Here follows the beginnings of something great! It's part re-skilling, part knowledge sharing, part confidence building, but mostly a great big boost to all who want to grow their own.....
Hello folks Details of the BH Gardening Club are as follows; Chairman is Graham Salmon ( 01823 601182) and there's a write up of each meeting included in Parish Pump, the Upottery parish mag. Generally, meetings are monthly on the 3rd wed evening of the month, held in the Churchinford Village Hall at 7:30 and mostly include a speaker. Visitors/Accompanying persons pay a minimal fee. That said, this month's meeting in a week's time is in Vera Mannings garden on Practical Pruning at the earlier time of 7pm. Next month is the talk by Alun Tarr on Climate Change Gardening at the usual time of 7:30. Anyone coming from Honiton/Sheldon direction, we're happy to give a lift to and from the top of our drive which is a couple of miles from C'ford Village Hall, just let us know in advance.
Review of 'Climate change gardening' talk:
Discussion Document Gardening, Food Production and Transition September 2011
Background
Cabinet Office report in 2008 concluded that “ existing patterns of food production are not fit for a low carbon more resource constrained future”. The Government has a target to reduce carbon emmisions by 80% by 2050.
About 40% of the food we eat is imported
Current farming practice relies heavily on oil for fertilisers, pesticides, machinery, distribution and retail practice.
Our soil is in poor shape relying on chemicals rather than long term use of animal manure and crop rotation.
Levels of minerals e.g. phosphates on which current farming relies upon are falling, GB imports 80% of its current phosphate needs.
We have lost expertise in growing our own food locally.
As oil becomes more scarce (and more expensive) and along with climate change impacts upon how and what food can be sustainably grown, the transition movement emphasises the extent to which local communities can be encouraged to produce their own food. This entails encouraging community based agricultural and gardening projects, local markets and distribution and above all sharing resources.
(Source The Sunday Times April 19, 2009 “Why we forgot how to grow food”
What food and farming need to be in the future
More focused on local markets, a low emitter of greenhouse gases, a user of far less water, free of its dependence on artificial fertilisers and chemical pesticides, a far greater employer of people, and supported by a complex web of local processors and retailers. The rural landscape would be far more diverse, home to a variety of land uses, with more tree cover and with less livestock. Caring for the soil would be key given its supporting role in locking up carbon and the emissions that result from their neglect.
Role of the Blackdown Hills Transition (BHT)
The BHT exists to provide information and advice and to promote activities to assist local communities in the Blackdown Hills provide local solutions to the impact of peak oil and climate change.
Examples of Local Projects related to local food production
Allotments, community gardens or social enterprises such as market stalls and vegetable box schemes, community shop (Churchinford Village Shop).
Community allotments and orchards, fruit tree planting
Community Supported Agriculture schemes
Gardenshare scheme, forest gardening and guerilla gardening.
Relearning the trades that once made up traditional local food economies, e.g. preserving foods, storing, saving and sharing seeds, baking breads and foraging for wild food.
Principles for local sustainable food production
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Improved access to local nutritious and affordable food. Local Food growing reducing our dependence on imported and food having to be distributed over long distances.
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Communities working collaboratively based on mutual need to counter the impact of dependence on oil based production distribution and exchange.
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Resilience, the ability of local communities to adapt rapidly to rising energy costs and impacts of climate change on developing local arrangements to replace existing dependence on global markets and the big national retailers.
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More diversity of produce and distribution channels.
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Links made to local markets, with local produce being given preference in community outlets.
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Reduced reliance on fertilisers and other agrochemicals (ideally a shift to organic methods.)
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A large increase in the amount of food produced from back gardens.
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Sustainable use of natural resources particularly water.
Aims
The aims of the Gardening Group could be to :
1. To support small, local producers and independent retailers in this sector (farms, food, forestry),
2. To support localisation, local sustainability and economic resilience.
Objectives
We could do this through :
1. Helping to identify markets for local produce.
2. Encouraging local supply chain development.
3. Strengthening the local network of supply and suppliers.
4. working together on specific projects
5.Working with key bodies and partner organisations in the Blackdown Hills
(farms, food, forestry),
Useful Website http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk
