Food Group (inactive group) Discussions - Transition Kensal to Kilburn2024-03-28T20:15:37Zhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/group/thettktokfoodgroup/forum?groupUrl=thettktokfoodgroup&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHerb Growing Workshoptag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2013-05-13:3499303:Topic:584982013-05-13T20:23:52.799ZRosalynd Brookshttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/RosalyndBrooks
<p>HERB PLANTING WORKSHOP</p>
<p>4 week course held Saturday mornings at Meanwhile Gardens W10 5BN<a href="http://www.farmthecitylondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/chives-low-res.jpg"><img alt="chives low res" class="alignright" height="150" src="http://www.farmthecitylondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/chives-low-res-150x150.jpg" width="150"></img></a></p>
<p>Saturdays May 18, May 25, June 8 & June 22 from 10.30am to 12noon</p>
<p>£25 / £15 concessions (inc. Farm the City volunteers)</p>
<p>A great place to start growing your own – learn to sow, propagate and ‘plant out’ a combination of leafy and woody herbs. Guided from start to finish by…</p>
<p>HERB PLANTING WORKSHOP</p>
<p>4 week course held Saturday mornings at Meanwhile Gardens W10 5BN<a href="http://www.farmthecitylondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/chives-low-res.jpg"><img class="alignright" alt="chives low res" src="http://www.farmthecitylondon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/chives-low-res-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150"/></a></p>
<p>Saturdays May 18, May 25, June 8 & June 22 from 10.30am to 12noon</p>
<p>£25 / £15 concessions (inc. Farm the City volunteers)</p>
<p>A great place to start growing your own – learn to sow, propagate and ‘plant out’ a combination of leafy and woody herbs. Guided from start to finish by expert grower James, head grower at Meanwhile Gardens, you will create your own portable herb garden using local compost, organic seeds and recycled materials. At the end of the four week course (4 sessions over 6 weeks) you will have a herb garden to take home and look after – you might never need to buy herbs again! Fresh herbs taste better and are higher in nutrition too. You’ll need to allow 3 months for the plants to fully mature and be ready for harvest, but once established you can harvest many times.</p>
<p>Learn to grow:</p>
<p>Rosemary Coriander Thyme Basil Sage Parsley Lavender Oregano Marjoram Chives</p>
<p>At the end of the course, you will take home a box with your choice of leafy and woody herbs, you will know how to sow different seeds, care for seedlings, transplant and maintain the plants. The herbs should be ready for harvesting after 3 months (some sooner, some later) and should continue to grow and be used for at least 3 years. The kitchen garden can be kept outdoors, or indoors on a windowsill or table (ideally not scorching, but bright). Size of garden will be 50 x 30 x 40cm approx.</p>
<p>Book your place now by emailing <a href="mailto:farmthecitylondon@gmail.com">farmthecitylondon@gmail.com</a>. Spaces are limited.</p>
<p>All materials and tuition are included in the price. We’ve kept the price low by sourcing recycled materials and promoting online. If you can help us by spreading the word about this workshop to people you think might be interested, that would help make the project sustainable.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.farmthecitylondon.com/workshops/">http://www.farmthecitylondon.com/workshops/</a></p> Incredible Edible Todmorden and other inspiring projectstag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2012-06-13:3499303:Topic:466292012-06-13T12:40:22.707ZViv Steinhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/VivStein
<p>Hello all</p>
<p>Sarah from Transition Willesden, who has an allotment column in the Lady magazine, wanted to share this article with everyone. You can listen to the BBC Radio 4 Food Programme mentioned <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019rd9c" target="_blank">here</a><br></br><br></br></p>
<p>Viv</p>
<h2><em><strong>Plotlines</strong></em></h2>
<address>Sarah Langton-Lockton on her allotment</address>
<p>My prediction for 2012, which will hold true, I hope, for many more years ahead, is…</p>
<p>Hello all</p>
<p>Sarah from Transition Willesden, who has an allotment column in the Lady magazine, wanted to share this article with everyone. You can listen to the BBC Radio 4 Food Programme mentioned <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b019rd9c" target="_blank">here</a><br/><br/></p>
<p>Viv</p>
<h2><em><strong>Plotlines</strong></em></h2>
<address>Sarah Langton-Lockton on her allotment</address>
<p>My prediction for 2012, which will hold true, I hope, for many more years ahead, is that the movement for community kitchen gardens now sweeping the country will gather momentum. I call it a movement because I observe real political energy in many of these initiatives – they are not just about individuals and families tilling a plot to provide food for their own consumption.</p>
<p>Community food-growing has an ideological edge: it tends to be initiated by people who want to eat real food from local sources rather than food-like ready-meals or the junk food undermining our children’s health available on every high street. They are people who deplore our dependence on food imports, the near-monopoly of supermarkets and politicians’ lack of concern for food security. They believe that good farming matters, that we can all get into it, even in cities. They want locally grown food, and are interested not just in growing it themselves but in simplifying and revitalising local supply chains. Above all, they have an appetite for action.</p>
<p>BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme recently featured some of these remarkable community enterprises, including Incredible Edible Todmorden, the aim of which is to grow and campaign for local food. IET’s ambition is to make Todmorden, a small town on the borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire, selfsufficient in food by 2018. It began with a small group who started to grow food in public places to be picked, shared and eaten by passers-by. In addition to the town centre ‘propaganda’ beds there are herbs at the railway station, trees at the fire station, fruit trees all around the health centre and an apothecary’s garden at the back. Food is grown in lots of spaces around the town, organised by the community growers’ group. IET is a membership organisation: ‘If you eat, you’re in’, said spokesperson Pam Warhurst. ‘This is not a talking, sitting down, vacillating organisation. It’s about small ideas, big ambitions and lots of action.’</p>
<p>The extent of this action in just a few years is astonishing: there are seven orchards containing 520 trees, with a target of 1,000. Every school in Todmorden is involved, and the latest initiatives aim to provide motivation and skills for young people to start micro-businesses in food production. IET has Lottery funding for a food hub at Todmorden High School. This will include a fish and salad farm based on aquaponics. The bid included funding for a ‘foodinspirer’ whose role is to encourage people to use the food grown and to cook. At nearby Walsden, a big patch of donated land has a polytunnel, ponds and beds and is now established as a growing and learning centre, a seedbed for business opportunities as well as vegetables and trees. Many public bodies now back the campaign, not just with words, but with land, labour and money.</p>
<p>The project has had a huge impact on local wellbeing. Crime is down and vandalism is rare. In fact, photos attached to the raised beds encourage picking by showing when the crops are ready. And as the ever-practical members say, ‘People don’t vandalise parsnips’.</p>
<p>For further details visit: <a href="http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/</a></p> Compost Blocker / Coirtag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2012-04-13:3499303:Topic:450532012-04-13T11:08:25.386Zmiko adam-kandohttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/mikoadamkando
<p>I've bought one of these</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sarahraven.com/shop/make-your-own-compost-blocks.html">http://www.sarahraven.com/shop/make-your-own-compost-blocks.html</a><br></br></p>
<p>and some Coir (have some sands also )- to make compost blocks for seedlings.</p>
<p> <br></br></p>
<p>Will bring to Food Group meeting to show, but anyone welcome to borrow blocker and take some coir/sand/compost from mine in Kensak Rise...</p>
<p> <br></br></p>
<p>haven't used it yet but apparently is the bees…</p>
<p>I've bought one of these</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sarahraven.com/shop/make-your-own-compost-blocks.html">http://www.sarahraven.com/shop/make-your-own-compost-blocks.html</a><br/></p>
<p>and some Coir (have some sands also )- to make compost blocks for seedlings.</p>
<p> <br/></p>
<p>Will bring to Food Group meeting to show, but anyone welcome to borrow blocker and take some coir/sand/compost from mine in Kensak Rise...</p>
<p> <br/></p>
<p>haven't used it yet but apparently is the bees knees for starting seeds.</p> Anyone interested in training from Capital Growth?tag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2012-03-10:3499303:Topic:446142012-03-10T03:29:22.358Zmiko adam-kandohttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/mikoadamkando
<p>With a view to growing to sell from Queens Park...</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/group/communityallotmentbyqueensparkcafe/forum/topics/anyone-interested-in-training-from-capital-growth" target="_blank">click me</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>link here…</p>
<p></p>
<p>With a view to growing to sell from Queens Park...</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/group/communityallotmentbyqueensparkcafe/forum/topics/anyone-interested-in-training-from-capital-growth" target="_blank">click me</a></p>
<p></p>
<p>link here</p>
<p><a href="http://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/group/communityallotmentbyqueensparkcafe/forum/topics/anyone-interested-in-training-from-capital-growth">http://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/group/communityallotmentbyqueensparkcafe/forum/topics/anyone-interested-in-training-from-capital-growth</a></p> Seed swap amongst allotmentstag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2012-02-28:3499303:Topic:443712012-02-28T21:10:39.287ZRachel Radfordhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/RachelRadford
Hi all,<br />
At the Moishe House allotment we have a lot of seeds that don't fit into our planting schedule this year. It would be a shame for them to go to waste so we're wondering if any other groups would like them? There's a good variety of vegetable seeds.<br />
<br />
We are planning on buying Aubergine and Sweet Corn seeds so if anyone has spares they can share we would be grateful :)
Hi all,<br />
At the Moishe House allotment we have a lot of seeds that don't fit into our planting schedule this year. It would be a shame for them to go to waste so we're wondering if any other groups would like them? There's a good variety of vegetable seeds.<br />
<br />
We are planning on buying Aubergine and Sweet Corn seeds so if anyone has spares they can share we would be grateful :) 2012 February Food Group Meeting - Please vote for your preferred datetag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2012-02-01:3499303:Topic:438262012-02-01T09:47:17.829ZSanchia Dunnhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/SanchiaDunn
<p>Happy New Year to everyone!</p>
<p>Please follow this link to select the best date for the next meeting. It might seem obvious, but please make sure that it's clear who you are from the name you enter for your selected date(s).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.doodle.com/smumq89tzca6xgn3">http://www.doodle.com/smumq89tzca6xgn3</a></p>
<p>Once we have a clear favourite, I'll put up more venue details on the website.</p>
<p>If you're trying to decide whether or not to come along, please do! We…</p>
<p>Happy New Year to everyone!</p>
<p>Please follow this link to select the best date for the next meeting. It might seem obvious, but please make sure that it's clear who you are from the name you enter for your selected date(s).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.doodle.com/smumq89tzca6xgn3">http://www.doodle.com/smumq89tzca6xgn3</a></p>
<p>Once we have a clear favourite, I'll put up more venue details on the website.</p>
<p>If you're trying to decide whether or not to come along, please do! We welcome any new members. If you have a New Year's resolution to do something/anything this year, I'm almost certain this fits the bill.</p>
<p>Look forward to seeing or meeting you all.</p> Nov/Dec Food group meeting - Alternative date requiredtag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2011-11-06:3499303:Topic:386072011-11-06T13:21:30.494ZSanchia Dunnhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/SanchiaDunn
<p>Our regular meeting venue is unavailable on the 1st of Dec. (our proposed next meeting date)</p>
<p>Can everyone please follow this link to vote for a preferred alternative date (options a few days either side of the 1st)</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.doodle.com/cc3m9ph3h6d2iccy">http://www.doodle.com/cc3m9ph3h6d2iccy</a><br/>Thanks</p>
<p>S</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our regular meeting venue is unavailable on the 1st of Dec. (our proposed next meeting date)</p>
<p>Can everyone please follow this link to vote for a preferred alternative date (options a few days either side of the 1st)</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.doodle.com/cc3m9ph3h6d2iccy">http://www.doodle.com/cc3m9ph3h6d2iccy</a><br/>Thanks</p>
<p>S</p>
<p> </p> The Garlic Challenge is now official!tag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2011-11-04:3499303:Topic:385082011-11-04T20:21:24.893ZSanchia Dunnhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/SanchiaDunn
<p>I only briefly mentioned at the last, very quiet, food group meeting, and Miko took up the challenge.I'm planting garlic at the Kilburn station allotments this coming Sunday, and it's now an official challenge.</p>
<p>I was hoping this could turn into a community-wide challenge and I'd love everyone that is able to, to give this a go and see what you come up with.</p>
<p>I was inspired by a story mentioned by Rob Hopkins at the launch of his new book, the Transition Handbook, where a…</p>
<p>I only briefly mentioned at the last, very quiet, food group meeting, and Miko took up the challenge.I'm planting garlic at the Kilburn station allotments this coming Sunday, and it's now an official challenge.</p>
<p>I was hoping this could turn into a community-wide challenge and I'd love everyone that is able to, to give this a go and see what you come up with.</p>
<p>I was inspired by a story mentioned by Rob Hopkins at the launch of his new book, the Transition Handbook, where a community took over the local greengrocer but could only source wholesale garlic from China. They gave all customers a few cloves of garlic and offered to buy them back if they managed to grow some bulbs, resulting in a local garlic growing co-operative.</p> October Food Group meeting Agenda (and request for further items)tag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2011-10-18:3499303:Topic:360662011-10-18T15:15:16.099ZSanchia Dunnhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/SanchiaDunn
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Proposed Agenda Items below:</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Please add comment to this discussion or send me an email/msg with any additional agenda items you'd like to add.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">(reminder: meeting is Thursday 20th Oct, at Fiveways residents hall, Winchester Ave, 7:30 for bring and share supper, meeting starts officially at 8pm)</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br></br><b>1. Harvest Festival…</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Proposed Agenda Items below:</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Please add comment to this discussion or send me an email/msg with any additional agenda items you'd like to add.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">(reminder: meeting is Thursday 20th Oct, at Fiveways residents hall, Winchester Ave, 7:30 for bring and share supper, meeting starts officially at 8pm)</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br/><b>1. Harvest Festival</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Harvest Festival Food Group/Allotments stall - Marjory</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Harvest supper – short speeches/notices by Marjory and Sanchia to guests</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b> </b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>2. Veg Box Scheme</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Brief update – Miko</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Also Include a brief update on supply of local produce for the vegbox (and possibly QP cafe)</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b> </b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>3. Use of defunct Green Recycling<br/> Boxes</b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Green recycling boxes – updates (any emails rec'd ot requests received via website?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Advice for residents - Sanchia and Michael agreed to arrange - any progress?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Press release by Clr Mark Cummins</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b> </b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>4. Queens Park Day Apple pressing –</b> <span style="font-weight: normal;">update from Michael</span><br/><b> </b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>5. Railway embankment space -</b> Sanchia</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>6. WSD Allotment –</b> <span style="font-weight: normal;">news about Brent funding at William Dunbar Wm Saville allotments –<br/> Marjory</span></p>
<br/> September Food Group Meeting minutestag:ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com,2011-09-08:3499303:Topic:317282011-09-08T15:03:34.192ZSanchia Dunnhttp://ttkensaltokilburn.ning.com/profile/SanchiaDunn
<p>Wed 7th September 2011, Fiveways Residents Hall</p>
<p><strong>1 What is the Food Group about? What is it's aim or purpose?</strong> <br></br> Raising awareness – where food comes from, environmental impact Education – using allotments to teach people about food growing Inspiration – when simplicity of things explained, people inspired to start growing and doing Solidarity – knowing there are people in the area doing the same thing, struggling with the same obstacles Support for projects – good…</p>
<p>Wed 7th September 2011, Fiveways Residents Hall</p>
<p><strong>1 What is the Food Group about? What is it's aim or purpose?</strong> <br/> Raising awareness – where food comes from, environmental impact Education – using allotments to teach people about food growing Inspiration – when simplicity of things explained, people inspired to start growing and doing Solidarity – knowing there are people in the area doing the same thing, struggling with the same obstacles Support for projects – good knowing there's a base of people to draw from when needed <br/>
<br/>
<strong>2 Food box idea</strong> <br/>
A questionnaire has been prepared and is going out to schools in the coming weeks. <br/>
Waiting for feedback from this before any major decisions are made, but the main concept is a delivery of food is taken, packaged into bags, and sold or distributed from a single point (with a community bent) rather than delivering. <br/>
Emphasis is on being local food, possibly a social enterprise, but still needs to be profitable, and to compete with others (Abel&Cole were mentioned) it needs to be: Simple Reliable Easy payment system (eg weekly, low price, direct debit) <br/>
Speak to Careen Hertzog about involvement with Queens Park Community School Enterprise scheme - <strong>Miko</strong><br/>
Speak to Costa at The Olive Tree shop and see if he wants to be involved (distribution point, possible additional business for him) - <strong>Miko</strong><br/>
<br/>
<strong>3 Use of Green Recycling Boxes</strong> <br/>
These are becoming redundant in October this year when the new Brent recycling scheme begins (using blue lidded wheelie bins). Residents will be allowed to keep them, but Brent is also promising to remove these and dispose of them if residents no longer want them. Disposal will be landfilling due to the unrecyclable nature of the material they're made from. <br/>
Clr Mark Cummins is proposing to put out a press release urging residents to hold on to the boxes and use them for container gardening. He would like to involve Transition Kensal to Kilburn to help promote the idea and also to provide guidance and advice. Miko's email will be included with release as contact number. <br/>
It was agreed that Transition Town would provide space on the website with information that Clr Cummins could provide a link to. - <strong>Michael</strong><br/>
2-3 Food group members could provide growing advice for anyone who gets in touch: Michael, Sanchia (and Marjory) will put together some planting information. - <strong>Michael, Sanchia</strong> to arrange<br/>
Ideas proposed for planting included bulbs, herbs, letttuce, blueberries, currants, even a small fruit tree. <br/>
<br/>
<strong>4 Queens Park Day</strong> <br/>
Just agenda item to remind everyone about Transition Town's stall at this event on Sunday. TT will be pressing and selling apple juice from local harvesting sessions. Everyone is invited to come along and support us or to give a hand. <br/>
Miko has created a map of all food sites which was to be used as a display at the harvest festival along with project photo's, but might be very useful at Queens Park Day to promote our sites. All images are up on the website and Chris Wells had offered support. Sanchia to get hold of Chris and see what needs to be done to complete and print stuff out for Sunday. - <strong>Miko Sanchia</strong><br/>
<br/>
<strong>5 Food group contribution to the Harvest Festival</strong> <br/>
We'll be providing the following information or activities at our stall: River of Flowers information (biodiversity through planting) Scarecrow making and Bee hotel making Produce display (see item6 below) A board display with a map of all sites plus photo's <br/>
<br/>
<strong>6 Saving produce for harvest festival</strong> <br/>
Request has come from Marjory for all allotment sites to please keep back some of their produce to create a good display at the Harvest Festival in October. <br/>
<br/>
<strong>7 Supply local shops and cafe's with local produce</strong> <br/>
Idea from Miko to create links between our growing sites and local businesses. One idea suggested is to grow lettuce and sell to local cafe's and shops. This is relatively simple produce to grow, fetches a good price, and shops often provide leaflet space which will help raise awareness of our group and issue of food miles. <br/>
Requires more space than we currently have in allotments, may need to be separate project. (Tiverton Green was briefly discussed) <br/>
Investigate interest from the follwing places: Olive Tree, Minkie's Deli, Kinsgate Community Centre - <strong>Miko</strong><br/>
Mark Cummins suggested contacting Elder's Voice for gardening support. Lizzie Spring is the contact there. <br/>
<br/>
<strong>8 Leaflet huts</strong> <br/>
Suggestion to place boxes at each growing site that can hold Transition Town leaflets telling people how to get involved. <br/>
Can be constructed out of timber and perspex, but may be cheaper to buy a ready-made product. Sanchia to look into suppliesr and costs. - <strong>Sanchia</strong><br/>
Money is available within TT's budget to provide these. <br/>
<br/>
<strong>9 Tiverton Green</strong> <br/>
Plant sale suggested as way to support the residents' group call to help raised funds for this. Mark Cummins explained background to project and gave idea of how much money is required from the community. He also suggested that instead of selling the plants, it may make more sense to offer to grow and provide plants for Tiverton Green. <br/>
<br/>
<strong>10 Next meeting arranged for Thursday 20th October.</strong> <br/>
Sanchia to chair (& place notice on TT website), Michael to take minutes.</p>