BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK Bristol’s local food update2014 community project news · courses · publications · events july–august

Summer is here and the crops are finally cropping. It’s the time of year when all that work on cold, damp March days, finally begins to pay off. In the city, we’re starting to see the fruits of all the behind- the-scenes work initiated by Bristol City Council’s Sustainable Cities Team and the Food Policy Council, as the Good Food Charter and Plan help us to frame proposals for Bristol Green Capital 2015. If you haven’t got involved yet, it’s not too late to sow seeds for next year! Contact us for more information, and to send any suggestions for the September–October newsletter (copy deadline 18 August) [email protected]. Bristol Independents Day 4th July

The Bristol Independents Campaign spent in a local retailer selling local Shop independently on is urging Bristol’s shoppers to ‘shop things, puts twice as much money back independently’ on 4th July – Bristol into the local economy as a pound spent Independents Day. in a national multiple – because local traders tend to use local services supplied 20,000 Bristol Independents Day cards by other local traders. are being distributed around the city, encouraging shoppers to shop But it’s easy to forget the great contribution independently on 4th July and to discover which Independents make to Bristol – Bristol Independents Day www.bristolindependents.co.uk a range of special offers and surprises in they’re always there – till the next big Bristol’s independent businesses. In some supermarket comes along. 4th July is a It’s not too late to get involved if you’re a shops, these cards can be shown at the reminder to us all to support Bristol’s Bristol Independent business. Contact us till in order to claim an Independents Day great Independents, and to explore a bit ASAP on: [email protected] discount or special offer. In other shops further around the city to discover some Join in on Twitter: @Bristolindies you’ll need a certain codeword, or to be other hidden gems. Bristol’s high streets paying in Bristol Pounds in order to make and local shopping areas have changed a your claim – details of all of these offers lot over the past few years – if you haven’t are on the website at: visited them lately, you’re likely to be www.bristolindependents.co.uk surprised by just how well some of them Elsewhere in the city, you can find special are flourishing. events, or Bristol-themed delights on the menu for one day only. These offers and Who’s involved? Bristol Independents Day is a joint events are updated regularly so please Bristol’s local food update is produced keep an eye on the website for the latest promotion, involving Bristol City Council, by Bristol Food Network CIC, with support information. Bristol Pound, Your Street Gift Cards, from Bristol City Council. City of Bristol College, The Federation Bristol Food Network CIC supports, informs Why shop independently? of Small Businesses, alongside Bristol and connects individuals, community Bristol’s independent retailers keep our Independents. On the day, some of the projects, organisations and businesses who share a vision to transform Bristol participating organisations will be staffing high streets alive, diverse, and interesting. into a sustainable food city. They stop Bristol from looking just like a stall opposite the Hippodrome, where Registered office: 7 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4JE everywhere else. They help make Bristol people can come along to find out more A Community Interest Company, Limited by special. Bristol’s independents also help about business support for start-ups and Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. Registration no. 8838348. support our local economy. Every pound existing businesses. (10am–3pm 4th July) Food Policy Council update Since our last update our ‘Task-and-Finish group’ has met and will be working on updating our Terms of Reference, our membership, and our strategic priorities. We will be reporting back on our progress in the next issue after our next meeting on 9 July. In the meantime, please have a read of Joy Carey’s recap of the latest transnational visit with our URBACT partner cities in Lyon... Passerelle d’Eau de Robec La Super Halles Bristol visit to Lyon, 3–6 June Joy Carey

Bristol is working together with the members organize events, outings and their products through the store. It began 9 other cities through the URBACT joint activities. The shop was established in the 70’s and has gone through all sorts programme on Sustainable food in urban 15 years ago and is part-supported by an of development. Every farm involved has communities and how to grow, deliver annual grant from Lyon City Council for its to work in the shop, again on a rota basis, and enjoy food in a more sustainable and services to the local community. It would and each farmer has to do a year’s stint as less carbon intensive way. The visit to be really interesting to explore the idea chair. Lyon was one of a number of exchanges of a network of social groceries in and The next gathering of URBACT project in which all the cities participate, and around Bristol, or even UK-wide. partners will be in Romania in September wonderfully organized by the Lyon team. Two of our visits were to shops with with a chance to see their newly revamped There was so much to see, this article farmers selling local and organic products local producers market located directly can’t really do the trip justice but there’s direct. One based in the city, ‘La Super opposite the Carrefour supermarket! more info here. Spot the Bristol contingent!: Halles’, is newly opened and is run For more information on the URBACT www.sustainable-everyday-project.net/ as a collaborative enterprise. It’s a bit programme contact Dorothy Greaves or urbact-sustainable-food/2014/06/10/ like Better Food Company, except that check out the blog: www.sustainable- lyon-transnational-delivering- it involves 3 separate enterprises and everyday-project.net/urbact- workshop-programme-and- collectively they employ two people to sustainable-food/ presentations/ manage and coordinate the shop. The The official welcome to Lyon took place in 3 enterprises are i) direct farmer sales of Highlights from the Lyon visit included the City Hall, an utterly awesome building fresh products; ii) retail of dried foods and visits to a ‘social grocery’. The shop is that obliged us to eat all the wonderful other grocery items; and iii) a catering/ called ‘Passerelle d’Eau de Robec and is cake (and chocolate) we were offered, cafe section. There are photos of the 17 all about social and solidarity-economy. supplied by a wonderful local catering different farmers by their products and all Customers become members, and there business! the farmers have to serve behind the sales are different prices according to members’ counter on a rota. income level (in the photo you can just about see different prices: the low price The second organic shop, Uniferme, was for muscovado sugar is €2.19 and the more like a farm shop and based outside higher price €2.63). The shop is also a the city, owned by a co-operative of 40 hub of local community activity – many of farmers who all commit to sell 100% of

Sims Hill members might be delighted to discover that Chris is now qualified to take on tractor duties…

Uniferme The official welcome at Lyon City Hall

2 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Read more online

Bristol urban food Soil as sarbon storehouse: New weapon in climate fight? growing survey update digest: The degradation of soils from unsustainable agriculture Lisa Muller and other development has released billions of tons of carbon into the atmosphere. But new We will be analysing the full data set this Bristol Food Network has been working research shows how effective land summer, but there are a couple of themes on a survey of urban growing projects restoration could play a major role that builds on information gathered and ideas we can already glean from it: in sequestering CO2 and slowing to-date via the annual Get Growing n The projects surveyed so far are spread climate change. Garden Trail and the online guide to all across Bristol and are set in very ‘Get Growing’. http://e360.yale.edu/feature/ central urban, as well as more rural out- soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_ We have collated information on Bristol of-town surroundings. weapon_in_climate_fight/2744/ growing projects, such as size, funding, n The amount of land used for growing organisational form, ownership or varies from 30 metres square to 8 acres. Toward a future: Permaculture lease of land, focus of the work (e.g. n Whilst the majority of land is leased digest: We use the magic of radio community growing to commercial), type from the council in a similar style to to fly around to garden roof tops in of production, scale of production, what allotment leases, community growing Brooklyn USA, a permaculture fruit else groups are doing and what they want projects also find other sites such farm in Quebec, and small acres to achieve in the future, and what they as old landfill, graveyards, disused restored in Nottingham UK. will need in order to realise those plans. smallholdings and parks. www.ecoshock.info/2014/04/ We also hope to increase their awareness toward-future-permaculture.html of, and engagement with, the Bristol n Some of the community projects are entirely open to the public all year Good Food Plan. The survey is funded by Jamaica Plain New Economy around, you can literally just walk in any URBACT via Bristol City Council. Transition: Food, livelihoods and time. Community growing projects are already bridging race & class divides n Most projects have between 5–10 contributing to the Bristol Good Food Plan digest: How a Transition group people using the site every week. and many of them are planning activities in Boston USA has catalyzed Regular monthly events are attended by to help achieve the targets set out in the work to increase access to fresh around 20–40 people and larger events plan. The survey will help us understand healthy food, create new kinds of and festivals attract over 100 people in more detail what the groups are already livelihoods, and bridge historical in most cases. Community growing doing to achieve this and what they need race and class divides. projects attract mainly people from the to achieve even more. local area where they are based. www.reconomy.org/jamaica-plain- new-economy-transition-food- objective no.1 n The social elements of working, growing livelihoods-and-bridging-race- To encourage people to cook from scratch, and also eating together, seem just as class-divides/ grow their own, and eat more fresh, important as the growing itself. seasonal, local, organically grown food n All projects share a sense of Can the soil save us from climate objective no.3 achievement over what they have done change? To promote the use of good quality land in in terms of building the project in line digest: With roughly six billion and around Bristol for food production with their aims and ideas. This varies organisms in a single tablespoon, from just growing food, to providing We have identified 42 active community healthy soil is a vast, dynamic, and a space for cooking and learning to growing projects. This excludes hidden microcosmos. creating an outdoor space for people to allotments, school growing projects, www.cuesa.org/article/can-soil- enjoy together. or corporate gardens, but does include save-us-climate-change commercial projects which have a strong We expect to publish the full results of community element. A group of 10 the survey in the Autumn. We hope that Getting beyond just wheat, corn volunteers who are themselves heavily when shared, the survey document will and rice involved in Bristol’s growing projects have prove useful to community growing groups digest: As we face a world with a been conducting interviews, supported when, for example, they make funding changing climate and unpredictable by UWE through a Masters student who bids – as it will demonstrate strong weather patterns, a concentrated has been working with us. The survey demand for getting growing and the wider food crop portfolio could be a risky has involved one of us visiting each site benefits of growing groups to their local thing. Diversifying the food system and talking to growers and volunteers in communities. Something that the survey with uncommon grains could be a smaller or larger groups for about one to has really illuminated, are the pronounced good step toward resiliency. two hours. We took pictures and wrote differences between groups. We hope http://ensia.com/features/ up each interview or group discussion for that once we better understand these getting-beyond-just-wheat-corn- analysis. This data is now being collated differences and commonalities, we will be and-rice/ and categorised. able to devise better ways to help support groups to get growing.

3 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Get Growing Garden Trail 2014 The dread weather predictions and brand new J3 Get Growing beds (they amber warnings about flash flooding didn’t exist at the start of the day, but disuaded some potential visitors from they did by its end!); public park growing venturing out on Saturday morning. courtesy of PLANT@St Agnes; the stunning walled garden at Blaise Castle; and the But despite some early showers, the rest under-threat fields of Feed Bristol – where of the day was glorious as I cycled my way for me, the luck with the weather finally on a tour of South Bristol. Stopping for ran out, late on Sunday afternoon. too long while the Lord Mayor was shown around Grow Bristol; tackling the extreme I’m sorry I couldn’t see you all! It’s hill that is home to Totterdown Sprouting’s genuinely inspirational to see so much vertiginous orchard; losing faith in my persistence, generosity, skill and vision, map-reading on the way to Woodcroft all packed into Bristol’s growing spaces. Community Orchard where I made the And it’s a privilege to be allowed to share mistake of starting on the cake too early in in those hidden and special places, all of the day… From there it was uphill again via which offer a different way to view our city. Perrett’s Park to the beautifully bounteous I’d like to say a big “thank you” to the Let’s Grow! in Knowle and the happy- team of volunteer photographers who animal-filled surprise on Dundry Slopes captured some of the sights of the day. An that is Bramble Farm. album will be available on our Flickr pages Day 2 was dominated by conversations soon, where they will get their due credit. Jane Stevenson, Bristol Food Network about access to land, as I visited the In the meantime, here are a few tasters... [email protected]

Top row: Andy’s Haven Nursery · Blaise Community Garden · Bramble Farm BBQ · Redland Green allotments · Cyclists arrive at Tyntesfield. 2nd row: Golden Hill Community Garden · Grow Bristol’s aquaponics · GREENS Community Garden · Horfield Organic Community orchard · family cycle tour arrives at Easton Community Garden. 3rd row: Fishponds Community Orchard · Feed Bristol · J3 Get Growing · Patchwork Community Gardening Group’s Community Orchard · Windmill Hill City Farm. 4th row: Let’s Grow Community allotment · Metford Road Community Orchard · Perrett’s Park Edible Garden · PLANT@ St Agnes · Severn Project’s polytunnel at Temple Meads. Bottom row: St George‘s Park · Pig at St Werburgh’s City Farm · choir at Stoke Lane Community Garden · Totterdown Sprouting’s orchard · the ‘bed’ at Upper Horfield Community Garden Club. Main photo: Woodcroft Community Orchard

4 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Take the Pig Pledge and help end Animal Factories Alexandra MacEachern It is important to buy pork that has a welfare label in addition to be being British reared. Farmers’ markets might occasionally sell pork that has been raised in factory conditions, so take the extra moment to ask the stallholder about how their pork was produced.

What can you do? The Pig Pledge is asking consumers to buy high welfare meat and to cover the higher cost that accompanies an ethical product, buy less meat or buy cheaper cuts. Sign the Pig Pledge to demonstrate your commitment to buying high welfare pork, share the changes you are making with your family and your community, letting them know why these changes are important. Ask your local butcher and The Pig Pledge is the brain child of Tracy where young pigs’ tails are routinely cut grocery store about their meat traceability Worcester, and is a campaign to create off and pigs have teeth pulled out so they and sourcing guidelines and let them a consumer led boycott of meat from don’t harm each other out of the anxiety know you will only buy high welfare. animal factories. and frustration that comes from how they are being reared. Additionally, the law Factory ‘farming’ is a horrifying business Why is high welfare meat more requires that pigs must be provided with that provides a glut of cheap meat whose expensive? manipulable material such as straw, but real costs are suffering animals, people A common argument against high welfare Compassion found that in six EU countries sickened by the air and water polluted meat is that it costs more and generally (including the UK) between 36% and 100% from these animal factories, family this argument holds true, but it is worth of the animal factories inspected had no farmers losing their livelihoods, and the it! You are buying a healthier product for effective enrichment. This is because the you and your family, you are ensuring a alarming spread of antibiotic-resistant bedding materials block the widely used farmer is paid a living wage that will allow human diseases. Pigs kept in inhumane low-cost slatted floor system which allows them to keep farming in a sustainable conditions spend their days living on the waste to drop into tanks below. slatted floors with no bedding, are denied way, you ensure that the animals are free access to the outdoors and fresh air and How can you ensure the welfare of your from suffering in their daily life and have are routinely fed antibiotics to keep them meat? access to bedding, fresh air and are able to express their natural behaviours. alive in these inhumane conditions. Sows Labeling is one easiest ways to are confined in narrow, steel ‘farrowing understand the meat you are buying, but Purchasing locally produced, ethical meat crates’ for a month in each pregnancy there are many labels which can often improves the quality of life and the health where they cannot turn around and are leave consumers feeling unclear or unsure of those in your community, improving thus denied their natural instinct to nest of what they are actually buying. The Bristol and the surrounding countryside and nurture their young. Organic label guarantees high welfare, with every purchase you make. For more The Pig Pledge campaign asks everyone to has very strict rules regarding antibiotic information on finding local high welfare help stop the animal factory system by the use, ensures non-GMO feed, access to the farms, signing the Pig Pledge and any simple act of buying only high welfare pork outdoors and a barn bedded with straw, other queries you may have, please visit produced on humane and healthy farms. all of which leave you, the animals and the the websites below. surrounding farmland healthier. Although the UK has some of the highest Sign the Pig Pledge: www.pigpledge.org standards in the world for pork production, The RSPCA’s Freedom Food label High Welfare Directory: our grocery store shelves are loaded with ensures welfare above the minimal legal www.pigpledge.org/resources/high- standards, insists that straw or similar imported meat that does not adhere to welfare-pork-directory material is provided and that the farrowing British standards. Even the lower EU Need help understanding the labels?: area must be big enough for the sow to standards are being ignored as reported www.pigpledge.org/resources/labelling turn around easily. by Compassion in World Farming in 2013,* * www.ciwf.org.uk/includes/documents/ a leading UK animal welfare charity. These In the UK, if none of these labels are cm_docs/2013/f/fvo_reports_on_failure_ pigs come from animal factories that present, it is not safe to assume that to_enforce_pigs_directive_compiled_by_ house thousands of animals indoors, British reared pork was raised humanely. compassion_in_world_farming_sept_2013.pdf

5 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 GoodGym Lisa Muller

Since GoodGym Bristol started early in 2013 we have had over 50 runs in Bristol. This means over 400 hours worked by our volunteers. We typically run from the centre of town to a community project and spend 45 minutes to an hour volunteering on whatever task has been set for us. 90% of the projects we have visited so far are growing or garden ones. We have been bashing brambles, digging soil, raising beds, clearing rubbish, moving compost, weeding, chopping, cutting grass … and so on. Typically 10–15 of our volunteers will arrive from the first part of their run on site ready to get stuck into preferably Tyntesfield orchard physical tasks, especially when it’s cold. Nicole Armitage You provide the tools and the task so we can make quick work of whatever needs doing before we run off again. A new apple orchard is planned for Here an example of a report from our National Trust Tyntesfield. It is a place recent run to Grow Bristol: where we hope to include rare heritage apple species and we are inviting the “A great day for running, and 12 runners people of Bristol to take part in our to enjoy it! We left Roll for the Soul and orchard project in two ways: scampered down to Grow Bristol, a new project aiming to develop hydro and The first is that we have an apple press aquaponic methods of growing food. and last year saw the first annual Apple We had several new people along for Pressing Tour in Bristol. On the tour we the run – welcome newbies! took our scratter (which turns the apples into pulp) and press to community groups Dermot, one of the brains behind Grow and allotments in Bristol and pressed Bristol, gave us a little introduction to for the day. We invited people to bring the project, and then gave us various along apples, perhaps from the allotment tasks at the site. The Lord Mayor of or granny’s back garden, some even Bristol is due to visit shortly, so we admitted to have partaken in a spot of needed to tidy the site up a little by scrumping in order to find their apples for building a path through the site, plus the press! All apples were accepted and back garden with Tyntesfield’ scheme. We some poly tunnels needed small pressed there and then and the result are asking the people of Bristol to offer hummocks of earth built up at their was delicious golden juice which was cuttings from unusual apple trees you entrances to help retain moisture. Lastly, bottled and enjoyed by everyone, each might have in your gardens or orchards as the site was being spruced up, a lot batch tasting slightly different from the which we will use as grafting material of weeding was needed. For 45 minutes, next depending on which apples had been to do our bit to help prevent rare apple the team attacked with great vigour. used. This year we are looking to expand varieties from dying out. The new orchard We’d been joined by Joanna, a lady who the tour throughout October. We are trees will then have a real link to their simply happened to be waiting near the looking for schools, community groups, twin trees growing across the city and entrance to the site – a friend had let orchards, growing projects etc. who would will also help us to preserve some of the her down at the last moment, so she like to be involved by hosting a day of heritage or unusual apples. We will soon decided to come and help. the tour. All we need is access to water be drawing up a list of the varieties we The path was created, weeds were (for hand washing) and an electrical hook hope to find and will be putting that to the pulled, and dykes were built, and all up. Weekend dates have booked up fast, people of Bristol to see if you can help us too soon it was time to run back, but though we still have 18 October and with our orchard shopping list! not before Dermot presented us with a 25 October free. We can also come and If you are interested in either (or both) couple of bags of freshly picked salad to press on week days, after school and aspects of our orchard project please munch on. With the bags clutched in our during the half term. contact Nicole Armitage, National Trust hands, we had a steady run back to Roll The second way to get involved with the Engagement Ranger on 07557 801087 or for the Soul, stretched and departed, orchard project is through our ‘Twin your [email protected] ready to do good another day.” [email protected] www.goodgym.org

6 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Severn Project success Steve Glover

We are right in the middle of our most process of incentivisation. People are Plans are underway for a restaurant productive time of year on the Severn much more likely to work hard if they supported anaerobic digestion Project, with our mustard leaf literally are paid per the unit for instance. But programme, first meeting will be 1st week being ready 3 weeks after planting – there is another part to this and that in July please contact me for more details. this means that Templemeads site is is the incentivisation of being part of Our lease is coming to an end in currently producing somewhere in the the community. If you are a 15 year old Keynsham. We have learnt so much from region of 300kgs per week. habitual criminal who is incarcerated for being there and it is a shame to leave the 8 months at a time it is impossible not to The Keynsham site is also doing very fantastic soil that we spent years getting well – not only is it home to four of our become institutionalised, marginalised, right – but we will be bringing everything apprentices but is producing a range of disillusioned and frankly disappointed with us – tree, herbs etc to Whitchurch this produce – chard, mint, thyme, lemon with what life has to offer. We hope that by winter. thyme, mustards, parsley, coriander, them growing edible flowers for our mixed This last week has been amazing for us – chives, basil, sage, potatoes and radish. salad that they become part of our success VIP at the Big Green Week, 2 different In one week we sold 400kgs of mixed and begin to think of themselves as part of film crews visiting, emotional visit to leaf, 45kg parsley, 30kg coriander and and not separate from the community. Vinnie Green Secure Unit, gave a talk approx 40kgs of the other herbs combined In other news Severn Project will be on sustainability in the Redcliffe Caves to over 300 different outlets throughout announcing an investment for the to Stride Treglown, good meetings with the southwest – working with our new Whitchurch site of between 50 and 150k Addaction regarding social franchising, distributor LaChasse means that we are within the next few weeks. Also Future great also to meet George Ferguson and to now covering an area from the Isle of Perfect have had permission granted start talking to the LEP (Local Enterprise Wight to Bath to Okehampton. for a community orchard on some of Partnership) and Big Barn who I reckon are Our organisation is fast becoming a hub our land in Whitchurch – please see our also going to be changing food culture in with our number of satellite growers Facebook page for more details. We are this city. increasing every week, built on the seriously looking forward to putting all As always – watch this space. If anyone success of our working arrangements our learning over the last 4 years into wants to get involved please don’t hesitate with Leyhill Prison we are discussing with practice in Whitchurch with state of the art to ring. If anyone has any feedback – also Vinnie Green Secure unit the possibility watering systems, rainwater harvesting please don’t hesitate to call. of the young people (12–18) becoming and polytunnels measuring 80m x 50m. part of our success story. We feel that We are also currently updating our website Steve Glover where we work well with socially excluded and will very shortly be recruiting for our Director, The Severn Project CIC people both within our programme and City and Guilds qualification beginning in 07960290943 · 0117 935 3780 as part of the hub/satellite system is a August 2014. www.thesevernproject.org

7 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Read more online

Food as a Commons digest: People go hungry not because of a shortage of production, but because the food available is too expensive, or they lack the land to grow it on. In California, the prototype of a combined social, political and technical solution has been launched which promises to unlock the food system crisis. www.doorsofperception.com/ infrastructure-design/food-as-a- commons/ Sims Hill Toby Hemenway: Explaining Permaculture growing news digest: At its essence, permaculture is about understanding and appreciating how systems naturally It’s exciting times for Sims Hill Shared and grow our membership. Contact us at operate, and combining those Harvest. The hungry gap is coming to [email protected] if you’re systems in intelligent ways to an end, and the variety and amount of interested in joining and sharing the accomplish intended goals, produce coming off the farm will only harvest. sustainably. increase from now on. So its the perfect time to join Sims Hill. If you would like Introducing the latest member of our www.resilience.org/ to access freshly harvested, locally team, Clare Adamson! stories/2014-05-28/toby- grown fruit and veg (using natural We are very excited that Clare has joined hemenway-explaining- methods) and be part of a member- the Sims Hill team as our new Membership permaculture owned community farm then Sims Hill is Support person! Clare will be: for you. Please get in touch with Clare at Hungry for land: Small farmers feed 1. the point of contact for existing [email protected] or for the world with less than a quarter members about veg collection, for any of all farmland more info view simshill.co.uk questions or concerns member might digest: It is commonly heard today After a wet winter, the Spring weather has have, and all things Sims Hill really. that small farmers produce most of been kind and the team has been hard 2. involved in membership recruitment – the world’s food. But how many of us at work planting and sowing. We’ve got from promoting Sims Hill to the realise that they are doing this with a great new team of work shares and yet converting of enquiries into new less than a quarter of the world’s again it’s very noticeable how important members they are to making the growing possible. farmland, and that even this meagre 3. managing the Sims Hill online It’s also very heart-warming to work along- share is shrinking fast? If small presence – to keep members and farmers continue to lose the very side a great group of passionate people interested parties informed, through basis of their existence, the world who often go out of their way to support, the blogs, website and social media. will lose its capacity to feed itself. Tim, James and the aims of Sims Hill. 4. And, (if she has time after all that!), www.resilience.org/resource- Once again we are growing our early crops doing general marketing and promotion detail/2251695-hungry-for-land- of field veg at Feed Bristol and using Sims of Sims Hill and its Land Centre status. small-farmers-feed Hill for main crops. We are also fortunate enough to be using the greenhouse again Volunteers most welcome! Urban agriculture in rust belt cities which has been pumping out serious It’s a busy time of year when it comes to digest: In many Great Lakes “rust quantities of salads throughout the winter, growing vegetables. Sims Hill would love belt” cities, urban agriculture has and we’re all very excited about the to have some volunteer help during the emerged as a productive reuse of prospects of another bountiful summer daytimes in the week to help out. vacant land resultant from economic harvest. We’ve also finished building our You would get some great experience decline, population loss, and home 2nd polytunnel on the Sims Hill field with and knowledge about growing veg on foreclosures. The benefits of urban the help of a team of volunteers. agriculture include health and field scale, be part of a fantastic growing well-being, neighborhood cohesion, We’ve participated in some Spring events team (who have a lot of fun as well as local economic development, and at our sister project Feed Bristol – the work hard), get some outside action improvement of environmental annual seed swap, the 2nd Food and and great exercise, and a good feeling services. Land Forum, and also the 4th annual in your heart for giving up some of your Get Growing Garden Trail. It’s been great time, and the huge appreciation from www.resilience.org/ to meet new people and talk about the Sims Hill! If you are interested please stories/2014-06-05/urban- project. Lots more to do this year as we contact Clare, Membership support on agriculture-in-rust-belt-cities continue to develop our infrastructure [email protected]

8 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Beacon Farms update Bonnie Hewson

Beacon Farms is a Community Benefit n work closely with the Winterbourne Produce from the farm will be sold both Society that has been incorporated for Medieval Barn to develop a vibrant wholesale and retail into local markets almost 6 months. We have been working learning centre and we will develop new distribution hard in this time to make the vision n ensure the appropriate use and care of opportunities by working with local of a commercial scale, agroecological high quality soils businesses. We will also develop longer- and educational market garden on the term land partnerships and connected n engage the community in habitat outskirts of Bristol a reality. enterprises, such as a micro-dairy and a management and supporting their local soup company. We are making good headway on acquiring farm 65 acres of high quality land near The site will be home to a 40+ acre How you can help... Winterbourne and hope to have exciting commercial market garden run by We hope to be launching a crowdfunder news for you all on this front soon. We students on our unique four-tier learning and then, in due course a community don’t want you to forget about us while programme with guidance from mentor share offer – we hope you will be we beaver away – so this is just a little farmers. These learners won’t just be interested in hearing about this so please reminder of what we’re about! gaining vocational skills in horticulture do email us to get on our update list What we will be doing... they will also be gaining business, ([email protected]), follow us marketing and leadership skills. Students on Twitter (@BeaconFarms) or Like us on The educational market garden that we in the higher tiers will have more Facebook (beaconlanestarterfarm). will establish on the edge of Winterbourne responsibility to managing aspects of will: We are also always looking for people production to build their confidence and with all sorts of skills, from illustration n produce food for the local area via will be given support to develop their own to carpentry, book keeping to learning organic and sustainable methods business plans so that when they leave administration, architecture to horticulture they are ready to manage an enterprise. n provide pioneering vocational learning to advise us and help make Beacon Farms You could think of us as an ‘agriversity’ programmes for new entrants into a reality. Our brand new endeavour is now with the fields and barns as our campus! market gardening newly branded – thanks to Big Mike Inc n provide a variety of short courses We will have some livestock in the farming and we have a new website coming soon: relating to the skills of food production mix, conservation grazing in the meadows www.beaconfarms.co.uk and processing and orchards on the southern slopes.

Key yellow: 25+ acres of Nature Conservation Area dark green: 40 acres of Market Garden pale green: 17 acres of S Glos land available to rent black block: 1 acre (or 12) polytunnels Location tbc red block: Barns and sheds to be erected Location tbc

9 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Read more online

Our future farmers: Ragman’s Farm digest: In the wilds of the Forest of Dean, four friends have started farming a small market garden plot in partnership with an established farm. Ragman’s Lane Market Garden is part of Ragman’s Farm, but stands as a separate business, run by the young farmers. http://sustainablefoodtrust. org/articles/our-future-farmers- ragmans-farm/

Get your oats here! Community support helps new enterprise transform local food supply chain Golden Hill update digest: Grown in Totnes is a Lucy Mitchell project that seeks to increase the range of local food available to the As usual it’s all go down at the Golden website or join our mailing list to find out Totnes area – starting with oats – Hill Community Garden! I’m happy to the exciting launch date! commissioned from a local farmer. announce we’ll be running our popular www.resilience.org/ And we’ve been humming with life this kid’s adventure days again this summer stories/2014-06-06/get-your-oats- month with visits from Willows Day, adults every Tuesday in the summer. Following here-community-support-helps- with dementia, local Beaver and Brownie on from our fabulous Robin Hood days at new-enterprise-transform-local- groups, pond dippers from Ashley Down Easter we are inviting 6–12 year olds to food-supply-chain Primary, the regular environment club welcome in their wild sides and live the story at ‘The Animals of Golden Hill’. from Bishop Road, students with learning Improving diets: Health-by-stealth difficulties from King Weston Special digest: The UK has the highest rate Described as “The best holiday club School and Ashley Down college and little of childhood obesity in Western EVER!” the days will be jam packed with ones from Magic Dragon and Beanstalks Europe. We have achieved greater all sorts of den building, mask making, Nurseries. awareness – as a nation we pond dipping, harvesting veg, fire collectively feel guilty for not eating building, pizza eating, story telling and We’re a community garden at the heart our five-a-day – but there is a huge running along playing games. It’s a work of our community. Not been down to say gulf between knowing what’s good out for the imagination as well as a super hello yet? We’re open every Wednesday for us and doing what’s good for us. fun way to make new friends and enjoy 10am–4pm and the first Saturday of the the outdoors! 10am–4pm £25 per day month if you’d like to get involved and http://sustainablefoodtrust. including a pizza from our frog shaped take home tasty organic veg or just pop org/articles/childhood-obesity- oven for lunch. Places are limited and along for a nosey and a chat. See the solution/ booking is essential. website for more details or give me a ring! Let’s talk about Soil! In other exciting news our wonderful See you in the garden! digest: This animated film straw bale building is nearly finished! Lucy Mitchell, Community Project Worker emphasizes human dependence on Built with reclaimed and local materials The Golden Hill Community Garden: soils and describes how sustainable where possible, with plastered clay from Horfield’s Accessible Allotment and development is threatened by our pond, we’ll be using the building for Edible Forest certain soil use trends. workshops and hiring it out along with www.resilience.org/resource- our pond and clay oven for super fun 07506 905 394 detail/2264119-let-s-talk-about- and wholesome kids parties! Check the www.thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com soil

One aquaponic rooftop farm to go please digest: Innovative modular systems for urban aquaponic and hydroponic growing – ready to be hoisted onto an industrial rooftop. www.urbangardensweb. com/2014/06/25/aquaponic- urban-rooftop-gardens/

10 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 The Fruit Machine A report written by two of the participating year 10 students from Backwell School, Matt and Zach

‘The Fruit Machine’ brief Day one (Friday) commenced with a 5am The next few hours seemed to ‘blend’ start, imagine our delight! We made together in a joyous flurry of advertising, ‘The Fruit Machine’ was an inter-school our way to the tragically un-renowned pouring and selling our fresh(ish) challenge to develop successful Bristol Wholesale Fruit Market, where smoothies; we could just imagine ‘The smoothie combinations using fruit we met our competitors: Clevedon Apprentice’ theme tune blaring out next from the wholesale market, and to School. After receiving our T-shirts (a to us! We were a hit with the public, then sell these drinks to the Bristol repugnant green colour, I must add) we who couldn’t get enough of our ‘Berry public. The pupils’ brief was: headed out into the world of bartering Blush’, ‘Banana Blitz’ and ‘Jungle Juice’. Day 1 comprises buying at Bristol and negotiation, with our newly Furthermore, our name, ‘Lush Crush’, was Wholesale Fruit Centre from 6.30–9am pocketed £60. We split into teams where also quite popular among the judges, who on Friday 20 June, from where the food we were astounded by the absurdly low consisted of professional business men will be placed in cold storage. prices which the salesmen stoop to – 8 and women from well-known companies kilos (2000) berries for £4?! Negotiating such as Barclays Bank. Preparation and selling at the end- techniques were vital here, in making a event for Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride: At the end of the day, we were down to good investment and, ultimately, profit. Sunday 22 June College Green, 8.30am our last drips and drops of smoothies, so After our pile of fruit had built up in start. these final minutes saw the birth of drinks the middle of the market, trailers were such as Blueberry Lemonade, Appleade Under supervision students prepare stuffed as we headed over to Clevedon to and… iced water. These sold very well, at products, smoothies, strawberries make our products. two pounds, particularly the iced water! with ice-cream etc to sell to a For the next four hours (no exaggeration), And so, at three o’clock on the dot, we particular target audience. They need we were chopping, blending, juicing, poured our last drink, marking the end of to construct attractive displays, well squeezing, grating, pouring and storing our two fruitful days. presented products with an awareness our 70 litres worth of smoothies, of cost and profit. So, how did we find it? Let’s put it like this: decimating the room as we went. Frankly, our legs are aching and I’m pretty sure the At the end of the selling period an I lost track of the countless messy deaths smell of spilled smoothie will remain on ‘apprentice style’ plenary takes of poor, unsuspecting bananas brutally my hands for at least another decade, but place. Judging includes the following thrown into the blender to be blitzed into I can honestly say we loved every minute categories, but the judges can also a crimson frenzy of fruit amidst the kitchen of it. We find ourselves back at school with add their own. carnage. Soon, it was over, but the fruit an array of business knowledge about lost was never gone, as we saw it later in 1. Negotiating best prices/deals team work, sales strategies and just how our nightmares. Yet, more madness was 2. Most innovative product ideas satisfying the world of business can be. still to come… 3. Most successful sales strategies So, did we win? We hope to find out within 4. Best Customer Service Skills Sunday morning arrived along with the the next month. In the meantime though, 5. Most cohesive teamwork same feeling reminiscent of the time all we can do now is wait for the Lord Alan 6. Overall financial performance before your maths exams. We entered himself to point at us and say: “you’re College Green in the hope that our stall hired!” would be perfectly prepared and waiting “The fruit machine for me was a really “I loved taking part in the fruit machine, for our arrival. Instead, we were met with exciting and refreshing experience. I’ve for me it was a great chance to build my the ripe stench of dog muck. There was never really taken part in any business confidence and social skills. It has also plenty of work still to be done! After an trips before so this was amazing. The helped my team work skills and how we hour of preparing (and cleaning) we were mornings were early but were filled with able to work out how to create the best way ready to sell, armed with the weapon of a new experiences. Selling to customers to sell our products as well as buy the fruit banana suit with reflective sunglasses and was hard but it made my confidence grow for the best deals. I think the best part was a pink wig. Unbeknownst to us, blenders and also gave me experience of business when we sold our first smoothie and the were provided! However, it soon became events. I also enjoyed raising money the response from the customers who tried apparent that the ‘green’ power source for charity as it made everyone more them.” Annie C Lewis was actually a guy in a repugnant green motivated for success.” Vicky Bussey T-shirt on a bicycle, powering the blender.

11 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Fire at Trinity Community Garden Trinity Community Garden was the victim of vandalism, when their outdoor kitchen was set on fire. Considerable damage was done to the hand-built roundhouse, leaving walls and ceiling burnt and damaged. The space was built as an outdoor kitchen with the help of an Awards for All grant in 2012 and volunteers had been working on it over the last 2 years, giving their time and resources to improve the space. Trinity Centre’s Manager said “The Community Garden volunteers have done a tremendous amount of work How smart phones are and we feel really sad for them. There is quite a lot of damage.” A spokesperson for the Community changing the way we eat Garden said “It’s really sad to see something like this happen, after Lyndsey Knight, FoodTrade we’ve all worked so hard over the years to keep a welcoming space for In this pre-packed, vac-packed, pre- sharing logistics, making it easy to take the community”. washed, ready-cooked world of food, it’s advantage of seasonal availability – She also said she hoped activities often hard to really know where our food they can even post up a shopping list by the groups who used the outdoor comes from. Everywhere we read ‘buy so local producers can come to them, kitchen and garden could continue local!’, and ‘buy British!’ and ‘support making it almost effortless to put good as normal, adding: “It is going to be your farmers’, but when it comes to food on shelves and menus. FoodTrade a lot of work to get everything back to down to it – when we’re wandering the is designed for smart phones (useful for normal but we will hopefully get the aisles of the shops, or sitting down at when in a tractor/polytunnel/kitchen), support of the community and the our favourite cafe – it’s really tricky to and anyone can tweet to trade. people who care about the space”. actually discover the food’s provenance. And because it’s important that we all The Trinity Community Garden is a We often purchase food in an unattentive support the best of what’s around, anyone community led, beautiful food growing state, making choices based on can go on and vouch for their favourite space which aims to connect people merchandising, placement, and colours produce, and explore the local food web with nature in their own community. rather than flavour, provenance, or quality. to find the best places to go. FoodTrade’s The garden also has an orchard, poly- Ambiguous messages like ‘100% natural’ even open for individuals to sell or tunnel, a naturally built playground and ‘farm fresh’, together with pictures swap produce, too – helping nurture the with an outdoor stage and a compost of sun-kissed rolling green fields plaster growing renaissance the UK requires. toilet. The community projects that use packaging and blind us from the ugly And the best thing? With tools like these, the garden grow, forage and cook in imported or intensively-farmed truth. a sustainable food system is within reach. the space so that participants get to experience truly sustainable living and Shopping and eating out responsibly We’re are asking the people of Bristol the complete food cycle. The space can be an exhausting endeavor for the to change the system. It’s easy, if we all also provides a place for workshops, conscientious customer; scrutinising small contribute just a little bit. All you need to children’s quests, community events print and trekking to farm shops. It’s not do is visit www.foodtrade.com and find and gatherings. easy, and it’s not fair. your local cafe, restaurant, shop or pub. If you know where they get their food Trinity are also going to host an event We wanted a better, fairer food network; at the garden soon to help raise funds. where honesty and transparency are at from, whether it’s a cheesemonger, cider brewery or chicken farm, simply add it to We still need performers and helping the heart of trade, where businesses put their FoodTrade profile. It’s quick, free hands so please get in touch if that’s provenance on display, and customers and simple – and helps us all make better something you’re interested in getting can demand where and what they want choices. involved in. Call/text/email Lisa on to eat – and all the while making it easier [email protected] and 07791 140916. for companies to discover and trade more Visit www.foodtrade.com to register produce, more locally. The tools to create for free, and follow them on Twitter If you are unable to help out on the day this simply didn’t exist, so we founded @FoodTradeHQ. but would like to show your support FoodTrade to change things. you can Text TGDN13 £[the amount you You can find a version of this article with want to donate] to 70070 to make a We’ve given the tools to help buyers and more links and information online at: donation to the Trinity Garden Project. sellers trade in real-time, save money by http://eeie.io/1nxhaOe

12 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Read more online In France, urban agriculture and Adventures in community co-op grows digest: Incredible Edible takes-off in France with initiatives in more sustainability than 300 municipalities. Kieran Jefferson www.csmonitor.com/Business/ The-Bite/2014/0622/In- France-urban-agriculture-and- As Head Chef at Friska’ Victoria Street in what seemed like acres of space. The community-co-op-grows branch, I’ve been given pretty much fact that the weekend was capped off with carte blanche to experiment with new an early (and huge) Christmas dinner at Could goats be the future of urban ways of being able to do what we do, Alex’s Gran’s farm was, to be honest, a agriculture? to cook up and serve great food, and bonus. give great service, without doing harm digest: Goats are an eco-friendly We’ve just started working with the Severn to this Pale Blue Dot of ours, this Earth landscaping option, clearing Project (Hi Steve!), a social enterprise (and to improve things too, if we can). overgrown land and rendering it growing some truly great salads in the And it ain’t easy, oh no. So to help us, ideal for crop-growing. In some heart of Bristol (urban farming be the we’ve joined forces with the Sustainable cities, they’re available for hire… future, loves). Restaurant Association (basically the www.theguardian.com/ Michelin Guide of the green brigade). The SRA awarded us high marks in the cities/2014/jun/20/goats-urban- This year we retained our three star Environment category, in part for our agriculture-bronx-datong-istanbul rating (the highest; applause, applause, Waste Management scheme. We are now a Zero Waste to Landfill company. All, and Urban farming takes root thank you). really all, of our waste is either recycled or digest: A round-up of urban This rating is based on three categories: bio-digested/gassified to be turned into growing in Boston, where small- Sourcing, Society, and Environment. In energy. It’s great to think that our food scale growing is viewed as having all three the SRA have awarded us with waste, as well as our food, helps to fuel potential to create jobs, clean ‘above average’. But again, what does this people. up blighted landscapes, and really mean? improve residents’ access to fresh, In the Society category, there are all We’ve worked really hard with our nutritious foods. manner of things in the offing. There is suppliers over the last year to improve the our Deki Partnership, where we sponsor www.bostonglobe.com/ provenance and quality of our ingredients. entrepreneurs in developing countries business/2014/06/21/ We now only use Montezuma’s chocolate with a share of the takings from our urban-farming-takes-root/ (direct trade, and British made), all our (admittedly awesome) Pho Noodles. We IoeiZucFBdu2b9HRWYZIVO/story. meat is free range and Farm Assured, we work closely with Frank Water to help html use free range eggs and egg products (you people access clean drinking water. Then would not believe how hard it is to find there is our involvement with Bristol Green Koop-een-koe: Buy a cow that much free range mayonnaise…), and Capital 2015 (we’re on the Food Action digest: Koop-een-koe are a new Fair Trade sugar. In fact, even the barns Group). And we’re a great company to Dutch startup reducing meat our egg-laying chickens sleep in are solar work for. Phew. waste through shared beef buying. powered. That’s pretty cool, right? Consumers collectively pledge to There is always room for improvement. There are so many facts thrown about take 100% of the meat from the We’re looking right now at getting more in the media to do with sustainability, cow ensuring that all parts of the of our fruit and vegetables from organic, we thought it a good idea to go see for animal are accounted for, before Rainforest Alliance or LEAF certified ourselves. To this end me and Alex, Head the animal is slaughtered. producers, and reducing our energy and of Food, went down to Devon to visit water usage with the help of the West of http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ our pork and chicken suppliers. What England Carbon Challenge. The dream articles/koop-een-koe/ is free range really like? Turns out it’s (oh, what a dream) is to become, one day, pretty sweet. Our pork suppliers, Devon Farming Cuba: Urban Agriculture a company whose impact on the world is Rose, are based in a little farm in Devon, from the ground up wholly positive. surrounded by fields of snorting, digging, digest: An excerpt from Carey wallowing, happy pigs. Truly how you If all of this sounds somewhat obsessive, Clouse’s book which explores picture free range to be. Creedy Carver, it’s because it is. In a world where, last Cuba’s impromptu agricultural our chicken suppliers, are based on year, 28% of the agricultural land on the development after the dissolution Merrifield Farm, not far from Devon Rose. planet was used to produce food that of the Soviet Union, and the Peter Coleman, the owner, showed us was simply thrown away, there’s room for challenges that development poses around the whole wonderful, eccentric a little well placed obsession, don’t you for modern day architects and place, complete with wildlife havens, solar think? urban planners. panels, green energy heat exchangers, Kieran Jefferson www.archdaily.com/514669/ and a rare birds aviary where they were Friska, Victoria Street, Bristol farming-cuba-urban-agriculture- treated to the sight of white peacocks and www.friskafood.com from-the-ground-up/ Vietnamese ducks. Not to mention the chickens, strutting and clucking around

13 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Supplier of the month – News from River Cottage Shipton Mill At Shipton Mill, there is more to us than just being a speciality miller of organic Canteen Bristol flour. We have a deep seated belief in how we do what we do, as much as making sure that what we do, we do better than anybody. By really understanding our grains, the flour we make and its application – whether you are an artisan baker running a business or a home baker making the occasional loaf, cake or pastry – we help you to achieve something magnificent

Our philosophy and aims We aim to provide value to our customers beyond the best price through our philosophy and aims.

Sustain soil fertility We strongly believe that the farming practices informed by the agro-ecological principles that we support will maintain and improve the soil fertility, so that our descendants will inherit a fertile earth. The provenance of the product and the quality of the grain are as important to us as the production The beginning of summer at River As the evenings start to draw out, River method. We source our grains from local Cottage Canteen has certainly been a Cottage Canteen is serving dinner a little farms for a number of our blends, where busy one; in addition to creating mouth- earlier during the summer months, with practicable. Over the years, we have also watering dishes, the River Cottage tables available from 6pm for those dining built relationships with suppliers across Canteen’s chefs have been cooking up a from the new Early Bird menu. While the world who share our values. treat for the neighbours. guests wanting to grab a quick afternoon snack will be pleased to hear that the Protect the environment Preserving and Executive Chef Andrew Green visited sharing boards are available all afternoon, maintaining our earth is at the forefront Bristol Zoo to help feed the gorillas and along with a range of new fresh juices, of our ethos. We are investigating the prepare a special version of the Canteen cakes and coffees in the bar area. development of a small hydroelectric Slaw for the lemurs as part of the launch power unit to run off the waterwheel. of the newly installed FSC Kitchen on There are also a number of special offers We have also installed a system to return 19 May. He was also on hand to teach including 3 courses for £21.50 menu on excess heat from the milling process back the next generation of chefs how to make Wednesday and Thursday nights and the into the offices to provide space heating smoked mackerel tortellini at the launch £12.50 lunch menu, Mon–Fri is continuing in winter and hot water all the year round. of the new Food and Nutrition room at throughout the summer months. Badminton School on 28 June. Safeguard the products of the earth www.rivercottage.net/canteens/bristol/ We actively promote the cultivation of Back at River Cottage Canteen there rare and old varieties of wheat. This is not is plenty going on to keep guests a commercial decision as the returns are entertained. Weekly Tuesday evening far too small. It is now recognised that events, such as Veg Out – the popular growing such crops along agro-ecological vegetarian and vegan night and Spice principles also has a positive effect on Night are joined by the new Cocktails nutrition. Simply by being less intensively and Sharing Boards, where bar staff have farmed, the plants have larger and more expertly matched sharing boards and robust root systems, are more drought cocktails to create a perfect night out resistant, and have greater micro-nutrient catching up with friends. Those wanting and mineral content as there are less to dine from the a la carte menu can try plants per square metre and therefore sharing boards and cocktails to start and less competition for available resources. finish with a sweeter board and espresso There is also the reduced requirement for martini. The bar area is livened up by extra fertilisers and weed killers that are fortnightly live music from the fabulous energy inefficient and environmentally FB Pocket Orchestra and gyspy swing damaging. kings The Schmoozenbergs and if that wasn’t enough there is also a Summer @shiptonmill Feast on 22 July. www.shipton-mill.com/

14 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Events at The Community Farm The Community Farm, Denny The urban forager Lane, Chew Magna BS40 8SZ Oliver Pratt

Community Farmer Days Although I didn’t know it back then I I now live in the city but wherever I go 10am–4pm 5 July, 27 September have been a forager all my life. I find myself identifying a whole range of plants all fit for eating. Bay trees, These Community Farmer Days are It all started as a kid, walking in the woods, rosemary, thyme, wild parsley, valerian, for up to 30 people and combine exploring, asking questions and looking at lavender, wild cabbage, mustard, planting, tending, weeding or the vast array of plant life around me. Only horseradish, rosehip, hawthorn and elder harvesting with a chance to meet being allowed to pick the things my parents to mention but a few and I realise that new people and enjoy the farm’s said were safe to eat I was learning that although the landscape has changed my surroundings. They will include an food originated from the wild. optional introduction and tour for ancient instincts have not, I am a modern people who haven’t been to the As I got older so the outdoors became a day hunter gather, I am an urban forager. challenge, often seeing how long we could farm before. When asked what is it I enjoy about live out in the woods and whether it was foraging then my answer comes from www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ possible to survive off the land alone. observing other people whilst on a wild volunteering/community-farmer- The answer to that question was quite camping trip to the Wye valley. Their days/ simply No, with our limited knowledge fun and joy at immersing themselves in Midsummer Picnic and skills it was in fact exceptionally hard nature, the excitement as they discover a 3–6.30pm Saturday 5 July if not possible at all. bounty of food that is edible; identifying it, picking it and taking it back to the camp Join us at our midsummer picnic 25 years on and I have a more holistic to cook. It goes right back to our basic self, in The Community Farm’s beautiful approach, picking up facts and our basic being where we were connected fields in Chew Magna. Do come information along the way from a range to the land for survival and by doing that, along and spend a lovely afternoon of sources has led me to one conclusion. by tapping into all our senses and using with staff, volunteers, members, Foraging is a primeval instinct deeply them it feels good. customers and friends of the farm. rooted in all of us, it has gone hand in Bring along a picnic blanket, food hand with our evolutionary progression If foraging helps us stay connected to the to share and some sunshine! and mental development. Being able to land, appreciate it more and as a result Book at: identify and catalog the subtle differences help preserve it then that is a great thing. in plants by their shape, texture, taste and www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ Oliver Pratt, Executive Chef Watershed smell, and by using and developing all of midsummer-picnic-saturday-5th- [email protected] our senses to define what was edible and july-tickets-7067243315? what was not has enabled us to evolve For further information about Watershed Seed saving workshop and survive as a species. Food and Drink go to: www.watershed.co.uk/food-drink/cafe- 10am–3pm Saturday 12 July · These days there is no need to forage for bar/ £20/£17 survival, food is farmed, packaged and After high demand, Tim Foster even delivered to our door and the ancient Also follow Oliver on Twitter @oliverjspratt is back to share his wisdom and art of being a hunter-gatherer has been practical skills for saving seed. lost. Or has it? During the morning you will have the opportunity to explore some floral botany to gain a better understanding of different plants and how they are pollinated. You’ll then put this theory into practice by doing some simple seed saving as well as separating seed from plants that cross-pollinate. You’ll even have the opportunity to make some simple insect-proof tents for plants that cross pollinate.

www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ course/seed-saving-workshop-2/

15 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Elm Tree Farm on Open Farm Sunday Lisa Allen

When I tell people where I work, I often get the response, “I’d always wondered what goes on up there.” Sunday 8 June saw us giving people the chance to find out. Open Farm Sunday has been running since 2006, with farmers across the country opening their farms to the public for a day. Elm Tree Farm, in Stapleton, spreads across 35 acres, with a market garden, livestock such as pigs and poultry, and workshops offering training in woodwork and bike maintenance. We are run by Brandon Trust, a charity which supports people with learning disabilities and autism to live the lives they choose, and we offer training to around 60 adults. Our trainees are involved in all aspects of the farm, from routine tasks like feeding and mucking out to selling produce at the Bristol Farmers Market every Wednesday. Brandon Trusts Grounds and Gardens Anna from Elm Tree Farm and some vegetable creatures team also have their base on the farm, offering employment opportunities we’d be ready in time. We needn’t actually day enormously, and learnt lots, about in grounds maintenance. We are not have worried about anything. Almost on local food and about the work done by the generally open to the public; we work the dot of 10am, people arrived. A ripple people we support here. Just as the last with vulnerable people, and their safety went around the farm, “There’s people visitors left, the sky clouded over and the and well-being is of course our primary here … we’ve got visitors … this might heavens opened. We felt very much smiled concern. This can be difficult to balance work!” Almost from that moment on, we upon by the end of 8 June. with having an open site. were rushed off our feet. The day was And the future? We will definitely be Elm Tree Farm has been in existence better than we had dared hope for. We had doing Open Farm Sunday again next year, for many years however, and the world several hundred visitors, a great many of perhaps in conjunction with joining the around us has changed. People are more them from our local area, something we Get Growing Trail. We are also looking at knowledgeable about and interested had particularly wanted to acheive. The other ways to build greater community in local food, and there is much more farm became full of families and children, involvement, perhaps a Harvest Festival awareness of the need for urban green enjoying all the activities on offer, from later in the year, or Weekend Weeding spaces and the therapeutic effects of making stunning animal creations from Parties, to help us develop gardening nature and growing. People with learning vegetables, to furiously peddling the volunteering opportunities. One of the disabilities have different expectations bike-based smoothie maker, generously most common comments we had on the too, wanting to enjoy full lives in their provided by its creator. We had support day was how people would love to support communities, just as we all do. Open from Avon Wildlife Trust and Avon and us by buying direct from the farm – this is Farm Sunday provided the perfect Somerset Police, who gained much a service we want to offer too, so watch opportunity for us all to try out opening to respect from the trainees on voluntary car this space for future developments. the public. Preparations were hectic, in parking duty by letting them briefly lock an Arriving at work the next day, the first time-honoured tradition we had decided unwitting staff member in the riot van. words spoken to me by one of our trainees to hold an open day almost at the last The blue sky remained all day. Lambs were, “Lisa, are we having another open minute. Staff, trainees, friends and gambolled, ponies gleamed and sausages day?” This enthusiasm sums up just how families all spread the word, with groups sizzled. I hardly left the busy barbecue, successful Open Farm Sunday was for us. of trainees particularly enjoying leafletting (selling farm-produced sausages, of in the local area. We seemed to talk about Lisa Allen, Elm Tree Farm course), but whenever I did all I saw little else but the weather in the week 0117 958 6206 was smiles – from staff, trainees and before the open day. The forecast for the most importantly visitors. There was Sunday wasn’t looking good… an infectious air of joy and curiosity We needn’t have worried. Sunday dawned around the farm, people were genuinely with glorious blue sky. The farm was a hive interested in and impressed by this of activity – gazebos sprouted, displays unique resource on their doorstep. set up, important equipment like the tea Reading the comments book afterwards urn got a final polish. None of us thought reflected this; people had enjoyed the

16 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 The Chelsea Fringe is an alternative gardening festival encompassing around 250 events in four countries – Chelsea Fringe including Bristol Food Network’s own Get Growing Garden Trail. The Sun shone on The Plants Party in the Park Thunder, lightning and torrential rain and talented Alex Part opened the event was expected for the 7 June but Rosie followed by the amazing Su Hart. Calamity and I refused to believe the forecast. We Poets and Clevedon brass band went had spent a hectic 10 weeks organising down a storm; whilst Jamba da Samba the first ever Plant Party in the Park and could be heard ¼ mile away and brought couldn’t conceive of cancelling it. Thank in the curious and adventurous of Bath. goodness we didn’t because apart from a This provided the perfect atmosphere for light shower whilst the stall holders set Bath’s plant lovers who were in for a treat up the sun shone all afternoon. Crowds as the great and the good of local plant of people relaxed in the sunshine and growers were gathered in Bath for one day took their time to enjoy the plants, only. Award winning Hardy’s nursery didn’t music and food on offer at the Bandstand even unpack from their stand at Chelsea in Victoria Park Bath. to be there and the newbee ‘plant hunter’ nursery Evolution Plants brought plants no The original idea behind the Plant Party one had seen before. The Mead, Blooming in the Park was to offer free garden Hill and Necia West all presented a design advice on the day. Of course keen fantastic selection of interesting and gardeners were not put off by the rain, good quality plants. Special Plants stall happily queuing for their slot. There was manned by two lovely professional followed a steady stream of questions gardeners Beth and Cath. The Botanic ranging from ideas for a large neglected Nursery had sold out of foxgloves by the country garden to plant suggestions for a time I got there and I didn’t have enough shady city courtyard garden. Rosie, Tom, time to look at all the plants on Pennard Michelle and I took it in turns to answer plants stall. Wicked Lavender had the questions and offer suggestions. We were clever idea of putting lavender coloured so pleased to see kids busily potting flowering plants in lavender coloured pots up young plants at Atelier’s gardening and Teoh of restaurant fame had brought workshops as it meant we could really his amazing organic wooden garden listen to the mum’s questions. All the furniture and petrified wood. planning had been worth it. Rosie and I couldn’t have been more Dusty Ape the coffee maker did well at the delighted to be told “this is better than start of the day but soon customers were Bath’s old Spring Flowers show; much either sampling the refreshing delights of more relaxed”. I think we can thank the Bath’s own gin or Midford’s tasty cider. sunshine for that, Cheers and here’s to Installation for the Chelsea Fringe at As the afternoon progressed handfuls of next year!! the Star and Dove Tavern in Totterdown cocktail lollies or traditional ice creams which was called Medieval Mayhem For more information contact: were being enjoyed by all ages. By midday to reflect the amazing food that the crowds of people were sitting infront of Louise Bastow 07929 253942 chefs do there, based on recipes from the bandstand munching on a spicy pulled alchemygardendesign.co.uk Medieval times up to the 19th century pork burger from Sam’s Kitchen pop up Rosie Nottage 07967 316259 specially adapted to today’s palates. café whilst enjoying live music. The young rosienottage.com Louise Bastow from Alchemy Garden Design described this as the highlight of her visit to the opening of the event on Bank Holiday Monday: “Bill and Ben – you guys are just amazing. The plants were gorgeous of course but it was the planters that were so imaginative for me. Old wooden planks to make the boxes but with medieval fleur de lys and other motifs carved out of wood. Clever.” Elsewhere in Bristol, a pop-up veg bed appeared in Park Street parking space: www.bristolpost.co.uk/Pop-garden- shoots-Bristol-s-Park-Street/story- 21164391-detail/story.html

17 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 From left to right: Hemerocallis or day lilies, the Blue sausage tree or Dead men’s fingers, Fuschia, Amaranthus, Pineapple guava Delight your taste buds with exotic fruit and veg Alice Maltby

While many people admire the beauty Fuchsia magellanica, whose fruit turns traditionally crushed the flowers and of daylilies (Hemerocallis), often they from green to red to a deep purple and placed them in their bosom as perfume. are unaware that they are edible. Also has a flavour suggesting kiwi, plum and You can use the bark of Carolina allspice known as: tiger lilies, golden needles, sweet grapes with a gentle pepper end in exactly the same way as cinnamon. yellow flower vegetable and a typical note. Fuchsia fruits are perfect when made Mark suggests either gently toasting it supermarket vegetable throughout East into sorbets and ice creams and candied in a dry pan or slow drying in the oven. Asia, their taste likened to runner beans, fuchsia flowers are an exotic highlight to He recommends keeping a batch of asparagus and delicate okra. cakes and puddings. Carolina allspice sugar for cinnamon toast emergencies and to add to crumbles, While all parts of the plant are edible, it is For a stunning, majestic plant to grow, sprinkle on apple pies or add to hot best just to eat the flowers, which can be look no further than Amaranthus, also chocolate. eaten in three forms: either in bud, when known as Calaloo, Bayam, Kiwicha and fully open or even as spent (withering) Chinese Spinach. Several Amaranthus Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana), blooms. James Wong recommends that at species are important tropical leafy grows on the front of The Holmes at the each of these stages, they are prepared vegetables in South-East Asia, Africa and Botanic Garden. Originating from the cool and cooked in totally different ways, as the Caribbean. The Amaranthus grown in mountains of southern Brazil, the aromatic their texture and flavour varies so much. the Native American Foods display at the fruit tasting of ripe pineapple and pink His ideas include adding the buds to Botanic Garden and on the Floating Ballast guava, which are ripe when they fall off stir-fries, including the petals in salads or Seed barge is Amaranthus caudatus, Inca the tree, are the most exotic tasting crop deep frying them in tempura and finally, Wheat or Tassel Flower. It was a staple that can be grown in the UK. Each stunning adding the wilted blooms in stir-fries after grain of the Incas and Aztecs as long flower contains four to six fleshy flower drying them for a few hours. ago as 6000BC until it was banned by petals that are white tinged with purple on the inside. Look out for pineapple guava the Spanish, who forced them to grow You cannot believe your eyes the first time flavoured vodka from New Zealand. you see the fruit of the Blue sausage tree, European crops in a form of ‘botanical (Decaisnea fargesii). This ornamental tree colonialism’ and it retreated to the high To learn more about these plants and a has long blue pods containing a shiny Andes. Archaeologists successfully grew host of others, join an evening tour with a black seed, surrounded by cloudy, jelly- seeds which they found in an Aztec ruin. glass of wine this summer. like segments. You eat the pulp, not the Matthew Biggs suggests using the leaves, seed. Recipe ideas include using them stems and young shoots either raw, in University of Bristol Botanic Garden, in tropical fruit salads or mixing them soups, stir fries or salads, steamed like The Holmes, Stoke Park Road, BS9 1JG with finely cubed pineapple, mint, sliced spinach and young leaves as micro- 0117 331 4906 chillies and red onions as an exotic salsa greens. The seeds have a nutty flavour www.bristol.ac.uk/botanic-garden to spoon over grilled chicken. Do not be when ‘popped’ like corn and can be added References put off by one of the tree’s other names – to rice. Dead men’s fingers! Biggs, M. (2010) Matthew Biggs’s The next item on my plant shopping list Complete Book of Vegetables. is Carolina allspice ( ) While Mark Diacono has never been a fan Calycanthus floridus Kyle Cathie Limited. of fuchsias to look at, because they remind which grows in the angiosperm phylogeny Diacono, M. (2010) A Taste of the him of retirement home gardens, their bed at the botanic garden. Mark Diacono unexpected. Quadrille Publishing Ltd. baton-shaped fruit is a different matter. calls it something of a perfume stand. The “The single image that makes me think rusted strawberry-coloured flowers, the Vaughan J. G. & Geissler C. A. (2009) more fondly of them is that the flowers waxy green foliage and the bark all carry The New Oxford Book of Food Plants. are so coloured to attract hummingbirds their own incredible spicy scent. In south- Oxford University Press. in their native South America to carry out east USA, where the plant originates, it Wong, J. (2012) Homegrown Revolution. pollination.” He recommends growing was known as the bubby bush as women Weidenfeld Nicolson

18 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Following the Plot no.20: Tunnel vision Keith Cowling

High summer brings the seasonal madness of trying to keep everything watered, weeded and harvested. The wet and mild spell in May produced an explosion in the slug population, so many early sowings were ruined, but things that slugs don’t eat, like tomatoes, potatoes and onions, are growing prolifically on my plot. In the last column I promised to write about growing under cover, a move up a level for most plot holders. Covering plants helps to extend the growing season, moderates effects of wind and rain and makes it possible to cultivate Mediterranean vegetables. On the down side however, it can increase the commitment required of the gardener. With this in mind, the best covered space for allotment hobbyists may well be at home, where it is easier to give it the regular inputs of attention required in warm weather. The first shot at using covered space for also need repair tape and insulating tape permanent shelter. Start by setting out most of us is the sunny windowsill. This is to cover the hoops, which get hot in sunny some of your covered space for regular great for the few delicate things started in weather and can melt the polythene. Metal salad supplies and then sow early carrots, late February, like tomato seedlings. But in hoops are available, but for small tunnels brassicas and onions in late January. A cold Aprils these can become leggy when blue polythene water pipe at least 40 mm row of first early potatoes, would be good it is still too cold for them outside but not in diameter is a good cheap alternative. here too. A slatted shelf hung from the light enough for them to stay indoors. A roll (25 metres) will provide enough to hoops (to make it really hard for the slugs The answer to this can be a cold frame share with a neighbour. to get up to it) will hold the tomatoes and constructed from an disused window peppers in three inch pots until the frost When constructing your tunnel, remember frame set on top of a box constructed of risk ends in mid May. Gradually they can to get the polythene really tight. This 25mm boards. Two sloping sides, a high be joined by squashes and cucumbers, prevents wind rattle and can double the back and a low front facing south will climbing beans, sweetcorn and other life of a skin. Slide the polythene needs angle it to the spring sun and improve the delicate seedlings. Once early potatoes over the hoops, stretch it down very tightly ‘solar gain’. Tender plants and seedlings clear, find bed space around the edge for around the base on the long sides and can be brought on well in such a frame set indoor tomatoes and cucumbers, started then either tuck it around treated timber against a south-facing wall in the garden. in pots, and plant peppers, aubergines edge joists and hold with battens on On hot days, the top edge of the glass is and the like towards the middle. Keep the inside, or bury it in a trench that run lifted and propped open and then closed re-sowing salads. In late summer, start around the perimeter. Trim off surplus again in the evening. all the varieties of chicory, along with Pak plastic. Next make a simple door frame, Choi and late brassicas. Potatoes planted When your propagating ambitions grow fix it to the hoop at one end and pull after the peppers clear will give new beyond the cold frame, you face the big the membrane tightly round it. Fix with potatoes for Christmas dinner! decision. Will it be a glass greenhouse battens on the inside and trim off any or a poly tunnel? Many greenhouses are excess polythene, as before. Then fit a Keith Cowling · [email protected] available as kits, and determined DIY-ers door made of an open frame of treated Ashley Vale Allotments Association can get a very good result for almost wood covered in the same polythene. www.ashleyvaleallotmentsassociation. nothing using recycled glazing. The main Stretch and pleat the fabric at the back org/index.php consideration though, apart for cost, is end of the tunnel until it can be secured how long you expect your tenure of the in the same way as the long sides. More plot to last. Poly tunnels are easier and building advice can be easily found on can last ten years if well-constructed, so poly tunnel suppliers web sites, some with glass may be better at home if you have handy little YouTube films of the process. garden space. If you do want to make a The trick with tunnels is to manage the poly tunnel, plastic for a five metre by space to balance some raising of early three metre tunnel can be found on-line seedlings for planting outside with some for about £120, but remember that you will growing of more delicate plants that need

19 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Feed Avalon Nicole Vosper

A new social enterprise and workers Soil Summer School cooperative has been started in 10am–5pm Saturday 19 July & Somerset to support Glastonbury, Street Sunday 20 July 2014 and surrounding areas become more Near Glastonbury resilient in food production. This FREE course will explore: Feed Avalon is a community interest company founded to design and initiate n Identifying different soils, local food projects, as well as support and understanding their grassroots groups that already exist. unique structures, strengths & A huge aspect of Feed Avalon’s work is weaknesses community organising, with quarterly n The soil food web & the billions networking meetings, monthly community of microorganisms that live in soil meals and political film nights planned, n How to use mycorrhizal to support people to organise and build for its shoes and shopping. There is also applications to increase the health a network together that can change the an active orchards group interested in of your soil local food system while contributing to developing the perennial assets of the international global struggles for food area. n How to make amazing compost & sovereignty. explore the different composting Feed Avalon was initially supported by techniques One of the first projects will be ‘Growing Somerset Community Food, as part of an n How to make and use compost Glastonbury’, a project funded by the exit strategy from their three-year Access and plant teas People’s Health Trust. A network of 25 to Land Project, Somerset Land and Food. volunteers will be supported to mentor They then sought support from Somerset n No dig gardening & soil health 10 households to learn how to grow Cooperative Services, who supported Feed n How to master mulching food. Together, as a network, they will be Avalon to create an alternative model n An introduction to biochar, supported by a weekly gardening club in to traditional charities and companies, including how to make it & use it Glastonbury, as well as bi-monthly skill where those on the frontline of organising n Roles of green manures & cover sharing days. Over two years, the project have active autonomy over the strategic crops aims to build a network of people locally nature of the organisation’s work and are that are passionate about growing. guided by cooperative principles. n The politics of soils – why they are eroding around the world & what Feed Avalon is based in Bridies Yard This July Feed Avalon is offering a taste we can do about it in Glastonbury, a stone’s throw from of its educational experience, by offering the Red Brick Building, owned and a free two-day course in Soil. The course This two-day course is being developed by the community, following will explore soil science in an empowering organised by Feed Avalon, a workers it being squatted by teenagers to save it and participatory way. Participants will cooperative and social enterprise 6 years ago. Feed Avalon are based at a learn about DIY ways to care for soil, with dedicated to cultivating local food workshop called Gladtown Forge, itself everything from mulches to biochar. There resilience in Glastonbury, Street a grassroots community project, started will also be a session about the politics and surrounding areas. It has been to provide a space for where other local of soil, why it is eroding around the world funded by Somerset Skills and regenerative projects could germinate and what we can do about it. Feed Avalon Learning. from. The workshop is the location of Feed aims to be explicitly political, and tries It does not include accommodation. Avalon’s ‘People’s Kitchen’; a community- to explore the power relationships at Limited contributions towards travel accessible kitchen where groups and play in the food system so that we are are available for people on a low individuals can access a healthy and not disillusioned that all we need is more income. safe space, process surplus and donated gardens, not more social and economic produce in bulk, and cook collectively for justice. Bookings are on a first come-first events. Feed Avalon are planning to have served basis. To reserve your place, Feed Avalon builds on half a decade of a monthly donation-based meal, leading email [email protected] local community organising in the area, to weekly if popular. including seed swaps, harvest shows, www.feedavalon.org.uk The kitchen will also be a site for cooking courses and field trips, community lessons and food preserving workshops. gardens and more. It is hoped that with Partnering with Somerset Skills and more structure and livelihoods, the seeds Learning, they hope to create a wide range sown the last few years will germinate into of opportunities for the local community to a thriving network of people reclaiming feel more connected to food. our food system.

More projects are in the pipeline, Nicole Vosper [email protected] including ‘Edible Street’, to create a For more information visit: culture of food growing in Street, famous www.feedavalon.org.uk

20 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Events at Lawrence Weston Windmill Hill City Farm Community Farm Saltmarsh Drive, Bristol BS11 0NJ

Philip Street, Bedminster, Farm Adventurers (Age 2–5 yrs) Friday Gardening Club Bristol BS3 4EA 9.15am–12.15pm Tuesday–Friday 11–12.30pm Fridays £15 per session Solar energy day Interested in getting involved in 10am–4pm Saturday 12 July · FREE A unique, all-year-round opportunity for gardening on the farm? Call for more your children to experience nature play, Want to know how solar panels work? info. including forest school, farming and Need practical advice on saving and growing and for parents to access courses Farm Lunch Club generating energy in your home? Find out and workshops at the farm. 12–1.30pm Tuesdays more about energy generation and energy Dinner served at 12.30pm saving, speak to experts about options for Parent & Toddler group (Age 0–5 yrs) Two courses and drinks £2.50. Come renewables, and look at the alternatives 10–11.45am & 1–2.45pm Mondays and enjoy some healthy food and have if you don’t have much money. There will £2.50 runs throughout the summer a look around the farm. be local installers, kids activities, stalls, holidays displays and demos. Make a day of it and These sessions are a great place to Farm Tots stop for lunch at the farm, say hello to the meet and socialise with other parents/ 10.30–12pm Wednesdays animals and check out the solar array on carers and families whilst children learn the farm buildings! Come and help look after the animals social skills with their peers in a fun and and gardens. For parents/carers and www.bedminsterenergy.org.uk/ stimulating environment. under 5’s. £1.75 or £1 if you are a member (includes juice and biscuits). Home-Start Bristol Family Breakfast Young Farmers (Age 8–12 yrs) 9am–12noon Monday 14 July 9–11am Saturdays · £30 per month www.lwfarm.org.uk Home-Start Bristol, the charity that helps Book ONLINE now for Young farmers families in need of some extra support sessions which start again in September. is urging you to bunk off work, (with Events at Trinity Centre www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk/ permission of course!) and create your Trinity Centre, Trinity Road, Bristol children/ own extra Bonus Bank Holiday. Join us BS2 0NW at the farm café for special breakfasts and activities for the whole family whilst Growing the Community finding out a bit more about what Home- Summer Holidays at the FARM Wednesdays & Thursdays, 6pm–8pm Start does. FARM EXPLORERS Holiday Playscheme (Garden) www.homestartbristol.org.uk/ (Age 6–9 yrs) You can join a group of up to 15 people 9am–3pm Tuesdays · £30 per day to plan, design and put into practice RSPB at the Farm July 29, August 5, 12, 19, 26 your own community project around 11am–3pm Friday 15 August · FREE FARM EXPLORERS is a great chance for the issue of food growing. It’s a great The RSPB will be at the farm, with a variety your children to spend time outdoors opportunity to meet people in the of outdoor activities including: using all of the farms resources. Our community, learn new skills and to improve your local area. Bird and butterfly ‘fun facts’ trail, Nature experienced playworkers will take children Detectives and guided Wildlife Walks on on adventures and nature trails around This is a funded project and spaces the hour. the farm and show them how to look after are free but you will need to book the farm animals. your space. If you would like to book a Come along and discover how many space, please email Lisa Tozer or call species of wildlife and birds are at the Book online www.windmillhillcityfarm. her on 07791140916 farm. org.uk/children/

Julie’s Garden (Age 6–9 yrs) Monthly garden drop-in Last Saturday of the month, CHILDREN at the FARM 1.30–3.30pm Wednesdays · £10 per session · July 30, August 6, 13, 20, 27 11am–5pm The FARM Nursery (Age 9 months–5 yrs) Give your children an early love of growing Learn to grow fruit, veg & herbs at the Windmill Hill City Farm’s Nursery provides and eating their own vegetables. Julie’s Trinity Community Gardens. Get fit, a safe, secure and happy environment gardening sessions will involve planning, work outside, meet people, and gain where every child has the opportunity growing, watering, picking and tasting knowledge and practical experience. to thrive. The Nursery opens five days a vegetables in a fun environment. We provide hot and cold drinks – week and currently has four purpose built Book online www.windmillhillcityfarm. please make sure you bring some rooms. org.uk/children/ food/snacks with you as it’s hard to Cherry Blossom (9 months–2 years) Pear work on an empty belly! To find out more Blossom (1 ½ and 2 ½)) Apple Blossom If you have any questions or need (2–3 years) Orange Blossom (3–5 years). [email protected] more information, feel free to call 0117 9633252 or pop in 9–5pm call Anita, Garden Coordinator: Monday to Friday 0795679677 or: [email protected] www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk

21 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Events Foodies Festival

11–13 July Bristol Harbourside £10–£12 day ticket, £18 3-day ticket Top chefs cooking in the Chef’s Theatre; wine, beer, and cocktails in the Drink’s Theatre; join top pastry chefs in the brand new Chocolate, Cake, Bake and Preserves Events at Feed Bristol Feed Bristol BioBlitz and “Storing and Theatre, and kids can learn to cook too in Preserving your Harvest” 181 Frenchay Park Road (on the corner the Children’s Cookery Theatre. 10am–4pm Saturday 8 August with Stoke Lane) Stapleton BS16 1HB Free/donation http://foodiesfestival.com/event/bristol- Join us for a day of wildlife and harvests at harbourside/ My Garden Wildlife 12–4pm Saturday 12 July Feed Bristol. Free/donation We are blitzing the land, from 10am, to see Celebrate garden wildlife and enjoy this exactly what wildlife we have from plants fantastic wildlife-friendly site as it buzzes to butterflies and bees. Learn how to carry with activities and family fun! out ecological surveys with Avon Wildlife Trust and help us to find out about the My Garden Wildlife is Wildlife Trust biodiversity within the range of habitats national day for wildlife gardening. Be and growing spaces at the Feed Bristol inspired to turn your garden into a wildlife site. You may be walking through high haven! Learn how to grow food, using Love Food Festival grass in the meadows, so bring outdoor wildlife friendly methods. Feed Bristol clothing. 10am–4pm Sunday 20 July will be running workshops and tours on Dyrham Park SN14 8ER its eight acres of prime food-growing land At the same time, we will be running a Free entry to market, normal National with a range of habitats, growing spaces preserving workshop (starting at midday), Trust entrance fee to property and excellent facilities. with all our seasonal harvest. Join us and learn the best methods for storing and Located in the top car park of the acres of Bring work clothes to get involved. preserving your harvest to enjoy through ancient parkland, this is the perfect way to The cafe will be open. the winter. Our cafe will also be open, with mark the start of many adventures to come http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. seasonal BBQ on offer. There is something this summer. Shop for local produce in the co.uk/events/2014/07/12/my-garden- for everyone. market, let the children get creative in the wildlife?instance=0 Love Art area, then explore the stunning http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. grounds and mansion house. An Introduction to Forest Gardening co.uk/events/2014/08/02/feed-bristol- bioblitz-and-storing-and-preserving- School may be out, but there will be plenty 10am–4.30pm Sunday 3 August your-harvest?instance=0 to keep the young ones busy. The Love £50/£30 concessions Food Market Quiz will challenge them to This one day forest gardening course will Running Wild Holiday Club tour the market stalls, speak to producers introduce you to the key concepts and and learn all about the locally made food practices, giving a good foundation of 10am–4pm Thursday 24 July– on offer. In the Love Art area the talented understanding to begin practicing this Thursday 8 August Oodle Doodle will be running activities sustainable growing system. £25 per child per session with the theme ‘all creatures great and We have a perfect summer holiday club for Forest Gardening is a way of growing small’. The National Trust’s ‘50 things to 6–12 year olds, every Thursday. food based on combining plants and do before you’re 11 ¾’ team will also be on Get outdoors! Get playing! Get Growing! trees together in natural woodland-like hand with some great activities designed Get wild! patterns. These mutually beneficial to inspire a love of the great outdoors. relationships create a highly productive Our new and exciting holiday club, The usual Love Food Festival mix of garden ecosystem. An established forest Running Wild, will run every Thursday local producer stalls will be a highlight. garden will give high yields of diverse in the summer holidays. We’ll be busy Pick up fresh bread from Hobbs House, produce such as fruit, nuts, vegetables, running round outdoors with minibeast local cheese from Bath soft, Meg’s herbs, medicines, fuel, fungi and animal hunts, den building, bow and arrow cottage fudge, handmade scotch eggs, fodder. It also needs less maintenance making bumble bee spotting, gardening, Ivor’s ice cream, jams from Snowdrop than a conventional vegetable garden due playing, singing, running round and story Cottage, sumptuous sponge cakes from to its emphasis on perennial plantings and telling. A great way for children to make the wonderful Marden Bakery, a superb is rich in habitats for beneficial insects, friends, discover and enjoy nature and selection of fruit and veg including some birds and animals. have fun! wonderful local strawberries, chilli sauces http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. http://avon.live.wt.precedenthost. from Upton Cheyney and much more. co.uk/events/2014/08/03/introduction- co.uk/events/2014/07/24/running-wild- www.lovefoodfestival.com/dyrham.html forest-gardening?instance=0 holiday-club?instance=0

22 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Business

Barclays Bank Digital Trading 6–8pm Thursday 3 July City of Bristol College’s City Restaurant, Anchor Road Are you currently maximising the opportunity to win business online? Are you ready for the next phase of the digital revolution? Join us for our next networking event where we will be displaying the latest technology to support your business – if you missed the last one, or just need a refresher we would be delighted to see Courses you and Digital Eagles will be on hand to assist with your technology queries. Courses at Co-exist Courses with the Low Impact The event allows customers and non- customers to meet with members of Community Kitchen Living Initiative our Business team and to give you Food Made Fun for a Lively Mind Beekeeping for beginners day the opportunity to network with other 6–9pm Tuesday 8 July · £30 10am–4pm Friday 4 July · £95 business owners. City of Bristol College will also tell us how they can support Come and learn how to prepare quick, Mumbleys Farmhouse, Near Thornbury your business with recruitment and affordable and healthy meals that will Sheep for beginners training, plus we will give you an make you want to go back for more, while 10am–4pm Saturday 5 July or opportunity to explore our new digital helping you stay on top of your brain’s Friday 29 August · £95 banking technology with live demos and nutritional needs. Understand and explore Mumbleys Farmhouse, Near Thornbury chat to our Digital Eagles. what foods will top up your energy levels and leave you feeling revived. Smallholding taster day Email: [email protected] for 10am–4pm Friday 11 July or further details Ice Cream Alchemy Friday 5 September · £95 6–9pm Thursday 24 July · £30 Mumbleys Farmhouse, Near Thornbury Get Growing: The Great British Learn how to make the perfect ice cream Beekeeper for beginners weekend base, with and without a machine, and 18 & 19 July · £165 Business Roadshow concoct interesting and unique flavours Mumbleys Farmhouse, Near Thornbury 9.30am–2.30pm Thursday 24 July with experienced and award winning ice Engine Shed, The Bristol SETsquared cream aficionado Harriet of Jolly Nice. We Build your own solar panel Centre, Station Approach, Temple sampled her plum and star anise pairing 9.30am–5pm Saturday 19 July or Meads, Bristol BS1 6QH which was delicious! Saturday 16 August · £100 inc panel The Old Library, Trinity Road, Bristol £15/£20 for two Cooking and Preserving with Summer 12V off-grid training When you’re running your business, Fruits 11am–3.30pm Sunday 20 July or it’s hard to find time to really grow it, 6–9pm Thursday 4 September · £30 Sunday 17 August · £60 because you’re so busy just getting Explore the delicious tastes of English The Old Library, Trinity Road, Bristol through what you have to do each day. summer fruits. Bottle, preserve and Sound familiar? All small business make puddings with locally picked fruit The art & craft of natural beekeeping owners struggle to find time to work on from Bristol allotments and gardens. 30 & 31 August (2 days) · £75 their business because they’re working Learn which fruits to gather, and how Westfield Farm, Limeburn Hill, in it. So, what can you do? to preserve their beautiful flavours with Chew Magna BS40 8QW The answer is to get more strategic gardener and cook Amanda Price. Horticulture for Beginners about growing your small business. All courses can be bought at our 10am–4pm Saturday 6 September · £95 This means proper planning and using reception: Hamilton House, The Cotswold Gardening School, the right virtual teams and tools to free 80 Stokes Croft, Bristol BS1 3QY Gossington Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN up your valuable time and let you plan for the growth you’d like to see. This Or via the website: http://lowimpact.org/venues_south_ workshop will show you how! www.hamiltonhouse.org/community- west.html kitchen/ http://events.r20.constantcontact. com/register/event?oeidk=a07e94gjq a1ad713eaf&llr=svx85ogab&viewType =DESKTOP

23 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Publications Measuring Success: A Guide to Developing a How to organise an Eat In Local Food Systems and the Sustainable Food Purchasing An Eat-In is about building community, Need for New Indicators Policy being convivial and celebrating what we all have in common, which is to say Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy The Sustainable Food Purchasing Policy that you don’t need an “Eat-In Organiser Project helps educational, health care In agriculture, policymakers, analysts and Toolkit” to Eat-In. Use these resources to and other institutional and commercial researchers often use a set of indicators amplify the impact of your Eat-In and show food buyers develop purchasing policies to assess whether a farming system, or your community – and your journalists, that support social and environmental new technology, is succeeding. The most and politicians – how serious you are responsibility in agriculture and the food common indicators focus on increasing about fixing our broken food system. But industry. ‘yield’, often of a singular crop or animal don’t forget the point, the message, the unit, within large-scale production The project has three primary objectives: simplicity, or even the silliness, of an systems. The use of indicators focused Eat-In: you are organising a potluck that, 1. To collect and share sample food almost exclusively on production helps in our contemporary society, is also a purchasing policies addressing a range to shape scientific research and public protest. of social and environmental concerns, policy. But just as weight alone is not as well as related RFP and contract www.resilience.org/resource- a good measure of human health, a language. detail/2226203-how-to-organise-an- single-minded focus on production is an eat-in inadequate measure of the health of a 2. To outline sustainable food purchasing farming system. So long as yields are high, policy options, the implications of More about Sustainable Food Trust’s Eat- this narrow focus supports the illusion these policies for institutions, and their In as part of Bristol’s Food Connections that our agricultural system is meeting potential impacts on the food system. Festival at: the nutrition, health, environmental 3. To share insight on the policy http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ sustainability, rural development and development process, and on the articles/eat-in/ other needs of the population. implementation and evaluation of sustainable food purchasing IATP launched a project in 2012 to begin policies, from the representatives and Edible Perennial Gardening: to establish a research framework for a stakeholders of institutions that have new set of indicators that would better Growing Successful Polycultures gone down this road. represent the diverse benefits of local, in Small Spaces agroecological food systems and that www.resilience.org/resource- Anni Kelsey · $22.95 could be tracked over time. detail/2272471-a-guide-to-developing- a-sustainable Everything you need to know about getting www.iatp.org/documents/measuring- started in growing your own food in a low success-local-food-systems-and-the- maintenance perennial garden. need-for-new-indicators Growing Local Fertility: n Getting started and basic principles A Guide to Community n Permaculture, forest gardening, and The Complete Guide to Composting natural farming Saving Seeds Almost half the materials Americans n Growing in polycultures How to chose Robert Gough & Cheryl Moore-Gough · discard – food scraps, yard trimmings, and suitable leafy greens, alliums, roots, $24.95 soiled paper – are compostable. Municipal tubers, and herbs and county governments increasingly n Site selection and preparation Learn how to collect, save, and cultivate recognize the importance of composting. n Building fertility the seeds from more than 300 vegetables, In fact, more than 250 communities have herbs, fruits, flowers, trees, and shrubs. now instituted residential food scrap n Low-maintenance management Descriptions of seed biology; tips on how collection programs, up from only a strategies to select plants for the best seeds; and handful a decade ago. This guide aims www.resilience.org/resource- advice on harvesting and cleaning, proper to strengthen expansion of community- detail/2269182-edible-perennial- storage and care, and propagating and scale composting by describing successful gardening-growing-successful- caring for new seedlings are all presented initiatives, their benefits, how these polycultures with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. initiatives can be replicated, key start-up www.resilience.org/resource- steps, and the need for private, public, detail/2248290-the-complete-guide-to- and non-profit sector support. saving-seeds www.resilience.org/resource- detail/2260523-growing-local-fertility- a-guide-to

24 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Odds & ends New £800,000 fund to kick- start innovative partnerships Win a £5,000 sustainability Allotment plots available now! in waste prevention project for your school There is now immediate availability of Local businesses, councils, charities and Closing date: 28 July plots at the Talbot Road site in Brislington voluntary groups are being called upon – it’s a lovely site with excellent facilities. to join together to prevent waste. Grants, The Guardian Live Better schools of up to £50,000 are now available to Contact: Rosie Brickell, Allotments Officer competition: ask your students to create partnerships with the most innovative 0117 9223737 a pinboard showing what sustainability ideas. means to them. The winning school will be [email protected] awarded £5,000 towards a sustainability The £800,000 Innovation in Waste project. This could be creating a school Prevention Fund is open to applications vegetable garden or adding recycling and Get Gobby with Friends of the from two or more parties working composting bins. The winning pinboard Earth together, and will support local level creative ideas for preventing waste of entry will also be printed as a pull-out What we eat day-to-day can be bad for priority materials. The fund aims to boost pinboard in the Guardian this autumn, us. It can harm our planet by contributing voluntary opportunities and provides the with the top five runners-up featured on to catastrophic climate change, mass potential to create new jobs in your area the site. Template pinboards and lesson deforestation, and overfishing. It can also by promoting the introduction of new plans are available to download. hurt our health; increasing our risk of services and the adoption of alternative, strokes, cancer and heart disease. www.theguardian.com/ anti-waste business approaches. lifeandstyle/series/live-better- We need to change our diets. Fast. Eligible projects that could be funded, schools?INTCMP=dis_233244 A healthy planet diet means: but are not limited to, include businesses n We eat less and better meat working with local charities to prevent The Harvest-ometer n We waste less food waste by distributing surplus food to n We eat more plants those who need it. Capital Growth has developed a simple online way of keeping track of how much Last year we challenged university The Innovation in Waste Prevention Fund food its members grow and how much students with this question. We had a is being managed by the UK’s resource money has been saved. It stores data and number of fantastic entries, one of which efficiency experts, WRAP, with funding converts it into a money value, meal value was the overall winner: Meat Free May. from Defra. It aims to support communities and makes great graphs. This year the challenge is back, and this across England in their efforts to prevent waste, stimulating long-term changes to At the moment, the tool is available to time it’s not just for the students. We are Capital Growth members only, but you can opening the challenge up to community business models that encourage items see a sample of what it can do at: groups. We want you to let us know to be kept in use for longer. Applicants how you would get people to eat more can be from existing partnerships or ones www.capitalgrowth.org/millionmeals/ sustainably in your area. newly formed to access the funding. You harvestometer/ simply need to have an innovative idea to Your chance to win some dough prevent waste, and be able to match the funding you are seeking to secure, either Local Food Roots Are you a student? Then you could be in with the chance to win one of our three financially or through resource. A new film to inspire more people about £500 prizes. The fund will run for two years and good, sustainable, locally sourced Part of a local community group? Then grants will be awarded in three phases. food – in colleges, workplaces, local you have the chance to win £500 for your Applications for this first phase need to be communities, towns, cities. Produced project. returned to WRAP by 1 September 2014. by Joy Carey at f3 food consultants and Sprout Films, the DVD is now available to For more details and to make your For more information and to download an buy online: suggestion/application before 31 October: application pack please visit : http://localfoodfilm.org.uk/ www.foe.co.uk/page/get-gobby-2014 www.wrap.org.uk/iwp

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

Bristol Green Capital Garden Organic e-news Sustainable Food Trust http://bristolgreencapital.org/ www.gardenorganic.org.uk http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/support- us/ Eating Better Growing Schools newsletter http://www.eating-better.org/get- www.growingschools.org.uk Voscur involved.html Soil Association e-news www.voscur.org/news Food Climate Research network www.soilassociation.org/ www.fcrn.org.uk (go to email sign-up) TodaysNewsLogin/tabid/639/Default.aspx

25 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014 Regular things Blaise Walled Kitchen Garden Golden Hill Community Garden Trinity Community Gardens Workdays: 10am–12.30pm Saturdays 10am–4pm Wednesdays Gardening drop-in sessions Open days: 1–4pm 1st Sunday of the We always have a range of jobs to suit Last Saturday of the month 11am–5pm month ability and preferences. Free feel to come Volunteer drop-in sessions. Learn to grow Facing the front door of Blaise House, down for a chat and a look around with no fruit, veg & herbs at the Trinity Gardens. go left through the rose garden until you commitment to stay. You can drop in for Get fit, work outside, meet people, and come to the entrance doors to the walled an hour or stay all day whatever fits round gain knowledge and practical experience. garden OR, go behind the house and your life or energy levels. Drinks provided, but please bring lunch! take the door next to the orangery and go www.thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com www.3ca.org.uk/activities/garden left through a little door into the garden. Please wear sturdy footwear, and make Metford Rd Community Orchard Woodcroft Community Orchard the volunteer leader aware of your arrival. Usually 3rd Sunday of the month Workdays 1st Saturday of the month Contact: Christine Carroll · 0792 870 1369 [email protected] Meet at Metford Road Gates (green metal On the edge of Nightingale Valley on former allotment ground at Woodcroft http://blaisecommunitygarden.org.uk gate in between numbers 37 and 39) at about 11.30am, bring gardening gloves. Road. Now planted with over 50 trees and numerous soft fruits. Contact Frank White: Easton Community Allotment There should be a notice on the gate telling you a mobile number to ring if we’re [email protected] Thursdays 12–4pm (5pm summer) already there, and we’ll come and let you http://woodcroftcommunityorchard. A beautiful, green enclave nestled on the in. If there’s no notice, and nobody there – wordpress.com/ edge of Easton. A social space for people you’re the first, be patient! If you’ve never who want to grow vegetables, drink tea been before then you can ring Joe Find a growing group near to you at: and share the harvest. No experience on 07840 059079 to tell us you’re coming. www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/local-food- necessary – just drop in. Email for map: www.sustainableredland.org.uk/what- map/ [email protected] can-i-do/metford-road-community-orchard www.eastoncommunitygarden.org.uk Royate Hill Community Orchard Eastside Roots Bristol’s local food update SAVE THE GREEN BELT SPECIAL may–june 2009

HEN hundreds of us last year took the Eat the Change challenge and tried to spend a Save our soils – use our soils weekW eating only local, organic food free Richard Spalding Main orchard day is the 3rd Sunday of from plastic packaging, we discovered just how limited local sustainable food It is great to hear that in the near future is. There are myriad reasons for this, but we might see beef cattle grazing historic Stapleton Road Train Station the reality remains that with fossil fuels Stoke park as Bristol City Council begin likely to become extremely scarce within to think through reconnections between our lifetimes and food miles contributing town and countryside. I would want to so intensely to climate change, we will press them to go a little further by panning soon have little choice but to produce the camera lens up and over this idyllic most of our food locally. In light of this, scene to settle on “the Blue Finger”. it is essential that we start preparing Smallholdings in Frenchay every month. Additional/alternative day now by ring fencing land for sustainable I have coined this phrase to get us all food production now. thinking about high quality agricultural the M32 becoming an edible landscape land on the north Bristol fringe which for the city. It would be a beacon for a Transition Network is beginning to Regular workday: Fridays 10am–4pm used to be at the heart of what was called new AGRI-CULTURE which would help to explore how Britain can best feed itself, the Bristol Dairying and Market Garden nourish our bellies and our communities. analysing Britain’s land potential for Sub-Region. We can follow a blue [colour- It would mark the beginning of a truly food production in light of nutritional coded] fi nger of high quality soils on the sustainable agriculture which reconnects needs, climate change, fl ood predictions, 1953 Agricultural Land Classifi cation map people and the land. It would celebrate soil quality, population densities etc. But of England and Wales which shows a strip the importance of city and countryside what is already overwhelmingly obvious of fertile land stretching from Frenchay, working together to deliver food security. is that we will need every inch of land is . through Hambrook and Winterbourne and Impossible you say? 1st Sunday from March to October suitable for food production, in both the out into open country. The post Second countryside and cities, if we are going to One thing is certain in my mind; the idea War assessment of land and soil quality be able to feed ourselves in the future. of covering up the best farm land in the Forest school for pre-school children & shows just how such land was valued as a country with city extensions, park and This edition of Bristol’s Local Food strategically important resource under the rides and notions of green infrastructure Update shines the spotlight on how banner of “Best and Most Versatile” soils need to be challenged, in order that food Bristol’s Green Belt and agricultural for local food production. produced from these soils takes its right - hinterlands are increasingly being given The soils are deep, red, largely stone- ful place at the discussion table. There are over to development in the pursuit of free and close to the city. They have the some signs that we are beginning to think further economic growth (largely in capacity to help feed us, especially in the again about the importance of the soil and Contact Mike Feingold 0776 891 5423 response to central government targets), context of climate change, peak oil and the land to ALL our futures and I would like despite the increasing imperative to food insecurity. The soils themselves now to see Bristol and South Gloucestershire save our soils for food production. parents: Thursday afternoons from 1.15pm lie largely derelict, the market gardens Councils working together to enable the The Avon Green Belt, an area fi ve times having fallen prey to the global food re-creation of the food economies on and the size of Bristol and predominantly economy and the land now de-valued for around the “Blue Finger”. classifi ed as farmland (but much of food production. We need to audit this I am very keen to establish a wide-ranging which currently lies fallow) is being private and public land to establish just set of debates about this topic and am increasingly earmarked by Local how possible it might be to re-create a convinced that it might be possible to Authorities for developments such local foodscape for our region. begin looking forward to another, and as 117,000 new houses in the South if you’d like to join or visit us. There is much to gain from doing this arguably more important, “dig for victory” West. We all need to act now to ensure and my campaign seeks to mobilise campaign. I sense that the cattle of Stoke that Bristol City Council ring fences all another “dig for victory” campaign Park might just be the idea that sparks suitable land for food production: read to allow food communities, new food a new and regionally important symbol on and stay in touch to fi nd out how to businesses and all of us eaters to begin around which to secure and re-invent our make your voice heard. Improve your local community, meet new the process of re-shaping our local food local foodscapes. If you want to contribute Claire Milne culture. I have a vision for this foodscape to this debate, then please contact me at: Transition Bristol and Bristol Food Hub which sees the northern gateway along [email protected] friends, learn new skills and keep fit. As well as the fruit, we also plant veg, Email: [email protected] and whoever shows up for workdays when Bristol’s local food update there is a harvest, gets to take food home. Vegetable Garden Skill Share Drinks available, bring snacks to share. If you didn’t receive this PDF by email, you ‘What to do this month’ Tools and gardening gloves provided. can send a subscription request for future 11am–1pm 1st Friday of the month, issues to be sent direct to you, to: Compost toilet. Everybody welcome. March to October [email protected] www.kebelecoop.org/?page_id=28 Facilitated by Eleanor and Bear. Subscribers will also be e-mailed once a Bring gloves, knowledge and questions. fortnight with an e-update of any event information that missed the newsletter And lunch to share, drinks provided Southmead Fruit Garden deadline. FFI phone Eleanor on 07951 516456. 1st Saturday of the month 10am–3pm This issue of Bristol’s local food update was You can find us behind the Whitehall on compiled by Jane Stevenson and Kristin Feed Bristol Glencoyne Square, BS10 6DE. We’re a Sponsler. Design by Jane Stevenson: friendly bunch! Contact us at: Mons, Tues & Weds www.janestevensondesign.co.uk [email protected] Views expressed in this newsletter are not Communal growing days: Volunteers are www.facebook.com/Southmeadfruitgarden necessarily endorsed by Bristol City Council. welcome on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9.30am–4pm. Bristol Food Network Drop in with workshops and events. Get involved with the Bristol Food Network All welcome. Phone to see if we’re here on – online, via Facebook or Twitter: Fridays: 0117 917 270 www.bristolfoodnetwork.org www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/people/ www.facebook.com/ feedbristol/feedbristol.html bristolfoodnetwork?fref=ts @Bristolfoodnet

26 bristol’s local food update · july–august 2014