NE-S Local Food

Food growing in our area (apart from on allotments)

This is from what we wrote down and what else I could remember: if you feel I’ve remembered incorrectly, or left out something important, please let us know so it can be remedied/added to – Jerry

Notes in green = ideas that could be put into practice soon

• Groups of 4 or 5 to garden/time share e.g. 2hour stints working together in someone’s growing space – next time in someone else’s space
• Community orchards: where are suitable sites?
• Potential orchard sites not suitable for tree fruit might be suitable for soft fruit.
• The thought was expressed that people shouldn’t be allowed to get an allotment if they have food-growing space in their gardens but aren’t using it! Allotments should go to people who NEED an allotment because they have no other option
• Guerilla gardening e.g. midnight masked & hooded planting of raspberry canes by gangs of transition desperadoes
• One garden-share agreement was set up within minutes of the start of the food conversation: Ruth is going to start using space in Kathryn’s garden for veg
• We could have a day touring each other’s growing spaces, to get and give ideas and to meet future gardening buddies
• Buddying within our group or groups could include a dispersed plant nursery e.g. one person grows trays of brassicas ( broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts etc) for themselves and others to plant out; someone else does tomatoes & peppers; squash person does courgettes, butternut, pumpkins etc; salad enthusiast starts off 8 kinds of lettuce...
• If we spread & promote the idea of “sharing out your unused garden space to a grower without a garden” – if we spread this idea beyond what is at present a group of * * Transition enthusiasts perhaps fairly used to and idealistic about cooperative arrangements, then there are potential problems to try to consider in advance e.g. Jack hurts himself quite badly while working for his own benefit in Jill’s garden, and his pal Reginald the personal injury lawyer breathes into his ear “Do you realise, mate, you could take her to the cleaners... do you want this phone number for Sue, Grabbitt and Runne?”. Some RESEARCH NEEDED on what sort of form agreements should take so as to protect all parties from avoidable negative outcomes: I’ll (Jerry) try to find out what’s been done elsewhere.
• The idea came up that although the LANDSHARE website http://landshare.channel4.com/ exists, some local facility might be appropriate e.g. for an elderly person with unused garden who hasn’t got a computer. We need to set up a local gardenspace dating agency & try to match growers and landowners with a bit of care so that nobody has a hard time due to a mismatch. Could be promoted through various community organisations and forums, through U3A, or by flyers in a group of neighbouring streets in a locality. Growers and landowners could register their details with whoever’s volunteering to sit in the middle. Details of who’s looking for what could be displayed on a noticeboard e.g. in the library or a shop or cafe window – and/or on a virtual noticeboard on Transition website, or Grow Sheffield website, or on both. (Any further suggestions welcome)