BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK Bristol’s local food update2012 community project news · courses · publications · events march–april

Spring is nearly springing. The wild garlic is poking through, the Alexanders are growing vigorously, and it’s feeling very tempting to start sowing things in the veg bed. Across the city, new growing projects are sprouting forth, too. In this issue we hear from Avon Wildlife Trust about ‘Feed Bristol’; the Severn Project who have expanded into Whitchurch; and the Horfield accessible allotment and edible forest, who have their grand opening in April.

Please email any suggestions for content of the May–June newsletter to [email protected] by 9 April. Events, courses listings and appeals can now be updated at any time on our website www.bristolfoodnetwork.org Bristol food networking The recent Green Capital ‘Future City We will need volunteers to help: Bristol Independents Day Conversations’ have shown how much n publicise the event 4 July 2012 interest there is in Bristol in food issues n photograph open gardens The Bristol Independents campaign – and how much is going on. There are n assist groups hosting openings, etc is gearing-up to celebrate ‘Bristol some great opportunites coming up this Independents Day’ on 4 July. Volunteers Bristol local food networking sessions year to help Bristol’s food projects and are needed to help: businesses flourish: Volunteers are sought to host monthly n Spread the word meet ups for anyone involved in the Bristol n Talk to traders Get Growing Garden Trail food sector who is working towards a n Get community groups involved, etc 9–10 June 2012 better food system for Bristol. Hosts would Contact us via the website: Last year the Bristol Food Network held organise a session, introduce people to Bristol’s first Get Growing Open Gardens the space and integrate any newcomers. http://bristolindependents.co.uk/ Trail. Like a Doors Open Day, it was an opportunity to see behind normally-closed Style of session: Informal with a relaxed garden gates. atmosphere. Maybe a topic each month e.g. Local food, or food debate such as 23 community groups took part in the fairtrade v local. People that are running inaugural trail, including community- food projects on the theme topic may supported agriculture schemes, wish to have a little stall and there might community allotments, community farms, be a speaker on a topic for 20 mins or so. planted-up public spaces and many other Meetings could be based around sharing schemes demonstrating alternatives food together such as a food buffet. Bristol’s local food update is produced to conventional allotment- or garden- by the Bristol Food Network, with support growing. You can see some photos from This will be an opportunity for people to from Bristol City Council. last year’s openings at: meet up with others who are working on The Bristol Food Network is an umbrella www.flickr.com/photos/ similar food aims. In the long term, this group, made up of individuals, forumforthefuture/ will help to build stronger food networks community projects, organisations sets/72157627239365976/ in Bristol and more communication which and businesses who share a vision to will lead to more and better food projects transform Bristol into a sustainable This year, the garden opening will be over food city. The Network connects people in the long term. In the short term the aim the first weekend of BIG green week. If you working on diverse food-related issues is to provide a nice relaxed space that or your group would like to take part, then – from getting more people growing, to gives a sense of learning and support for please get in touch ASAP. All details need developing healthy-eating projects; from anyone working on a food project. tackling food waste, to making Bristol to be finalised by mid-March. more self-sufficient. Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Community group news Coexist Community Kitchen More edible than a Facebook Share? 100s of days of work, millions of emails, Sims Hill Shared Harvest has only 15 loads of funding applications, one shares left this year. Sims Hill provides successful grant and one major fundraiser VERY local and fresh organic vegetables, later... The Coexist Community Kitchen has at competitive prices and has the aim to commenced its build! bring great organic food to people on a budget. A full share (enough for a family After all the slogging and mind-numbing of 4) is £42 a month (that’s at least 4 grant applications we have started to boxes) and a half share (for 2 or one very passing of the seasons with song, drink, get some solid work happening in the hungry one!) is £24. food and good company. good old kitchen space. We’ve had the ventilation hood cleaned, walls chipped, Every week they provide a range of If you would like one or a half of the plastered, filled and painted and much, staples and a few special treats – such 15 remaining shares, or just become much more. Expect our phase one kitchen as that lovely dark green Cavalo Nero – a supporter member, have a look at to be up and running by March. also known as Tuscan Kale, and russet their website simshillsharedharvest. apples, corn on the cob or celeriac. You wordpress.com/ or email through the We are on our way to our dream kitchen may have seen their fields, just below site or on simshillsharedharvest@ but for now our phase one kitchen will be the large yellow house you can see from googlemail.com. They will then get ready for you to use within a short amount the M32 – yes, it really is that close. in contact with you to find out which of time. It will be a kitchen up to EHO There are handy pickup points around dropoff point you would prefer and talk standards, with prep space, 6-hob gas the city, currenly in St Werburghs, through any other questions. range, oven and storage spaces; including Easton, Southville and Gloucester Road. fridge/freezer – so let’s get cooking! Please go to our blog for news about the Sims Hill also have regular community project and upcoming events, including Meanwhile, as you use this space we will events where you can find out more our Spring Community Celebration on be plodding along to finally complete the about growing or just celebrate the 24 March. DREAM – A fully fitted, inspiring kitchen with all the features to make it as fun and accessible as possible. Think demos, The fruitfulness project workshops, courses, jam making, baking and all the other cookery imaginings you Windmill Hill City Farm are recruiting around the area which we want to harvest might have... teams of volunteers to create an urban and turn into delicious jams, chutneys and fruit map of fruit trees, bushes and other pickles! Come and get involved! Email: Please contact us at [email protected] foragable delights on public spaces [email protected] if you would like to know more!

Friends of Brandon Hill We had a jolly time in February, planting provided cages, stakes, tools, expertise Herb garden planting more than 20 fruit trees in our community and much needed muscle. For some really Morning, Saturday 17 March orchard, with a very enthusiastic good photos of the event, have a look at Finally a reminder that we will be planting contribution from the children of St Sam Twiddy’s Brandon Hill nature blog our herb garden just below the Cabot George’s C of E Primary School and QEH on http://brandonhillnature.wordpress.com/ Tower on the morning of Saturday 17 of Friday afternoon. Volunteers from Friends Anyone interested in becoming involved in March. Please let me know if you are of Brandon Hill and assorted others the aftercare as well as eating the produce interested in helping. completed the job on Saturday morning, in due course, let me know. after some much needed pruning lessons see also: www.thisisbristol.co.uk/ Angela Stansbie, Friends of Brandon Hill from Tim Foster. The planting sessions Partnership-plants-orchards/story- [email protected] were organised for us by Tree Bristol who 15155485-detail/story.html

2 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Introducing Feed Bristol... Steve Micklewright

Thanks to funding from the BIG Lottery claim some fresh, healthy food that Fund’s Local Food Scheme, Avon Wildlife has been grown on the site.” Trust (AWT) has just started an exciting The large site in Stapleton also project that will involve a huge range of provides space for medium sized plots people in growing local, healthy nature that schools and community groups to friendly food. The project is based on adopt. Steve added, “Everyone knows Steve said, “The land is already very 7 acres of former market gardens by that getting closer to nature through food good for wildlife with established the M32 in Stapleton which is currently growing makes people healthier and hedgerows and some really beautiful old being transformed in to a place where happier, but schools and groups often find fruit trees. We will make it even better school and community groups, families managing an allotment difficult because for wildlife by introducing pollination and individuals can come to either take they are not able to keep on top of all the corridors of wildflowers between the on their own small plot or help grow work that needs to be done, leading to plots and creating a large pond to vegetables in large communal growing frustration and disappointment. At Feed attract frogs and toads. We hope that by areas. It’s something everyone can be Bristol we are able to offer supported creating a balanced ecologically minded involved with. growing for groups so that they can be environment, we will suffer less pests and The project has been put together by AWT sure their plots will not become overrun diseases on our vegetables too.” Director Steve Micklewright with help with weeds or the vegetables will die from Over the next few weeks AWT is contacting from Steve Clampin, Bristol City Council’s lack of water if they cannot tend their plot schools and community groups that Allotments Officer. Steve Micklewright all of the time.” might want to take on a plot as well as said, “While food growing and allotments There will also be a number of mini plots planning all the public events that will might be more popular than ever, a lot on the site for first time growers. Steve involve the community. If you know of a of people simply don’t know where to added, “First time allotmenters often give school or community group that might be start. Feed Bristol provides a way for busy up after a year or two because they just interested in a plot, please email people@ people and families to get involved in food do not have the skills and knowledge avonwildlifetrust.org.uk You can also growing on a fairly casual basis. They will to keep on top of their plots. The mini register for regular updates about the be able to come along to one of our food plots provide a way for people to try project through this email address. growing sessions and help us sow seeds, food growing out for a year to see if an plant onions or potatoes, do weeding Steve Micklewright allotment is really right for them.” and watering and of course enjoy the Director of Community Programmes harvesting. For every hour they spend on The land in Stapleton is also really special Avon Wildlife Trust one of the large communal plots, they will for wildlife and AWT is determined that [email protected] receive a token that will enable them to food is grown there in a nature friendly way. www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk

3 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 The beginning, April 2010 A year later, May 2011 Summer 2011 The Severn Project Steve Glover The Severn Project started in 2010 with In January 2011 we engaged 4 of our engage and inspire the local community the desire to support individuals post clients with City of Bristol College and demonstrating that growing food is easy, treatment for substance misuse issues. now, a year later three of them have rewarding and confers a range of benefits completed an NVQ level 2 in horticulture. to health; physical, mental and emotional. Two years ago, when it came to social This season we have prepared the whole 4 reintegration there seemed to be a distinct In terms of our plan, we have designed our acres and have a planting plan which will lack of funding or support from agencies – buildings to use sustainable materials, see us producing baby root vegetables, maybe the lack of support was due to the recycled wood, straw bales, lime mortars beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, lack of funding. etc but also to be built by people who courgettes, marrows, squash, herbs and have very limited skills but are prepared We decided that we wanted to radically our special salad leaves which all our to register with City of Bristol College change the delivery of support from customers say is the best they have ever and complete an NVQ level 2. We are the traditional models by empowering had – we are members of the Wholesome actively recruiting a number of people the individual and recognising that Food Association and do not use any to gain qualifications in construction, dependence on substances is only the chemical fertiliser, herbicide or pesticide. horticulture and conservation, hoping to tip of the iceberg – dependence on Customers order from us and within be able to employ at least 40% of those treatment providers or the welfare system 24 hours we pick and deliver ensuring who complete the education part of our are issues that also need to be dealt with. freshness, top quality, tasty and healthy programme. We decided that treating our clients as food. We encourage people to come to assets rather than commodities was the the site in Keynsham and purchase food We want to include a variety of producers best way forward with the express desire from us ‘over the gate’ and we also have of local food offering them the opportunity to educate (with City of Bristol College) a small veg box scheme and a couple of of increasing sales both in our farm shop train and actually employ our clients in the stalls on local markets. and our cafe, while also improving our businesses that we start. own sales and promoting the use of locally The acquisition of the new 5.1 acre site sourced food grown to ethical standards We started with 4 acres of land in on Oatlands Avenue, Whitchurch more while offering a traditional option to Keynsham, secured funding for a than doubles our ability to produce food people who are interested in where their polytunneland with very little horticultural – and this is within the city boundaries. food actually comes from. experience began growing food. We learnt This site is directly opposite Asda and very quickly how to grow and within a few Bristol City Council have granted us www.thesevernproject.org months we had supplied over a ton of planning permission for a farm shop, a salad leaves to local restaurants. cafe and teaching rooms. We hope to

The hut, built from donated materials The yard in Winter – everything is made All the stone picked from the ground ready from recycled materials, scaffhold boards, for crops this Spring – to the right will be brick paving etc peas and beans, to the left brassicas and herbs

4 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Horfield accessible allotment & edible forest Lucy Mitchell

There has been exciting work underway The project also includes a composting We will be having be our grand opening at the allotment site just behind Bishop area and sizeable pond. The project on 12–4pm Saturday 28 April . We are Road School. A formerly boggy and recently won an additional £1,000 from planning to have a spring fair and family derelict area has being transformed Bristol’s Green Capital Community fun day so come and support your local into fabulous new community growing Challenge Fund to renovate the pond. community project and buy some plants project – an accessible community Our huge pond has been cleared and for your garden or allotment. They’ll be allotment and edible forest. deepened and we are planning on music from Pip’s Jukebox and Bristol This has been made possible by Horfield building two dipping platforms and Community Choir, facepainting, planting and District Allotment Association gaining then sitting back and waiting for the workshops, allotmenteers on hand to give funding from The Big Lottery Fund’s Local dragonflies. gardening advice, cakes and more! Food programme and Bristol City Council’s With most of the essential infra structure To get involved or to be put on our mailing Green Capital Programme. work finished we are welcoming people list for more info about Wednesday and Clare Hanson Kahn, a plot holder and local to come and help turn this huge blank Saturday volunteer days, workshops and volunteer, said: “We’ve been working on canvas into a fantastic community community events please email Lucy at this project for the past three years raising resource. horfieldcommunityallotment@gmail or phone/text 07506 905 394 the funding, and it is so rewarding to We are open every Wednesday 10am–4pm see it finally taking shape. We want this for anyone to drop in to start planting, Please get in touch with any comments, to be a local resource which will make a help get the site ready for our big suggestions or questions. Also I’d love difference!” spring opening or just to say hello! No to hear from you if you are a member of The aim of the project is to increase the experience necessary all you need in a bit a community group or work with a group skills and confidence of local people of enthusiasm and clothes you don’t mind that you think might like to come and visit in growing food through volunteering getting dirty. and get involved. and training. There is an emphasis on involving people with physical and/or mental ill-health and people with learning difficulties. The project site is being developed accessibly, with wide level paths, raised beds and a wheelchair accessible compost toilet. We are running regular drop-in volunteer days, group sessions and there are community events and workshops coming up. The community allotment will act as a demonstration garden, showing people what they can grow at different times of year in a small space. The edible forest (or forest garden) will be a many layered garden at different heights a bit like a natural jungle, planted up with all kinds of different cropping trees, bushes and plants.

5 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 csa news The Community Farm in winter Andy Dibben, Farm manager

Whilst we may not be growing a lot at horticulture this winter including stories this time of year, there’s still plenty to of blossom coming out on apple trees in do. Our farm manager, Andy, provides November, growers planting carrots in an insight for you about what happens January (he’ll be regretting that decision during January to ensure we can now). For ourselves, oddities seen in the continue to bring you tasty veg boxes field have been globe artichokes coming throughout the year. out in January, asparagus trying to put up spears, and fennel re-growing in Andy is ably assisted by John, our Organic December off last year’s stumps. Apprentice and Atanas, our field worker. All are incredibly hard working and do As always in farming, the rough and the a fantastic job in all weathers. They are smooth tend to equal each other out, so helped by our 12 regular volunteers. where we have lost some crops due to massively increased slug populations, January on the Farm others have flourished. We harvested January is the month when we can turn our n They do not need diesel or wages to do outdoor lettuce in December, the purple attention in the field to matters other than their job instead they survive off waste sprouting broccoli is going on and on and vegetables. It is a month to reflect on the veg and a bit of bought in feed! on all through the winter providing us with previous season, fine tune plans for the record harvests of this crop. n They also fertilise the land as they next season and do some much needed work and eat a lot of weeds including So eyes firmly focussed on the growing work on infrastructure. the dreaded couch grass. This allows season ahead I hope next month’s All the planning for the 2012 growing us to get crops planted much earlier weather is kind and allows us to start season was carried out in December, so in the growing season than we would ground preparation early and we can January is when we make sure we have otherwise. encourage more of you out to the field all the necessary raw materials to carry soon to help us get next season off to a It is very rewarding to see the pigs having out these plans. This includes placing flying start. a positive impact on operations as so orders for all our seeds and compost. often they can have a negative effect. This We also carry out repairs to equipment Our 2012 Community Farmer Days are usually comes in the form of escaping, and ensure we have a good supply of Saturdays: which recently resulted in an early Sunday that all important resource farmyard 14 April 9 June 1 September morning rendezvous with Her Majesty’s manure! A resource, I hasten to add, that 12 May 23 June 6 October Constabulary, after they had intercepted is becoming harder and harder to source. 26 May 14 July 10 November our 8 piglets on the main road making a This is because the relentless increase in stealthy advance on The Chew Valley Lake Priority booking is given to members of the fertiliser prices has meant that manure Tea Shop. The cheerful officer proved to farm, but if you are interested in coming once viewed as a waste product by some be a natural stockman and returned the up to see what it’s all about then you can intensive farmers is becoming once again pigs to their enclosure before any staff complete the booking form. more and more valued. could arrive to assist. Obviously we have We have a lot of infrastructure projects his contact details on record and will Switch to Ecotricity – and the farm gets on the go at the moment, including be keeping him updated with any other up to £60 installing a new irrigation tank and pipe volunteering jobs that arise!!!? We have teamed up with green energy network, building a staff room at the farm, supplier Ecotricity, who will donate to the constructing some heated propagation The Weather farm each time someone switches to them beds, installing mains electricity and The weather has been keeping us on and quotes either COF or Community Farm. trying to bring the general presentation of our toes a bit. With what had been an If you switch electricity we get £40. For the site and facilities up to a grade that incredibly mild winter now looking like changing to both electricity and gas we is suitable for us to engage with a wider it might have a serious bite in its tail, receive £60. You can live anywhere in the section of the community, especially with night time temperatures possibly UK for this so please spread the message schools and the less mobile. plummeting to -10°C. As a grower I am far and wide to family and friends. So delighted to see a proper freeze coming, simple, but could bring an essential bit of The Pigs although unpleasant for staff it provides a funding to the Farm. The pigs are starting to really earn their vital role in killing off pests and diseases. keep, clearing up all of last year’s crop It halts the breeding of wildlife such People Fund It! residues and preparing this year’s growing as rats and rabbits. It speeds up the We have signed up to fundraise through areas. There are many advantages to using decomposition of last years crop residues the People Fund It website where you can the pigs for initial ground preparation: and can kill off some perennial weeds or make a donation of anything from £10 to at least halt their growth. support The Community Farm. The three n They are out preparing ground now minute video has been put together by when it is far too wet to consider taking Another valuable role of the cold is farm member Gabriel Gilson also includes a big heavy tractor onto the field as regulating growing patterns in some some video clips from Jez Toogood. it would cause a lot of compaction plants. The mild weather has caused all damage to the soil. sort of strange things to happen within www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk

6 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Cook the books Shannon Smith

What links Ribena, the well-known garden produce. Crang, who also revised blackcurrant-based drink, and Sir Allen HMSO publications, reworked some of Lane, the founder of Penguin Books? their contents into a pocket book with Both have strong Bristol connections. mass-market appeal. First published Ribena was created in 1936 by scientists as a Penguin Special, Preserves for All at the University of Bristol, working Occasions joined other titles chosen to at the Department of Agriculture and aid the war effort. During those years Horticulture Research Station in Long of scarcity, when sugar was rationed, Ashton. Lane, born in Bristol in 1908, domestic freezers did not exist, and many published the first Penguin paperbacks women were working, volunteering, and in 1935. The University of Bristol Library caring for families single-handedly, this also happens to house the archives of modest book encouraged its readers to Penguin Books and the Long Ashton preserve food safely while also making Research Station (LARS) in its Special wise use of time, fuel and sugar. The first Collections. edition frowns on home brewing as a frivolous use of precious sugar, though As pioneers in their different fields, there are a few recipes for country wines. both the Research Station and Penguin Later editions reflect the growing post- expanded our knowledge, and war market for home appliances, and the appreciation, of food. LARS scientists welcome return of imported fruits to UK experimented with methods, and shops. Alice Crang bottling apple pulp varieties, to better preserve nutrients © University of Bristol Library, Special and flavours in food and drink products When Penguin launched their first large- Collections made with British-grown fruit. During the scale promotion of cookery books in 1974, Second World War the then unbranded it was a huge success – they sold over Is it too much to claim the mid-70s as blackcurrant cordial was given free as a 150,000 books – and followed up with a turning point in British food culture? vitamin supplement to children. Health an even bigger campaign a year later. The two decades following the end of claims for Ribena have rightly been By the 1970s they published more than rationing saw the cultivation of several re-examined in recent years, however, 50 cookery and wine titles, including ingredients that nourished this moment: home made fruit syrups generally contain outstanding books by Elizabeth David, a growing appreciation of the cuisines more fruit than commercial products, and Jane Grigson, Alan Davidson, and Claudia of the Mediterranean; opportunities the researchers at Long Ashton ensured Roden; and many titles ideal for first- for the adventurous to explore the food improvements in home preserving through time cooks: Cooking in a Bedsitter, The cultures of immigrants from former HMSO publications such as Domestic Pauper’s Cookbook, and The Beginner’s British colonies; more people travelling Preservation of Fruit and Vegetables Cookery Book. This impressive range more widely; the rise of whole foods, (Bulletin no 21). credibly supported the slogan: Open up vegetarianism, and ecological awareness; a Penguin… the recipe for success! Local and a funkier response by the post-war Alice Crang, Food Preservation Instructress booksellers, regional gas showrooms generations to the mini-austerity of the at LARS, was approached in 1941 to (the retail outlets of the then nationalised 70s. The food and cooking handbooks write a handbook to meet the wartime British Gas), and authors participated. published by Penguin during this time need to make the most of local and Trained showroom staff gave cookery also changed the way we eat, cook, and demonstrations that featured recipes from think about food in Britain. Penguin authors, who were on hand to answer questions and sign books. The public responded eagerly to the couponed Penguin Parade: Celebrating the offer of a free Penguin cookery wall Penguin Books Archive chart advertised in Good Housekeeping 10 March–22 April magazine and the Observer newspaper. Royal West of England Academy, The enlightenment spirit that shaped Queen’s Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1PX the Penguin cookery list is a testimony 0117 973 5129 · [email protected] to the vision and high standards of www.rwa.org.uk editors, authors, illustrators and artists – often specially commissioned for the For events related to the exhibition, paperback editions – as well as designers see next page. and printers. Len Deighton asked that University of Bristol Library, Special his Où est le Garlic French Cookbook be impregnated with the smell of garlic. Collections Though seriously explored by publisher Contact to make an appointment Poster Penguin Cookery promotion 1975 and printer, an acceptable smell of garlic [email protected] © University of Bristol, Special Collections eluded the production team. 0117 928 8014

7 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 continued from p.7

Cook the Books events Hands-on sessions inspired by the Get Growing in Mendip culture-changing Penguin food and At the end of January, over 70 people cooking handbooks and authors, led came to a public meeting organized by by Shannon Smith, an experienced local charity Somerset Community Food food and cooking tutor. Menus are about how to access the land they need based on local, seasonal produce, to grow food. Bringing together local and use simple methods and everyday land seekers, parish, town and district equipment. councillors, private landowners and More with less – from the Pauper’s more, the evening was a great success Cookbook to the Naked Chef with many people now enthused about how to make their dreams of growing 6.30–8.30pm Wednesday 14 March their own, a reality. £15 (including daytime entry to village. Landowner Cordelia Rowlatt from exhibition) The meeting was opened by Linda Hull Vallis Veg, a market garden outside Frome, Pre-booking essential – max 16 places from the Somerset Land & Food Project which offers land for private allotments, and the recently launched Incredible Austerity is back on the menu. Thanks spoke about the needs of landowners or Edible Somerset. She presented the to Penguin’s groundbreaking authors, managers for clarity of agreements and results from the project’s recent survey eaters today need not return to the of having a good self-managing group to of provision of allotment land, which has mock ingredients of the 1940s. Enjoy work with. After the break, members of the revealed that 259 people are on waiting a demonstration menu of seasonal audience were invited to ask questions lists in Mendip District, including 90 in and sensual food inspired by Penguin and the room came alive with enthusiasm Frome and 66 in Wells. authors – from Jocasta Innes to Jamie about the multitude of options available Oliver. Allan Cavill, South West Director of the from container growing in the High Street National Society of Allotments and Leisure to community supported agriculture Good things – Jane Grigson and the Gardens (NSALG) then spoke about his schemes. A wide ranging discussion British food renaissance experience supporting the development ensued about how enabling access to 6.30–8.30pm Wednesday 21 March of over 50 new allotment sites in the land has a wide range of benefits from £15 (including daytime entry to South West, himself an allotmenteer improving health and diet, saving money, exhibition) with over 45 growing seasons under his introducing children to where food comes Pre-booking essential – max 16 places belt. Allan spoke encouragingly about from, reducing food miles and for personal the need for self-managed sites that are satisfaction. Watch and taste a menu drawing on no longer subsidized by councils and the life work of this warm and witty In summing up, Linda Hull said: “It’s instead provide an income stream for the champion of regional food and local clear that those looking for land in a landowner and community. He explained produce. Grigson’s fresh approach particular location need to join forces the heightened success rates when an brings out the pleasure of cooking and and let their parish, district and county allotment association is formed with a eating the ingredients of early spring, councillors know that they mean business. constitution, which enables the new group and celebrates the best of British. Elected representatives can then help to attract grant funding. Beyond the role groups contact landowners to create self- of food production, Allan described his Fresh and fun managed sites at zero cost to the taxpayer. main love for allotments was because Hands-on food and cooking taster What we need now is local landowners to they, “Engender community spirit, making session for children 6–14 years and come forward to play their part in the grow friends out of neighbours who have never their parents or carers. Make a simple your own revolution.” spoken and bringing towns and villages to tasty lunch with fresh ingredients. life with the renewal of horticultural shows The event is the first of a district by district 11am, 12 noon & 1pm and events”. tour of the county to help people find out Wednesday 4 April how to access land and meet their local John Cridland from Croscombe Community £5 per child, adults free (but normal land owners and councillors. Allotment Association then told their story exhibition entry prices apply). Pre- of finding land and developing their site For more information call 01749 678770 booking advised as places are limited. which is now the centre of activity in their www.somersetcommunityfood.org.uk

8 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Seeds for the future Jenny Sansom

Come along to Bristol’s annual Seed Swap – the most fruitful event of the month ‘Seedy Saturday’, 10 March at Easton Community Centre. A fun-filled family event open to anyone interested in growing food and organic gardening. This will be a fantastic opportunity to pick up or swap a diverse selection of seeds including unusual and tasty varieties, meet some fellow gardeners and exchange growing tips, experiences and resources. Plants, fruit trees, local produce and local craftwork will be on sale and there’ll be fun activities for kids. All served with a large helping of deliciously fruity live music, freshly prepared cakes, a café, lunch and drinks. If you have surplus seeds to share/swap, please bring them along in a labelled Variety is the spice of life: Striped grow well with ‘hybrid vigour’ in their first envelope or other container. If you tomatoes, multi-coloured carrots, purple year, but essentially they are ‘inbred’ and don’t have your own seed please give a pea-pods and spotted beans were just a seed from the following year often has donation. A large selection of seeds have part of the spectacular – and psychedelic unpredictable problems and weaknesses also been very kindly donated by Chase – array of fruit and vegetable varieties similar to some pedigree dogs. Having to Organics, Avon Organics, Marshall Seeds popular in the days of our great-great buy new seed creates a cycle of expense and Thompson Morgan. grandparents. To lose our heritage seeds and dependency for the food growers, and would be a tragedy – let’s keep them profit and control for the seed companies. If you’re up for learning, discussing and alive. sharing ideas, there will be a range of Say no to GMO: GM technology provides talks, workshops and films focussing on Preserve tradition and knowledge: Over a way to maximise profits from the sale key issues such as local seed saving, the many millennia growers have developed of seed: its products can be patented as GMO debate, bee-keeping and more. the thousands of useful varieties of food an ‘invention’ and the company owning plants we can grow today, saving seeds the patent can charge license fees on So why should we save or swap seeds, to sow the following year. They chose the top of already premium prices. On top of rather than just buy them from the shop? plants that thrived the best or produced this, companies have found other ways Reclaim the seeds: Seeds are one of the the tastiest or most highly yielding crops of using the technology to boost their most important fundamentals of life and – modern seed savers and swappers are profits, such as manufacturing plants are at the basis of everything we eat. Laws continuing this valuable tradition. which work in conjunction with their own in the UK and Europe state that to be sold, branded weed-killer or – notoriously – Get away from uniformity: By contrast seed varieties must be registered on the developing so-called terminator plants most seeds on the market today are National Seed List (NSL). Whilst this was which produce infertile seeds, forcing developed for commercial growers. Crops originally set up to protect consumers’ people to go back to buy more from the ripen at the same time (for mechanised interests, getting a seed registered on the company the following season. It’s hard to harvesting), all look the same (for NSL is expensive. Mainly due to the cost, stop using GM seed once you’ve started, supermarket displays) and have long almost all non-commercial varieties have because inevitably the GM seed cross transport/shelf life, often at the expense not been included and so are not widely pollinates with conventional varieties of flavour e.g. giant crunchy strawberries. grown – they’re now ‘outlaw’ seeds. Due and will self-sow. In Canada and the US, Local varieties on the other hand can to this and other reasons we have lost farmers growing GM seed – even without provide a diverse and delicious harvest nearly 90% of our fruit and vegetable meaning to – have been sued for ‘patent which lasts over a period of time. Self- varieties over the last century. infringement’. saved seed selected for local conditions will be more pest resistant and will give a Thriving communities: Seed swap Seedy Saturday better yield without inputs. events build and strengthen the local communities in many ways; helping with 12–4pm Saturday 10 March Keeping it real: A great benefit of locally local food security, building connections Easton Community Centre, saved seeds is that they are usually and sharing knowledge and skills. Kilburn Street, Easton BS5 6AW open pollinated – neither F1 hybrids nor Suggested donation £3 on the door genetically modified (GM). The majority True sustainability is about being more of commercially sold seeds are F1 For more information email self-reliant – so why not save some seed hybrids, produced by cross-pollinating [email protected] for a brighter future. two different variety plants. F1 hybrids

9 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 On the web… People’s Supermarket The Ooooby Local Economic Model Bristol’s Roots blog, Pioneer Pledge Scheme and choosing a home ... digest: A currency based on local food Noni Morrison created by the National Barter Directory of Goods and Services. Anyone who’s visited Stokes Croft at a price that is affordable for all. The www.energybulletin.net/ understands why our community kicked team will be sourcing the many stories, stories/2012-02-20/ooooby-local- up such a ‘riot’ about Tesco’s recent inspirations and people behind Bristol’s economic-model invasion. Our community is a melting urban growing projects to try and find the pot buzzing with the exuberant and bigger picture of Bristol’s food movement When the hop fields come to town frenetic energy that results when as a whole and to witness the challenges digest: London back-garden hops diverse groups of people are united by a these projects face as part of the current harvested to make Brixton Beer. economic climate and cuts within our local common love of life and a commitment www.energybulletin.net/ community. Dan Iles, from the Core Team, to being themselves. Stokes Croft’s DIY stories/2012-02-20/when-hop-fields- will be documenting this exploration culture puts to shame the rhetoric of the come-town Government’s Localism agenda! in a regular blog. Check it out on www. bristolpeoplessupermarket.org and Undeterred by Tesco opening – and How farms are using permaculture email [email protected] if encouraged by never seeing more than 3 design to survive and prosper you know of a Bristol based community customers in the store, we advertised for growing project that Dan should check out. digest: Three farms in England using volunteers to help kick-start a people’s permaculture principles to diversify yields supermarket – a shop that puts people Pioneer Pledge Scheme Launch – and manage their businesses. and Mother Earth ahead of profits, sells Thursday 22 March and Saturday 24 www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/how- healthy, local food at more affordable March farms-are-using-permaculture-design- prices, that seeks to raise awareness Join us for the launch of our Pioneer survive-and-prosper about why we need to start paying more Pledge Scheme to find out more about for our food and that is run by and benefits the People’s Supermarket and how to Big government and big corporations our local community. get involved and support it. We will be befriend the local food movement Amazingly we recruited 30 Core Team sending more information out about the digest: Federal government, big volunteers, 13 of whom have committed Scheme nearer the time. corporations and a variety of non-profit to at least one day a week and 16 who are At the event there will be cakes and and small business organizations step-up mentors, bringing a specific expertise to soups to enjoy as well as talks. It will to encourage the growth of a local food the team to support the other volunteers. be a fantastic way to find out about system. We also have a rapidly growing database the project’s core values and ask any www.energybulletin.net/ of over 100 general volunteers. We are questions. This will be a really useful stories/2012-02-15/big-government- working together to create a structure time for us to find out more about what and-big-corporations-befriend-local- that is not hampered by the usual is important to you in terms of your local food-movement disempowerment that comes with shopping. hierarchical forms of leadership. Instead Urban Farming Takes Hold in NYC we are exploring how to best unleash the And of course this gives you the creative genius of the community in a way opportunity to support our vision and to digest: New York City may not have a lot that makes innovative and exciting things sign up to the pledge. of extra space for farms, but it’s got plenty happen. of rooftops. A home for the People’s Supermarket? www.matternetwork.com/2012/2/urban- Behind the scenes at the Stokes Croft We are in discussions with various farming-takes-hold-nyc.cfm People’s Supermarket lots of wonderful landlords in Stokes Croft in the quest to things are happening. Everyone on the choose a home to set up shop in. We are New urban farming structure breaks team is working extremely hard to get also talking to Hamilton House about ground things off the ground. There are a few having a temporary market stall in their recent developments to report on: digest: A new type of greenhouse for shop space, in the short term. This would vertical farming in cities provides a way to 1 – Dan’s urban food mean we have somewhere to pliot the Bristol Roots use excess heat and CO2 from industries. growing blog documenting the dreams shop, enabling us to have a base in which www.agriculture.com/news/technology/ and transformations occurring within our message can be explored, discussed new-urb-farming-structure-breaks- Bristol’s community food growing and our project sustained. The final result ground_6-ar22179 projects. will be an alternative supermarket for all of us to shop at, which is our ultimate aim. 2 Pioneer Pledge Scheme launch – The seed emergency: The threat to food Thursday 22 and Saturday 24 March Email bristolpeoplessupermarket@ and democracy 3 Choosing a home ... googlemail.com if you would like to get digest: Patenting seeds has led to a involved. farming and food crisis – and huge profits Bristol Roots – Urban growing blog Keep a regular eye on our website for more for US biotechnology corporations. Our community outreach team are working information on all of this ... www.aljazeera.com/indepth/ really hard to find food that is sustainable www.bristolpeoplessupermarket.org opinion/2012/02/201224152439941847. in both labour and to the environment html

10 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 We deliver recycled food Be part of it! No, it’s not as mad as it sounds: At the – which are all charities, are then able We’re developing a brand end of last year FareShare South West to increase the range and nutritional new exhibition for 2013. was delighted to open the doors at its impact of the meals they provide for Help make it a success. Food production Bath branch. FareShare Bath is the first some of the most vulnerable members must rise by 50% by 2030 to feed of the satellite branches to the Hub in of our own community. The great news the growing is that FareShare Bath currently has the population. Bristol and part of a new venture by During a typical year, the South West arm of National Charity opportunity to bring more community we consume around a million We throw away FareShare. groups looking for food support, into the calories. 7.2 million tonnes Only a tenth of the of food every year FareShare family. cells in our bodies in the UK, costing Every year over 4 million tonnes of are human – the rest the average family are mainly harmless £680 a year. bacteria. There are perfectly good quality food ends up in Hugh Prentis of Julian House told us “Not 100,000 billion in landfill because it cannot be sold. The only is FareShare saving us a lot of money our guts alone. reasons food ends up discarded in this but it’s broadened the variety of food Find out more: way ranges from out of date promotions, our service users are getting. It’s also at-bristol.org.uk to miss-printed packaging. Bear in mind energised people to get involved with the A registered charity (no. 1049954) that every tonne of food in landfill creates cooking as we have different deliveries foodcourt@bristol 0.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent and around each week”, another of our admirers

4.2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent was released Rachel from Bath YMCA, “We provide food grow it, cook it, eat it, love it in producing that food. Research suggests for a number of groups such as breakfast @bristol are developing a brand that eliminating food waste in the western clubs. Nothing ever gets wasted”. new exhibition for 2013. As an world could lift 1 billion people out of FareShare Bath is the result of the educational charity, we need your hunger … and you have what I think is a combined efforts of four volunteers: help to develop this new exhibition. perfect solution: Under the steady leadership of Rebecca There are lots of ways to get involved FareShare collect this food by arrangement Sarll, Transition Bath started planning including introducing us to relevant with our regular donors and re-distribute in November 2010 with the mission to contacts, offering financial support it to community projects in Bath like make the community in and around Bath to help fund Food Court or just Julian House, Bath Area Play Project more sustainable. Rebecca explained letting us know your comments. and the YMCA, these community groups how the year leading up to the opening of We’ll invite you to special food FareShare Bath had been a whirlwind of events and will update you on meeting and visiting with projects in Bath progress. who may have an interest in receiving Where does our food come from? regular food trays from FSSW. From field to fork, find out how food “In October 2011 we became part of the production has changed over time. Hub and Spoke Venture and started Visit our greenhouse and plant a deliveries in Bath. We currently deliver seed to take home. over half a tonne of food a week to 7 What is the science behind charities in Bath. This not only saves the cooking? Investigate kitchen projects money but increases the range of chemistry in the new Café Lab food that is available to their service at a and taste the results. Join in time when many are facing funding cuts.” demonstrations and discussions Good nutrition is at the heart of helping with chefs, industry experts and any one, old or young, rich or poor to researchers. achieve the best they can out of life. If you do not power the engine with good fuel, What happens to the food you eat? it will fail. FareShare Bath are helping to Follow your food’s journey through save the planet one tray of food at a time – the body. Discover the truth about that’s marvellous! what’s in your food and the impact of your choices. www.faresharesouthwest.org.uk Why do we enjoy eating? Explore how the brain processes information from all five senses to create our perception of food. What is delicious in different cultures and how did food rituals develop? Find out more, contact: Catherine Aldridge: 0117 9157154 [email protected] www.at-bristol.org.uk

11 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Who Feeds Bristol report (www.bristol. gov.uk/page/food-bristol) included an interesting section on the production potential of Bristol’s 4,000 allotments, estimating that they might produce nearly 3,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables a year, if they were all well-cultivated by keen and competent plot holders. Even if this were possible however, the 3,000 tonnes only represent a fairly small proportion of the 60,000 tonnes likely to be required. But allotments also create great opportunities for exercise in the open air, volunteer activity and seasonal community celebrations. They also make a huge contribution to the greening of our city, the quality of our air and the diversity of our wildlife. And they remind us (even those of us that can’t see where the pleasure is in spending March weekends soaked in rain and covered in mud) where our food comes from. So my take on the ‘big picture’ is, let’s celebrate the diversity of Bristol’s allotments. Let’s support their Following the Plot no.11 role in our communities, take visitors and children on visits, and encourage the Keith Cowling Council to invest in and expand the stock. And for those of us lucky enough to have one – let’s have a plan. A plan for your allotment doesn’t need to February brings the first stirrings of enjoy the sun on summer weekends. Most be very complicated. I’ve written before activity on the plot. Champion parsnip of these approaches all mix together fairly about some of the considerations involved growers have already sown their seeds happily, but there are also quite a number in laying out a plot, but existing plot in crow bar holes of sifted soil, and on of allotment tenants who, inspired by holders will be past this stage. What most allotment sites across Bristol garlic the romantic idea of allotmenting, take of us need is a time plan, a little bit of and over-winter beans and onions are on a plot only to find quite rapidly that thought about how the season will unfold showing green leaves. Any minute now it the effort involved is beyond them. This and what needs to happen when. We need will be hell for leather until the harvest. contributes to a common problem on may to think about preparing soil, sowing and The first stirrings of Spring on the plot sites of a patchwork of neglected and planting, tending and weeding, harvesting are indeed a wonderful time of year, overgrown plots and creates headaches and storing, and eventually enriching, when plot holders gaze at their plots for allotment societies and for the repairing, and maintaining. From now with all its problems and possibilities Council’s Allotment Officers. until August the pressure is on. If you want to grow vegetables without a lot of and try to get their heads round what During the two World Wars of the last mechanisation, you have to put the time they need to get done. century, the number of allotments in in to get the food out. If you have a large Britain rose to an all-time high of one If you have read my columns before, you plot, a new plot, or densely-used plot, and a half million, but has since declined will be familiar with my preoccupation you may need to be there several hours slowly to the third of a million we have with planning ahead. This is because a week from now on. If there’s a dry and today. Nevertheless, estimates suggests my first motivation for plot holding is hot spell over the summer, you may need that over 100,000 people are on waiting getting a large proportion of my family’s to be watering every evening. And even lists and allotments are increasingly seen vegetable requirements out of my plot. if you just grow grapes and make wine or as important aspects of the drive to make But plot holders come in all shapes and sit on the deck and light the barbie, you cities more sustainable. For example, the sizes and have many reasons for tending will need to keep the paths clear and the loss of Manor Gardens in Hackney, London and attending their patch. Many don’t weeds in check to maintain good relations in 2007 to make space for the Olympic aim to for super-fertile soil or huge crops with your neighbours. So be realistic; and Park, gave rise to a widespread campaign of vegetables. Some prefer to grow fruit if you are one of the lucky ones with a plot, to save them and an eventual undertaking trees, vines or bush and soft fruit, which do something in return for the privilege. to reinstate them once the games are over. all take far less looking after. Some have Make a plan... lots of flowers and favour bees and bee- In a time when demand for allotments is keeping, and taking the lead from the growing, the range of uses widening and Keith Cowling · [email protected] older name ‘leisure gardens’, quite a few the profile of users changing, the question Ashley Vale Allotments Association plot holders build a shed, a terrace and ‘what are allotment for?’ gets asked www.ashleyvaleallotmentsassociation. barbecue, and plant up a nice space to with increasing regularity. The recent org/index.php

12 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Square Food Foundation A new name, a new home, same team, same magic! · Clare Allen

Barny and the cookery school team have way of life, not simply as a lifestyle choice. hobs and ovens, Square Food Foundation moved the three short miles from their Barny’s philosophy is that learning to opened its doors at the beginning of old home at Bordeaux Quay to re-launch cook is something which is central to the January and has taught more than 300 as Square Food Foundation at the Park way we live. This doesn’t mean that a adults and children since then including in Knowle West. An increase in rent, cookery class at Square Food Foundation pupils from Stoke Bishop Primary School, combined with their mission to do more is going to be preachy or depressing; on St Bernadette’s School and young people work with schools and in the community the contrary it will be exciting and dynamic from Groundwork South West. and fun. (and charge as little as possible for it) It’s unrealistic to assume that all meant that the cookery school moved Square Food Foundation is only one small customers will prefer the new location, out of Bordeaux Quay at the end of last element of Bristol’s food network but is especially for those who live and work year and reopened last month at The a brilliant facility that’s well-equipped on the other side of town but for others, Park, Knowle West. and staffed by a team of experienced the Park is easier to get to, there’s plenty Over the years, the cookery school has teachers. And with larger premises and of parking and it’s a bigger and better- built strong links with many of Bristol’s improved equipment, it plans to get equipped space which can accommodate schools, colleges and universities. As well involved with many other community larger groups at one time. In fact, the as maintaining these links, it hopes to food projects, not least the Park’s own kitchen comes into its own with a large make new connections with other schools, growing project – Buried Treasure group in the space. (www.buriedtreasuregarden.co.uk). to increase young people’s enthusiasm Square Food Foundation is funded by Mil and Andy (with the help of volunteers), for cooking and eating, and encourage its own courses but has always offered sell veg boxes, offer gardening and them to cook both at school and at home. workshops and courses at cost price composting services to local residents, It aims to give food a more prominent for community-led groups and schools. visit schools to deliver growing workshops place in schools, in terms of both what It works hard to generate income to and offer environmental consultancy students eat and what they learn. Square develop new programmes – a chefs’ services too. Food Foundation has the same teachers, apprenticeship scheme working in same classes and same schedule as Former home to Merrywood Boys School, conjunction with some of Bristol’s leading before though the aim is now to make the the Park is soon to be transferred to a chefs and restaurants is just one of the classes even more relevant and accessible charitable trust. The trustees have already projects in the pipeline that will require to a wider audience. Changes are afoot breathed life into the existing Park Café funding. With this and so much more already – the location and the significantly and created a warm, bright hub, operated planned, it promises to be a busy and lower overheads free up more flexibility, by the Folkhouse Café team who serve exciting year ahead for Square Food space and resources and provide a better hearty, home-cooked breakfasts, lunches Foundation. platform for the team to deliver more and the best cakes in South Bristol to an Square Food Foundation Daventry Road, of this type of class to schools and the ever-growing fan club. Knowle West, Bristol BS4 1DQ community. As well as transforming the Park Café, the For information about courses at the For chef and founder Barny Haughton, trustees set to work converting the main Square Food Foundation: 0117 9046679 the new-look Square Food Foundation is body of the kitchen into a cookery school. an opportunity to teach people to cook Equipped with hand-made wooden www.squarefoodfoundation.co.uk nutritious, healthy, seasonal food as a workbenches and high-quality induction

13 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Centre staging Local, Fresh & Organic Hamish Wills, Sustainable Redland

‘I support the Farmers’ Market and too infrequent, one used Waitrose on the There were some interesting points about independent retailers because I want to grounds that it had more local sourcing the Whiteladies Farmers’ Market. It would live in a place where there is a real sense than other supermarkets. be nice if it ran weekly, but there are of community and people enjoy livelihoods insufficient resources for this to happen. It Fresh, organic and local were more independently from large corporations would require more stall holders, all with important goals when buying food. whose primary interests lie elsewhere.’ the ability to source local and preferably Reducing food miles, knowing and trusting organic food. The ecopolis vision would ‘I enjoy the experience of walking around local suppliers, and good value organic go someway towards enabling this. There and between little shops where I have a produce were important too, along with could be a bring and buy stall, particularly relationship with the shopkeepers.’ the sense of community offered by the during high produce times, and keeping independent shops, the pleasure of ‘In summer almost all our veg is home it in the public eye could be helped with shopping in them and supporting them. grown.’ permanent signage and a rolling sign Better labeling or information at the system whereby local schools, artists or ‘I use the Farmers’ Market because it’s point of sale came up as a good way colleges create signs that change over only five minutes walk away and veg boxes to up the ante. Details could be given agreed periods. because they are delivered.’ about what food is local, the distance it’s Umbrella buying, marketing and ‘The Peoples’ Supermarket planned travelled, embedded carbon and what delivering, preferable using delivery bikes for Stokes Croft sounds fantastic, and to expect in the different seasons. More could be used to increase profitability hopefully this will include a lot of local local food could be available in cafés for independent shops. Removing traffic produce.’ and restaurants as well as greengrocers, even for limited periods would transform which could be supported by stimulating Sustainable Redland supporters showed the ambience for independent shops and market gardening and horticulture overwhelmingly positive preferences shoppers. around the city, turning Bristol into an towards good quality, locally produced ecopolis. Knowing about the ethics of the In summary the main points are: food in a survey I conducted this week. I suppliers was seen as important. Do they wanted to find out just how local we were n Fresh, local and organic were of primary source locally? Are their imported foods in our food consumption, to get a feel for importance such as dried produce from organic and how important locally produced food was n Proper informative labeling is required cooperative suppliers? Are they fair trade? to us, and to see what ideas we had to up n We need to be able to trust suppliers the ante. There were two interesting comments that n Independent shops help promote a ran counter to one another. One said that All the surveys bar one indicated fruit and sense of community prices of organic food in independent vegetables being grown at home, which shops needs to come down, and the other n Local food availability greatly needs may suggest the majority of Susredlanders that because we do not understand the enhancing do so as well. The one that didn’t still supermarket profit margin system, we tend n We need more market gardens and bought food from the Farmers’ Market to use their prices as the standard, rather horticulture around the city and a box scheme. All grew from home than those of a shop that guarantees a gardens, some indoors as well as out, and n The public needs to be aware of the true fair price to producers, doesn’t endeavour three used allotments. Just over half used price of profit margins to put others out of business with loss supermarkets on a supplementary basis, n The independents would profit from leaders, have own brands, sell a wide but two thirds saw independent retailers umbrella buying range of non food items or establish itself as their main source of food along with as a monopoly. www.sustainableredland.org.uk the Farmers’ Market and box schemes. So locally sourced food is of primary importance. All the surveys indicated a preference for the opportunity to have access to more. Predictably, convenience played a major role in governing where people bought food. That was an obvious reason to use the Farmers’ Market for those living near by. The veg box was seen as a convenience as were independent shops when they weren’t too far away. Three commented on supermarket convenience, one saying that fitting food shopping in around a busy working life is easier at supermarkets, and it would be good if independents could emulate what they do. Because the twice monthly Farmers’ Market was

14 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 The Food Policy Council The Food Policy Council met again in as performance measures of the Food the beginning of February. They are Policy Council. It was agreed to explore now developing an understanding of this further. The Bristol Pound gets a the huge variety of food related activity The effectiveness of charters as a tool to in the city; be it with a focus on ethics, massive boost increase the numbers of people actively health, growing, profit, social capacity On 6/7 February the world heard about supporting the work and principles of the building and more. The task under way is the upcoming launch of the Bristol hosting body can vary widely, and the to achieve better integration of all these Pound! A documentary piece for BBC’s group recognise this. If the Charter is to aspects around a common goal. The group Inside Out West programme paved the be successful there has to be ongoing are developing a number of strands to way for an extraordinary level of media work to promote its use and value to new take this forward and these were the focus coverage, including local, national and audiences, so this is being planned into of the recent meeting. even international outlets. One day it the work of the Food Policy Council and was in the Financial Times, the next The key agenda items under discussion will be delivered through its partners. on Al Jazeera! The Bristol Pound team were: the annual conference, the Bristol The final communication strand discussed were delighted at this early success Good Food Charter and a special event at the meeting concerned the planned and many people in the city are now designed to introduce the concept of food movers and shakers day at Yeo Valley aware of what is happening. systems planning to senior movers and Organics. This visionary company has shakers in the city. For those who have not One main purpose of the media combined a number of features of heard of ‘food systems planning’ before coverage was to introduce the its estate; the organic garden at Holt do read the Who Feeds Bristol document, design competition for the images Farm Blagdon (open to the public), its or least its summary (www.bristol.gov. that are to go on the printed notes. converted eco-barn, used for educational uk/food). The primary recommendation It is open to anyone in the city, visits and a tractor and trailer tour of the of this work was to set up a food system young or old, professional designers farm estate on the plateau to provide a planning process in the city. and enthusiastic amateurs. The backdrop which vividly exemplifies the competition closes on 9 March, so act First a date for your diary – the conference company’s ethos of working with the now if you would like to see your ideas date is Monday 11 June. We will notify you landscape, topography and climate to on the note. See the website www. of details as they are worked up over the produce quality foods which are in heavy bristolpound.org for details on how next few weeks. demand. Invitations have gone out to key to enter. people from the public sector, business The conference will provide the vehicle to support organisations, key businesses In the background the hard work now launch the Bristol Good Food Charter. This in production, catering, distribution and begins. The team are now recruiting is a simple tool expressing the principles wholesale of food to join Yeo Valley and volunteers to help spread the word. of the Food Policy Council and asking the Food Policy Council on the farm tour. There are public events running across people, organisations and businesses to The intention of the day is to use this the city and more and more traders are support them and actively put them into inspirational opportunity to widen the being engaged each day. Local Food is, practice. The Charter also starts to define Food Policy Council support base. of course, a major emphasis. a common vision for food in the city and the meeting also discussed whether it Steve Marriott · 0117 922 4462 Chris Sunderland, one of the Directors would be possible to develop indicators [email protected] of the Bristol Pound, and of Sims Hill Shared Harvest, says “We reckon that the local currency has the potential to On video… help establish the local food network that so many people want to see come Strategies for mobilizing our workforce Green Bronx Machine – Growing Our into existence. We are looking to talk towards urban agriculture Way Into A New Economy to everyone who is, and who might digest: How do we catalyze a movement digest: Presentation about innovative be, involved in local food, businesses, of urban farmers throughout the country green growing in the Bronx, NYC, growers, and anyone in the supply and throughout the developed world? where kids are being taught to grow, chain, to demonstrate how the local Renowned speaker, activist, and urban cook and eat fresh food. Stephen currency can work for them.” farmer, Michael Abelman discusses Ritz is a South Bronx teacher/ The Bristol Pound are putting on a the reasoning and strategy behind administrator. His students have series of events around the city. encouraging millions of people to grown over 25,000lbs of vegetables become small plot farmers. in the Bronx while generating 7.30–9pm 29 February Knowle West Media, Knowle West www.energybulletin.net/ extraordinary academic performance. media/2012-01-23/strategies- His Bronx classroom features the 7.30–9pm 6 March mobilizing-our-workforce-towards- first indoor edible wall in NYC which The Tobacco Factory, Southville urban-agriculture-michael-abelman routinely generates enough produce to 6.30–8pm 7 March feed 450 students healthy meals The Paintworks, Brislington www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcSL2y Contact The Bristol Pound team at: N39JM&feature=youtu.be [email protected]

15 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Events Bristol’s BIG Green Week brings ideas to life · 9–17 June 2012 The BIG Green Fringe Festival will provide a chance for Bristol’s rich diversity to show its colours, with events and happenings organised by different groups within the community. Local groups and individuals are being encouraged to register their own events that they will run during the festival. Wildlife lovers will have the chance to see some of the BBC’s Natural History Units greatest films, with daily showings at the Watershed.

The Week will culminate in the Festival of Nature, Europe’s biggest free nature festival held in a tented village across the Bristol harbourside, and Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride on Sunday 17 June when thousands are expected to join this annual council-run family ride. The UK’s first ever festival of your passions and profile your project or environmental ideas, art and culture is organisations. BIG Green Pass set to take place in Bristol from Finally on Friday (15 June), the Big Green Bristol’s BIG Green Week is all about 9–17 June, starting with a celebration Lecture will be by the leader of the Green bringing green ideas to live and the BIG of local food on Saturday 9 June. Party, Caroline Lucas, who will talk about Green Pass is the best way to enjoy BIG Bristol’s Biggest Market the Future of Food and Organics. Members Green Week. On sale from the end of of the public are invited to get involved February, the BIG Green Pass gives you Kicking off the festivities and transforming to help create a debate of how each one advance booking for ticketed events, the cityscape will be Bristol’s Biggest of us visualises a more prosperous way discounts on ticket prices and local offers. Market. Radiating from St Nicks covered of life for the future in which sustainable See www.biggreenweek.com for details. market hall, in the heart of Bristol’s old food production and consumption will be Tickets for individual events go on sale in medieval centre, down to the historic crucial. March and April. harbourside. This pedestrian paradise will feature quality food & drink produced in Daily stream of activities BIG Green Week is a must attend event, the South-West. with aspirations to become the festival of Apart from the food activities, Big Green sustainability – the environment’s answer With the support of Soil Association, Week visitors will have the opportunity to Edinburgh. It offers a unique chance local independent businesses will be to enjoy a daily stream of speaker events for visitors to learn, share ideas and invited to sell their produce, which must to explore the latest green thinking on inspiration, and have fun. be grown, raised, caught or prepared in a the issues of Climate Change and Justice, sustainable way which causes minimum Technology, Global Water, Communities Any group that would like to participate or environmental impact. and Business. hold a food-related event should contact Bryony at [email protected] Organisers are hoping that the colourful Speakers include TV guru Kevin McCloud, displays plus the variety of stalls the Australian public intellectual and Find out more at and products will enthuse all visitors Professor Clive Hamilton, Bill McKibben www.biggreenweek.com and highlight Bristol’s vibrant local from 350.org and acclaimed cook Prue food economy. The market will also Leith. And alongside the main speaker feature locally created arts and crafts events (the daily BIG Green lecture), the and showcase a host of inspirational programme includes a daily Morning independent businesses from the region. Muse, Thought for the Day, the Festival of Green Ideas, and evening entertainment at The Bristol BIG Green Week team also the BIG Green Event. hope to schedule a series of fringe food events throughout the nine day festival. There will be art at the Royal West of If you would like to propose a pop-up England Academy and around the city, restaurant, educational talk, cook off, and there will be film, poetry and other meet the producer event, show a food activities at city-centre venues, including film or any other food & drink related the Arnolfini, Colston Hall and the M-Shed. activity we would like to hear from you. Outside art and audio installations will This is your chance to get involved, share transform the public place.

16 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Events

Love Food Festival 10.30am–4pm Sunday 4 March Green Park Station Free entry Returning to Bath for the first time in 2012 this Love Food Festival will have all you need to say goodbye to the last few weeks of winter. We urge you to visit this superb covered venue and come together for a warming festival of food love. The market will be stocked full of gorgeous things to chase away those winter blues. Love Food Spring Festival Blow away the cobwebs with some Upton Saturday 31 March & Sunday 1 April The Real Olive Company, Thoughtful Cheyney chilli chocolate, warm the cockles Brunel’s Old Station, Temple Meads, Bread and many more delicious names. with Dick Willows’ hot mulled cider, wow Bristol The festival will also host the Bristol the senses with some authentic Eastern Entry £2.50 · Concessions £1.50 · Good Food Awards producers category. delights and go home with a happy belly Children free In association with Guide 2 Bristol full of organic pork and crackling straight the awards will celebrate some of the from the hog roast. For those needing The biggest event of the Love Food exceptional produce we have in the to stock up for the week ahead then our calendar is now in its third year and city and will give the public a chance market will have all you need, including promises to be one of the highlights of to sample food from both entrants a gorgeous spread of organic fruits and any Bristol food lover’s diary. and winners throughout the weekend. vegetables, artisan breads, free range ‘The Fabulous Baker Brothers” of Judges include Fiona Beckett, Xanthe beef, local cheeses, infused oils, local Hobbs House Bakery will be headlining Clay, Angela Mount and Thane Prince. charcuterie and even salted caramel the cookery school. Tom and Henry Winners will be announced live at the and cinnamon sugar macaroons for that will be cooking up a storm at the event. teatime treat! event, following their popular series There will be arts and crafts workshops To prepare you for the coming spring on Channel 4. They will be joined on in the colourful children’s area, free our resident growers Alan and Alison of stage by Barny Haughton with his new cookery lessons, gardening, face ‘Glenhalme Herbs’ will be making their project The Square Food Foundation and painting, wall doodling, an Easter egg first appearance of the year. Their stunning Arthur Potts Dawson of The People’s hunt and the chance to meet some selection of medicinal and culinary herbs Supermarket, along with a whole host newly hatched chicks. and salads will be a very welcome sight. of local chefs, foragers, growers and You can get a head start on your planting producers. The line up this year is There will also be a Love Book and pick up a tip or two on how these crammed full of excellence and we are library area with talks, signings and fantastic plants can benefit your bodies. very proud to be working with some storytelling, a Love Bike area full Children will have a wonderful time with exceptionally talented and passionate of cycling fun and information on opportunities to plant bulbs and watch food lovers. sustainable transport, and a Love them grow over the coming months, Wine area with tastings, food and wine The Love Food market, made up of over try their hand at biscuit decorating, matching and some superb master- 70 of the finest producers in the South sewing, arts and crafts and educational classes. West will see appearances from Trealy opportunities to learn more about gardening and the farmers’ year. Farm charcuterie, Bath Soft Cheese, www.lovefoodfestival.com/spring.html All of this combined with Love Food’s famous laid back atmosphere makes this a very lovely day out for all ages. You can find more up-to-date event information on our website: www.lovefoodfestival.com/ www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/ lovefoodbath.html

17 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 On the web… International Women’s Day Events Building the local food infrastructure Celebration digest: Connecting food to the local Avon Organic Group meetings 7–9pm Thursday 8 March 2012 economy can provide more people with Halo Café Bar, 141 Gloucester Road, Hamilton House, 80 Stokes Croft, Bristol greater access to local foods. Making Bristol BS1 3YQ it happen is another story since the Women and men are welcome! All welcome. Donation on the door £3 necessary infrastructure has been visitor/£1 member n Sandra Rojas, Womens community dismantled over the past 70 years. activist and Fairtrade sesame producer www.energybulletin.net/ Bristol’s Blue Finger – history and from Nicaragua stories/2012-02-10/building-local-food- futures n Rosie Martin, Chief Exec, African infrastructure 7.30pm Wednesday 7 March Initiatives USDA awards $40 million grants to boost Find out how the high quality agricultural n Peninah Achieng, Chair Bristol Link with local food supplies land on the north Bristol fringe has the Beira potential to revitalise the local food digest: The US Agriculture Department Music from Ujima Radio DJs and solo artist economy in the context of peak oil and awarded $40.2 million in grants to Vanessa Melody. Delicious buffet from climate change adaption, from Richard farmers, ranchers and farmer-controlled Halo Café Bar with vegetarian and vegan Spalding, Senior Lecturer in Human rural business ventures aimed at spurring options. All profits go to Sandra Rojas’ Geography, Geography and Environmental locally produced food supplies and work with rural women producers and the Management at UWE. renewable energy ventures. Pastoral Women’s Council projects with www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/ the Maasai in Tanzania us-food-farming-usda- Tickets available from http://iwdbristol. idUSTRE8121YI20120203 eventbrite.co.uk/ or call 0117 922 4916 The GroAction Urban Farming Online Course Reclaim the Fields Gathering digest: An online guide to creating your Thursday & Friday 8–9 March own successful profitable pedal-powered Wilderness Centre, Forest of Dean urban farm. Food will be a minimum of £5 donation per www.energybulletin.net/ day. Any other donations are welcome media/2012-02-06/groaction-urban- Provisional workshops include: farming-online-course n How to organise & maintain effective The Lexicon of Sustainability land occupations digest: Urban farmer. Heirloom. Food n An introduction to land rights security. Methane digester. Just a few of n Composting gender the terms beautifully illustrated in the Waste not, want not: good food for all n Legal options for accessing land Lexicon of Sustainability. 7.30pm Wednesday 4 April n Learning from Peasant Struggles in the www.energybulletin.net/ Speakers from Bristol Equality Trust and Global South stories/2012-02-02/lexicon- address the challenges Bristol Food Cycle n Using the food sovereignty principles as sustainability of food poverty in our increasingly unequal a strategic framework society. Round table discussion of the UK needs scientific research into perception that organic is for posh people, There will also be feedback from the agroecology not GM European Reclaim the Field Gatherings & and how community food and growing digest: The greatest challenge facing constellation as well as space for working projects can reduce food inequality. agricultural scientists is how to work with group sessions around: farmers producing more ecological and n Seed Sovereignty Planting at the Smallcombe healthier food – not GM. n WWOLF (woofing with teeth) and Vale Nuttery www.theecologist.org/blogs_ Reclaim the Field Trips and_comments/commentators/ 11am–2.30pm Sunday 4 March 2012 n Planning for International Peasants Day other_comments/1218848/uk_needs_ of Struggle on 17 April scientific_research_into_agroecology_ join the Transition Bath Food Group at not_gm.html Smallcombe Vale’s community nuttery, for Some guerrilla-gardening type actions are an afternoon planting Quince, Mulberry also planned throughout. Winter vitamins and Medlar trees. Directions: www.facebook.com/pages/ digest: How to manage your veg Protect-the-Wilderness-Centre-Forest- www.transitionbath.org/planting-at- production and storage for a year-round of-Dean/321890141176064 the-smallcombe-vale-nuttery supply of vitamins. Who to contact for more information email www.energybulletin.net/ [email protected] stories/2012-01-22/winter-vitamins www.reclaimthefields.org.uk

18 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Events The Edible Garden Show Chocolate Festival Friday 16–Sunday 18 March 10am–6pm Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 April Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Cascade Steps, next to the fountains on £12 advance, £15 on the door the Centre Promenade, Bristol City Centre Celebrity gardeners, chefs, experts and Free admission a fantastic range of exhibitors offering Spring Foray with Adrian Boots favourite gardening products along with Over Easter weekend, Bristol’s new and exciting products to the market, & The Ethicurean Harbourside will be transformed into a all available to buy whether you are a Sunday 25 March chocolate lover’s paradise. With an array seasoned expert or just getting started. Meet 9.30am at Barleywood Walled of chocolate and chocolate products – from warming hot chocolate to artisan Try and buy the latest products, hear tips Garden for tea and coffee, finish truffles, chocolate cakes to chocolate and advice in talks from our resident approximately 1.30pm fudge, churros with chocolate and even experts, watch some of our great £35 per person including tea or coffee on Mexican chocolate chilli! demonstrations, get involved in potting arrival at the garden. and planting. For a full list of all events, go to: Find some of the season’s best offerings www.festivalchocolate.co.uk Everything you need – seeds, compost from Wild Garlic to Jelly Ear mushrooms! To and machinery through to chickens, book your place please call 01761 463356 sheds, polytunnels and greenhouses. To book a table at The Ethicurean for Bristol Garden Life Show Wormeries, tools, bee hives, plants and so after the Spring Foray please call 01934 much more. Plus some of the best British Friday 11–Saturday 12 May 2012 863713 – Reservations are essential for food producers who will inspire with their Broadmead, Bristol lunch as we are always full on Sundays & great produce. Saturdays. The Bristol Garden Life Show will be held www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk in Broadmead again this year, with free www.walledgarden.co.uk stalls for community groups on Merchant Street South, as well as a Gardeners’ Pennard Plants vegetable Question Time and talks and displays in the Galleries, stalls in Broadmead and a ‘open day’ local produce market in Quakers Friars. Weekend 6–7 April 2012 May is a great time to be selling plants or The Walled Gardens, East Pennard, seeds to raise funds, or to sign up new Somerset BA4 6TP members. St Annes Hill community Located in a Victorian walled garden in the For an application form for a free stall sleepy village of East Pennard in Somerset growing project for your community group, contact Steve near Shepton Mallet, Pennard Plants Clampin, Bristol City Council Allotments 10.30am–1pm Saturday 17 March was established in 2001 by Chris Smith Officer: Wicklea Community centre, & Mike Milligan. Their range of Heritage 281 Wick Road, Bristol BS4 4HU Vegetable Seeds extends from ‘Artichoke’ [email protected] to ‘Watermelon’. (0117) 9223737 Public meeting all welcome. Transition Bath are organising transport to A community food project is starting in take a group on Saturday 7 – likely cost St Annes Hill and we need people to get VegfestUK Bristol £10 pp. If you’d like to book a place, involved to make it happen contact Virginia Williamson, on 2pm Friday 25 May–8pm every evening until Sunday 27 May There is the potential for a harvest share [email protected], or mobile Admission free to the public all day coop and a community orchard on the site 07867 532512 near Wood Croft Road. Come down and Vegan Festival featuring Ready Steady www.pennardplants.com have your say about what happens tp the Chefs, Veggie sausage & burger land and how it is run. competitions, demos from Richard Fox (Love food, hate Waste), and Talisman (old For more information, contact Frank White: skool Bristol reggae band) playing Sunday [email protected] evening + lots lots more (with some Site: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps? fantastic caterers including Jackie Kearney q=woodcroft+road+bristol&hl=en&ll= off Masterchef). 51.44387,-2.542048&spn=0.006647, All assistance welcome, volunteers, 0.02105&sll=51.44498,-2.548571&sspn= promotion, new stallholders etc contact: 0.003323,0.010525&hnear=Woodcroft+ [email protected] Rd,+Bristol,+City+of+Bristol+BS4+4, +United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16 www.bristol.vegfest.co.uk

19 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Courses & training Spring Organic Gardening The Shift Bristol Practical Course Sustainability Course 2012–13 2–5pm Wednesdays starting 29 February Indoor classroom in St Werburghs, (2nd chance to join: 7 March) till 9 May Bristol (no class on 11 April). The course is now open for bookings. The Trinity Centre. Trinity Road, Deadline for applications: 30 June 2012 Bristol BS2 0NW £40 (waged) or £20 (unwaged) to cover This pioneering one year course brings Training with Voscur materials. together some of the most experienced and knowledgeable practitioners and Get set up to eat from your garden all year! Developing a Fundraising Strategy tutors in the SW and beyond. This course will focus on seasonal tasks 9.30am–3.30pm Wednesday 21 and skills. We will cover: In 2.5 days a week for 40 weeks the course March covers modules on Permaculture Design, The GreenHouse, Hereford Street, n Planning the year Organic Horticulture, Green Building, Bristol BS3 4NA n Making raised beds Woodland Management, Soil and Ecology, n Growing tomatoes, cucumbers and Voscur Full Members: £55, Associate Energy, Group Dynamics, Relocalisation squashes Members: £75, Non Members: £125 and Community Engagement. n Sowing veg to eat over the winter Do you know where your n Building fertility – compost, wormeries, A holistic exploration of design and organisation is getting its money green manures practical solutions for a resilient, from and why? Are you following n More plants for free! – cuttings, seed productive, community-led future. The funding or choosing which funders saving curriculum is taught with a dynamic mix to go for? n Fruit tree and bush pruning of practical hands on sessions, group n Avoiding pest and disease problems work, lectures, discussions and field trips This course will help experienced with each term culminating in an in-depth fundraisers focus on developing Based in the Trinity Community Gardens design project. a fundraising strategy for your at The Trinity Centre, the sessions will be organisation and action plan for a mix of ideas and information indoors, The Practical Sustainability Course future development followed by hands-on work in the thriving includes sessions from over 40 tutors community garden. We have a poly-tunnel, including Patrick Whitefield, Ben Law, Tim www.supporthub.org.uk/ compost loo, lots of fruit trees and a Foster, Mike Feingold, Tony Wrench, Sarah developing-fundraising-strategy friendly bunch of volunteers. Pugh, Matt Dunwell, Chris Johnstone, Mike Gardner, Justin Smith, Daithi Developing a Marketing Strategy Or join us on our regular volunteer day, O’Suilleabhain, Jason Hawkes, Trevor 9.30am Tuesday 27 March– 4.30pm every Thursday afternoon from 1–5pm, Houghton, Nick Osborne, Jenni Horsfal, Wednesday 28 March which offers a fine opportunity to get some Alice Cutler, Jackson Moulding, Max Drake, Barton Hill Settlement, 43 Ducie practical experience, exercise and a bag of Jay Abrahams and many, many more. Road, Barton Hill, Bristol BS5 0AX fruit and veg. Places are limited so book early to confirm Full Members: £110, Associate To join or find out more, contact your place. Members: £150, Non Members: £250 Tom Daly on 07938 376789 or email: [email protected] www.shiftbristol.org.uk This event will cover: n Setting marketing objectives n The importance of branding n Developing Unique Selling Points (USPs) n Matching the message to the medium n Developing key marketing messages n Development of a marketing strategy n Communicating effectively with target audiences n Action planning Free places are available for groups with limited funds – please ask for more details.

www.supporthub.org.uk/ developing-marketing-strategy

20 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 … with the low-impact living … at the University of Bristol Courses initiative Botanic Gardens The Holmes, Stoke Park Road, Global Gardens in Schools Fruit tree pruning Stoke Bishop, Bristol BS9 1JG www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden/ 1.30–4pm Thursday 1 March 2012 9am–4.30pm Tuesday 6 March education/courses Brunswick Court, Brunswick Square, Near Bath Bristol BS2 8PE £10 £55 first delegate (£45 for any additional Get the most from your A ‘hands-on’ course, learning by actually delegates from the same school) 20% doing the work on the trees under the greenhouse reduction for WISE Support Scheme close supervision of the tutor: 20 different 1–4pm Saturday 10 March · £15 members varieties of apples, pears and nuts; Part one in a programme of Saturday A course for KS1-3 teachers and LSAs, but young trees, mature trees, and some work afternoon talks designed to benefit your parents/governors who support outdoor on soft-fruit pruning – grapevines and garden. learning are also welcome raspberries.

Participants will: www.lowimpact.org/bath_fruit_tree_ n Develop practical and creative ideas to pruning.htm Gardening for wildlife maximise the potential of their school’s 10.30am–4.30pm Saturday 14 April · £30 garden – or tiny urban space Natural beekeeping Natural habitats are still being fragmented n Explore the concept and value of a by development and agriculture at Weekend of 9–11 March · Near Bath ‘global garden’ as a way of inspiring an alarming rate despite increased £130 children’s learning and skills awareness of the need to protect the n Identify links to curriculum areas, An opportunity to learn the basics about environment and wildlife. Gardens can sustainability and global citizenship in ‘natural beekeeping’ in top bar hives. This provide a vital safe haven for a wide school is a simple, practical way to have healthy variety of birds, mammals and insects that n Build an African bag garden and try out and happy bees in your garden, with the would otherwise be threatened, especially other global garden projects possibility of your own honey harvest, in urban areas. but without the cost and complications n Take away lots of tips, resources and A wildlife garden could be tiny, as small as associated with conventional beekeeping. follow-up suggestions to use right away! a plant pot on a patio designed to support This course is intended for people native bees and butterflies, through to a This event is being run by WISE (We with no previous knowledge of bees or large garden with a range of features. Inspire Sustainability Education) in beekeeping. collaboration with African Initiatives www.lowimpact.org/bath_natural_ (www.globaleducationinitiatives.org.uk) beekeeping.htm Successful propagation For booking & further details please 1–4pm Saturday 28 April · £15 contact Jane or Jacqui at WISE: Build your own beehive Led by John Addison, an experienced Jane Talbot: 07746 971245 horticultural lecturer and manager 9am–4.30pm Saturday 31 March [email protected] who will enthuse you and answer Near Bath · £40 plus £20 materials Jacqui Grainger: 07967 441841 your questions on a range of garden [email protected] Learn to make a horizontal top-bar hive – challenges. ideal for natural beekeeping. You will www.wiselearning.org.uk make a top-bar hive to take home at the end of the day, working to a design by Phil … at Ragmans Lane Farm Plant propagation Chandler – renowned natural beekeeper. www.lowimpact.org/bath_build_ Ragman’s Lane Farm, Lydbrook, 10am–1pm Saturday 24 March beehive.htm Gloucestershire GL17 9PA Windmill Hill City Farm www.ragmans.co.uk/courses/courselist. £35 html A half day course, establishing the basics Hens for the garden of plant propagation, both from seed and 10am–1pm Wednesday 2 May Sustainable beekeeping from cuttings. It will guide you through Near Thornbury · £40 the what, where and when, and get you Saturday 31 & Sunday 1 April started on your new growing season. Half-day course is designed to give you a £175 complete introduction to keeping hens in How can we ensure the survival of honey To book email:simone.dougall@ your garden. A a combination of theory, bees? This course covers the management windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk practice and demonstration with plenty of of bees, and natural ways to take care of opportunities to meet and handle hens. them. Beekeepers and non-beekeepers www.lowimpact.org/thornbury_hens. welcome. The course is run by Monmouth- htm based international charity Bees for Development, specialists in sustainable beekeeping worldwide.

21 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Publications Green Capital Future City The impact of Community Conversations Report Supported Agriculture Bristol Green Capital have hosted a series The Soil Association of ‘Conversation’ meetings, including their An impact assessment of Community most popular session on ‘Food’. The draft Supported Agriculture (CSA) in England findings on what people thought would has found that CSA schemes are providing make Bristol a better city have now been manifold benefits not only to thousands published, and are available for feedback. of members, but also their communities, Once finalised, the report will form the local economies and the environment. basis of a plan for what the Green Capital CSA offers an innovative approach to does over the next couple of years. reconnecting people with their food, For more information, contact: and helps to build strong partnerships [email protected] between communities and farmers. The report was commissioned by the Soil http://issuu.com/bristol-green-capital/ Association, lead partner supporting the docs/draft_report_v6 development of CSA as part of the ‘Making Farming money: How European Local Food Work’ programme. It found that banks and private finance profit A Growing Trade CSA schemes in England count at least from food speculation and land 5,000 trading members and feed at least This Local Action on Food report highlights 12,500 people a year. grabs the commercial opportunities for community grown produce and showcases Key findings include: Friends of the Earth Europe initiatives that are doing it already. n Increasing wellbeing With global financial markets in turmoil, n Strengthening communities The report shows examples of food that agricultural commodity ‘futures’ have n Reaching out is being produced as close to the market become increasingly attractive to financial n Developing and sharing skills place as possible and the opportunities investors and speculators. Billions of n Providing local employment for community food growing projects to euros and dollars are flooding in and out n Offering farmers an opportunity to make links more widely in the community of commodity markets, causing sudden diversify as well as generate income to contribute price spikes in world food commodity n Supporting organic farming and towards project costs and to lift the markets, leading to higher prices for improving sustainability ambitions of the people involved. consumers. While high food prices hit the n Encouraging wider access to farms most vulnerable the hardest, threatening www.sustainweb.org/ their right to food, the rapid price swings www.soilassociation.org/LinkClick.as publications/?mode=info&id=201 also affect poor farmers, threatening farm px?fileticket=DnZ0pAZbjzM%3d&tabi viability and making it more difficult for d=204 farmers to maintain a predictable income. The Potential for Urban Agriculture in New York City: www.foei.org/en/resources/ Breaking Through Concrete: publications/pdfs/2012/farming-money Growing Capacity, Food Security, Building an Urban Farm Revival & Green Infrastructure $29.95 Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Understanding how much land in NYC People have always grown food in urban could be productively used for agriculture skills for sustainable living spaces – on windowsills and sidewalks, and horticulture, and how much could Want to grow food and live the sustainable and in backyards and neighborhood parks realistically be grown, are important lifestyle but lack the space? This glossy – but today, urban farmers are leading an steps toward increasing knowledge and bible for self-sufficiency in the city, will environmental and social movement that establishing a baseline for evaluating have you tearing out your driveway to transforms America’s food system. Across the potential costs and benefits of sow a garden, and diverting grey water to the country, entrepreneurs and activists urban agriculture. This overview irrigate it. are taking over vacant lots and tearing considered which specific crops and up pavement to create businesses and products are most suitable for NYC’s www.yesmagazine.org/issues/the-yes- communities from beds of kale, tomatoes, urban environment, and evaluated site breakthrough-15/book-review-urban- squash, and beans. availability for land-based and rooftop homesteading agriculture. This book documents 12 successful urban farm programmes, from an alternative www.urbandesignlab.columbia.edu/ school for girls in Detroit, to a backyard sitefiles/file/urban_agriculture_nyc.pdf food swap in New Orleans, to a restaurant supply garden on a rooftop in Brooklyn.

www.powells.com/ biblio/9780520270541?&PID=25450

22 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 On the web… Odds & ends What it looks like when food grows everywhere Tree packs for communities Allotment vacancies digest: Rob Hopkins looks at a 1793 map The Woodland Trust are offering free Stibbs Hill, St George (some serious of Guildford, and what it tells us about a community tree planting packs to plant clearance needed here) genuine local food culture. in November 2012 as part of their Jubilee The Farm, off Air Balloon Road, St George http://transitionculture. Woods project. Each pack contains a royal (plots being cleared by us) org/2012/01/13/what-it-looks-like- oak sapling and packs come in 2 sizes: when-food-grows-everywhere/ If interested please contact the Allotments n 105 trees ideal for planting either in Office on [email protected] or Greener Pastures with Lunatic Farmer small groups of trees or as a 30m hedge telephone 0117 922373 Joel Salatin n 420 trees a long hedge (approx 120m), digest: Salatin runs a 550-acre farm that or divide up, or plant as a block of WRAP research: New estimates is so self-sustaining he’s never bought approximately one acre of land. for household food and drink seeds, fertilizers, chemicals, ploughs, or silos. Trees supplied are young saplings about waste in the UK, Nov 2011 20–40 cm high. Four different themed www.shareable.net/blog/greener- mixes are available, including the wild There is strong evidence from both waste pastures-with-lunatic-farmer-joel- harvest pack: Hazel, blackthorn, crab and purchasing data that there has been salatin apple, elder, dog rose a substantial reduction in the amount of food waste generated by households in Hyper-local markets provide big www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/ the UK, which will have delivered huge economic boost moretrees-moregood/advice-centre/ benefits to the environment, in terms of Pages/packs-of-trees.aspx digest: Community food enterprises are reductions in CO2 emissions (3.6 million locally owned, employ locals, and use tonnes less per year), water usage (1 mostly local goods and services, and billion litres less per year)and the amount generate more jobs – two to four times Artisan Food Law of material sent to landfill (around 1 the amount per dollar of sales. The Artisan Food Law website is being million tonnes). Although food price developed as a resource to provide news, inflation means that the value of the lower www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi? information and support on the law from level of avoidable food waste is similar f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F12%2F27%2 the perspective of artisan and small scale to that in 2007, without this reduction, FBUCV1MCFLB.DTL&type=businesss- food producers and retailers. The site is consumers would be spending around world/67666 currently little more than a holding page £2.5 billion a year more on food and drink but you have the opportunity to influence that ends up as waste. China’s growing urban population how it develops. If you are an artisan sprouts urban farms www.fcrn.org.uk/research- food producer or retailer with questions digest: As displaced rural communities library/waste-and-resource-use/ or issues that frustrate you about the law are forced into the cities, urban planners food-waste/wrap-research-new- and how it applies to your work, then analyze an emerging trend – the merging estimates-household-food-and- speak out! The website is scheduled for of country and city by preserving patches dr?utm_source=FCRN+Mailing&utm_ completion at the end of March 2012 of space to be used as productive campaign=7e9ee87720-FCRN-Mailing-9- farmland within urban boundaries. www.artisanfoodlaw.co.uk Feb&utm_medium=email www.urbangardensweb. com/2011/12/22/chinas-growing-urban- Subscribers’ competition: Win Foodies Festival tickets population-sprouts-urban-farms/ Foodies Festivals are ready to bring you There will also be a unique mixture the most exciting mix of food, drink and of entertainment and music, with a Carrots in the car park. Radishes on the culinary talent for 2012. sumptuous VIP tent, activities for kids, roundabout. The deliciously eccentric as well as a city beach where you can story of the town growing ALL its own veg There will be cooking demonstrations relax in a deckchair and enjoy an ice digest: The Daily Mail finally hears about from Michelin-starred and TV chefs, cream in the sun. Todmorden… such as Levi Roots and Cyrus Todiwala, tasting sessions and cooking-for-kids We have 10 pairs of tickets to giveaway www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ masterclasses for budding young chefs. for our event at Bristol Harbourside on article-2072383/Eccentric-town- 13/14/15 July. To win, just answer the Todmorden-growing-ALL-veg.html You can sample and buy artisan food simple question: How many Foodies from over 100 exhibitors, indulge in Festivals are there in the UK this year? How do you find a million more farmers? signature dishes from well-known digest: We need more farmers, more food restaurants and sip summer cocktails Send your answers by 30 April to: growers, and more land based workers if shaken up by expert mixologists. [email protected] we are to reverse the food crises we face New features include an on-site cook But don’t worry if you aren’t a winner, to create sustainable food economies. school, Street Food Avenue, showcasing you can still join the fun, for tickets for www.reclaimthefields.org. cuisine from across the world, and a all the shows, phone 0845 995 1111 or go uk/2012/02/23/how-do-you-find-a- dedicated Wine Village. to www.foodiesfestival.com. million-more-farmers/

23 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012 Regular things Easton Community Allotment GROFUN Action Weekends never been before then you can ring Joe on 07840 059079 to tell us you’re coming. Every Thursday 12–4pm (5pm summer) Ashley Vale Allotments, St Werburghs www.sustainableredland.org.uk/what- Every week, from noon Saturdays & We are a beautiful, green enclave nestled Sundays can-i-do/metford-road-community-orchard on the edge of Easton. It’s a social space for people who want to grow vegetables, Ashley Vale Allotments are just behind The Royate Hill Community Orchard drink tea and share the harvest. Farm pub, Hopetoun Road, St Werburghs. No experience necessary – just drop in. Drag on your wellies and come and give an Regular monthly workdays Email for map/directions: hour or two. Refreshments provided. 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month [email protected] Phone Nadia 0797 3847894 for more info. 11am–4pm (drop by anytime, but cleaning up starts around 3pm)

Eastside Roots volunteer days Metford Rd Community Orchard As well as the fruit trees, we also plant Stapleton Road Train Station Usually third Sunday of the month vegetables, and whoever shows up for 10.30am–4.30pm Wednesdays & Fridays workdays when there is a harvest, gets to Meet at Metford Road Gates (green metal Trinity Community Arts Centre garden take food home. Drinks available, bring gate in between numbers 37 and 39) at 12 noon–5pm every Thursday snacks to share. Tools and gardening about 11.30am, bring gardening gloves. gloves provided. There is also a compost Improve your local community, meet new There should be a notice on the gate toilet at the orchard. Everybody welcome, friends, learn new skills and keep fit. telling you a mobile number to ring if we’re regardless of experience. Email: [email protected] already there, and we’ll come and let you www.eastsideroots.org.uk in. If there’s no notice, and nobody there For more information: – you’re the first, be patient! If you’ve www.kebelecoop.org/?page_id=28

Regular markets Slow Food Market Corn Street, Now on Facebook! 1st Sunday of the month 10am–3pm Ashton Court Farmers’ Market Bristol’s local food update is now on Tobacco Factory Market Stables Courtyard, 3rd Sunday of the Facebook. Corner of Raleigh Road/North Street, month 10.30am–2.30pm Southville, Sundays 10am–2.30pm www.facebook.com/ Bristol Farmers’ Market Westbury-on-Trym Market pages/Bristols-local-food- Corn Street, Wednesdays 9.30am– Medical Centre Car Park, Westbury Hill, update/117246931647992?created#!/ 2.30pm 4th Saturday of the month, 9am–1pm pages/Bristols-local-food- Friday Food Market, Wine Street (except December) update/117246931647992?v=info 10am–4pm. Whiteladies Road Market Harbourside Market Corner of Whiteladies Road and Apsley Every weekend outside the Watershed Road, 1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month, 11am–4pm. 8.30am–2pm Bristol’s local food update Long Ashton Village Market, Village Hall, 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 Zion Food Market weekW eating only local, organic food free Save our soils – use our soils Richard Spalding from plastic packaging, we discovered just how limited local sustainable food It is great to hear that in the near future is. There are myriad reasons for this, but we might see beef cattle grazing historic the reality remains that with fossil fuels Stoke park as Bristol City Council begin 1st Saturday of the month 9.30am–1pm 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

soon have little choice but to produce Zion, Bishopsworth Rd, Bedminster Down the camera lens up and over this idyllic most of our food locally. In light of this, scene to settle on “the Blue Finger”. it is essential that we start preparing Smallholdings in Frenchay now by ring fencing land for sustainable I have coined this phrase to get us all food production now. thinking about high quality agricultural the M32 becoming an edible landscape land on the north Bristol fringe which for the city. It would be a beacon for a Transition Network is beginning to 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 Every 4th Saturday coded] fi nger of high quality soils on the sustainable agriculture which reconnects needs, climate change, fl ood predictions, 1953 Agricultural Land Classifi cation map people and the land. It would celebrate soil quality, population densities etc. But of England and Wales which shows a strip the importance of city and countryside what is already overwhelmingly obvious of fertile land stretching from Frenchay, working together to deliver food security. is that we will need every inch of land through Hambrook and Winterbourne and Impossible you say? suitable for food production, in both the out into open country. The post Second 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 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 response to central government targets), context of climate change, peak oil and the land to ALL our futures and I would like despite the increasing imperative to food insecurity. The soils themselves now to see Bristol and South Gloucestershire save our soils for food production. lie largely derelict, the market gardens Councils working together to enable the Some content for this newsletter is taken The Avon Green Belt, an area fi ve times having fallen prey to the global food re-creation of the food economies on and Making local food work newsletter the size of Bristol and predominantly economy and the land now de-valued for around the “Blue Finger”. classifi ed as farmland (but much of food production. We need to audit this I am very keen to establish a wide-ranging which currently lies fallow) is being private and public land to establish just set of debates about this topic and am increasingly earmarked by Local how possible it might be to re-create a convinced that it might be possible to Authorities for developments such local foodscape for our region. begin looking forward to another, and as 117,000 new houses in the South There is much to gain from doing this arguably more important, “dig for victory” West. We all need to act now to ensure and my campaign seeks to mobilise campaign. I sense that the cattle of Stoke that Bristol City Council ring fences all another “dig for victory” campaign Park might just be the idea that sparks from the following e-newsletters: www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk suitable land for food production: read to allow food communities, new food a new and regionally important symbol on and stay in touch to fi nd out how to businesses and all of us eaters to begin around which to secure and re-invent our make your voice heard. the process of re-shaping our local food local foodscapes. If you want to contribute Claire Milne culture. I have a vision for this foodscape to this debate, then please contact me at: Transition Bristol and Bristol Food Hub which sees the northern gateway along [email protected] Soil Association e-news Food Climate Research network www.soilassociation.org/ www.fcrn.org.uk Bristol’s local food update TodaysNewsLogin/tabid/639/Default. Contact Tara Garnett If you didn’t receive this PDF by email, you aspx [email protected] can send a subscription request for future issues to be sent direct to you, to: Garden Organic e-news F3 Local food news [email protected] www.gardenorganic.org.uk/e-news/ www.localfood.org.uk/index.html Subscribers will be e-mailed a maximum sign_up.php Voscur of three times between issues of the Urban Agriculture newsletter www.voscur.org/news newsletter, with any event information that missed the deadline. www.sustainweb.org/cityharvest/ Food Lovers Britain newsletter/ This issue of Bristol’s local food update www.foodloversbritain.com/register/ was compiled by Jane Stevenson, Growing Schools newsletter register.php Dorothy Greaves and Kristin Sponsler. www.growingschools.org.uk Design by Jane Stevenson: Defra’s SD scene newsletter www.janestevensondesign.co.uk http://sd.defra.gov.uk/subscribe/ Community supported agriculture The views expressed in this newsletter & organic buying groups project are not necessarily endorsed by the City newsletter Council. Email: [email protected]

24 bristol’s local food update · march–april 2012