Are there some types of produce that everyone wants to pick and some types that no one is interested in? - Have you had to change your growing plans much to reflect your market?
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Growing veg, self sufficiency (and community spirit). Live webchat with Pam Warhurst Tues 3 July 1-2pm
(53 Posts)You may have seen this story in the national press...
Four years ago Pam Warhurst and a fellow resident of Todmorden, W Yorkshire founded Incredible Edible "to help everyone do something positive about their future using the universal medium of food".
So now there are fruit and veg being cultivated in every available patch of earth about the town (from the church, the bus station to local schools) Local residents can pick what they want when they want and local children are learning to grow their own.
Already more than 30 other areas in Britain have taken up the name and similar schemes are running all over the world. So we are delighted that Pam will be joining us to answer questions on growing veg, self-sufficiency and embracing community spirit to make a difference.
"We believe in people and the power of small actions. We are not prepared to wait on the off chance a leader somewhere will twig that we are creating huge resource problems for our children and their children. We are not prepared to moan that it’s all too complicated. Food is the language we use to inspire people to act differently and it just works."
clarice
Given the price of organic fruit and veg we are very keen to start growing our own. What are the best (easiest!) things to get started with?
Hi clarice,
When we made this up four years ago, we wanted to keep it as simple as possible, to be as inclusive as possible. So, we don't plant organically, nor use permaculture systems, we simply use seasonal fruit, veg and herbs in public places on the assumption that over time, as we shared knowledge, people would want to know how to avoid poisoning their kids with nasty chemicals and it seems to have worked.
At our high school we have now set up permaculture growing regimes for our kids to learn from, at our market garden training centre (slight exaggeration at present, but watch this space), we avoid the sorts of chemicals that you would hate.
What do we grow? We started off with herbs at our railway station. Because we're in the north, we do a lot of soft fruits and fruit trees - we're up to nearly a thousand now. We grow a lot of brassicas and are experimenting with oats on the top. Add to that more courgettes that you could possibly ever need in life and you get the idea that it's a mixed picture.
I think someone else has asked a question a bit like this, but I am absolutely fascinated by how you stop people just pinching stuff? Do you have to have security? It's hard to believe you just rely on people's good nature....
I think incredible Edible is a great idea and would love to do something similar. How did you find the spaces to grow on and how do you negotiate with the owners, if they are owned, to allow you to plant?
kittyp
Hello Pam - had a look at your website and it looks like such a brilliant initiative. I was very interested to know how receptive the community was, whether you had any resistance - and who proved the most enthusiastic to embrace the scheme?
Hi kittyp,
On the whole, everybody has been really enthusiastic about what we do. That's not to say we haven't made some mistakes. In the early days we took up some flowers and rose bushes to create raised beds of fruit veg and herbs. This upset the "in bloom" group, quite rightly. So now we go for fabulous and functional, mixing fruit trees which blossom in spring with edible flowers, bee-friendly plants, herbs and edibles. They can all live very happily together and make the town not only look better but feel better.
We like to think we're spreading a bit of kindness as all our town centre veg is for sharing.
Presumably it all costs money? How are you funded and do you have to spend a lot of time fundraising?
Welcome Pam,
I wondered if there had been any vandalism and if not, how you've avoided it?
Cagsy
Hi, I've been over to visit my daughter today in Cragg Vale and visited recently flooded Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge and I feel so sad for those who have homes and businesses badly affected. I know Tod was also flooded and wondered how this has affected your project and if you've lost many plants?
Good luck yo you all,
Cagsy
Glad to report veg doing well. It's been turmoil for a lot of people, but even along our edible canal towpath and some of our propaganda sites that were badly flooded, other than a bit of work around pathways, the veg have battled through. A message for us all!
rosiemus
Hello Pam. This sounds absolutely marvellous. I would love to know how you got other people on board? The community spirit I remember as a child seems to have evaporated in many areas and it would be wonderful to reignite it as a force for good. Many thanks
Hi rosiemus, I think people are just ready to hear a positive challenge instead of all the horrible stuff we're hearing every day, so it's not that difficult to proposition a community. We just put an ad in the local paper for a meeting in a cafe. 60 people turned up, to our surprise, and we just asked a question - are you up for making our town stronger and more self-sufficient. The room exploded and we've never looked back.
The only thing that I think really helps this get kicked off is having what we call propaganda sites so people can see what we're talking about. What can grow, where you can grow and how you can grow it. After that, it's all about having a good website, chatting up the local press and keeping what you want to say at the forefront of people's minds. It works.
Maniac
Hello Pam .I read about Incredible Edible on the radio some time ago.
In our village in N. Somerset we started a sustainability gp 3 yrs ago.We run a monthly Fair Trade cafe and Grub club.- buy organic foods in bulk and sell on, do plant and seed swaps,sell/give away surplus produce.We’ve had an apple pressing day for last two years and produced over 400 bottles of apple juice.We’re planning to rent and restore an abandoned orchard-also investigating other environmental projects.
Apart from the food and gardening help this has created a good community spirit and even as a newcomer I’ve made many friends of all ages.
Look forward to your visit to Gransnet.
This all sounds fantastic, are you doing anything in the schools? Are you sharing your skills with those who don't have them. And what about local producers - anything interesting?
We're delighted that Pam's here and she's ready to go, so we'll get started.
Have you found that kids are more interested in eating their greens after watching them grow? I have a theory that learning to grow your own could be a crucial educational tool to help youngsters eat better.
Hi. I love this initiative so much, it's really inspiring and makes the most of the very best aspects of human nature. I don't know Todmorden (only been there once years ago) and I imagine it to be a place with a lot of 'alternative' types who care passionately about the land being used wisely and equitably etc etc. Do you think that Incredible Edible could happen and be successful in any kind of community? I'm thinking of a hardboiled, post-industrial, down-in-the-dumps kind of place where people have learned (for no real reason) to be suspicious of their neighbours? I'd like to think it could!
Hi, I've been over to visit my daughter today in Cragg Vale and visited recently flooded Mytholmroyd and Hebden Bridge and I feel so sad for those who have homes and businesses badly affected. I know Tod was also flooded and wondered how this has affected your project and if you've lost many plants?
Good luck yo you all,
Cagsy
Not sure what the opposite of green fingers is - but it perfectly describes me 
I would love to start growing vegetables - but can you tell me what I am least likely to kill?
PS
Here's a nice article with a video clip of summat similar to Incredible Edible in Queenland. Of course, this one is less about food, and more about a leisure and fun and healing:
www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s3476467.htm
Have been following you from afar (SE Queensland Australia) from the start. Just want to wish you well, as I've definitely been inspired by what you've done in West Yorkshire, where I come from.
I have my own sub-tropical food garden, with 6 hens - very good layers, fruit trees and many vegetables. Every meal has something from the garden. Australia is very big on permaculture, and we also have some guerrilla gardeners planting on common ground. I'm doing a bit myself, planting spare seeds and seedlings on a nearby abandoned garden. In the unlikely event of someone moving into the property I won't begrudge them some free food!
Sounds a great scheme Pam. Human nature being what it is, how do you deal with those who do very little to help with the planting, cultivation, weeding etc but then help themselves to a rather bigger share of the produce than those who have put in a great deal of gardening effort?
And can you suggest why after three successful years my peas have not even sprouted this season? I'm a bit further north than you.
CeilingCat Suggest you contact your nearby Transition gp. They tackle the same issues as Sustainability gps.Our nearby town has a Transition gp.We have a good connection and exchange/share info and resources. and attend each others events.
Good luck with your efforts.
I would love to get something like this going in our town. I half asked the vicar if we could use the (tnen completely bare) large beds in front of the church, just to start it off, set an example and encourage people. She was very nice but the 'plans' had been finalised by the Garden Club. So now we have pansies, marigolds and things. V pretty, but ......
We do have a Transitional Town group thing, (it's way over the other side of town and I can't get there). Do you think, though, that this could develop into a vaguely decent alternative?
Hello Pam .I read about Incredible Edible on the radio some time ago.
In our village in N. Somerset we started a sustainability gp 3 yrs ago.We run a monthly Fair Trade cafe and Grub club.- buy organic foods in bulk and sell on, do plant and seed swaps,sell/give away surplus produce.We’ve had an apple pressing day for last two years and produced over 400 bottles of apple juice.We’re planning to rent and restore an abandoned orchard-also investigating other environmental projects.
Apart from the food and gardening help this has created a good community spirit and even as a newcomer I’ve made many friends of all ages.
Look forward to your visit to Gransnet.
Has this been tried in any inner city areas? How do you deal with the security aspect? How do you make the local communities sufficiently aware that the gardens don't become trampled by teens or end up as receptacles for drug paraphrenalia?
Hello Pam - had a look at your website and it looks like such a brilliant initiative. I was very interested to know how receptive the community was, whether you had any resistance - and who proved the most enthusiastic to embrace the scheme?
I was a big fan of The Good Life and rather fancied myself as a Felicity Kendal (wishful thinking). But I do like the idea of self sufficiency and would welcome your advice on the best way to achieve this
Given the price of organic fruit and veg we are very keen to start growing our own. What are the best (easiest!) things to get started with?
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