fellows, will be outlining Weston Big Wood’s Fungus Foray his new book, which states that a growing The way we feed ourselves is 10am–12pm Sunday 19 October body of evidence suggests the world is unsustainable. Feeding a growing and Weston Big Wood PS20 8PW · Free shifting towards a not-for-profit economy. more affluent global population healthily, fairly and sustainably simply isn’t possible Join Bill Dixon and Roy Betts for a Fungi “From construction and manufacturing, unless we make some changes. Reducing Walk at one of the most wildlife-rich through to software development, food waste and producing food with woodlands in the Gordano Valley. Search food catering and retail, the not- less impact on the environment are both for and identify the different fungi species for-profit ethic is permeating global essential but not sufficient. Modifying that thrive on the nature reserve. commerce. Cooperatives, community our eating patterns must be a priority too, http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. interest companies, government-owned and a simple step as part of this transition co.uk/events/2014/10/19/weston-big- corporations and social enterprises is to eat less meat and eat a greater woods-fungus-foray?instance=0 all show how reinvesting, rather than variety of plant-based foods. Changing privatizing profits, is the healthiest and patterns of consumption at an individual Jolly Folly Apple Day most sustainable way to manage level is challenging – so how can we 2–5pm Sunday 19 October a business. support community members to eat less Folly Farm, Stowey BS39 4DW · Free meat? What can local authorities and the Come and hear how this enterprise model Apple-themed family fun, a day jam- catering sector do in our towns and cities is changing the economy and changing packed with apple pressing and fun to address this issue? What can we do as the game, by addressing the roots of our activities for all the family! environmental crises and social pressures, individuals to address meat consumption? http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. and by taking sustainability from rhetoric To register send an email to clare@ co.uk/events/2014/10/19/jolly-folly- to reality.” foodmatters.org with eat less meat in the apple-day?instance=0 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-not-for- subject line profit-global-economy-by-2050- Fungi Foray tickets-12303972513 Love Food markets 10.30am–12.30pm Tuesday 28 October Dolebury Warren, Churchill, N Somerset Dyhram Park Adult £10/Adult + Child £14/Family £20 Tetbury Food & Drink Festival Sunday 28 September Join Avon Wildlife Trust Reserves Officer Dyrham Park SN14 8ER 17–21 September Joe McSorley for a Fungi Walk on the site Free entry to market, normal National of an ancient Iron Age hill fort. Search for Each September, in and around the Trust entrance fee to property historic town of Tetbury, hotels and and identify the different fungi species Located in the top car park of the acres of restaurants will be offering all the best that thrive on the nature reserve and learn ancient parkland, this is the perfect way to of local, seasonal produce to tantalise about their weird and wonderful lifecycles. mark the start of many adventures to come your taste buds, starting with the now http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. this summer. Shop for local produce in the traditional Gloucester Old Spot Sausage co.uk/events/2014/10/28/fungi- market, then explore the stunning grounds Appreciation Society Dinner and ending foray?instance=0 and mansion house. with a fabulous Food and Drink Market. www.lovefoodfestival.com/dyrham.html Woodland Feast Throughout this five-day celebration of 7–10pm Thursday 30 October food and drink at the now annual Tetbury Paintworks Folly Farm, Stowey BS39 4DW · £37 Festival here in the heart of the Cotswolds Sunday 26 October fabulous artisans will be visiting with a Paintworks Event Space, Bath Road, A delicious opportunity to experience wide range of food and drink. Bristol BS4 3EH a seasonal menu with the woodland Paintworks is where it all started for at its heart. You will be welcomed to www.tetburyfooddrinkfestival.com Love Food. It’s colourful, quirky but most Folly Farm’s Old Dairy restaurant with of all it’s home There have been some hedgerow fizz before embarking on a wonderful times here in the last five and three-course culinary journey inspired by a half years. The Festival takes place in your surroundings, with vegetables from the indoor event space and also in the Feed Bristol. courtyard space outside. http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. www.lovefoodfestival.com/venue- co.uk/events/2014/10/30/woodland- paintworks.html feast?instance=0

27 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 …& more … The Big Apple Burnham on Sea Sunday 5 October Food & Drink Festival Grimsbury Road, nr Baden Road, Saturday 25 October Kingswood, S. Gloucestershire BS15 9SE A home-grown effort to celebrate More details to follow on the website, everything that is fresh and good in the but expect DIY apple pressing, stalls, The Great Seed Festival: South West in a great FREE to attend competitions, etc. Celebrating the seed that festival. 2013 Runners-up in The Daily www.fogf.co.uk/appleday.html feeds us Telegraph Bring Home the Harvest search for the best harvest-time festival. The 11–12 October 2014 food and drink available in Somerset is Soil Association Annual London and around the UK amazing and we aim to bring the best of it Transforming With fringe events throughout October, together for one day, for you to enjoy. Conference 2014: UK Food Sovereignty Month the way we eat, farm and care http://burnhamonseafoodfestival.org. for the natural world The Great Seed Festival will bring together uk/index.htm farmers, growers, environmentalists, 8–9 October chefs, activists, gardeners, allotmenteers, STEAM – Museum of the Great Western artists, musicians and everybody in- Communicate 2014: Changing Railway, Swindon between to celebrate the magic of seed, Stories – conference for £95/£130 1-day; £140/£200 2-day bring to light the importance of seed environmental communicators Early bird rate available till 7 September diversity and rekindle the connection between seed and food. 4 & 5 November Join us for a fantastic two day conference @-Bristol Science Centre, Bristol to debate some of the biggest issues If you’d like to organise a fringe event or 2-day delegate pass: £250+ VAT of the day facing our food and farming volunteer, please contact Helen Strong on 1-day pass: £150+VAT systems. Chaired by Farming Today’s [email protected] Charlotte Smith the conference will cover We are living through a time of immense For the full programme visit the politics of pollinators; a good life and accelerated change: environmental, www.greatseedfestival.co.uk for our farmed animals; our broken food technological and social. Are our well- system and what politicians intend to rehearsed environmental messages and do about it in the run up to the election; Wells Food Festival our tried and trusted communications the Deputy Chief Medical Officer on tools still relevant in today’s rapidly the worldwide antibiotics crisis; and 10.30am–4pm Sunday 12 October evolving world? Communicate 2014: excitingly the first chance to hear and Wells Food Festival returns once again Changing Stories will address this quiz Professor Carlo Leifert on the recent to celebrate the best of Somerset’s question. organic nutritional research. We’ll also be wonderful local produce. 2013’s inaugural Join us for two days of inspirational asking delegates to decide this year’s best one-day event attracted over 3500 visitors sessions, thought-provoking discussions, innovators in farming and growing. And as and was such a success that we’re doing practical workshops and outstanding ever the conference is a chance to meet it again. This year’s festival will be bigger networking opportunities at the UK’s old friends and make new ones at our and better, featuring: leading conference for environmental now famous organic supper, drinks and communicators. Develop your skills, ceilidh (this year with our Organic Awards n 50 of Somerset’s best artisan producers share best practice and debate the latest presented by Hardeep Singh Kohli). n Great Italian Sunday Lunch challenges with over 150 delegates from www.soilassociation.org/ n Forgotten Feast’s Autumn Banquet NGOs, public sector, media, academia and conferences/2014conference n Cream of Somerset Tea beyond. n Foodie Pub Quiz Confirmed speakers include conference n Miniature Ploughing Competition host Ed Gillespie (Futerra), Tim Scoones n Craft cider and beer tents (BBC Natural History Unit), Kathryn Cook (National Parks UK), Dan Burgess (Swarm/ n International Street Food stalls Project Wild Thing) and Steve Micklewright n Vintage China and Cookware sale (Birdlife Malta). n Talks, Walks and Workshops Follow @communicate2014 or contact n Cake, Jam and Tea Cosy competitions [email protected] for more details n Wells Food & Drink Awards in For the latest programme and registration: association with Wells Journal www.communicatenow.org http://wellsfoodfestival.co.uk/

28 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Events at Feed Bristol …at the City Farms Feed Bristol, Bristol BS16 1HB Windmill Hill City Farm Harvest Festival 12–5pm Saturday 6 September · Philip Street, Bedminster, Free Bristol BS3 4EA Join us as we all share the fruits of Farm Adventurers Stay and Play our labours. Fun family activities!

9.30–11.30am Mondays from 1 September n Live bands to help add some funk £5 per family (up to 2 children) into celebrating the summer £1 per additional child n Exciting workshops including Events at Lawrence Weston NEW! for families with children under 5. Rhizome Herbal Clinic Community Farm Experience animal care, growing and n Nature themed kids activities gardening, pond dipping, music and art n Sensational seasonal organic Saltmarsh Drive, Bristol BS11 0NJ with your little one. BBQ and Jamaican jerk chicken Farm Hands 8–11 yr olds www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk/blog/ feast – all produce freshly picked All year farm-adventurers-stay-play/ from the plots, prepped and Weekend and holiday Farm Hands cooked on site. Farm Adventurers (Age 2–5 yrs) sessions. We have places available for n Craft stalls and wildlife 9.15am–12.15pm Tuesday–Friday local (Lawrence Weston, Shirehampton, photography exhibition 1–4pm Tuesday & Thursday afternoons Sea Mills and Avonmouth) 8–11 yr olds £15 per session All proceeds will go to supporting who are in need of positive activities. Farm Feed Bristol. Hands help look after the animals and the A unique, all-year-round opportunity for gardens and contribute to the community your children to experience nature play, http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. farm in many ways. Contact rachel@ including forest school, farming and co.uk/events/2014/09/06/harvest- lwfarm.org.uk for an application form. growing and for parents to access courses festival?instance=0 Places are free and last for 6 months. and workshops at the farm. Seed Saving Course Chicken Keeping Day Young Farmers (Age 8–12 yrs) 10–4pm Saturday 13 September £30 per month 10am–3pm Saturday 11 October 9–11am Saturdays · £50/£30 concessions £35 (£10 low/unwaged) Book ONLINE now for Young farmers Join us for an essential guide sessions which start again in September. Are you thinking of keeping chickens? to saving your own seed with This day will give you all you need to know Volunteer Open Day Stephen Watts from Grow Sheffield. to get started including; chicken history 9.30am–4pm 12 September This course is about annual and and different breeds, chicken anatomy perennial seed saving. Learning how Ever thought about volunteering down & behaviour, day to day care, suitable to save our own seeds can save you here at the farm? Why not come along to housing and environment, diet, natural lots of money needed to buy seeds our Volunteer Open Day for a chance to behavioural needs, how to do a health in. You also get thousands of them to find out more about volunteer roles, chat check on a chicken. give away to friends and family. to current volunteers and try out some Apt Awards Forest School Leaders activities around the farm. Register with http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. Award Level 3 Lizzie our volunteer coordinator: lizzie. co.uk/events/2014/09/13/seed- 9am 5pm Monday 22 & Tuesday 23, [email protected]. saving-course?instance=0 Monday 29 & Tuesday 30 September, Monday 6 & Tuesday 7, Monday 13 & After School Club Pumpkin Mania Launches in September. Tuesday 14 October. (8 days in total of 12–4pm Saturday 4 October · Free tuition and assessment) www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk/ We’re celebrating Halloween early £900 children/ with an open fire, storytelling and This course is the nationally recognised pumpkin carving for all the family to level of training required if you want to St Werburghs City Farm AGM enjoy. develop and lead Forest School sessions. http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. For professionals and independent Watercress Road, Bristol BS2 9YJ practitioners already working with co.uk/events/2014/10/04/ 12 noon Saturday 20 September children, young people and adults who pumpkin-mania?instance=0 want to set up and run a Forest School The Farm’s annual general meeting is with your groups. You will cover a wide to be held in the community building range of theory and practical skills on Saturday 20 September. Please covering – Learning and Development, come along to find out about last year’s Practical Skills and Woodland activities, the recent accounts and Management and the Establishment and governance of the Farm. More at: delivery of a Forest School Programme. www.swcityfarm.co.uk/events/farm- www.lwfarm.org.uk agm-3/

29 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Courses & training

HHEAG Healthy eating courses The Bristol Fish Project: Courses are open to anyone living or Introduction to Aquaponics working in BS3 or BS14. 12 week course starts October 2014 Take home what you make! 7–9pm Thursday evenings & 2 weekends No.10 The People’s Kitchen, The Pithay, Bristol The Gatehouse Centre, Hartcliffe £300 for the 12 weeks, or £30 per unit – but we are doing our very best to make Parents of young children sure it’s not exclusive – so if you are 10-week courses starting September interested, please get in touch to discuss 10am–12noon Thursdays · £1.50/week options. Would you like to learn about cooking Aquaponics – growing fish and plants healthy and low-cost family food? Limited Somerset Community Food crèche places available. symbiotically – is a food production Train the Trainers Day technique which vastly reduces the need CookWell–EatWell 9.30am–3.30pm Thursday 11 September for water and nutrients during production, 10-week courses starting September Red Brick Building, Glastonbury can be undertaken close to the consumer, 1–3pm Wednesdays · £1.50/week and can absorb multiple urban waste Somerset Community Food have Nutrition & cooking courses for people streams. The challenge is to make developed a unique training package with a diet-related condition (such as aquaponics more easily accessible to that has successfully taught hundreds of Type 2 diabetes, overweight or obese, urban communities, and to do so in ways people to start growing & cooking food. high blood pressure, etc) or those recently that support their local economies. bereaved. Learn how to cook tasty and We are convening a training day for Bringing together industry professionals interesting meals whilst keeping to a diet individuals interested in becoming tutors – this unique course provides a solid recommended for your condition. to deliver the courses. It is also relevant as framework for someone wanting to set a CPD day for existing tutors. On the day up a system of their own or train in the Taking on the Takeaway we will unpack the resources available for basics. The full course is part-time and 4-week course starts 11 September Get Set Grow and Get Set Cook work, share takes 12 weeks – 10 evenings and 2 1–3pm Thursdays · £1.50/week best practice, and provide an update of weekends. You can sign up for the full Over 4 sessions you will make homemade the monitoring approaches to which we course or you can just come to units that pizza, chow mein, a curry, and fish & chips. are committed as a charity. interest you. For more information please contact n 9.30–11am Course aims HHEAG on 0117 946 5285 or email Get Set Grow overview & resources n To make aquaponics accessible [email protected] n 11.30am–12.30pm What to expect & monitoring n To enable participants to overcome specific production issues through n 1.30–3.30pm Courses with the Low Impact access to specific information and Get Set Cook overview & resources Living Initiative expert guidance How to book: Please email nicole.vosper@ n To enable participants to realise true Smallholding taster day somersetcommunityfood.org.uk to confirm product value, by taking a systems Friday 5 September · £95 your place. Refreshments will be provided, approach focusing on the entire Mumbleys Farmhouse, Near Thornbury however please bring your own lunch. production cycle and determining Horticulture for Beginners Please note prior booking is ESSENTIAL, the best options for system set up, 10am–4pm Saturday 6 September or as you will need to apply become a tutor diversification and sustainability Saturday 18 October · £95 and have the appropriate passion, skills n To train entry level practitioners in a The Cotswold Gardening School, and experience. holistic manner, in response to current Gossington Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN challenges to the socioeconomic For any other questions contact: sustainability of the aquaculture Professional horticulture Nicole Vosper, Somerset Community Food industry in Europe. 10 weeks from 17 September · £895 0751 665 3765 The Cotswold Gardening School, Email: nicole.vosper@ Contact: [email protected] Gossington Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN somersetcommunityfood.org.uk 0783 526 2968

Harvesting & juicing apples www.somersetcommunityfood.org.uk www.bristolfish.org 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19, 25 & 26 October · Free Westfield Farm, Limeburn Hill, Chew Magna BS40 8QW

http://lowimpact.org/venues_south_ west.html

30 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Publications Reaping Rewards: The market gardener: The Resilient Gardener: Can communities grow a million A Successful Grower’s Food Production and Self- meals for London? Handbook for Small Scale Reliance in Uncertain Times For nearly two decades, Sustain has Organic Farming Carol Deppe · $14.98 worked to improve policy and practice on Jean- Martin Fortier Scientist/gardener Carol Deppe combines urban food growing. This landmark report Hardcopy $10.80, Kindle $5 her passion for gardening with newly tracks the achievements of the Growing a emerging scientific information from many Million Meals for London campaign, run For some years now, author and farmer fields — resilience science, climatology, by the Capital Growth network from May Jean-Martin Fortier has lived rather climate change, ecology, anthropology, 2013. This helped 160 community food comfortably with his family entirely off paleontology, sustainable agriculture, growing spaces in London to record over the proceeds of their market garden in nutrition, health, and medicine. In the 21 tonnes of produce, which we calculate Québec, Canada. He, his wife and their last half of The Resilient Gardener, Deppe to be worth over £150,000. two children, generate up to $140,000 in revenue a year (with a profit margin of extends and illustrates these principles www.sustainweb.org/ nearly 50 percent) and feed more than with detailed information about growing publications/?id=306&dm_ 200 local families with vegetables raised and using five key crops: potatoes, corn, i=8UC,2PXO7,13R0UQ,9X0JR,1 on a mere acre and a half. And they do so beans, squash, and eggs. without tractors or other industrial farm www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/ equipment, instead relying on hand and item/the_resilient_gardener/ Grow a Sustainable Diet: light power tools. Fortier’s terrific success Planning and Growing to Feed at low-tech growing has earned him an Ourselves and the Earth international following and the moniker Food Activism: Agency, ‘rock star farmer’. He freely shares his Cindy Conner · $24.95 Democracy and Economy methods and techniques, and encourages Develop a comprehensive, customized others to emulate his example. Edited by Carole Counihan & Valeria garden plan to produce the maximum Siniscalchi http://mudcitypress.com/ number of calories and nutrients from any Paperback £18.94, Kindle £17.16 marketgarden.html available space. Focusing on permaculture Essential reading for anyone interested principles, biointensive gardening in the politics that surround our food. methods, getting food to the table with The Resilient Farm and Across the globe, people are challenging minimum fossil fuel input, and growing An Innovative the industrial food system through food crops that sustain both you and your soil. Homestead: Permaculture and Whole activism, by modifying the way they produce, distribute or consume food. www.newsociety.com/Books/G/Grow-a- Systems Design Approach Sustainable-Diet This collection brings together pieces Ben Falk · $40 from leading anthropologists, exploring food activism on a local, national and Restoration Agriculture: Real- With practical information on landshaping, transnational level. The case studies are world permaculture for farmers water security, perennial crops, soil far reaching, and cover Sicilian anti mafia fertility, nutrient-dense food, and more. food cooperatives, reinvigorating local M ark Shepard · $30 A manual for developing durable, food culture in Japan, anti-GMO activism beautiful, and highly functional human Restoration Agriculture explains how we in Mexico and Columbia, and tackling rural habitat systems fit to handle an age of can have all of the benefits of natural, food poverty in Oregon, to name but a few. rapid transition. perennial ecosystems and create www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Activism- agricultural systems that imitate nature in www.chelseagreen.com/bookstore/ Agency-Democracy-Economy/ form and function while still providing for item/the_resilient_farm_and_ dp/0857858335 our food, building, fuel and many other homestead:paperback# needs — in your own backyard, farm or Looking for more? See the Sustainable ranch. Food Trust’s Top 10 books for summer: www.acresusa.com/restoration- http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ agriculture articles/top-10-books-for-summer/

31 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Odds & ends Reshaping the food system: Get involved in Edible Gardens What cities can do Open Day 2014 Joy Carey, TEDxLoughborough 9am–6pm 20 September This talk explains what is wrong with the food system and how the consequences The Big Dig network is holding a community of continuing with ‘business as usual’ gardens open day on 20 September. It’s impact on cities; how action at a city an opportunity for community gardens in level can influence positive change, your area to show off what they do and taking Bristol as an example; and how get more people involved. Last year 4,000 each one of us has a crucial role to play. people visited a garden on the day. The Big Dig will be providing publicity www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-VKcN7C9ZI&list=UUsT0YIqwnpJCM-mx7-gSA4Q materials to help the gardens advertise the event, as well as information packs to help the gardens plan activities on the Tobacco Factory Market FareShare appeal day. Each garden will get some free seeds 10th Anniversary Do you have surplus fruit and veg that you and there will be a prize for the garden that has the most visitors. Every Sunday from 10am–2.30pm would like to donate to a good cause? Raleigh Road, Southville BS3 1TF FareShare South West is a charity based If you would like to get involved please contact Clare Horrell at Sustain on 020 The Tobacco Factory Market will be in Bristol that receives good quality, 7065 0902 or [email protected] celebrating its 10th Anniversary on in-date chilled and non-chilled food 5 October. Raleigh Road will be closed by from the food industry that is surplus www.bigdig.org.uk/ the building, using the Tobacco Factory’s to their requirements and that they new Traffic Regulation Order to close that would otherwise waste. We then deliver section of the street on Sundays. it to 126 organisations in Bristol, Bath Let’s Do It UK and the surrounding areas that provide Let’s Do It UK is organising the UK’s first The very first market was organised as part food in-house for vulnerable people. nationwide clean up action, calling on of the Sustainable Southville Project’s We complement food banks which do a everyone to come out on 13 September Local Food Week and had a strong green/ great job by supplying food parcels to and clean up their little patch of paradise; community/information stall presence individuals in crisis, as FareShare food is whether this is your local street, square, and there’s an idea to recreate this as primarily for cooking and using within the park, river, pond or woodland. Everyone a celebration of how the market came support groups and agencies to benefit is encouraged to participate in either an about. their clients. existing Clean Up activity or start a new The National Trust will bring their mobile Many of our organisations are asking for Clean Up. apple press, and the community will be an increasingly large amount of fresh fruit To Find a Clean Up invited to come along and make a 10th and veg and we seem to be given relatively Visit www.letsdoituk.net and enter your anniversary apple juice. small amounts by the supermarkets that postcode The Tobacco Factory would like to invite normally donate their surplus to us. If you community organisations to participate have reasonable quantities of surplus fruit To Start a Clean Up in the event. Any organisations interested and veg that you would like to donate to Visit www.letsdoituk.net and click ‘Start should email [email protected] us so that we can give it out to all the great your own’ organisations that we supply, do let me Please help spreading the word via social David Pyne know. We’d be very grateful. Market, Events & Marketing Manager, media: follow and retweet @LetsDoItUK Tobacco Factory Mo McManus, CFM Manager using #UKCleanUpDay FareShare South West 0117 954 2220 / 07976 603713 www.faresharesouthwest.org.uk

Some content for this newsletter is taken Forest of Avon Sustainable Food Cities from the following e-newsletters: http://forestofavontrust.org/ www.sustainablefoodcities.org/

Bristol Green Capital Garden Organic e-news Sustainable Food Trust http://bristolgreencapital.org/ www.gardenorganic.org.uk http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/support- us/ Eating Better Growing Schools newsletter http://www.eating-better.org/get- www.growingschools.org.uk Voscur involved.html Soil Association e-news www.voscur.org/news Food Climate Research network www.soilassociation.org/enews www.fcrn.org.uk (go to email sign-up)

32 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014 Regular things Blaise Walled Kitchen Garden Golden Hill Community Garden Trinity Community Gardens Workdays: 10am–12.30pm Saturdays 10am–4pm Wednesdays Gardening drop-in sessions Open days: 1–4pm 1st Sunday of the We always have a range of jobs to suit Last Saturday of the month 11am–5pm month ability and preferences. Free feel to come Volunteer drop-in sessions. Learn to grow Facing the front door of Blaise House, down for a chat and a look around with no fruit, veg & herbs at the Trinity Gardens. go left through the rose garden until you commitment to stay. You can drop in for Get fit, work outside, meet people, and come to the entrance doors to the walled an hour or stay all day whatever fits round gain knowledge and practical experience. garden OR, go behind the house and your life or energy levels. Drinks provided, but please bring lunch! take the door next to the orangery and go www.thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com www.3ca.org.uk/activities/garden left through a little door into the garden. Please wear sturdy footwear, and make M etford Rd Community Orchard Woodcroft Community Orchard the volunteer leader aware of your arrival. Usually 3rd Sunday of the month Workdays 1st Saturday of the month Contact: Christine Carroll · 0792 870 1369 [email protected] Meet at Metford Road Gates (green metal On the edge of Nightingale Valley on former allotment ground at Woodcroft http://blaisecommunitygarden.org.uk gate in between numbers 37 and 39) at about 11.30am, bring gardening gloves. Road. Now planted with over 50 trees and numerous soft fruits. Easton Community Allotment There should be a notice on the gate telling you a mobile number to ring if we’re [email protected] Thursdays 11–4pm (5pm summer) already there, and we’ll come and let you http://woodcroftcommunityorchard. A beautiful, green enclave nestled on the in. If there’s no notice, and nobody there – wordpress.com/ edge of Easton. A social space for people you’re the first, be patient! If you’ve never who want to grow vegetables, drink tea been before then you can ring Joe Find a growing group near to you at: and share the harvest. No experience on 07840 059079 to tell us you’re coming. www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/local-food- necessary – just drop in. Email for map: www.sustainableredland.org.uk/what- map/ [email protected] can-i-do/metford-road-community-orchard www.eastoncommunitygarden.org.uk Royate Hill Community Orchard Eastside Roots Bristol’s local food update 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 Save our soils – use our soils weekW eating only local, organic food free Richard Spalding Main orchard day is the 3rd Sunday of 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 Stapleton Road Train Station the reality remains that with fossil fuels Stoke Park as Bristol City Council begin likely to become extremely scarce within 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 press them to go a little further by panning soon have little choice but to produce 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 every month. Additional/alternative day 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 Regular workday: Fridays 10am–4pm 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 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 is . through Hambrook and Winterbourne and Impossible you say? 1st Sunday from March to October suitable for food production, in both the out into open country. The post Second countryside and cities, if we are going to One thing is certain in my mind; the idea War assessment of land and soil quality be able to feed ourselves in the future. of covering up the best farm land in the Forest school for pre-school children & 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 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 Contact Mike Feingold 0776 891 5423 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. parents: Thursday afternoons from 1.15pm lie largely derelict, the market gardens Councils working together to enable the 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 if you’d like to join or visit us. 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 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. Improve your local community, meet new 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] friends, learn new skills and keep fit. As well as the fruit, we also plant veg, Email: [email protected] and whoever shows up for workdays when Bristol’s local food update there is a harvest, gets to take food home. Vegetable Garden Skill Share Drinks available, bring snacks to share. If you didn’t receive this PDF by email, you ‘What to do this month’ Tools and gardening gloves provided. can send a subscription request for future 11am–1pm 1st Friday of the month, issues to be sent direct to you, to: Compost toilet. Everybody welcome. M arch to October [email protected] www.kebelecoop.org/?page_id=28 Facilitated by Eleanor and Bear. Subscribers will also be e-mailed once a Bring gloves, knowledge and questions. fortnight with an e-update of any event information that missed the newsletter And lunch to share, drinks provided Southmead Fruit Garden deadline. FFI phone Eleanor on 07951 516456. 1st Saturday of the month 10am–3pm This issue of Bristol’s local food update was You can find us behind the Whitehall on compiled by Jane Stevenson and Kristin Feed Bristol Glencoyne Square, BS10 6DE. We’re a Sponsler. Design by Jane Stevenson: friendly bunch! Contact us at: Mons, Tues, Weds & Fridays www.janestevensondesign.co.uk [email protected] Views expressed in this newsletter are not Communal growing days: Volunteers www.facebook.com/Southmeadfruitgarden necessarily endorsed by Bristol City Council. are welcome on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9.30am–4pm; Bristol Food Network Fridays 9.30–12pm. Get involved with the Bristol Food Network Drop in with workshops and events. – online, via Facebook or Twitter: All welcome. Phone to see if we’re here on www.bristolfoodnetwork.org Saturday: 0117 917 270 www.facebook.com/ www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/people/ bristolfoodnetwork?fref=ts feedbristol/feedbristol.html @Bristolfoodnet

33 bristol’s local food update · september–october 2014