Food Group Meeting Archive

Food Group Meeting Tues 12 May 2009

Second meeting – ten people attended.

Topics discussed:

Orchards

Linda spoke to Wade Muggleton at Worcs County Council – he doesn’t know of any orchards in the Malvern area. She has however discovered fruit trees along the Guarlford Rd and in Poolbrook. It was suggested we write an article for the Malvern Gazette inviting people who have fruit trees, who perhaps don’t harvest the fruit, to let us know. We could offer to identify varieties if not already known, collect the fruit and either distribute it to local schools, juice it, or include it in a ‘Food Swap’ (see below). Any other ideas welcome!

Foraging/Wild Food

No shortage of wild food in and around Malvern – blackberries, wild garlic, rosehips, elderflowers and elderberries, damsons, crabapples, mushrooms (for the brave) etc.

Perhaps we could include a Wild Food section on our website?

Empty shops

Margaret contacted MHDC regarding the Guardian article - see below. Not hopeless but obviously tricky!

Many thanks for your enquiry regarding recent government guidance on reuse of vacant shop premises on behalf of the Transition Malvern Group. The full guidance is available to download or order at http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/towncentres

The guidance outlines a number of examples across the country that might be suitable for the Malvern Area. We have been working with the Worcestershire Contemporary Arts Group on a proposal called MECA - Malvern Exhibition of Contemporary Arts and they have put together a detailed proposal for their project to display contemporary art in vacant shop units in Great Malvern - A copy is attached for yourinformation.

They are seeking funding from the Arts Council and we have also offered a small match funding contribution but the main difficulty has been getting landlords/agents of vacant premises in Great Malvern to allow use of their property even when offering to pay rent! You may want to contact Andy Laffan the project manager to discuss any potential cross over in your ideas. His email address is andy@w-ca.net

We would be more than willing to assist in any proposals you might have with regards displays in vacant premises so please let us know if you have any clear project proposals.

Local Food Directory

Work in progress. Aim is to get something on TMH website soon.

Food Facts

Helen and Wilma to produce draft leaflet for next meeting.

Gardenshare Scheme

We plan to advertise on TMH website and get the local press/radio involved to ‘root out‘ interested parties (Nic to draft an article for the Gazette). This will outline the proposed scheme and invite people to contact us if interested. Level of response will determine whether we proceed.

Check out TMH website in the coming weeks for further information.

You may like to look at these:

http://grow.transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk 
www.transitiontowns.org/totnes

Land for Growing

Discussed allotments and potential growing plots in the district.

Tim talked about Malvern Youth Centre – it needs to be seen to be active so as to avoid the threat of closure. Perhaps more could be done to cultivate the area and engage youngsters in learning how to grow food?

Slow Food

Sue Braithewaite from the Slow Food Worcestershire group has offered to organise an event in Malvern. This could be a taste workshop on say Bread, Cheese and Cider. It would introduce the concept of Slow Food, be an opportunity to meet local producers and engage discussion around Good, Clean & Fair (slow food criteria).

These links may be of interest:

http://www.slowfood.org.uk 
www.farmsunday.org 
www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk 
http://www.cpre.org.uk

Bee-keeping

It was suggested we might invite a local Beekeepers Association member to give a talk on beekeeping as several people are interested in finding out more about this subject.

Food Swap

Tim talked about a local community where growers meet up at the local pub once a week and bring along their surplus produce for exchange! Brilliant idea!

General Ideas

Contacting gardening clubs and horticultural societies in the area – to introduce them to TMH and possibly linking up.

Gardening ‘buddy’ scheme where a seasoned food grower could perhaps take on a couple or more novices to get them started – any offers?

Reading List

Some reading material you may like to take a look at:

“Soil not Oil” by Vandana Shiva ISBN: 9-781-84813-3150
“We Want Real Food” by Graham Harvey ISBN: 9-781-84529-5455
“Not On The Label” by Felicity Lawrence ISBN: 0-141-01566-7
“Shopped (The shocking power of British Supermarkets)” by Joanna Blythman ISBN: 0-00-715804-1

 

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There is no shortage of ideas – but what we need is action so have decided to start with the Food Fact Sheet and the Gardenshare scheme. Drafts of the fact sheet, poster and article will be presented at the next meeting and once agreed will be finalised, printed and distributed.

We would dearly welcome all offers of help, guidance or expertise to get this vital part of the Transition Energy Descent Plan up and running! There is a very real sense of excitement about the Food Group and this more than anything has the potential to really bring people together in a very creative, positive and lasting way. 
 

We need your support and look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Food Group Meeting Tues 21st April 2009

We had a very productive initial meeting – nine people attending.

Topics discussed:

Community Supported Agriculture

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a social enterprise model that is based on an approach of mutual support through a producer-consumer partnership. CSA offers an innovative business approach where a food or farm enterprise has members who own ‘shares’ in the harvest and therefore also share in the risk.  CSA enterprises range from allotments on farms and sponsoring apple trees, a community making an agreement in advance to purchase a particular crop from a producer, the community members making regular input of labour, to the purchase of land or related holdings or renting land and employing the producer. These enterprises engage and empower community members in the supply and/or production of their own food in a close relationship with a primary producer.
http://www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/about/csa/index.cfm

Orchards

We thought it would be interesting to find out about any orchards/nut trees in Malvern – there must be plenty. Is there an expert on orchards in the Malvern area? Anyone with information please let me know and I will pass this on to Linda and Sue who have kindly offered to do some research!

Food for Life Partnership

http://www.foodforlife.org.uk

Empty shops

Margaret read in the national press that empty shops  were to be made available for community groups. This is a very exciting possibility for TMH – a Transition Malvern Hills ‘hub’ could be something for the future – a drop-in centre where folks can come for advice, information, skill-swapping, seed swapping, demonstrations, ‘cook-ins’ etc. the list is endless….

Local Food Directory

This has been started. We talked about what constitutes ‘local’ but the general consensus was not too local which could be restrictive.  Will has already compiled a comprehensive list of local growers and suppliers – this can be expanded and all the information also needs to be verified before publication. Several people offered to help with this time-consuming task and I will be delegating in due course! If any others wish to help with this project please let me know – you will be most welcome.

Food Facts

We would like to produce a short, thought-provoking information sheet or “flash-card” of up-to-date food facts relating to food miles, carbon foodprint, food waste etc. The intention is to hand them out or put them in strategic places  - to inform people who might not have considered some of the issues regarding the food we eat.

Food Waste

This very serious issue is something we touched on and feel should be included on the Food Group agenda – for further discussion.

Gardenshare Scheme

Transition Totnes has set up a very successful Gardenshare scheme – see for yourselves at http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/gardenshare/home 
There is no reason why TMH could not do the same – in fact we should definitely do the same! 
We plan to advertise on TMH website and get the local press/radio involved to ‘root out‘ interested parties. Certainly something to discuss in more detail at the next meeting.

Composting

Angie Hill (Master Composter) has offered help and advice to anyone interested in finding out more – let me know and I will put you in touch.

Slow Food

Please take a look at the website http://www.slowfood.org.uk

Organic Living Association

 Dennis Nightingale-Smith has been growing organically for well over 70 years so knows a thing or two about it! He is the Director/Secretary of the Organic Living Association and produces a very topical and informative monthly newsletter. If you are interested in becoming a member of the OLA or would like to receive a copy of the newsletter please let me know and I will pass your details on to Dennis.

General Ideas

Contacting gardening clubs and horticultural societies in the area – to introduce them to TMH and possibly linking up.

Gardening ‘buddy’ scheme where a seasoned food grower could perhaps take on a couple or more novices to get them started – any offers?

Reading List

Some reading material you may like to take a look at:

“Soil not Oil” by Vandana Shiva ISBN: 9-781-84813-3150
“We Want Real Food” by Graham Harvey ISBN: 9-781-84529-5455
“Not On The Label” by Felicity Lawrence ISBN: 0-141-01566-7

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Notes from Network meeting Feb 09

We had 20 minutes to try to focus on issues. Will gave some information on the 'care farm' idea for Bransford, education and re-skilling (cooking, preserving) were again raised as important, along with the garden sharing idea.

There were volunteers to start compiling a local food directory (to be published  online at least to start) and a food issues factsheet. Do drop us a note if you want to be involved or have suggestions.

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Notes from Open meeting Dec 08

The half-hour break-out group on food attracted 8 people (out of 50+) with key concerns ranging from permaculture to food preservation (and security), healthy (local/seasonal) eating to composting, education and re-skilling to guerrilla gardening (liberating land for growing, including garden sharing). The last two were reckoned to be the top topics to focus on, at least to start.

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Notes from first food group meeting (30th October)

The one non-negotiable - working groups have to feed back into the coordinating body, currently the steering group. Otherwise John is happy for others to volunteer to run/host sessions (such as Gillian at Cliffe Arms?).

Ideas and Issues Raised

• Eco-schools already into growing. Encourage harvesting and distribution of unused fruit (apples etc), including juicing sessions. (Too late to do this other than small scale/informally this year.)
• Communal baking session, to re-learn bread making. Other re-skilling. Make contact with local WIs.
• Small gardens/areas are worth cultivating too.
• Balance between food use and flower growing - cut flowers to replace imports, use in swaps. Don't forget wild areas for wildlife too.
• Creating a support network for people who want to grow, compost etc (drop-offs due to early failures). Composting one to one sessions.
• Transition Malvern sponsoring an 'In Blooom' garden - Malvern and across the district.
• Sharing garden space. Tony has already started work on this, waiting for council response and results of Isle of Wight pilot. Spring 09?
• Community Supported Agriculture - over to Will for this!
• Article for Malvern Gazette - Angie offered. John to check on existing TM efforts to establish links.
• Community shredder, community composting on housing estates.
• Seed swaps - suggested by John, taken by Jan to W Malvern Allotments Assn.
• Generally making contact with allotment groups.
• Fruit tree surveys.
• Encouraging the council to plant edible ornamental trees. And/or planting to encourage polinnators esp. bees.
• Tackling green deserts.
• 'World without Jam' film from WI is largely about transition topics. For Awareness group (Pippa)?
• There's a number of master composters on the group list already doing great things encouraging home composting.

Actions

Seed swap sessions to be organised - connect with the Swap Shop on 10th January, compost clinic in Mathon in February. John, Lionel/Jackie.

Compost clinics February/March. Lionel/Jackie to check against council dates, Pippa to lead?

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From blog posts

Food issues

The demand for allotments locally (and nationally) is also high - Malvern Gazette reports that there is a waiting list of 74, with limited scope for more allotments in town.