1. Bristol’s local food update
BRISTOL FOOD NETWORK
courses · skill-sharing · events · news · volunteering july–august 2010
The first crops are cropping and the season of over-abundance
is nearly upon us. And across the city, community initiatives are
bearing fruit too. From CSA schemes to farmers’ markets, garden-
sharing to chicken co-operatives – there’s something for everyone.
Why not get involved?
This newsletter is produced largely by volunteers from the Bristol Food Network and is supported by Bristol City
Council. Email suggestions for the September–October issue by 13 August: bristollocalfood@googlemail.com
High grade agricultural land on the north
Bristol fringe.
previous legislation which offered real
protection for agricultural land at the top
of the hierarchy to remain in productive
use for food growing.
DEFRA officials clearly recognise that
the many and competing demands to
change land from agricultural uses poses
concerns related to the need to align
planning policies with current and future
land use priorities. As the new politics
takes root and the food security agenda
kicks in with Caroline Spelman as the new
Secretary of State at DEFRA at the helm, let
us hope that we will see a revaluation of
the best agricultural land to allow it once
again to provide an important source of
local produce to help feed our towns and
Land for Food?
cities.
My own vision for the northern gateway to
the City of Bristol includes food production
as a key feature of its green infrastructure
and not just a token set of allotments cut
In April 2010, the Department for the states that the presence of Best and
and pasted onto plans for the new park
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Most Versatile (BMV) agricultural land
and ride on what is prime, former market
issued a tender document calling for should be taken into account alongside
garden land. My hope is that the DEFRA
submissions to deliver some research other sustainability considerations
research will deliver clear signals which
into just how the planning system has in making decisions about planning
will lead to planning authorities once
been reacting to proposals to develop applications. The policy states that where
again factoring in future agricultural land
high quality agricultural land. The significant development of agricultural
use decisions based upon this priceless
findings from this research will be land is unavoidable, poorer quality land
asset, especially in times of great
available before the end of the year. should be used in preference to that of
uncertainty surrounding food security for
higher quality, except where this would
us all.
Existing planning policy in England, as be inconsistent with other planning
set out in Planning Policy Statement 7, considerations. This form of words Richard Spalding
Sustainable Development in Rural Areas, represented a significant weakening of richardspalding@blueyonder.co.uk

2. Bristol City Council’s Food Interest Group
The overall aim of the Food Interest
group is to bring together a FOcuS ON Steve clampin, allotments manager
representation of services in the council
infrastructure of the allotment sites
that regulate, procure, provide, allocate
in the past 10 years, bringing tenancy
space for and dispose of food, to support
levels from 53% to fully let on most
the achievement of a more sustainable,
sites.
healthy city.
I also manage other land such as
The current membership is composed of:
smallholdings and grazing. There is now
Rachel Allbless: Policy officer, more interest in bringing food growing
Regeneration and economic from traditional allotment sites out into
development parks, open spaces, private gardens
and communal areas. Working with
Steve clampin: Allotments manager,
other groups and projects, it is hoped
Parks and estates
to deliver this agenda throughout
grace Davies: Environmental Health Bristol. The recent installation of a
officer, Public protection and regulatory ‘vegetable bed’ in Castle Park has been
services a great success, but if we can involve
I am part of the City Council’s local communities in such initiatives
Henry Dawson: Empty Land officer,
Horticultural Improvements Team elsewhere then it will help to increase
Neighbourhoods
within Parks and Estates. I manage the amount of food produced within the
Dorothy greaves: Sustainability advisor, a team of 2 Allotments Officers who City in a more sustainable way.
Sustainable City Group manage all 108 allotment sites in the Steve Clampin, Allotments Manager
Stephen Hewitt: Health improvement City, ranging from 2 plots to 300 plots. Parks & Estates, Neighbourhoods Dept.
planning officer, Strategic planning We liaise with Allotments Associations Bristol City Council
and Site Representatives, including Colston 33, Colston Avenue
john Hilton: Principal catering and lettings, rent collection, inspections and Bristol BS1 4UA
contract manager, Care services enforcement for over 4,000 tenancies,
Tel 0117 922 3737
Sheena Huggins: Team manager, as well as dealing with complaints
Fax 0117 922 3744
Residential and older peoples services about everything from neighbours to
E mail: steve.clampin@bristol.gov.uk
bonfires and security. We have invested
Adrian jenkins: Public health services over £4m in improving the security and www.bristol.gov.uk/allotments
manager, Public protection and
regulatory services
Steve Marriott: Sustainability manager, FOcuS ON Henry Dawson, Empty Land officer
Sustainable city group
The post of Empty Land Officer is a It is envisioned that this resource will
Liz McDougall: Principal health policy
new role within Neighbourhoods and play a large part in satisfying demand
officer, Chief executive’s office
sits on the team dealing with empty for growing land across the city in areas
Steve Morris: Markets manager properties in the city. It has a remit to where it outstrips allotment provision.
find and bring back into use all empty In the longer term, community growing
Angela Raffle: Consultant in public health
land in the city. Whilst much of the ‘hubs’ with more permanent leases
Matthew Roberts: Client contracts officer, work is focussed on using land for could act as focal points for temporary
Children & young persons service residential or commercial purposes, growing sites in their areas, talking
other uses for land are being looked to owners of potential new plots and
jeremy Screen: Corporate property
into. Whilst sites wait for a more helping people to take them over.
manager
permanent use to be determined for
Bristol is piloting this approach to using
Sharon Sexton: School meals co- them they remain empty, overgrown,
land for growing as part of a national
ordinator, Children & young persons attract problems such as flytipping and
project to set up a Community Land
service provide harbourage for pests. A large
Bank, brokering agreements between
proportion of these sites can be used
christine Storry: Corporate procurement landowners and growers on a national
for growing plants and food. I’ve been
specialist – sustainability basis.
in contact with both landowners and
Over the next issues of Bristol’s Local Food growing groups in Bristol, to promote the Henry Dawson, Empty land officer
Update, we are going to look at the roles of use of land for temporarily growing food Neighbourhoods
members of the Food Interest Group. and other plants. The first sites have Bristol City Council
been identified and tenants provided Tel 0117 353 3865
For more information about Bristol City with short term tenancies to protect
Council’s Food Charter: both their interests and that of the
www.bristol.gov.uk/food landowners.
2 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

3. Food news Land planning: an
gM lobby helped draw up crucial
report on Britain’s food supplies
digest: Email trail shows how biotech
group helped watchdog to draw up
opportunity to comment
analysis of GM crops ... and prompted
two advisers to quit Beginning in june there are two 14 july · Horfield & Lockleaze
consultations significant for all food The Cameron Centre, Lockleaze
www.guardian.co.uk/
interest groups and individuals in the
environment/2010/jun/06/gm- 1 September · Eastville, Hillfields &
city. These are: 1. The Area green Space
crops-biotech-lobbyists-fsa Frome Vale, The Vassell Centre, Dawn
plans and 2. The Site Allocation and
Development Management documents James Room, Fishponds
coffee potting
of the Bristol Development Framework. 2 September · Brislington community
digest: Garden Organic take their One
partnership, Arnos Manor Hotel, The
Pot Pledge message out to commuters
Chapel, Brislington
on London Bridge, encouraging them community Land Bank project
to re-use their coffee cups to grow 6 September · Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe
11am–2.30pm 13 july & Whitchurch, The Gatehouse Centre,
their own.
green House, Bedminster Hareclive Road
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=dcoztlXKEjw&dm_ With support from the Federation of City 13 September · Bishopston, cotham &
i=4uO,4W0M,jcI86,FVD0,1 Farms & Community Gardens we are Redland, Redland Parish Church Hall,
holding a meeting to consider both of Redland Green Road
these in the context of the Community
Land Bank project on 13 July from 11 15 September · Avonmouth &
until 2.30pm (with provision for people Kingsweston, Portway Rugby
dropping in at lunch time) at the Green Development Centre, Sea Mills
House in Bedminster. This will specifically 20 September · Henleaze, Stoke Bishop
engage with food growing aspirations & WoT, Trinity Henleaze United Reform
for the city. If you can’t make this event Church, Bradbury Hall
there are plenty of other dates to engage
This Is a Roof with the Area Green Space and the 22 September · Ashley, Easton &
Bristol Development Framework standard Lawrence Hill, Salvation Army Hall,
digest: The roof of a warehouse in
consultations from June to October. Hassell Drive, Lawrence Hill
Greenpoint New York, is covered with
200,000lbs of soil, 1,000 earthworms, 27 September · Henbury & Southmead,
and an abundance of vegetables, Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road,
herbs, and flowers.
consultation drop-in events
Southmead
http://nymag.com/guides/ Based on neighbourhood partnership
29 September · greater Bedminster,
summer/2009/57477/?dm_ areas the drop-in events run from midday
Southville Centre, The Beauley Room,
i=8uc,4QMu,13R0uQ,EQc5,1/ until 8 pm on the following days:
Beauley Road
30 june · Filwood, Knowle & Windmill Hill
How recession turned Britain’s 4 October · St george East & West, Rose
Knowle Community Centre, Crossways
fingers green Green Centre, Gordon Road, Whitehall
Road
digest: Rising numbers of people are The Site Allocations and Development
5 july · Hengrove & Stockwood
being tempted by the “good life”, with Management documents will be available
South Bristol Sports Centre, West Town
more food being produced in back on the website (www.bristol.gov.uk/
Lane
gardens this year than for a generation siteallocations) and to view in local
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/ 12 july · cabot, clifton & clifton East libraries and customer service points
house-and-home/gardening/ Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Centre from Monday 14 June. Comments can be
how-recession-turned-britains- Circle submitted until 29 October 2010
fingers-green-1944067.html?dm_
i=8uc,4QMu,13R0uQ,EQc2,1
Funding suggestions from the Federation of city Farms
guerilla gardening for sustainable
cities BIg Lottery Fund Reaching Building capacity Bursaries
communities programme www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/vmpskills
digest: How guerilla gardening and
www2.biglotterfund.org.uk
the Pimp Your Pavement campaign can Kerrygold community Awards
help make London and other cities B&Q One planet Living Awards www.kerrygoldcommunityawards.co.uk
more sustainable. www.diy.com
SITA young person’s Volunteering Fund
http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2010/03/ The Foyle Foundation Small grants www.sitatrust.org.uk/volunteering
guerilla-gardening-for-sustainable- Scheme
cities/?utm_source=email&dm_ Department of Health ‘Health and
www.foylefoundation.org.uk
i=8uc,4QMu,13R0uQ,EQBy,1 Social care Volunteering Fund’
www.volunteeringfund.com
3 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

4. Tales from the plot Village Fayre at the Harbour
Festival
30 july–1 August
An exhibition celebrating the story Amphitheatre, Bristol Harbourside
of Bristol’s allotments and urban
n West Country market and bar
gardening history
n The Community Garden
This exhibition is the culmination of
n Renewable Energy Stage, powered
an oral history project, which has been
by bicycle collective
funded by Heritage Lottery. 22 June -
n Bicycle Funfair
21 August
Waiting lists at many of Bristol’s allotment Exhibition in various n Home Zone & Bristol Green Doors
sites are years long. Community gardening locations : see overleaf
projects are sprouting up across Bristol.
for details. Don’t miss
SPECIAL EVENTS!
n Make do and mend, sewing
Indeed in 2007 sales of vegetable seeds workshops and The Cookery School
were larger than those of flowers for the coordinated by Bordeaux Quay and
first time since the Second World War. This Bristol Food Hub
resurgence in growing our own vegetables www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
is to be found in every corner of Bristol
and in this exhibition we celebrate this
blossoming activity as well as hoping to Beautiful, Edible,
sow further seeds of inspiration to grow permaculture garden comes
your own. www.tinkerandbloom.blogspot.com
email: tinkerandbloom@blueyonder.co.uk l tel: 0117 9078369
to the Harbour Festival
We have been growing food since we
The new Village Fayre area at the
stopped being hunter-gatherers in this
Harbour Festival will feature a garden
country around 7,000 years ago. The Exhibition
– which will be a beautiful place to
exhibition outlines the history of our
Bristol central library sit & chill, an inspiring show of food
vegetable-growing heritage, from strip
22–29 June (Library opening times) growing/nature conservation in urban
lynchets to cottage gardening, guerrilla
settings & a fun learning playground.
gardening to container gardening. St Werburghs city Farm community room
Documents going back to the 1700s 1–7 July (10am–4pm) The area will feature a mini allotment,
referring to enclosures on what was then a forest garden/orchard, a patio area,
Knowle West Health park
Kingswood Common sit side by side with a wildlife area, a wetland area, a
9–15 July (10am–6pm)
images of community projects of today seating area, stalls to buy apple juice,
such as GroFun’s community allotment. Harbourside festival plants, herbs, and games for children.
In particular the exhibition acknowledges in the Bristol Village Fayre area
It’s a perfect opportunity to engage
Bristol’s allotmenteers. Saturday 31 July (11am–10pm) &
200,000 people in gardening,
Sunday 1 August (11am–7pm)
Allotments as we know them started grow your own food, local food,
appearing in Bristol in the late 1800s. create centre wildlife conservation, organics &
Today they are cultivated by a great range 4–21 August permaculture, in a fun way!
of people of all ages and backgrounds. (8.30am–5pm Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat)
During the project we have interviewed Help needed!
over 30 of Bristol’s allotmenteers and (i) to build the garden – helpers
this archived audio will be part of the Events needed Thurs/Fri 29/30 July & Mon 2
exhibition. You will be able to hear August. Requirements: enthusiasm, no
St Werburghs city Farm
first hand the stories and experiences specific skills or gardening experience
2–4pm Saturday 3 July
of rings lost and found, cheeky foxes, necessary, but those with carpentry
how courgettes love bananas and what Meet allotment gardeners, pick up tips
skills very welcomed! In exchange:
might speed along a parsnip. You will and share your own. Plus visit GroFun’s
refreshments, hugs, plants & pride.
learn about pickled pumpkins and sloe allotment – pick up a map at the
gin chocolate! And through it all you will exhibition at the farm. (2 mins away) (ii) source plants – does anyone have
hear gardeners talk about how engaging plants/trees/shrubs in pots they
Knowle West Health park would be willing to loan? Or extra veg
in the food we eat by growing some of it
2–4pm Friday 9 July plants you don’t have room for in your
themselves, enhances their health and
well-being. Come and meet allotment gardeners allotment/garden?
and learn how to create an edible and
Lizzie Keates (iii) sourcing materials– straw bales,
medicinal garden.
wood (lengths & boards), compost
tinkerandbloom@blueyonder.co.uk bins (empty), scaffold planks, water
Exhibition visits 0117 9078369 butt, patio furniture (tables, chairs,
umbrellas), patio tiles, plant pots
We are inviting school groups and www.tinkerandbloom.blogspot.com
(medium–large), pond equipment,
community groups to visit the exhibition.
fencing, display boards.
Please get in touch to arrange your visit
and learn more about what we can offer Contact clare@grofun.org.uk
your party. www.grofun.org.uk
4 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

5. Local School children discover wildlife
habitats in their school grounds
For many years Avon Wildlife Trust has
pioneered the idea that city schools
need green spaces too – our School
grounds project brought ponds and
planting areas to many of Bristol’s
schools, and nowadays the need for
nature in school grounds is widely
recognised in the education curriculum.
Always on the look out for new ways to
keep children in the city involved with
nature, the Trust has just launched the
Big Bristol Habitat Hunt – which aims
to get all primary schools in Bristol
having a really good look at their school
grounds.
Julie Doherty, Learning Development the same size as a mouse, could they run teachers, he says: “Getting to know
Officer from Avon Wildlife Trust and around inside the school hedge without about nature at school is so important
volunteer, Lucy Mitchell, worked with being seen? And they’ll be invited to fit for children. It helps them to feel more
pupils from Stoke Bishop C of E Primary their arms around the biggest tree they comfortable and confident exploring
School in June to demonstrate how easy it can find – with handy guidelines to telling the outside world. Taking part in the Big
is to make a nature survey part of everyday how old it might be. The great advantage Bristol Habitat Hunt is a great way to do
learning. Rory, a member of the school’s of making this survey pupil-led, is that this and help bring more wildlife in to
Eco club, recognised the value of the children will be able to enjoy a fun and the city.” An additional activity invites
survey, “It was very interesting because useful educational experience that will children to suggest ways to make their
it helped you understand your school bring them closer to nature and take them school grounds better for wildlife, with
grounds better” whilst Amman claimed outside – to count trees, find and identify Avon Wildlife Trust and Western Power
it was ‘cool, because we were finding different flowers and leaves and note Distribution giving £1,000 to the school
beetles … sick’. any special places where wildlife thrives. which submits the best ideas, to turn
Studies show that increased positive them into reality.
A key message of the survey is that ‘as our
experiences in the natural environment
city gets bigger and busier, it might be that
A Self Sufficient-ish evening at
the school grounds are the most important
place for wildlife in your area’. Pupils will
can have a huge impact on developing
self esteem and confidence, increasing
Survey resources, including video clips
and packs for pupils, can be downloaded
free from the educational zone at:
concentration in class and developing
CREATE with Andy Hamilton
be encouraged to go out and look up, look
down, look under, count, smell, peep and
write down all their findings! They’ll be
imagination.
Backers of the initiative include wildlife
www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
For more information contact Julie Doherty
asked to think about questions such as “Is TV presenter Simon King, Avon Wildlife on 0117 9177270 or email
6.30-8pm, Tuesday 10th November
grass just grass?” and whether if they were Trust’s president. In a letter to head- juliedoherty@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Join Andy Hamilton, co-author of
Self-sufficientish Foraging tips for July
the acclaimed Self Sufficient-ish
Bible, as he explores some
practical ways to achieve a more
cleavers, goosegrass, Stickweed Thistle
sustainable lifestyle. During the Onopordum
Galium aparine evening Andy plans to bring the thistles are edible in one form or
All UK
Most will remember this plantby demonstrating
book to life
from their another. The flowers if big enough can
some of the featured
school days, throwing it on the backs of be peeled down rather like an artichoke,
techniques…
fellow pupils and laughing as it sticks leaving a “nut” at the bottom. This can
to their clothes. The Celts used it as a
Tickets cost £3, including tea or eaten raw but is rather fiddly for not
be
cleanser, they would steep it in water from much reward. The stems can be peeled
coffee, and are available CREATE
over night and drink it cold. Itat any Bristol library. eaten like asparagus and young
reception or is said and 7–9pm Thursday 22 July
that if you drink the resulting cleavers leaves can also be eaten if boiled. Food for free Evening Bath
juice for 60 days that your skin will be so £15 per person
10am–2pm Saturday 10 July
beautiful that everyone will fall in love
Foraging Day Bath (area TBA) 10am–2pm Saturday 31 July
with you. The young plant can also be
£35 per person Summer forage
used in Chinese cooking, and the sticky
St Werburghs, Bristol · £5 per person
buds are collect in the autumn and can 7–9pm Wednesday 21 July
be roasted and used as a sort of coffee Wild Food foraging evening Contact: Andy@selfsufficientish.com
drink. Ashton Court, Bristol · £15 per person www.selfsufficientish.com
5 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

6. Transition Long Ashton World Wide Opportunities
on Organic Farms (WWOOF)
Long Ashton growers (LAg) n To help develop a more environmentally This well-subscribed scheme began
sustainable local economy in 1971 in the UK and is now operating
A community growing project based on
internationally in 43 countries. UK
1/2 acre of land on the edge of Long n To support the development of local
membership is £20 per year with the
Ashton. The aim of the project is to help producers and businesses
choice of either online membership
develop local food growing skills for To promote the activities and raise
n or a hard copy directory of hosts.
people who have limited access to land. funds for local community groups, e.g. Once you become a member you are
So far a group of about 15–20 people primary schools, guides, youth club, entitled to stay at any of the listed
have cleared the land, cultivated it using Transition Long Ashton sites where you receive free food and
a range of methods, e.g. pigs, mechanical The market will sell a range of local accommodation in exchange for an
cultivator and by hand digging, and produce, including meat, fish, cheese, agreed amount of work.
planted a range of vegetables. bread, plants, arts & crafts, flowers,and Hosts can range from smallholdings
homemade cakes, jams, etc. to breweries, from herb gardens to
Long Ashton Village Market
The market is keen for more people to get country estates with walled gardens.
This was launched on Saturday 5 June
involved helping to run the market or sell Accommodation might be camping,
2010, and will run on the 1st Saturday of
their produce. dormitory or an individual room
each month in Long Ashton Village Hall
in a period property. Due to the
from 9.30am–1pm.
chicken co-op phenomenal interest in food growing,
The main aims of the market are: A small flock of free range chickens are some places are fully booked, but it’s
managed co-operatively to provide eggs usually possible to find somewhere
n To promote the production and sale of
for local people. suitable with a little advance planning,
local affordable (food) produce
usually phoning or emailing the host
n To create a monthly social meeting Andy coombe with a few details about yourself.
place for community interaction samandycoombe@hotmail.co.uk Some hosts especially welcome
n To develop local food growing and Further details at: beginners so this provides ideal
processing skills www.longashtonvillagemarket.co.uk training for those on allotment waiting
lists who are new to growing food.
Exploring the local area is possible
in your free time, usually a day or
two per week depending on the host.
Hours vary, some hosts merely require
a morning’s work per day, others
perhaps 5 hours or a standard day. The
directory specifies what to expect with
a phone number to find out more if
this isn’t clear.
Talking to other Woofers over the
years I’ve found that experiences
vary quite a bit but each place I’ve
personally visited, from a croft in
the Outer Hebrides to a residential
centre near Glastonbury has proven
Castle Park’s edible veg-bed interesting and fun with plenty of time
to explore the local area and get to
know residents, visitors and other
Visitors to castle park will be amongst the plants now taking root in
volunteers. Some, but not all hosts
impressed when they come across a the veg-bed.
welcome children and/or paying
newly planted, raised vegetable-bed.
Steve Clampin, Bristol’s allotments guests so it’s sometimes possible
The veg-bed is part of the city council’s manager, said: “We wanted to create to travel with family and friends who
drive to encourage more people to grow an edible garden patch in Castle Park don’t want to ‘Wwoof’ themselves.
their own vegetables. Not only does the to show how easy it can be to grow
To find out more and to join, see:
veg-bed look attractive amongst the vegetables, even in the city centre.”
www.wwoof.org.uk
park’s more formal flower displays and
The planting design illustrates that
natural landscaping, it demonstrates or write to WWOOF UK, PO Box 2154,
curly kale and beetroot can be just as
how easy it is to turn a small plot of land Winslow, Buckingham MK18 3WS
attractive as garden plants as begonias
into an opportunity to grow your own
and hostas. We will now be looking at Dorothy greaves
and eat healthy, home-grown fruit and
other city parks and working with park
veg.
groups and communities to see if this
Curly kale, Swiss chard, parsley, runner veg-bed idea can be extended to other
beans, beetroot and sweetcorn are areas.
6 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

7. CSA update
Sims Hill Shared Harvest where we are aiming for, and to find out
more about what being a member of a CSA
Launch event: 7.30pm Tuesday 29 june
actually involves. It’s also an opportunity
co-Exist, Hamilton House, Stokes croft
to celebrate our achievements and to start
Over the past few months work has been working together to make this happen.
under way to develop plans for one of If you wish to come to the launch event, Thornbury cSA
Bristol’s first Community Supported please email simshillsharedharvest@
A new CSA (Community Supported
Agriculture projects (CSAs) near Frenchay. googlemail so we can have an idea of the
Agriculture) scheme is about to start in
Sims Hill Shared Harvest aims to launch numbers. We very much look forward to
a couple of weeks’ time providing local
a member-owned CSA which will help seeing you there!
residents with fresh, local, sustainably
to reclaim Bristol’s historic (and fertile)
Sign up to our blog via our produced – and delicious! – vegetables.
agricultural land.
website or email the project at Do you live in or near to Thornbury and
For those of you who are new to CSAs, simshillsharedharvest@googlemail.com are interested not only in eating fresh,
they are a popular model of co- to be added to our email list. seasonal, tasty veg? Then this could be
operative farming which builds dynamic for you!
http://simshillsharedharvest.
relationships between people, the land
wordpress.com/ A CSA generally means that a local
and food. Members contribute to the
community works closely with a local
running costs of the farm and receive a fair
farmer – the farmer gets a guaranteed
share of the harvest in return. A refreshing The community Farm market and the local people get fresh,
change to conventional supermarket
shopping!
pioneer Member day seasonal vegetables in a box each week.
Thornbury CSA will start to supply its first
Saturday 17 july
If you are interested in becoming part veg boxes from the middle of July – grown
of a visionary new project please come Each Pioneer Member day will allow without the use of damaging herbicides,
to Co-Exist, Hamilton House on 29 June volunteers to work on the land and pesticides, fungicides or any other ‘ides’
from 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Please participate in workshops explaining the you can think of! – on land that has been
arrive promptly and enter via the Canteen Community Farm and asking for your nurtured in a sustainable way for about 50
on Stokes Croft. You will be directed ideas. We will provide lunch and drinks on years!
upstairs to the Events space on the 3rd the day and tools for working on the farm.
For more details, please e-mail
floor where the meeting will be held. Light
To book, email us stating if you can offer or csa@sustainablethornbury.org or phone
refreshments will be served. It will be a
need lifts: phil.haughton@btinternet.com 01454 413620 or follow the links at:
great opportunity for us to present our
work so far, for you to ask questions about www.thecommunityfarm.co.uk www.sustainablethornbury.org
Market news
demand and draw in a wider range of will take place, showcasing the best food
Whiteladies Road Market local producers. It runs on the first and & drink from the region and Saturdays
relaunched! third Saturday of the month, but we hope will see a mixed ‘Local Art, Craft & Food
it’ll become so successful we can run it Market’ on the quayside.
corner of Whiteladies Rd and Apsley Rd
1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month, weekly. Do come along and try it out. The remaining July dates are:
8.30am–2pm www.sustainableredland.org.uk Bristol Art Market: 1 july
The big news from Sustainable Redland Best of the South-West Food Market:
is that we’re relaunching the Farmers’ 2 july
Market, with the help of Lorna Knapman
The new Harbourside Market Local Art, craft & Food Market: 3 july
of Love Food. We want to make it bigger, A new market on the quayside in front
The organisers need help in order to
buzzier and better. Saturday 3 july is of the Watershed has been granted a 4
establish the market as a permanent
relaunch day, and we’re offering planting week trial by Bristol City Council (running fixture – call by the market and fill-in
and cooking workshops, live music, a through June/July). the questionnaire in the bar, or email
pets corner, an ice cream stall, and our
Currently the organisers are establishing harboursidemarket@gmail.com for more
normal food stalls as well as a local
three new daily market identities: on information.
potter’s stall. We’ve changed its name
to the Whiteladies Road Farmers and Thursdays you will find a selection of high
Fair Trading Market so we can retain our quality locally produced arts and crafts at
sustainability interests but give it the the ‘Made in Bristol Market.’ Every Friday
flexibility to adjust better to customer the ‘Best of the South-West Food Market’
7 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

8. Following the Plot...
by Keith cowling
Allotment keeping is a bit different (lots of weeding and grass cutting) and
from gardening. Most of us who do it repellents (grit, salt and old copper
can’t be on the plot every day so have pipes and wires can be used to surround
to organise our efforts to make the best sensitive seedlings) and physically picking
use of precious plot time. We also need them off the soil and plants (then feeding
to use a growing system that helps them to chickens). Eventually most of us
plants survive on their own while we reluctantly resort to some use of ‘organic’
are away. The two main threats to our slug pellets.
crops while we are not around come from
Potato blight (the fungal infection
pests and the weather – often working in
phytothora infestans), which also attacks
combination.
tomatoes, has been a serious problem
We tend to think of the weather in in Bristol over the last few years. And as
seasonal terms, with a cool wet spring, with slugs, there’s really no ‘silver bullet’. Things to do on the plot in
a hot summer and a foggy and chilly There are now a number or new potato
autumn, but recent seasons in Bristol have and tomato varieties with high blight
july...
confounded expectations. The last three resistance – see the national potato Water when you can, mulch for when
summers have been unusually wet and database http://varieties.potato.org.uk you can’t. Make successional sowings
have followed drier-than-average springs. for potato types and try the new Ferline of salads. Keep cordon tomatoes well
April this year was one of the driest F1 tomato variety that gave me my best tied in to stakes to support the huge
on record, leaving clay soils hard and tomato crop ever last year, despite the crop you are expecting, and pinch out
cracked, and although May finally brought blight threat. the little side shoots that come at the
some welcome rain, it was unseasonably leaf junctions. Plant out the cabbages
Once you’ve got your potatoes and
cold until the end of the month. and other members of the brassica
tomatoes planted, of course, you are
tribe from their germination furrows
Plot holders manage the weather lottery by stuck with the varieties you’ve got and
if you haven’t already done so. If you
raising seedlings in pots, keeping delicate just have to protect them as well as you
haven’t got enough room for them in
plants covered and juggling dates for the can. The old preventative technique of
their final over-winter location (planted
planting out of sensitive crops. Now we spraying with Bordeaux Mixture is used
with a dibber where the bean and
are into summer however, it’s all going during late June and early July to coat the
pea roots have fixed a good store of
to be about water. Either too much, as in leaves of vulnerable plants to prevent
nitrogen is best) it’s fine to move them
the last few years, or too little – or more blight getting a hold. It does help avoid
temporarily to a ‘waiting bed’ with
likely perhaps, some of both. The first rule disasters and although it’s no longer
150mm each way between plants, until
is to hold onto the water you’ve got. Build accepted as an organic technique, the
room become available at the end of
up the hummus content of your soil and chemicals involved (copper sulphate and
summer. As soon as early potatoes
learn to mulch. Plot-made compost, bulk lime) are not highly toxic or persistent. The
clear, rake the bed to a tilth and plant
municipal compost, stored leaf mould other tool in the plot holders bag against
seedling leeks in dibber holes 75mm
and hay are all good for this. Don’t use blight is good housekeeping. Make sure
apart along rows 300mm apart. Fill
wood chips on vegetable crops however, that you practice a careful rotation system
each hole with water then leave plants
even when they are provided free on your so that potatoes don’t grow in the same
alone to establish themselves.
site. Wood is broken down by fungi (not place the following year and make sure
bacteria as in compost) which will rob your all the small tubers that carry the blight And finally... Don’t make it all work in
soil of nitrogen in the short term. When spores over winter are carefully dug up. July. This is the time of year, when your
applying water thirsty plants, give it at If you get blight (and at some point all planting and sowing is nearly done,
their roots wherever possible, for example vegetable gardeners seem to) cut the to appreciate your efforts. Take the
by sinking an empty flower pot into the haulms off potatoes as soon as you spot barbie up to the plot on a sunny day,
ground next to tomatoes and filling it from it, so that spores don’t wash down into pop some freshly-picked sweetcorn
a can; or by burying plastic land drainage the tuber crop. Don’t commit the diseased onto it and enjoy the plot, the wildlife
pipe in potato trenches and pouring water leaves to your compost heap but put them and your veg...
down it from a protruding end. in your green waste collection bin. Use up
blighted potatoes as quickly as possible
In wet summers like the ones we had
because they will rot in store. A good
recently, the big dangers from pests
opportunity perhaps to offer your friends
and diseases come from slug and snail
some of the vegetable where the
proliferations and the danger of potato
difference between shop-bought and
blight. There’s no simple solution to the
home grown is most marked.
slug problems unfortunately, and most
good organic sources advise a mixture of Keith cowling
approaches including physical barriers Ashley Vale Allotments Association
(cloches made from plastic water bottles 26 Belvoir Road, Bristol BS6 5DJ
cut in half), traps (saucers full of flat keith@eyehouse.info
beer set in the soil), removal of habitats
8 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

9. How to encourage home cooking for free
by Louise Barnard
The baby food market is booming
especially brands that are organically
certified. This would indicate that
parents are becoming more aware of
the importance of a healthy diet for
their child but also indicates that
more and more parents are relying on
commercially made, pasteurised food as
opposed to making their own.
Though my own experiences of running
Baby Bites’ cookery classes (aimed at
parents with 0–5 year olds) the phrase I
hear again and again is “I didn’t realise it
was so easy.”
can’t cook, won’t cook….
There are all kinds of reasons that people
don’t cook for their children. The primary
reasons seem to be a lack of confidence,
time, inspiration or skills. There can
be various causes of this. Many adults offer support and answer questions to of exchanging skills and knowledge. If a
haven’t learnt to cook as they grow up parents during this stage. On the flip lack of confidence or inspiration prevents
themselves, a result of uninspiring and side many parents have expressed how someone cooking or they feel put off by
limited home economics classes at school unsupported they felt, not having anyone long lists of ingredients in cookery books,
and of their parents not teaching them to sit down and talk things through the act of cooking together with friends
the basics at home. Other parents that properly on a regular basis. This was can provide answers and inspiration.
attend my classes can cook but think that one of the reasons I set up Baby Bites, It can demystify cooking for those who
cooking for their baby is different, more knowing that everyone is quite capable of lack basic cookery skills and furthermore
difficult or should be “special” somehow steaming some vegetables and cooking it means that each time that group get
and therefore feel they need to learn how some simple dishes but that sometimes together they are focusing on food, health
to cook baby food. My classes don’t teach they just need to be shown how. Getting and exchanging ideas and thoughts on
them to cook baby food, they teach how to this subject. Finally it means that they
together with a group of other parents,
cook good food that’s suitable for all the leave the sessions with a whole array of
cooking and talking about their different
family from the youngest upwards, with different dishes to fill their freezers with.
experiences has generated a very positive
what they have available to them in their Two mothers took it one step further and
response from those who have attended
cupboards and fridge. now cook dinner for each other’s family,
the classes.
We live in a society where time is more each, once a week to give both of them
and more pressured, usually with both cookery groups a break. Both of these are ideas that I
parents working. This has changed the A particularly interesting outcome of one now actively promote, it’s free and can
eating experience, often families no longer class was of a group of mum’s deciding help alleviate the pressure of coming up
sit down together for meals, children eat with new ideas to keep hungry mouths
to set up a cookery group. They decided
separately, and cooking has become less interested.
that once a week, or once a fortnight,
of a priority. Eating convenience food instead of meeting for a coffee they would Cooking isn’t difficult, but as with anything
and ready-meals is widely accepted as a meet at someone’s house and cook, each the greatest stumbling block seems to
normal way to feed a family as opposed to person bringing the ingredients for one be getting started. Groups such as these
an occasional treat or back up plan. This recipe. This idea has all kinds of benefits. are an inspired solution to the common
means that frequently children are not There are the social benefits of a strong problem of getting people into the kitchen
experiencing home cooking on a regular support network along with the benefits and cooking for their children.
basis from a young age. Basic skills are
not being passed from one generation to
the next. This causes far-reaching ripples; Louise Barnard is founder of Baby Bites. Baby Bites’ runs cookery workshops for
these children are unlikely to cook for their parents with 0–5 year olds. They can be found running cookery workshops at various
children. food festivals and can run sessions in schools, nurseries and community centres.
They have just launched a Bristol wide, weekly delivery service of homemade food for
After my own experience of weaning my
the under 5’s.
son, Oscar, I realised how many parents
Baby B es
were struggling with this step in their www.babybites.co.uk
child’s development. Several health info@babybites.co.uk
visitors have expressed regret to me at Tel: 07531 237 527 · 0117 909 3187
how little time they have available to
9 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

10. Festivals
Bristol Wine & Food Fair cider Festivals
11.30am–7.30pm Fri 2 & Sat 3 july Bath Cricket Club Cider Festival
Articles
11.30am–6pm Sun 4 july Friday 23 july: 7.30–11.30pm Really local diets: where the uN gets
Bristol Harbourside Sat 24 july: 11am–4pm & 7.30–11.30pm it wrong
£8 in advance or £10 on the gate Bath pavilion, North parade, digest: A newly produced UN Report
Children under 16 go free Bath BA2 4Eu rightly points out that the western
This 3 day wine and food extravaganza in £6.50 advance, £7.50 on the door model of meat and dairy production
the heart of Bristol celebrates fine wines simply won’t work on a planet of
3rd Bristol Cider Festival 9 billion people. The problem with
from around the world and welcomes
artisan food producers from the South Friday 6 August: 7.30–11.30pm this report is that it doesn’t take the
West, offering visitors the chance to Sat 7 August: 11am–4pm & 7.30–11.30pm realities of fossil fuel and resource
taste, learn, enjoy and discover. New this clock Tower yard, Temple Meads, Bristol depletion fully into account – the
year is our International Dining Area and BS1 6QH underlying assumption is continued
Children’s Cookery Competition, your £6.50 advance, £7.50 on the door world economic growth and expanded
chance to sail on the Matthew, enjoy a resource use.
Over 100 ciders and perries including
wine walking tour or to attend a SSSC www.energybulletin.net/
award-winning ciders from Ben
lunch!. node/53097
Crossman’s, Rich’s, Thatchers, Broadoak
www.bristolwineandfoodfair.co.uk and Heck’s (Somerset), Gwatkin
(Herefordshire), Gwynt Y Ddraig (Wales), Monty Don: It’s time we dug for
and Mr. Whiteheads (Hampshire) victory again
Bath Food & Drink Festival digest: Monty Don reflects on what
www.somersetmade.co.uk/
we can learn now from the World War II
10am–7pm Saturday 3 july ciderfestivals/festival.php
Dig for Victory campaign.
10am–5pm Sunday 4 july
Victoria park, in front of Royal crescent www.dailymail.co.uk/home/
£4 in advance or £6 on the day gloucestershire’s Local Food & gardening/article-1264592/
Children under 16 go free Drink Festival Monty-Don-Its-time-dug-
victory-again.html?dm_
n The Cookery Theatre – featuring 1–17 October i=8uc,4QMu,13R0uQ,EQBZ,1
demonstrations by leading chefs and
celebrities from around the region. With so much interest at present in
growing your own, local food, allotments Michael pollan:
n Food Lovers Marquee – featuring over and community food co-ops, why not The Food Movement, Rising
140 food & drink producers come along and support those in South digest: Food in America has been
n Real Ale Marquee – taste a wonderful Gloucestershire and the northern fringe more or less invisible, politically
selection of local and regional ales & of Bristol who are now and have been for speaking, until very recently.
cider years, growing great food, producing great Americans have not had to think very
n Festival Stage – musicians playing a produce – and who need your support! hard about where their food comes
variety of music from Jazz to Classical to All too often it is the farmers who bears from, or what it is doing to the planet,
Folk the brunt of supermarkets keeping food their bodies, and their society.
prices low, but by coming along to one or www.nybooks.com/articles/
n Wine & Spirit talks some of the festival events, you will get a archives/2010/jun/10/food-
http://www.garden-events.com/bath/ greater understanding of the commitment, movement-rising/?pagination=false
index.php?page=home passion and skill of our local farmers
and growers. Many different events to How to garden with kids
suit all. South Gloucestershire’s Local
digest: Kids are apparently more likely
Love Food Food & Drink Festival runs from 1–17
to eat vegetables when they have
October and includes events like butchery
Love Food launch their new ‘Backfields grown them themselves.
demonstrations, cooking demonstrations,
food and flower market’ in September, www.theecologist.org/green_green_
open farm events, trips around our 3 local
situated outside an old school in Stokes living/gardening/503644/how_to_
breweries – and more!
Croft, next to the legendary ‘Lakota’. garden_with_kids.html
To find out more please contact Val
Love Food Festival
Harding on 01454 863883 or e-mail
10.30am–4pm Sunday 18 july &
localfood@southglos.gov.uk or look out
Sunday 26 September
for a programme at your nearest library,
Paintworks, Brislington
One Stop Shop, school, doctor’s surgery
Backfields food and flower market – out from the end of July 2010 – or simply
September date TBc visit the website from 1 August for more
Backfields, Stokes Croft details.
www.lovefoodfestival.com www.southgloslocalfood.org
10 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010

11. Courses Voscur training
Building for the future –
How to procure a building
Low impact living initiative courses 6–8pm Tuesday 13 july 2010
The coach House, 2 Upper York Street,
Food smoking Seed saving St Paul’s, Bristol BS2 8QN
Saturday 17 july Saturday 14 August FREE (Voscur full members will get priority)
Windmill Hill city Farm · £60 Windmill Hill city Farm · £60 please book your place by Friday 2 July
Run by Turan of coldsmoking.co.uk, A one-day workshop for those new to Many organisations feel that having their
this course is for everyone interested seed-saving, concentrating on small-scale own building would be a useful resource
in food smoking, including farmers and home seed-saving without the need for but don’t know where to start.
smallholders, who wish to add value to special equipment, other than what can
n Why acquire a building?
their produce, hunters and fishermen who be found or made at home. The course is
n What to consider
want to learn new methods of making use run by Pippa Rosen who runs the organic
n Leases/Licences – benefits and
of seasonal catches, as well as chefs and seed business Beans and Herbs at The
disadvantages
hobbyists who are interested in creating Herbary. She has been a herb grower for
n Asset transfers
different tastes with traditional and new 20 years and now specialises in organic
n Procurement of a building: does it meet
methods of food smoking. seed crop production.
your needs?
www.lowimpact.org/windmill_hill_food_ www.lowimpact.org/windmill_hill_ n Action planning and conclusions
smoking.htm seed_saving.html
www.voscur.org/civicrm/event/
info?reset=1&id=294
Wild food walk Organic food production
10am–2pm Saturday 31 july Saturday 21 August Recruitment of Volunteers
St Werburghs city Farm, Bristol · £35 Windmill Hill city Farm · £60
9.30am–3.30pm Tuesday 20 july 2010
By the end of the day you will have been The aim of this course is to introduce £15 for organisations from Voluntary,
taught about 50–100 plants – their edible beginners to organic food growing, Community and Social Enterprise Sector
and medicinal uses, and their history and enthusing them to grow their own food. organisations
folklore too. The foraging walks are ideal On the course you will mix potting
This course, run by Voscur and
for first-time foragers looking for that extra compost, sow a variety of edible plant
Volunteering Bristol, is for anyone who
bit of confidence or experienced foragers seeds, write a plan to grow a variety
manages volunteers and would like
looking to increase their repertoire of of vegetables from seedlings to edible
to know more about recruiting them
plant knowledge. The course is conducted plants, and afterwards you will be able to
effectively.
by Andy or Dave Hamilton – wild food discuss different soil properties, identify
writers, authors of The Selfsufficientish common pests and pest control methods n Volunteer motivation
Bible, and foragers for the Eden Project. and recognise common plant diseases. n Barriers to volunteering
n Recruitment techniques and processes
www.lowimpact.org/wild_food_walks_ www.lowimpact.org/windmill_hill_
n Developing adverts for volunteer roles
bristol.html organic_food_production.html
n Action planning
www.voscur.org/civicrm/event/
info?reset=1&id=292
The practical Sustainability permaculture Allotment
course gardening Techniques
with Mike Feingold BepS (Bristol Electronic
Starting September 2010
with Shift Bristol procurement Systems
1–7pm Saturday 17 july
Starting at Royate Hill community Training) and Funding Advice
This course brings together some of
the UK’s most experienced teachers Orchard (on Royate Hill Allotments) & Sessions
and practitioners for an exploration of finishing at Kebele Social Centre
Delivered by BDA and Voscur
creative community led solutions in Sliding scale: £20–£50
FREE (BDA & Voscur members get priority)
response to Climate Change and Peak The day will start with a shared lunch,
Oil. This course is for anyone wanting Each 1 hour session can cover:
followed by a practical workshop
to make a difference by giving people at Royate Hill allotment, finished n Registering on the Bristol Electronic
the practical skills, knowledge and by a slideshow on permaculture Procurement System
confidence needed to make positive horticultural techniques. A tour of Mike’s n Funding Advice
change in their own lives and within permaculture allotment – a work in n GrantFinder Search
their communities. Deadline for progress for over 20 years. Low impact
application is 25 July 2010 – please Six 1 hour sessions are available per day
and sustainable practice at its most
email shiftbristol@yahoo.co.uk for an (2 per time slot). Sessions need to be
radical and experimental.
application form. booked in advance. For times, list of
www.shiftbristol.org.uk/?page_id=92 venues and booking information:
www.shiftbristol.org.uk/?page_id=27
www.voscur.org/BepStraining
11 BRISTOL’S LOcAL FOOD upDATE · juLy–AuguST 2010