BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK Bristol’s local food update2015 community project news · courses · publications · events november–december

Autumn already! Time to trees and make long-term plans. And time to reflect on where our Green Capital goes from here. Will we become a Flexitarian city? A city which guards its best soils against development? A -free city? A Sustainable Food City?

Please email any suggestions for content of the January–February newsletter by 11 December to [email protected]. Bristol: pesticide-free city? Local food networks, environmental mums to promote a healthier environment The Pesticide Safe Bristol Alliance groups and parents have joined forces in for all who work, live and play in the city. calls on Bristol City Council to: the Pesticide Safe Bristol Alliance, which Harriet Williams of PlaySafe says: n Reduce urban pesticide use, and to is calling on Mayor George Ferguson to “Bristolians have a right to know where eliminate some of the most harmful put Bristol on course to becoming the and when chemicals with known health chemicals altogether (starting with UK’s first pesticide-free city. impacts are being sprayed in our city. glyphosate) City parks, play areas and pavements are Ultimately we want Bristol to become a n Publish full annual data on pesticide routinely sprayed with potent weed-killers, pesticide-free city. It is entirely possible to use by the Council and its contractors, some of which are associated with serious wean ourselves off chemical including dates, locations and health risks. Glyphosate, the best-selling in public spaces. Cities like Paris, Chicago substance applied for urban use, was this year and Vancouver are already doing it, and as n Adopt sustainable methods of pest branded a probable carcinogen by the European Green Capital 2015 it would be control, using recognised organic World Health Organisation. France has brilliant if Bristol followed suit.” techniques as standard banned the sale of glyphosate at Sara Venn, of Bristol, n Provide clear notices about spraying. centres and California plans to label it says: “Every year, thousands of litres Where pesticide use is the ONLY as ‘known to cause cancer’ – yet it is still of toxic are applied to public option (for example in the control being sprayed on the streets of Britain. spaces up and down the country. of aggressive, invasive non-native This issue is important for those growing When local authorities are challenged species), BCC will display clear public edibles in public spaces and parks, as about pesticide use, their typical response information signs during spraying, and they may not know if and when herbicide is that alternatives cost too much, or are will apply warning notices to any areas has been sprayed around their veg beds. not practical. The fact that cities in other once spraying is completed It is also of concern to foragers, who need countries manage perfectly well without n Ensure proper safety and care for to know that what they are harvesting is pesticides shows this to be an out-dated contractors using dangerous chemicals safe to eat. There may also be a problem position. We hope that Bristol will embrace for those growing in schools, if veg beds this opportunity to provide clear leadership The campaign is supported by PlaySafe are sited next to playgrounds. on reducing urban pesticide use.” Bristol, Incredible Edible Bristol, Bristol Friends of the Earth, Bristol Food Network, Green Party Councillor Gus Hoyt Julian Jones of Bristol Friends of the Earth Bee the Change and Sustainable Food questioned the Mayor on the use of says “We welcome this initiative to reduce Trust. If you represent an organisation glyphosate by the Council and its harmful pesticides in the environment which agrees to the 5-point request above, contractors in September. However, the and only use chemical pesticides as a last and would like to join the Alliance, please Council is yet to disclose full details of resort rather than a routine choice. email Harriet: [email protected] what is applied where. The Council failed As a Green Capital we should clearly be to respond to similar questions filed following best practice in this area and PlaySafe Bristol is surveying public as a Freedom of Information request by joining other leading cities in making the opinion regards urban pesticide use: PlaySafe Bristol, a group set up by local place safer for people and wildlife.” http://tinyurl.com/pcy48r4 Good Food Tour Autumn update Just to recap what the Bristol Good Food jerk stew with dumplings. As we were most positive reactions we had was at Tour is about and what it wishes to outside, the smell of his stew attracted Windmill Hill City Farm where a group of achieve. Its roots began at a Bristol Food a lot of attention and people seemed to children came back afterwards to say that Network workshop which has blossomed come from far and wide! We had a lot instead of preparing cup cakes for their into a project offering outreach pop-up of people asking about the project and school Harvest this year (original plan) cookery events around the city. many attended Glyn’s cookery demos. they were now going to prepare falafel This event was held in partnership with using our recipe.” Our events demonstrate how easy it is to Hartcliffe Health and Environment Action make simple, affordable low carbon meals If you want to create the dishes that Group (HHEAG), using produce grown using basic equipment and seasonal Glyn made please visit: www. by the team at Greens, their community ingredients. Taking the tour around Bristol kidsandfood.co.uk/recipes.html and we are grateful for this has been at times a challenge but to date opportunity. We are now into the last six weeks of we have worked with some great people the project and our next event is on the and projects. Our next event was on 12 September 7 November at The Greenway Centre, at Knowle West Fest 2015 at Filwood During European Green Capital year we Doncaster Rd, Southmead. This is an Broadway. This event saw the Broadway aim to undertake the following: event that is in partnership with Reach and closed and set up with stalls etc from n volunteers from churches in North Bristol Pop-up events in every neighbourhood 12–6pm. We partnered with Knowle West with Glyn Owen undertaking the cookery of the city, prioritising areas where Health Association (KWHA) to deliver the demo. We have other events that we are fresh, healthy food is not always cookery demo with Glyn being the chef currently planning so I hope to be telling available, use of healthy ingredients for our slot. This time he made a simple you about these in the next update. If is sometimes rare, and cookery is not dish of flatbreads stuffed with falafel. always practised regularly, leading to you would like to be involved in The Good We were in good company with cookery Food Tour or know of a event we should be poor diet and nutrition and falling short demos from Barny Haughton from Square of the recommended ‘five a day’ intake. attending please get in touch. Food Foundation and Alex from HHEAG to n Ticketed cookery masterclasses in name a few. Lucy Holborn from KWHA said selected locations in the city, where “Huge thanks for joining us at Knowle West exciting and more ambitious recipes Fest on Saturday; delivering engaging will be demonstrated to audiences by demonstrations and generally going with leading chefs from the area and beyond. the flow! I’m sure you’ll agree there was n Appearances at major city events a great atmosphere and some fantastic through 2015, to promote good food. conversations about food/cooking with the local community”. Darran McLane So in September we attended three The Bristol Good Food Tour Project Lead events. We kicked off with two Our most recent outing was at Windmill [email protected] · 07944844838 demonstrations firstly at Hartcliffe’s Make Hill City Farm’s ‘Eat Local’ event on 27 Sunday Special on Sunday 6 September. September. This event was in association www.bristolfoe.org.uk/bgft/ Glyn Owen from Kids and Food delivered with the farm and Fresh Range. Again Glyn Facebook: facebook.com/BGFTour two cookery demos during the day. Glyn took to the stage in the farm’s outdoor Twitter: @BGFTour showed how easy it is to make simple, kitchen area. We had a guest appearance YouTube: https://youtu.be/lwylesgtkCQ affordable dishes in 30 minutes. At the from Jo Ingelby who helped Glyn with his first demo Glyn made flatbreads with cooking. The event went well with a good hummus, and at the second demo, a tasty crowd watching. Glyn said “One of the

2 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 More online

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership: The film digest: Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is all about growing, cooking, eating (& wasting less) food. Find out about the projects that run in Brighton & Hove and why other cities are looking to replicate this approach.

www.sustainablefoodcities.org/ newsevents/news/articleid/426/ brighton-hove-food-partnerships- large-scale-impact-watch-the-film

Beyond organic: A look at the biodynamic way digest: People often avoid a complicated explanation by referring to biodynamic as ‘organic plus’ or ‘über-organic’. Biodynamics offers a holistic approach to nurturing A fresh-range welcome soils, biodiversity, resilience and tuning into seasonal cycles, with the aim of long-term ecological to winter sustainability. Jenna Freeman http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ articles/beyond-organic-a-look-at- As the nights continue to draw in and the n From Wednesday 4 November you biodynamic-/ days get colder, there’s no doubting that will be able to browse and shop our winter is on its way. Although summer Christmas store on fresh-range.com and Brighton and Hove aims to be first gives us an abundance of seasonal pre-book your Christmas delivery slot. #SugarSmartCity Delivery starts from only £1 and can be produce, the colder months have some digest: The Council has started a city- left in a safe place if you are out. wonderful things to offer. Having bid a firm wide Sugar Smart initiative to reduce farewell to summer berries and salads, we n We aim to help you celebrate the festive levels of sugar in homes, schools and welcome in new seasonal produce which season with the freshest, high quality restaurants. makes the perfect ingredients for our produce – locally sourced wherever favourite winter warmers. An abundance possible. www.sustainablefoodcities.org/ of root vegetables and pumpkins in newsevents/news/articleid/447/ n Our festive meats include the finest November mean there’s no shortage of brighton-and-hove-aims-to-be-first- organic free range Bronze turkeys from ingredients for comforting soups and sugarsmartcity The Story Organic. Our special selection stews. And, as the saying goes, December of fish from Samways in Dorset includes City and soil: How food waste can truly is the season to be jolly as at fresh- smoked salmon, scallops and oysters. feed us range we offer locally grown vegetables n including cabbages, leeks and purple There will also be an abundance of other digest: Everything we are, everything sprouting broccoli, and local, free range, Christmas treats such as freshly baked we ever will be is predicated on what mince pies from Hobbs House Bakery, high animal welfare turkeys, and other we eat, and most of what we eat brandy and rum butters handmade meats, for the Christmas table. comes from the soil. on Rose Farm in Somerset and locally As well as local, fresh, seasonal produce, crafted brandy, liqueurs and wine. http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ articles/city-and-soil-how-food- we also aim to cover all your weekly and n We are pleased to announce that waste-can-feed-us/ special occasion shopping needs with we have put together a choice of our broad range of product categories. special festive bundles for fresh- What should we eat now? Stock up on all your store cupboard range customers to choose from this digest: What we eat is in constant goods, like jams and chutneys handmade year. These vary in size to suit your flux, changing from decade to decade on Farrington’s Farm in Bristol, drinks needs (and appetite!). With delicious and century to century. Kale, for like Worley’s Ciders locally brewed in local cheeses, chutneys, Fairtrade example, once considered horse feed, Somerset, local baked bakery products chocolates, local tipples, freshly baked is now a ‘superfood’. such as Hobbs’s House bread, and mince pies and more. even household supplies from the Browse our full range of fresher, more http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ environmentally friendly and completely local foods on fresh-range.com and bid a articles/what-should-we-eat-now- sustainable Ecover company. firm farewell to the supermarket shelf this climate-change/ The ultimate Christmas is locally sourced. season.

3 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Flexitarian Bristol update

now involving more restaurants across the city. The awards team are using criteria to assess whether restaurants are flexitarian and rank them bronze, silver or gold. Offering tantalising choices for everyone is obviously a big part of the selection process (good news if you’re eating out in a group of veggies, vegans and carnivores), along with a cost incentive for choosing meat-free meals. Equally important is how the meat and fish are sourced. All meat, dairy and eggs must Flexitarian Bristol launched in June be certified free range and/or organic. this year. It’s a voluntary project All fish must be MSC certified and, working with Bristol Friends of the ideally, locally procured. Above: A Flexitarian planning session at Earth and Eating Better to encourage A map on the Flexitarian Bristol website the Arts Café in Stokes Croft. more sustainable eating that relies http://flexibristol.org/ shows where Below: Dan, Jeremy & Rosa promoting less on meat and dairy. Given the high these restaurants are located, an app Flexitarianism in Wells. environmental impact of meat and is being developed to make it easier dairy production, Flexitarian Bristol is to access info and reviews, and award aspiring for Europe’s Green Capital to stickers can also be displayed in become the UK’s first flexitarian city. restaurant windows. The project team ‘Flexitarianism’ is about enjoying a are planning a flexitarian restaurant tour diverse range of plant-based meals as as part of the Food Connections festival well eating some meat and fish — being in May 2016. Anyone who would like to flexible in light of our different priorities nominate a restaurant or find out more and lifestyles. Restaurants and cafes about the award can email award@ throughout Bristol are already leading flexibristol.org or tweet suggestions to the way by offering a variety of appealing @flexibristol. choices for customers of all tastes and With restaurants and cafés being an up with Artful Futures to deliver healthy Flexitarian Bristol wants to highlight and aspirational part of the city’s food scene, food art workshops that introduce children encourage this. it’s hoped that a shift towards more plant- to having fun with veggies and learning The project team have created the based dining will have a positive influence basic cooking skills. Flexitarian Restaurant Award, which was on how people eat at home too. Flexitarian The first workshop was held at Shelter recently given to the Thali Café (read about Bristol is keen to make flexitarian homeless centre and there are plans to it here: www.thethalicafe.co.uk/the-thali- eating accessible to families who can’t run them in many more areas of the city. wins-flexitarian-restaurant-award) and is necessarily afford to dine out. It’s teaming If you would like to be involved or know some children who would like to join in please email [email protected]. It also plans to campaign for the council to move towards spending its food budget on healthier, sustainable options. Flexitarian Bristol wants to work together with forward-thinking organisations and individuals to ensure less and better meat is included on the agenda and gets the attention it deserves. Find out more and please get in touch:

www.flexibristol.org Twitter: @flexibristol Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100010138451048

Rosa Van Kesteren, Communications Dan Milner, Project Development Eating out at at the award-winning Thali Café in Southville

4 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 How does Fairtrade help meet the Sustainable Development Goals? Vicki Woolley, Bristol Green Capital Partnership Co-ordinator

On 25 September 2015, 193 world leaders adopted a set of global goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all – the Sustainable Development Goals (www.globalgoals.org). Each of the 17 Global Goals aims to achieve 3 extraordinary things in the next 15 years. End extreme poverty. Fight inequality & injustice. Fix climate change. At the heart of the Sustainable Development Agenda is the call to action for everyone to do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society leaders and individuals around the world. Following on from the huge success of inclusive and sustainable economic use of certain agrochemicals and focus the 9th International Fairtrade Towns growth, full and productive employment on reducing the use of pesticides, ensure Conference (http://bristolgreencapital. and fairly paid work for all that farms are free from hazardous org/love-the-future-of-fairtrade-bristols- n Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities – to waste and are using water sustainably, green-capital-day/), Bristol Fairtrade reduce inequality within and among and encourage activities to enhance Network (www.bristolfairtrade.org.uk/), countries biodiversity and carbon reduction. Fairtrade standards also promote training Bristol Green Capital Partnership n Goal 12: Responsible Consumption for farmers, which can include advice (http://bristolgreencapital.org/) & Love & Production – to ensure sustainable on switching to environmentally friendly the Future (www.lovethefuture.co.uk/) consumption and production patterns practices, such as developing nutrient- have been working together to raise locally and globally rich soils that support healthy and awareness of the links between n Goal 16: Peace, Justice & Strong encouraging wildlife to help control pests Fairtrade and Sustainability. A video Institutions – to promote peaceful and diseases. commissioned for the conference asked and inclusive societies for sustainable ‘How Green is Fairtrade?’ (https:// development Beyond the Standards, the Fairtrade vimeo.com/123425704) and after the Premium (www.fairtrade.org.uk/en/ n Goal 17: Partnership for the conference, inspired by Bristol’s degree what-is-fairtrade/what-fairtrade-does/ Goals – to strengthen the means of of collaboration and partnerships, 72% of fairtrade-premium) is used to fund a range implementation and revitalize the the delegates said that they will use the of projects and training that promotes global partnership for sustainable information they learnt at the Conference environmental sustainability. For example, development to connect with local sustainability groups converting to organic production, which in their own towns and cities. Fair Trade for Climate Action can be challenging for farmers because of the extra costs involved, but may mean Goal 13: Climate Action sets targets that How Fair Trade principles are crucial earning a higher price for their and require urgent action to combat climate in achieving the new Sustainable becoming more resilient to environmental change and its impacts. By 2030, the Development Goals shocks. 55% of Fairtrade produce is now Sustainable Development Goals hope Jenny Foster, Bristol & South West also Organic. to achieve strengthened resilience and Fairtrade Coordinator explained: adaptive capacity to climate-related How Fair Trade can help to ensure “Fairtrade is a brilliant anti-poverty hazards and natural disasters in all tool that promotes sustainable food sustainable consumption and production countries, to integrate climate change patterns production and environmental protection measures into national policies, strategies In his blog ‘The Malnourished Are in developing countries. When you look and planning, and to improve education, Outnumbered by the Obese‘, Michael at the Sustainable Development Goals, awareness-raising and institutional Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation Fairtrade clearly helps meet: capacity on climate change mitigation, argues that the Sustainable Development adaptation, impact reduction and early n Goal 2: Zero Hunger – to end hunger, Goals are an unprecedented opportunity warning. achieve and improved to reform the structures and power nutrition and promote sustainable Fairtrade’s work on improving dynamics that keep people in poverty, agriculture environmental protection and climate particularly in the area of trade. n Goal 8: Decent Work & Economic change adaptation helps to deliver this Growth – to promote sustained, goal. Fairtrade Standards prohibit the Continued on p.6

5 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Travelling Kitchen Sarah Francis How Does Fairtrade help meet Travelling Kitchen is a Bristol-based vegetables and herbs and shelves full of the Sustainable Development Goals? spices. Travelling Kitchen also provide social enterprise supporting those continued wanting to cook with children and other additional materials to support learning community groups. and the experience. We have access to a “‘Goal 12 – ensure sustainable range of primary and secondary sources consumption and production patterns’ – We design and deliver inspiring and objects and materials to extend sounds obvious, but its inclusion workshops which encourage people to learning and enhance the experience. recognizes just how unbalanced engage creatively with food and feel production and consumption have confident about cooking. Our name comes Most of our cooking is vegetarian and we become. Two billion people depend from the fact that we are a mobile service. encourage children to try new foods and on agriculture for a living, but still half We arrive at the workshop location with tastes. In June Travelling Kitchen teamed the world’s hungry are farmers (www. an oven and hobs and all the equipment up with the Soil Assocation’s Food for fairtrade.net/fileadmin/user_upload/ required. However our name also reflects Life partnership to deliver one of the Big content/2009/news/2013-05- how we work. We look at different ways Picnics at Bristol Free School. The students Fairtrade_Smallholder_Report_ to explore food and this often involves us cooked flatbreads and a variety of healthy FairtradeInternational.pdf). Our food taking groups on a culinary journey around and seasonal dips from around the world system is badly out of balance: consumers the world or to different periods in history. including Kachumbari relish from Kenya in richer countries expect ever cheaper and Egyptian broad bean and lentil dip. Travelling Kitchen has worked with a food, yet we throw away one-third of all number of Bristol schools to deliver the Travelling Kitchen believes that cooking the food we buy. The connection between primary school cookery curriculum and is for everyone and an essential life skill. value and price has been broken – in the using cooking to extend learning in other We want to foster a love of good food UK, we pay less for our food than ever areas. We aim to equip children with and the joys of cooking it and sharing it before. There are more than 700 million basic cooking skills and techniques whilst with others. Most importantly we want malnourished people in the world, but raising awareness of the wider cultural, to show people how cooking can be fun. now they are outnumbered by the obese. social and historical significance of the We can create bespoke workshops to There is widespread use of agro-chemicals food we eat. meet specific needs and love working with little thought to the future ecosystem. with people to make their ideas a reality. What can be done to turn this around? Workshops can be around historical or Travelling Kitchen will do all the planning global themes, to celebrate festivals or For more than 25 years, the Fairtrade and preparation so that everyone enrich school curriculum subjects. Some movement has sought to address these participating can enjoy the cookery examples include a world food picnic, challenges in the belief that trade — if workshop and teachers or other organisers cooking in the age of Shakespeare and re- done differently — can reduce poverty can be assured that they are in safe creating a steerage and First Class menu and boost sustainable development. The hands. If you would like to find out more of a Victorian steamship. We aim to create growth of Fairtrade is testament to how about Travelling Kitchen please visit our a visual and sensory experience and will far these ideas have gained public and website or email Sarah Francis and Clare also bring items to inspire and encourage commercial support: more than 1.5 million McLoughlin at [email protected] engagement; baskets from around farmers and workers in 70 countries the world filled with delicious , www.travellingkitchen.org now benefit from the clear terms of trade – including a minimum price – and commitment to social and environmental The display of food is taken from a welfare at the heart of Fairtrade standards. workshop at Blaise Primary school on ‘Cooking in the Age of Steam’ – these are The global Fairtrade market is now worth some of the dishes from the First Class $6bn annually.” menu of a Victorian steamship that we Read the full blog: www.huffingtonpost. re-created with the children. com/michael-gidney-/the- malnourished-are-outnumbered-by-the- obese_b_8147490.html Read some great blogs from leading Fairtraders: www.bristolfairtrade.org. uk/#!global-goals/c2g4 Read more about how Fair Trade standards support environmental protection and climate change: www.fairtrade. org.uk/~/media/fairtradeuk/what is fairtrade/documents/fairtrade and sustainability/fairtrade and sustainability - environmental protection and climate change.ashx This article was first published on bristolgreencapital.org

6 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 SUPURBfood Dan Keech, CCRI, University of Gloucestershire

SUPURBfood project closes with publication of practitioner and policy recommendations

Cities cover just 2% of the planet’s surface food production and consumption in but consume 75% of its resources. Any city-regions. This has been part of a major Two short briefings, one for food movement towards sustainability in cities EU funded food project, Supurbfood, practitioners, and one for policy-makers, will require a major focus on the role of an acronym for ‘Towards sustainable have been produced and are available on food and agriculture. Until recently, the urban and peri-urban food provisioning’. the CCRI website: benefits of agriculture were considered to Supurbfood has explored seven urban www.ccri.ac.uk/urban-food-the- be part of the rural development realm, case-study regions: Bristol, Rome, Riga, sustainable-city/#more-8531 but research suggests that in the future Rotterdam, Vigo, Zurich and Ghent and Read more in Magazine they will be part of city life. has now come to an end. (No 29 – City Region Food Systems, During the past three years, researchers Leading the research for CCRI, Matt Reed pp.26–29. May 2015) ‘Building a Bristol at the University of Gloucestershire’s said: “One of the unique features of Food City Region from the Grass Roots up: Countryside and Community Research Supurbfood has been that we have worked Food strategies, action plans and food Institute (CCRI) have been part of a with SMEs as research partners, so we policy councils’: www.ruaf.org/sites/ pan-European partnership exploring have understood their perspective.” default/files/UAM%2029%20p26-29.pdf

Bath–Bamberg research partnership on urban food and identity

During early September one of Germany’s leading geographers, Professor Marc Redepenning of the Otto-Friedrich University in Bamberg, visited Bath. He was accompanied by Dr Daniel Keech of the University of Gloucestershire’s Countryside and Community Research Institute. Marc’s visit was part of a Bath– Bamberg exchange trip funded by the Bavarian Research Alliance. Marc and Dan interviewed a range of people involved in food and agriculture in and around Bath to explore how urban food production and consumption influences urban structures, governance and local identity. Later in the month, Dan travelled to Bamberg. Bamberg, like Bath, enjoys World Heritage (WH) status for its outstanding historic architecture. Unlike Bath, urban are included in the Bamberg WH designation. On the edge of the city Commercial sell produce from and the medieval and baroque parts of centre, almost two dozen commercial the forecourts of the distinctive, low the city. Many gardeners grow locally gardens of between 2 and 20 hectares houses which characterize the area. Some distinctive varieties of potato, garlic and produce flowers, bedding plants and of the larger growers also sell to regional cabbage, and some follow organic or a range of vegetables and fruits. This supermarkets. The Bamberg WH team has biodynamic principles. neighbourhood, called the ‘Gärtnerstadt’, set up a walking trail of the gardeners’ More details are available from Dan Keech or gardeners’ quarter, has been quarter to encourage tourists to venture [email protected] commercially active for several centuries. beyond the honeypots of the cathedral

7 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 A celebration of soils In it for at ‘Down and Dirty’ healthy soil Katherine Lewis

In recognition of International Year of each year, costing the economy £45 to the soil; and returning animal ‘waste’ Soils and Bristol Green Capital, the Soil million annually – nearly £10 million of to the soil as manures or . All Association (www.soilassociation.org/ which is lost food production. of these practices are encouraged or soilsymposium) is hosting its 7th annual required by organic farming standards and The United Nations says that around 40% Soil Symposium, a day of technical methods, and research has shown that as of all agricultural soils in the world are workshops and talks on healthy soils well as storing up to 450kg more carbon seriously degraded, meaning droughts for farmers and growers, at At-Bristol from the air per hectare than non-organic and floods have greater impact, and on 5 November. At the end of the day farms, organic farming systems have more food production is at considerable we will be hosting ‘Down and Dirty’ soil organic matter. risk. This destruction is all the more (www.soilassociation.org/farmersgrowers/ incomprehensible, given that we know In support of International Year of Soils, events/nationalsoilsymposium/ that it takes more than one hundred years the Soil Association launched a campaign downanddirty) a celebration for people for one centimetre of topsoil to form. to increase soil organic matter levels who have a passion for food, growing across the UK by an average of 20% over and our soil. There’ll be an organic feast A key element of a healthy soil is the the next 20 years. This will require policy followed by music and lots of dancing amount of organic matter it contains. Soil makers to incentivise and promote better and Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for organic matter sustains the incredible Bristol East and Shadow Minister for variety and quantity of living organisms farming practice, and to prevent the worst Rural Affairs, is stepping in to do the in soils. Organic matter in healthy soils too… such as the wide scale move towards after-dinner speech. is what allows them to hold water like a growing maize for large scale anaerobic sponge, releasing it slowly and helping to digesters (www.soilassociation.org/soils/ Kerry McCarthy says: “I’m delighted to be prevent or minimise flooding. The same maizeagrowingproblem), which can lead giving one of my first public speeches in my ability of organic matter in soils to hold to considerable soil damage and loss. new role as Shadow Environment Secretary water helps those soils withstand droughts. in Bristol, and to the Soil Symposium. Our soils are too precious to be ignored, There is so much innovative and Even more crucial to the survival of life and along with improving farm practice inspiring work being done in the field of on earth, organic matter in soils consists now, we need more research funding sustainable food and farming right now, largely of carbon. Soils are the greatest to be channelled into this neglected from local urban food growing projects source of carbon on our planet (more than area. We need to take action now to like Feed Bristol on the ‘Blue Finger’ soil all the forests). Soils can either release manage our soils more respectfully in my constituency, to large-scale farms that carbon and accelerate catastrophic and reverse their decline, and start the where farmers are exploring how to move climate change, or take carbon from the process of rebuilding that thin layer of from a chemical-based to a biology-based air and store it safely in the ground. At the living soil on our planet that all of us approach, and from market-led research moment soils are driving climate change depend on ultimately for our survival. to farmer-led research. as they lose organic matter, but that Read more in our report ‘Living Soils: The Government should be addressing destructive process can and must be put A call to Action’ (www.soilassociation. these issues in its forthcoming 25 year into reverse quickly. org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=KMGFQY- food and farming plan. My fear is that the 7sIM%3D&tabid=2416). For years, scientists have known that plan will have a much more narrow focus. there are simple steps farmers can take Do come and help us celebrate the In my speech at the Soil Symposium to increase soil organic matter such as: wonderful world of soils on 5 November at I will be setting out some of my priorities introducing crop rotations that include At-Bristol. Bristol Food Network readers for food and farming, and urging the temporary grassland; using like red can get tickets from just £25 to include Environment Secretary to take a more clover, peas and beans to increase soil organic alcoholic and soft drinks, dinner imaginative, forward-looking approach fertility naturally; growing green winter and entertainment if booked online before in her 25 year plan.” cover crops to protect soil from erosion 5.30pm Tuesday 3 November. Just use the So why are we celebrating soils? Soils and to add to the plant material returned discount code ‘BFN’ when booking. are home to over a quarter of all known living species, and a teaspoon of soil can contain as many micro-organisms as there are people on the planet. Almost all our food comes from soil, and the world’s soil contains more carbon than all of the forests and other vegetation, and the atmosphere, combined. According to a UK government report our soils have been ‘degraded’ because of ‘intensive agricultural production’, and we are losing 2.2 million tonnes of topsoil

8 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Thoughts from the end of the land Jane Stevenson, Bristol Food Network

I’ve just returned from the end of the to support today’s farming families. One rickstein.com/). While this is undoubtedly land – from a week at the most westerly suggestion made for a way forward for a good thing in supporting and celebrating and southerly points of our mainland. agriculture, is that we persist on the road Cornish (sustainably caught) seafood, it to industrialisation, but that we have to has also had the knock-on effect of further I love this part of Cornwall. When I first regard our old way of farming as catering gentrifying what was once just a working visited as an adult holidaymaker (as to the leisure market. One of the farms we fishing port. As the brand moves into other opposed to one more interested in walk through has set up its own nature Cornish towns, how can local populations rockpools), I was struck by this part of trails, allowing a new route down to the break the seemingly inevitable train of the world’s refusal to change. coast path. That’s great, but I’m not keen events: business which supports a local, Penwith – the very last bit of Cornwall, on viewing farms as historical theme traditional industry becomes so successful delimited by St Ives in the north and parks. We need to think again about why that it leads to a gentrification of the area Penzance in the south – still retains its these farms no longer pay. Why, as a that ends-up pricing-out the locals. small patchwork of fields, marked-out society, have we come to place so little I’ve seen similar criticisms levied at by Bronze Age field walls. Its parish value on the work of people who provide businesses setting-up in Easton. boundaries are still indicated by standing us with things essential to life? stones in the middle of those human-scale How can we get back to a better way of A quiet way forward fields. There is evidence of civilizations feeding ourselves? We call in at a quiet, rather understated gone-by, almost everywhere you look. enterprise on the Lizard Peninsula – the From the remnants of Cornwall’s first Premium products Potager garden (www.potagergarden.org/). ‘gold rush’, when its tin first brought We pass-by two local success stories – The garden has been reclaimed from an international trade to the area 2,500-or-so Rodda’s (www.roddas.co.uk/our-story/) abandoned plant nursery and garden years ago, to the ruins of its most recent and Roskilly’s (www.roskillys.co.uk/). centre (reclaiming lost gardens being a industrial revolution 250-or-so years ago. Both of these businesses take a basic Cornish industry in its own right). Artists’ When I visited 20 years ago, there were local product – milk – and create added studios have been created within old spots in the landscape where it felt that value by turning it into a premium product. outbuildings, and a space for productive nothing fundamental had changed over Rodda’s use milk from farms within a & veg beds has been carved-out. all that time. 30-mile radius to make clotted cream. Chickens wander amongst the apple This year, walking through those same Roskilly’s make organic ice cream on their trees. One 100-foot glasshouse has been fields, I got the feeling that things own farm, from their own milk. retained, another has been converted into a vegetarian café, which naturally were starting to change. One of the Both Rodda’s and Roskilly’s ‘export’ their makes the most of the garden’s and other joys of using a 20-year-old walk book products to other parts of the country local produce. While we have coffee, a (the disadvantages are probably more and beyond. Their products are no longer bunch of 20-somethings, who do not look obvious), is that you get to see what’s regional specialities. When I was little, it like the usual garden-loving suspects, changed – the sorts of things that don’t felt that almost every tourist-orientated buzz through the building, trying out the normally get documented. On one walk outlet in Cornwall was exhorting you to tightrope and the hammocks that have we pass through a former market garden, send clotted cream by post – a regional been suspended in the garden. A group of only recently turfed-over. This part of our treat to send back to friends and relatives. 40-somethings adjourn to the table tennis mainland benefits from particularly kind You couldn’t buy clotted cream anywhere table in the glasshouse. We show-off our growing conditions. The small patchwork else at that time. A cream tea was a badminton ‘skills’. of walled fields help to create micro- genuine regional speciality – not something climates where sheltered crops can get available at every National Trust tea room I wonder if this is a new way forward for the maximum benefit from mild winters across the land. Even now, I can remember our shared inner city gardens? To create and early springs. The December daffodils my Dad pulling over beside a hand- a space for play as well as productivity? and first-of-the-year vegetables used to painted ‘cream tea’ sign, and the lady of fetch premium prices at London markets. the house producing scones fresh from Signs of hope Over time, this premium has disappeared the oven, homemade jam and clotted On the way home, we stop overnight in as our increasingly globalised market has cream, and just for us. I can’t help feeling Tavistock, an ancient market town on the delivered us everything, wherever and that we’ve lost something, now that we can western fringe of Dartmoor. Our hotel whenever we want it. We have lost the joy get everything, everywhere, at any time. shows-off all of its local suppliers on the of seasonality, and no longer value what back of its breakfast menu. Totally Locally But how do we re-learn to celebrate the these market gardens used to deliver. Tavistock has sprung-up since we visited genuinely local? last (www.totallylocallytavistock.co.uk/), On another walk, we pass through two and most simply and effectively of all, farms in succession which are being The celebrity effect on each of the main streets is a map and converted into holiday properties. I feel The regenerative effect of Rick Stein’s list of all the independent shops in town. culpable. The land here is still being used arrival in Padstow is well-known. The Perhaps we are starting to care, after all. for dairy cows, so presumably there have Stein business family now extends to been mergers. The old family-scale farms cookery school, hotel, restaurant, chip Jane Stevenson can no longer generate enough income shop, patisserie and fishmonger (www. [email protected]

9 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Events Communicate 2015: Improving Dementia Inclusion

Challenging Partnerships in Community Gardens The Community Farm, Woodbarn Farm, Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 November Tuesday 10 November Denny Lane, Chew Magna BS40 8SZ At-Bristol, Harbourside, Bristol Federation of City Farms and Community £275+VAT for 2 days, £175+VAT for 1 day Gardens, The Green House BS3 4NA Community Farmer Day – A best practice sharing event for Communicate is the UK’s leading community gardens and professionals Winter Preparations conference for environmental working with people with dementia. 10am–4pm Saturday 7 November communicators, bringing together over 150 delegates each year to develop their Food growing and gardening activities As the season draws to a close it’s time to skills, share best practice and debate the have proven health and wellbeing benefits prepare for the winter ahead. Battening latest issues in engaging people with the for people with dementia. Yet, participation down the hatches and a warm reflection natural world. in community growing is low and many on the season past. It will be great to have growing projects struggle to include people you along. We’ll get the soup and bread www.bnhc.org.uk/communicate/ with dementia as co-workers. Growing in for a yummy lunch (donations to cover Support invites you to a free workshop to costs please) and ask you folks to bring learn how community gardens and health some goodies along to share too. March for climate, justice and social care professionals can work Any questions, please email me on and jobs together to improve inclusion at community [email protected] or gardens for people with dementia. Sunday 29 November alternatively you can call or text Ian on 12 noon: meet at Castle Park Talks 07837 912 108. 1–3pm: rally at College Green n The mental and physical health benefits Travelling to the Farm: Our veggie box As world leaders prepare for the Paris of for people delivery angel, Barry, has a licensed Climate Summit in November, people from with dementia: best practice examples minibus and he’s happy to bring 16 all over the world will unite in a Global (Maria Devereaux, Growing Health lucky people along (and take you back!). Climate March to send a strong message project lead, Sustain). There are 16 seats available and we are to politicians that this time we want n Bristol Dementia inclusion programme extremely happy to be able to offer this action, not just words. Citizens united (Jan Connett, commissioning officer, service free of charge. First come, first for an economy powered by 100% clean Bristol Public Health) served. Book your seats online and safe energy, where good jobs benefit n What we’ve learnt, taking part in the There will be 2 pick-ups in Bristol. The people and planet alike. A world protected Growing Support in the Community Minibus will be on Anchor Rd opposite the from the ravages of climate change, where Project (Jan Perry, coordinator, Marriott Hotel leaving at 9.15, then on the everyone has a right to food, water, clean Knowle West Health Association). exit ramp at Temple Meads station, leaving air, and a healthy life. at 9.30. Leaving the farm at 4pm returning Discussion How can we overcome barriers As Bristol is European Green Capital this to inclusion for people with dementia to both pick up points. year, it’s the perfect chance for the people in community gardens? Facilitated by www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/ of Bristol to come together and show the Growing Support. course/community-farmer-day-winter- world why we were chosen. To book email [email protected] preparations/ www.climatemarchbristol.com or telephone Dale on 07581 281 578 Festive family cookery! plantings Saturday 19 December · £19 10am–12.30pm: under 8 year olds Plant a new Bedminster orchard Hengrove & Whitchurch Community 1.30–4pm: 8–16 year olds Orchard planting 10am–1pm Saturday 14 November We’ll be cosying up in our yurt (equipped Dean Lane (next to the Tap and Barrel 25 & 26 November 2015 with a wood-burner) giving an opportunity pub, on the corner of Warden Road) Whitchurch Village Green for children and parents to come together Help plant a new orchard with the We welcome all Bristol residents to join to harvest crops from our fields and learn Patchwork Community Gardening Group. local school children, volunteers and the how to make some tasty treats in time for The new site is on the corner of Dean Orchard team to help to plant the first the Christmas festivities. Lane and Warden Road, on a little fruit trees on Whitchurch Village Green. BBC Cook of the year, Jo Ingleby, is our square patch of unloved grass next to Please get in touch by emailing much loved tutor and with her great the Tap and Barrel pub. Bring gloves, [email protected] experiences of children’s cookery this is spades and forks if you have them, and sure to be a fantastic experience for all a drink. Cake provided! those budding chefs out there!

http://bedminsterpatchwork.tumblr. www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk/course/ com/ festive-family-cookery/

10 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 … more events Festival of the Future City Bristol Food Producers 17–20 November Gathering Venues across Bristol 9.30–3pm Thursday 26 November Cities are the future, as the majority of 5th Floor, Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, the population move to live and work Bristol · £5 in them. The Festival of the Future Bristol Food Producers is a new organisation City – one of the Arts Council England open to all those wishing to work together supported Exceptional projects – will to grow local food production and support be the largest debate ever about the sustainable food producing enterprises, city and the future, bringing together in Bristol and beyond. The Gathering will academics, city planners, artists, writers, involve an introduction to Bristol Food filmmakers, games makers, architects, Producers, the launch of our membership, politicians, journalists and commentators, and practical workshops throughout the poets, community leaders, businesses, day involving: creating a local food brand, Celebrating World Soil Day scientists, think tanks and others to cooperating on distribution, building the debate the future city with the public. enterprise skills of growers, land access 10am–10pm Saturday 5 December Hawkwood College, Painswick Old Road, The aims of Festival of the Future City are: and land matching, how to market your products and more! Stroud GL6 7QW to inspire wide thinking and debate about Free but donations welcomed the future of cities; to look at examples The day will provide a great opportunity Please book in advance: of good practice in cities that will help to meet other existing, or aspiring, food [email protected] · 01453 759034 promote a better and more resilient, producers, processors and distributors in sustainable and prosperous future for all; and around Bristol and share and develop Conversations, inspirations & actions to examine and debate good examples of your own ideas and networks, whilst to celebrate food & our soils include; city futures from the past and what they finding out more about what is going on Experiencing Soil and Its Soul; Walking can tell us now; to provide models for within Bristol’s pioneering food scene. Hammonds Farm; Soil, Heavens and the future city development; and to promote Harvest; Soil Searching; Soil Film Festival debate and discussion about the future There will be sessions on planning future & Earth Music with cinematic journey of city by the widest range of people and objectives and work streams for the ‘Soil Saturdays’, ‘Dawn to Dusk’ & ‘Songs organisations. organisations too – so you can get stuck from the Soil’ films. into making sure Bristol Food Producers Download the programme at: provides what you need in order to help World Soil Day celebrates the fruits www.ideasfestival.co.uk/seasons/ you make your livelihood as a Bristol food of UN International Year of Soils with festival-future-city/ producer. Touchstone collaborations; Biodynamic Association; Biodynamic Land Trust; Blue A £5 entry fee will be charged for the day. Finger Alliance; British Society of Soil There will also be one-to-one business Science; Centre for Agroecology, Water advice sessions available to book in the & Resilience; Centre for Contemporary afternoon for no extra charge. A delicious Art and the Natural World; People 4 lunch and refreshments will be provided. Soil European Citizens Initiative & Soil See the programme & book your ticket: Association. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol- www.hawkwoodcollege.co.uk/all- food-producers-gathering-tickets- courses-and-events/sustainability/ 18972386920?aff=Bitly world-soil-saturday-in-december www.bristolfoodproducers.uk

Some content for this newsletter is taken Forest of Avon Somerset Community Food from the following e-newsletters: http://forestofavontrust.org/ http://somersetcommunityfood.us4.list- manage.com/subscribe?u=d30d0c5033 Bristol Green Capital Partnership Garden Organic e-news 4e44b93bd28f890&id=9cadf64cc3 http://bristolgreencapital.org/ www.gardenorganic.org.uk Sustainable Food Cities Bristol Vegans Newsletter Growing Schools newsletter www.sustainablefoodcities.org/ Email: [email protected] www.growingschools.org.uk Sustainable Food Trust Eating Better Plunkett Association http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ http://www.eating-better.org/get- www.plunkett.co.uk/whatwedo/ support-us/ involved.html newsletters.cfm Voscur Food Climate Research network Soil Association e-news www.voscur.org/news www.fcrn.org.uk (go to email sign-up) http://action.soilassociation.org/ page/s/enews

11 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Christmas events Markets & Christmas Fairs Winter Solstice at Feed Bristol More online 6–9pm Friday 18 December BEATS Night Market Over 100 cities sign the Milan Urban Feed Bristol, Bristol BS16 1HB 5–10pm Friday 13 November Food Policy Pact Tobacco Factory, corner of North Celebrate the end of the year with fresh digest: Mayors and delegates from Street & Raleigh Road, Southville seasonal food and live bands in the more than 100 cities all over the world roundhouse. gathered in Milan to sign the first Bristol Eats (BEATS) street food international Urban Food Policy Pact. collective returns, this time including We are creating a special ceremony to This protocol commits the political a special night market with vintage mark the occasion. You are welcome to leads of these cities – representing homeware, local art, winter hats and come down in the morning to help put the together over 400 million people – to gloves – plus much more. site to bed for winter, harvest and prepare vegetables. develop sustainable food systems https://www.facebook.com/ to grant healthy and accessible food n events/1029346133764356/ FREE family fun to all, protect biodiversity and fight n Sensational seasonal home cooked against food waste. North Street Winter Fair hot food www.sustainablefoodcities.org/ Saturday 28 November n Herbal and Delicious Café serving hot newsevents/news/articleid/446/ North Street, Southville/Bedminster drinks and cake on-world-food-day-over-100-cities- Bringing its traditional range of n Kids activities sign-the-milan-urban-food-policy- market stalls, music and festive cheer pact www.avonwildlifetrust.org. to North Street! uk/events/2015/12/18/winter- Ted talk videos: What’s wrong with https://www.facebook.com/ solstice?instance=0 what we eat? bedminsterbristol.bs3 digest: These TED talks examine East Street Christmas Fair the problems linked to what we eat and offer some solutions. Speakers 10am–4pm Saturday 12 December include: Jamie Oliver, Mark Bittman, East Street, Bedminster Louise Fresco, Tristram Stuart, and There will be music, reindeer, Santa Graham Hill. and much more along East Street between. Surplus Supper Club: www.fcrn.org.uk/research-library/ Festive Feasting ted-talk-videos-what%E2%80%99s- www.bedminstertownteam.org wrong-what-we-eat FareShare South West, Little Anne Windmill Hill City Farm Street, St Agnes, Lawrence Hill BS2 9EB U.S. government rejects inclusion of Christmas Fair sustainability in dietary guidelines Join the Surplus Supper Club, catering arm 11am–4pm Saturday 12 December despite expert advice of food redistribution charity FareShare WHCF, Philip Street, Bedminster digest: It has been announced that SouthWest, for a Christmas party night the U.S. will not be incorporating If you would like an application in ‘The Warehouse Winter Wonderland’ sustainability into the new Dietary form for a stall, download one from (home to FareShare SouthWest), and Guidelines for Americans. the website or contact reception on sample a meal made from surplus food. 0117 9633252 or www.fcrn.org.uk/research-library/ On Friday 4 and 11 December, experience [email protected] us-government-rejects-inclusion- a formal four-course meal with music and sustainability-dietary-guidelines- www.windmillhillcityfarm.org.uk/ games. On Saturday 5 and 12, it’s a more despite-expert whats-on/events/christmas-fair/ relaxed affair with a two-course buffet. Waste at the top end of the food Westbury On Trym Christmas Fayre All Go Green members and not-for-profit organisations will receive a 10% discount chain 11am–3pm Saturday 19 December on food packages. Price per head digest: A staggering 44.5% of food Canford Lane in Westbury On Trym from £18 (with discount). grown within Kenya’s horticultural Local food and crafts, rides, carolling export industry is rejected before it The venue can also be booked out on and children’s entertainment. has left the country other Fridays and Saturdays, with a Local food stalls are especially minimum number required. http://sustainablefoodtrust.org/ welcomed. Please email the articles/feedback-food-waste- www.surplussupperclub.org/ organisers for more information report/ regarding pitch, stalls, timing etc: [email protected]

12 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Course directory Courses Looking for training in something a bit more specialised, and prepared to Mushroom cultivation & travel further afield? Try some of the identification introductory following course providers: course General sustainability, & low impact living Friday 13–Sunday 15 November Brook End LAND Centre near Street/ The Low Impact Living initiative has Glastonbury, Somerset a comprehensive directory of courses (1 hour south of Bristol) and resources £60 (low income) to £180 (high income). www.lowimpact.org We have a number of free places for those Montkon Wyld, Elsdon’s Lane, in receipt of benefit. Charmouth, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6DQ This three day course will take a look at Introduction to growing http://monktonwyldcourt.co.uk the fascinating world of fungi, introducing vegetables Ragmans Farm, Lydbrook, key concepts in their biology and Gloucestershire GL17 9PA 9.30am–4pm Sundays 8, 15 & 22 Nov ecology. Looking at the identification and www.ragmans.co.uk classification of fungi and seeing how we University of Bristol Botanic Garden, can be cultivated and integrated in our Hollybush Lane, Stoke Bishop Embercombe, Higher Ashton, gardens. £120.00 Exeter EX6 7QQ www.embercombe.co.uk/ Fungi are a much sought after food crop, Join us at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden on Sunday 8, 15 & 22 November for that provide a range of health benefits, Gardening courses but they also provide many valuable a three day course covering everything you need to know about growing vegetables. The Cotswold Gardening School, services in our gardens and woodlands. Gossington Hall, Gossington GL2 7DN The course will look at using fungi to help Steve Collins is repeating this popular http://cotswoldgardeningschool. with composting, creating edible mulches, course introducing you to the rewarding co.uk/ recycling waste and improving plant world of growing your own vegetables in health. which he will cover the whole process Smallholding skills, beekeeping, We will be using looking at the techniques of vegetable growing including planning butchery needed to create mushroom spawn which your site, sowing seed, and creating your Mumbleys Farmhouse, near will lead onto to outdoor methods of own compost. The theory course will Thornbury, South Gloucestershire cultivating wood eating wild fungi. feature practical demonstrations with BS35 3JY the opportunity to participate yourself, http://mumbleysfarmhouse.co.uk/ This requires only a few simple pieces of weather permitting. Appropriate clothing equipment, so all that you learn will be and footwear should be worn – all tools Empire Farm, Throop Road, repeatable at home. provided. Templecombe, Somerset BA8 0HR www.empirefarm.co.uk/ We will also explore mushroom Limited places are available so to secure enterprises & next steps for supplying our your place you should make a card Westfield Farm, Limeburn Hill, communities. payment via the University’s online shop Chew Magna BS40 8QW http://westfield-farm.co.uk/ This course is being organised by Feed on http://shop.bris.ac.uk/ or send a cheque made payable to ‘University of Avalon, a workers cooperative and social Cookery, breadmaking, Bristol’ to The Course Administrator, enterprise dedicated to cultivating cheesemaking local food resilience & social justice in University of Bristol Botanic Garden, Abbey Home Farm, Burford Road, Glastonbury, Street and surrounding Hollybush Lane, Stoke Bishop, Bristol BS9 1JB (0117 3314906) Cirencester GL7 5HF areas. It has financial support from www.theorganicfarmshop.co.uk Somerset Skills and Learning. We are excited to work with the Upcycled Lower Shaw Farm, Old Shaw Lane, Mushroom Company from Bristol who are Shaw, Swindon SN5 5PJ sharing their knowledge & skills. www.lowershawfarm.co.uk/

To book, email: [email protected] www.feedavalon.org.uk/mushroom- Agroforestry Research Trust, course/ 46 Hunters Moon, Dartington, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6JT www.agroforestry.co.uk/

Edible Landscaping, Cardiff www.ediblelandscaping.co.uk/

13 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 More online

…more courses The race to fish: how fishing subsidies are emptying our oceans Voscur events & training digest: The short-term ‘race to fish’ is jeopardising the long-term The climate is changing. Volunteers and the Law environmental, social, and economic Is your organisation? 9.30am–1pm Thursday 3 December security that fisheries offer us all. 9am–1.30pm Tuesday 10 November The Gatehouse Centre, Hareclive Rd, https://theconversation.com/the- The Station, Silver Street Bristol BS13 9JN race-to-fish-how-fishing-subsidies- Bristol, BS1 2AG Full Member: £50, Associate Member: are-emptying-our-oceans-48227 Free £70, Non Member: £85 Reclaiming our Place in the Planet’s An Introduction to Twitter Kick Start Your Organisation! Ecology 1–4pm Tuesday 24 November 6–9pm Tuesdays, 19 Jan–22 March digest: An overview of the courageous Knowle West Media Centre, Event location TBC organisers of land and food FREE Leinster Avenue, Bristol BS4 1NL movements, camps, conferences Full Member: £50, Associate Member: and projects, all working on food £70, Non Member: £85 Fund it! 2016 sovereignty. 10am–4.30pm Wednesday 17 February Convince your funders you make Event location TBC https://itsvivid.wordpress. a difference Early Bird rate: £60 per person/£95 for 2 com/2015/10/09/reclaiming-our- 9.30am–3.30pm Wednesday 2 attending from the same organisation place-in-the-planets-ecology/ December (Standard Cost: £80 per person) St Werburghs Centre, Horley Road, Honeybees Face Global Threat: www.supporthub.org.uk/upcoming- St Werburghs, Bristol BS2 9TJ If They Die, So Do We support-hub-events-and-training Full Member: £75, Associate Member: digest: Starting around 11,500 years £95, Non Member: £175 ago, when humans began making permanent settlements and invented agriculture, bees emerged as the most Cooking Connections: Outdoor Cooking Food Hygiene critical animal to human survival. Building skills in the kitchen Course Level 2 Training http://ecowatch.com/2015/10/06/ honeybees-face-global-threat/ No.10 The Peoples Kitchen, 8.45am–5.30pm Thursday 5 March 2015 The Gatehouse Centre, Hareclive Road, Lawrence Weston Community Farm, The Miracle of Mals Hartcliffe BS13 9JN Saltmarsh Drive, Bristol BS11 0NJ digest: By banning pesticides in a £130 A new course starting in January 2016, referendum, the community of Mals open to anyone living in BS3, 4, 13 or 14. Run by Forest of Avon Trust this exciting in Southern Tyrol is set to garner Take home what you make and share a new course explores the fun and worldwide attention. healthy meal with others! Would you like to: practicalities of cooking outside with www.resilience.org/ groups of adults or children. Ideal for n Create healthy & nutritious food from stories/2015-09-30/the-miracle-of- anyone interested in outdoor learning, scratch? mals including Forest School leaders, teachers n Gain practical, safe, cookery experience? and support staff. You will learn about To feed growing cities we need to n Increase your confidence in a working food hygiene and safety when you are stop urban sprawl eating up our food environment? working outside including storage, supply handling and food safety hazards. n Eat what you make & meet new people? digest: As Australian cities expand For further information contact: to accommodate rapidly growing YES? Then please get in touch to register [email protected] interest! Contact Alex 0117 9465285 populations, fertile farmland on the [email protected] www.lwfarm.org.uk/learning.html city fringe is at risk due to urban sprawl. (crèche spaces available) https://theconversation.com/ to-feed-growing-cities-we-need-to- stop-urban-sprawl-eating-up-our- Bristol online Reframing the foodscape: the food-supply-49651 emergent world of urban food policy Resilience and Collapse: Notes from A persuasive vision of a future digest: Taking Bristol and Malmö as Cyprus economy empirical case studies, this paper digest: Ciaran Mundy reports back from illustrates the different paths that cities digest: Attempts to spark a movement October’s Bristol New Economy Summit. are taking as they strive to fashion more for resilience and local self-reliance. sustainable urban foodscapes. http://newstartmag.co.uk/your- www.resilience.org/ blogs/a-persuasive-vision-of-a- http://epn.sagepub.com/ stories/2015-10-05/resilience-and- future-economy/ content/47/7/1558.abstract collapse-notes-from-cyprus-part-two

14 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Publications Resources The future of protein From individual to collective The State of Food and Forum for the Future have action: Exploring business Agriculture Social protection launched The Future of Protein hub to explore how to address the cases for addressing and agriculture: breaking the challenges of a feeding a growing sustainable food security cycle of rural poverty world population. Forum are working with the Protein Challenge WWF-UK/Food Ethics Council The Food and Agriculturure Organization 2040 to bring together the animal, of the United Nations This new report finds that businesses want plant and novel protein industries to see government taking bold actions to The FAO argues in its latest version of the for the first time. create a food system that serves citizens, State of Food and Agriculture report SOFA the economy and planet alike. Businesses that expanding social protection offers www.thefuturescentre.org/topic- must also actively seek opportunities a faster track to ending hunger, when hubs/protein to work together for sustainable food combined with broader agricultural and 2016 International Year of Pulses security, the report says, and the rural development measures. It argues government must create the conditions that the vast majority of rural poor remain An opportunity to promote lower to make it easier for businesses to uncovered by social protection (only about carbon menus, centred around collaborate to deliver long-term food a third of the world’s poorest people are pulses. The site has lots of ideas security for all. covered by any form of social protection). for how to celebrate Pulse Feast on Thus, expanding social protection 6 January. www.wwf.org.uk/about_wwf/press_ programmes – including cash transfers, centre/index.cfm?7670 http://iyp2016.org/toolkits/10- school feeding and public works – in great-things-you-can-do-to- rural areas and linking them to inclusive promote-iyp2016 Global Nutrition Report 2015: agricultural growth policies would rapidly reduce the number of poor people. Grow your own business: Actions and accountability to Sow it. Grow it. Sell it! www.fao.org/publications/sofa/2015/en/ advance nutrition & sustainable An activities pack developed for development the Food Growing Schools London The authoritative Global Nutrition Cultivating Equality: Delivering network, and part of a set of 3 Report 2015, launched at the UN in New Just and Sustainable Food themed Grow Your Own projects, which also includes Grow Your York by the International Food Policy Systems in a Changing Climate Research Institute (IFPRI) includes Own Picnic and Grow Around the recommendations to reduce demand for CARE, Food Tank, and CCAFS World. meat consumption. The authors call on The report focuses on the need to tackle www.foodgrowingschools. Governments to build climate change into inequity and gender inequality to end org/resources/files/Grow%20 national nutrition strategies, including hunger and malnutrition in the face of your%20Own%20Business%20 national dietary guidelines. climate change. 2015_final%20low%20res.pdf

http://ebrary.ifpri.org/utils/getfile/ Inequality determines who eats first Digital Business Academy: collection/p15738coll2/id/129443/ and who eats worst, and this shapes 11 free online courses filename/129654.pdf people’s ability to adapt to climate Eleven specialist business change. Solutions around food production courses, ranging from building are not enough, and inequality in food The Bristol Method brands to running online systems also needs to be addressed. The campaigns, developing digital As European Green Capital in 2015, Bristol report states that: “Business as usual – products to raising finance. have an opportunity to share what we increasing gas emissions, know with people all over the country, unsustainable means of production, www.digitalbusinessacademyuk. across Europe and around the world. high levels of food waste and loss, and com/ unequal access to resources and power – To do this as effectively as we can, the is unacceptable. It’s time for a dialogue – The Compassionate Food Guide 2015Co have created the ‘Bristol Method’: and action – about equity.” Sixty billion animals are farmed a knowledge-transfer programme aimed at for food worldwide every year – helping people in other cities understand http://careclimatechange.org/ the vast majority of them reared and apply the lessons that Bristol has publications/cultivating-equality- intensively in systems that learned in becoming a more sustainable report/ seriously impact their welfare. city, not just in 2015 but over the last Compassion in World Farming’s decade. guide summarises what the https://www.bristol2015.co.uk/method/ assurance schemes and retailers food-nature/ do for animal welfare. https://www.bristol2015.co.uk/method/ www.ciwf.org.uk/your-food/ resources/

15 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Odds & ends Orchard Box Crowdfunder Creating Social Value in Bristol for UK’s first craft cider Consultation open till 8 January 2016 subscription box Social value is about maximising Bristol Based Orchard Box is a brand the impact of public expenditure to new subscription box service for people get the best possible outcomes, and tired of mass produced ciders made from recognising that local people are central to concentrates and artificial flavourings determining how these can be achieved, who want to discover the best craft cider and what it is that makes Bristol a from independent producers delivered successful city. The Policy outlines the Refill Bristol to their doorstep every month. Join in Council’s intended approach to creating Refill Bristol is a practical campaign to the crowdfunding before 5 November social value and how we seek to maximise make Bristol a city in which refilling your to receive the UK’s first craft cider this in our expenditure in order to improve water bottle becomes a cultural norm, subscription box. the economic, social and environmental with refill points on every street, via cafes, well-being of the area. The accompanying Orchard Box will be supporting retailers, hotels and businesses. draft Toolkit is more detailed and will independent producers who are making support council officers, particularly It has been launched by City to Sea, a real cider that can’t be found in the commissioners and procurement officers collaboration of organisations, charities, supermarket. Orchard Box will offer a as well as potential provider organisations marine biologists, academics and route to market as well as marketing in any sector. individuals from Bristol who share an opportunity to those small producers to interest in stemming the flow of plastic get their products in the hands of real Bristol City Council is aiming to be one litter reaching our oceans. Their research cider drinkers. of the most successful and innovative and consultations identified Refill Bristol authorities for achieving social value. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/orchardbox as a ‘quick win’ – a way to get Bristolians Before finalising these documents we on-board with a change in the way we www.OrchardBox.co.uk want you to tell us what you think of our use single-use plastics, in this instance, Twitter.com/OrchardBox approach so that we can use these views bottled water. facebook.com/OrchardBox to help shape the policy and toolkit, and help us achieve this aim. Together with project partners Bristol 2015, Go Green and Frank Water, Refill Take part in the consultation at: Bristol aims to sign up 100 Refill stations https://bristol.citizenspace.com/ by the end of 2015. business-change/creating-social-value Participating cafes, bars, restaurants, banks, galleries, museums and other neighbourly: food businesses will simply put a sticker in their window – alerting passers-by to the M&S have just announced that they’ll be fact they’re welcome to come on in and fill working with neighbourly to launch a new up their bottle – for free! nationwide surplus food redistribution Food Made Good scheme! The initiative will help get surplus www.citytosea.org.uk/index.php/refill- Food Made Good is the new consumer food to where it is most needed in the bristol/ movement launched by the Sustainable community – to people and not bins. Restaurant Association. It is aimed at The neighbourly platform will provide Orchard grants those of us who take great care when a simple process for food charities to shopping for food for the home but feel register and receive food from local M&S Do you know of any in need of compromised when eating out – and often stores and allow M&S to centrally monitor TLC? The people’s trust for endangered end up checking in our principles in the what products are resulting in surplus. species have launched a grant scheme cloakroom. They’ll be the first major retailer to provide for the improvement and restoration of live updates on the number of tonnes traditional orchards in the UK. #MakeFoodGood campaign is asking food lovers to commit to one action when of surplus food redistributed, via their As part of the grant scheme we are eating out, such as asking if the fish is neighbourly homepage. sending out free grafting kits and pre- sustainably sourced or checking where Surplus food will include products grafted trees, on a first come first served your tip goes. nearing their expiry date including fruit, basis! Community Orchards are eligible to vegetables, bread, cakes and groceries. apply and grants will be issued on a first- Make a pledge today, chefs, customers come-first-served basis. and all food lovers can get involved. If you work for a charity that would benefit from free surplus food, please contact us http://ptes.org/campaigns/traditional- www.foodmadegood.org/ on [email protected] orchard-project/orchard-grants/ https://www.neighbourly.com/ foodroute

16 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015 Regular things Blaise Walled All are welcome to join us on meeting days, including children – come anytime Workdays: 10am–1pm Saturdays after noon. Entrance is at the green gates Open days: 11am–3pm 1st Sunday of the between nos 37+39 Metford Rd, BS6. month Please bring sturdy footwear. Contact: Facing the front door of Blaise House, Karen at [email protected] or Bristol’s local food update go left through the until you Lewis on 07906 596460. If you didn’t receive this PDF by email, come to the entrance doors to the walled you can send a subscription request for www.sustainableredland.org.uk/metford- garden OR, go behind the house and future issues to be sent direct to you, to: road-community-orchard/ take the door next to the orangery and go [email protected] left through a little door into the garden. Subscribers will also be e-mailed a Please wear sturdy footwear, and make Royate Hill Community Orchard maximum of twice a month with an the volunteer leader aware of your arrival. Main orchard day is the 3rd Sunday of e-update of any event information that missed the newsletter deadline. Contact: Christine Carroll · 0792 870 1369 every month. Additional/alternative day [email protected] is 1st Sunday from March to October. This issue of Bristol’s local food update Contact Mike Feingold 0776 891 5423 was compiled by Jane Stevenson and http://blaisecommunitygarden.org.uk Kristin Sponsler. if you’d like to join or visit us. Design by Jane Stevenson: Easton Community Allotment As well as the fruit, we also plant veg, www.janestevensondesign.co.uk Thursdays 11–4pm (5pm summer) and whoever shows up for workdays when Views expressed in this newsletter are there is a harvest, gets to take food home. A beautiful, green enclave nestled on the not necessarily endorsed by Bristol City Drinks available, bring snacks to share. edge of Easton. A social space for people Council. Tools and gardening gloves provided. who want to grow vegetables, drink tea Compost toilet. Everybody welcome. Bristol Food Network and share the harvest. No experience necessary – just drop in. Email for map: www.kebelecoop.org/?page_id=28 Get involved with the Bristol Food Network – online, via Facebook or [email protected] Southmead Fruit Garden Twitter. Or explore further via our www.eastoncommunitygarden.org.uk Pinterest boards. 1st Saturday of the month 10am–3pm www.bristolfoodnetwork.org Feed Bristol You can find us behind the Whitehall on www.facebook.com/ Mons, Tues, Weds & Fridays Glencoyne Square, BS10 6DE. We’re a bristolfoodnetwork?fref=ts friendly bunch! Contact us at: Communal growing days: Volunteers @Bristolfoodnet are welcome on Mondays, Tuesdays [email protected] www.pinterest.com/bristollocalfoo/ and Wednesdays 9.30am–4pm; www.facebook.com/Southmeadfruitgarden Fridays 9.30–12pm. Drop in with workshops and events. Trinity Community Gardens Bristol Green Capital All welcome. Phone to see if we’re here on Gardening drop-in sessions Email us for details of the next Bristol Green Capital Partnership Food Action Saturday: 0117 917 7270 Last Sunday of the month 11am–5pm Group meeting/networking session. www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/people/ Learn to grow fruit, veg & herbs at the [email protected] feedbristol/feedbristol.html Trinity Gardens (BS2 0NW) throughout the growing season. Get fit, work outside, Sign-up for the Partnership newsletter: Golden Hill Community Garden meet people, gain knowledge/practical http://bristolgreencapital.org/news/ 10am–4pm Wednesdays experience and share some lovely food …and for events news during 2015: together. We always have a range of jobs to suit www.bristol2015.co.uk/ ability and preferences. Free feel to come http://3ca.org.uk/activities/garden down for a chat and a look around with no commitment to stay. You can drop in for Woodcroft Community Orchard an hour or stay all day whatever fits round Workdays 1st Saturday of the month your life or energy levels. On the edge of Nightingale Valley on www.thegoldenhillcommunitygarden.com former allotment ground at Woodcroft Road. Now planted with over 50 trees and Metford Rd Community Orchard numerous soft fruits. Bristol’s local food update is produced 3rd Sunday of the month all year round; [email protected] by Bristol Food Network CIC, with support from Bristol City Council. 1st Sunday too between March–October http://woodcroftcommunityorchard. Bristol Food Network CIC supports, informs MRCO is a small organic orchard based on wordpress.com/ and connects individuals, community permaculture principles growing apples, www.facebook.com/ projects, organisations and businesses who share a vision to transform Bristol plums, pears, medlars, quince, gages, WoodcroftCommunityOrchard into a sustainable food city. nuts, a multitude of different currants and berries, a vine with grapes and figs, Registered office: 7 Queen Square, Bristol BS1 4JE Find a growing group near to you at: A Community Interest Company, Limited by a herb garden and a chutney veg plot. www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/local-food- Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. map/ Registration no. 8838348.

17 bristol’s local food update · november–december 2015