Friday October 14, 2011

Update

Planning for food...
As featured on ITV News, a groundbreaking initiative to encourage all new developments to include food growing spaces has just been adopted by Brighton and Hove City Council. The Planning Advice Note (PAN) was written by Food Matters in collaboration with the council's planning department and as part of Harvest. Although not mandatory, it encourages developers to think creatively about using walls, roofs and balconies for food growing when space is limited. Since this was adopted two months ago, 50% of new residential planning applications have included food growing - a massive boost for food growing in the city! Read the PAN. 

Harvest Schools - getting more kids growing
There's no denying the benefits gardening in schools can bring. From learning about where food comes from, team working and other social skills, trying new foods, and linking into the curriculum to the confidence and satisfaction that comes from planting something and helping it grow, gardens can make a real difference. But it is not always easy to keep a garden going, be it lack of time, gardening knowledge, or a plan in place for planting and watering.

The Food Partnership has just received funding for a new project called Harvest Schools, which aims to work with schools to support their food growing projects and better link them to the national curriculum. As a part of this project we will be holding termly themed networking workshops for people involved in running schools gardens, as well as offering subsidised equipment and materials and expert gardening advice. The next networking meeting is 18 October. For more information about the meeting or Harvest Schools programme, please contact Ann on 01273 431718 or ann@bhfood.org.uk, or visit the Schools page of the Harvest website. 

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This months growing & eating tips

In the kitchen...It's Harvest festival time of year and it's not hard to see why! Such a wide variety of fruit and veg, including beautiful squashes, tomatoes, chard, salads, kale, apples, pears, sweetcorn, cabbages, and the last of the blackberries, are available now giving us loads to celebrate when it comes to eating!  It's a great time to reflect on where our food comes from too, and to remember that it's not always easy getting food from the field to the plate - all you gardeners will know that very well! So take a moment to appreciate that wonderful produce at the farmers' market, shop, or in your veg box...before you tuck in to a delicious meal!

Have you ever tried spaghetti squash? A curious variety of squash, once cooked (don't forget to scoop out the seeds) the flesh becomes stringy and looks like spaghetti! It's delicious cut in half and roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of cinnamon, or try using like pasta and eat it with a tomato sauce. Other seasonal recipes to try include this delicious vegetarian stuffed cabbage , or savour tomatoes while they're still here with this roasted tomato and pepper ciabatta. Read more autumn cooking ideas... 

In the garden...Now is a good time to be thinking about soil fertility. Leaf mould is a valuable resource for gardeners and now that autumn leaves are a falling it's a great time to give it a try. One of the simplest ways to make leaf mould is to fill a black dustbin bag with leaves, sprinkle with water and mix. Seal the bag and punch a few holes in the bottom and sides and leave for a year. Next autumn the leaves should have turned into a rich, crumbly plant feed. Read more gardening tips for October.

Read the October tips for more on what to do in the garden this month, and  have a look at Sarah's garden blog to read the latest news about the Preston Park demonstration veg garden - and find out how to grow your own garlic. 

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Funding & Project Support

Get planning for spring
Although the current growing season has not come to an end just yet, there's no time like the present to get planning for next year. If you'd like to start a growing project in your community or school, Harvest is here to help! We can offer expert gardening advice, and advice on how to start a group, find land, and where to look for funding.

Another way of learning more about what it takes to run a project is by volunteering! There are loads of fantastic community projects around the city where you can get involved. Volunteering is a great way to learn more about growing, as well as how community projects work. It's also a great way of meeting lovely new people, getting fresh air, and usually great views too. Here is a list of projects that hold regular work days - a spare pair of hands are always welcome!  

Allotment space for gardeners with mobility difficulties
A few allotment sites around the city have plots tailor made for people with mobility issues. These include raised beds at wheelchair seat height, shelter, a paved area and a toilet. There are two vacant beds at the Coldean allotment site - if you are interested please contact Gerry Nevill on 01273 681931 or gerry.nevill@virginmedia.com.  

Portslade allotment project seeking volunteers
If you live in the Portslade / Mile Oak area, there's a community plot at the Foredown allotments seeking new people to get involved. It's a lovely site in a relaxing environment, so if you fancy a bit of growing come down on a Friday between 10am and 2pm. Contact Huw Morgan on 07771 375273 or 01273 290393. 

First Time Cook - a course for beginners
If you, or anyone you know, would like to gain confidence in the kitchen, learn the basics of cooking as well as some tasty, healthy recipes, the Food Partnership's First Time Cook is for you! It is a 5-week course for adults of all ages running once a week from 16 November - 14 December. There is no course fee, just a £10 charge for the whole course to cover ingredients. For more info, contact Anna Schwarz on anna@bhfood.org.uk or 01273 431700.

For more information about how Harvest can support community and school projects visit the Groups pages of the website or contact Ann, Harvest Development Officer, on 01273 431700 or ann@bhfood.org.uk.

Have a great weekend!
The Harvest Team

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