Festival of Fair Trade and Local in Ditton - Saturday 6th December

Festival of Fair Trade in Ditton

St Peter’s Church Hall, Ditton.

New Rd, ME20 6AE

Saturday 6th December

Festival of Fair Trade - Larkfield and Ditton, two towns in the heart of Kent

12noon until 5pm, Ditton Church Hall, New Road Ditton, Kent (5 miles west of Maidstone - nearest trains Aylesford or East Malling mainlines to London and Maidstone and Ashford)

Stalls, serious discussion and fun things to do all revolving around the subject of Fair Trade, local and remote, to make best use of your Fair Trade pound.

Calling all stalls, craft, art, campaign or services. Fun and interesting.

our Festival of Fair Trade and Local is intended to highlight the power for positive change we all have by buying local and Fair Trade. 

We have the Eco Cotton Store and more, activities and fun stuff. Still room for more, if you may have a stall get in touch.

Fair Trade and Local can change the lives of many simply through the power of the consumer. 

For more info get in touch at www.communigrow.org.

The Eco-Cotton Store is available online at http://the-cotton-store.myshopify.com/

Still room for more stalls. If you have an interesting stall that trades locally get in touch. Idea is to highlight the positive change we may all inspire through trade, Fair Trade and Local.

email fest@communigrow.org

WEEKLY MAIL OUT 27th October includes The story so far (and yet so near - that's local food!) continued... The five 'Learning Zones'

WEEKLY MAIL OUT 27th October View this email in your browser

In this weeks update.... Pictorial notes from the field Produce this week Planting and harvest sessions Who is Bill Mollison? The story so far (and yet so near - that's local food!) continued... The five 'Learning Zones'

Produce available this week News: Eggs will be back this week. Orchard Eggs produce Biodynamic eggs of superior quality and very high 'Scratch' level. VEGETABLES: onions marrows (few left at time of writing) Pumpkin in segments to your own requirement Large or very large whole pumpkins only to order Potatoes 'BINTJE' - mixed size as they come or ask for .... very small potatoes 'BINTJE' - for roasting whole or.... large potatoes 'BINTJE' - for baking new crop Radishes spinach beetroots new crop Parsnips Greens (broccoli greens) Leeks Baby Leeks Chestnuts from Bradbourne Lane Soya HERBS: Rosemary, Old English Mint, Chives OTHER:  Oilseed Rape seeds (very high energy wild bird food) Sunflower seeds (Wild bird food) Bamboo clumps for planting as an attractive barrier 'hedge' - email bamboo@communigrow.org * We welcome old tools and bits of old engines, cogs etc for fundraising. Also any old packet of seed for use on the plot. * Also we need to know what veg you want. Silly as it may seem we grow to the needs of local people, that's everyone who may be interested in what we are doing. Working on this local level means we can respond to demand although you may need to give us a few months to put it into our plans, prepare the ground, sow the seed, tend the young plants and finally, if all has gone well (more on this 'risky' business at a later date), dig, pull or cut the crop before you get your chopping knife at the ready! So if you think "Hmmm, wouldn't it be nice to have....." please share that thought with us. Email hmmm@communigrow.org  and you may be pleased to hear we like thoughts on anything we may grow or produce.  Planting & Harvesting Sessions this week, the 27th October to 1st November Friday's are the best 'drop-in' day from 12 noon. Other days are best 'by arrangement' until we know best to organise ourselves to suit the help offered. Monday 27th - 10am until 5pm Tuesday 28th      N/A Wednesday 29th - N/A Thursday 30th  - 10am until 5.30pm Friday 31st          12noon - dusk  Saturday 1st November     10am - dusk, 10am we will be walking the plot and discussing options, weather permitting. continued ...... The story so far... and yet so near! the Larkfield and Ditton Local Food campaign and project Communigrow   Learning - 'Zones' ….. which is also the basis of the learning, experience and fun! A project such as Communigrow may seem a little unnecessary to some. There are plenty of allotments and plenty of good schools and a great agricultural college within easy reach. There are even projects specifically designed to encourage people to grow at home and ample access to all that’s ever needed to grow good food at home even if only on a windowsill and as for conservation, well the area is far from submerged under concrete and tarmac yet. So where does our humble 5 acre field fit in? There is the community we provide. The herd instinct of people sharing common interests, in this case a chance to learn and grow even more along with people who feel much the same. None of us are ‘experts’, in fact we are all extreme amateurs. Then there may be the charitable side of things, the desire to share our experiences and produce with all regardless of status, income or ability. For me the underlying strength of this project is the exploration of ways to further education across all of the above and it is an education of skills and techniques, systems and methods and the wonder of nature’s ability to both create and heal at the same time. We actually base our aims on an 'empowerment' of our community and this opens an entirely new door of where we are heading as a society and that's a topic we may explore at another time but for now it is purely based on getting people involved and this remains firmly related to growing and feeding people with organic or better fresh food. Our basis is a plan of five 'Zones'. The first is the obvious in the person, the individual. Next comes the plot, the fabric of our piece of the earth, what a great place it is too. Third comes the creativity, taking a plot of grass to a more productive direction. Forth is the community, in this case the area roughly the length of a brisk 20 minute walk by the width of another brisk 20 minute walk, with all the houses, schools and even the people who may travel through while at 70 mph on the M20 motorway, they are a brief part of our community. Last, but certainly not least, are a curious mix of those who we inspire and educate, the energies of those who may enter and even the lives of those who leave, they may go on to do wonderful things. This is the spirit of all our futures. You may wonder what this really is, how is it measured or monitored? Truth is I have not a clue though some great philosopher has the answer I feel sure. But like a good book  we may have read many years ago that shapes our future in some small way, Communigrow may reach a conclusion - for now we are barely starting to write the 'introduction'. Next time.... more on the 'Communigrow Experience' Our objective is to provide local resources on our 5.7 acre field at East Malling Research. These include: A new viable market garden of volume production with varied cropping and production plan Incorporate sustainable techniques with extensive use of varied cover crops - 'green manure' Produce for a variety of purposes, Ethnic foods, Arts and Crafts, social & horticultural research Create a ‘Local Exchange Trading System’ to maximise fair returns Establish added value enterprises such as bees, oil and associated craft produce from the field Create skills base for educational programme in all operations and social care Install awareness in the health benefits of an active lifestyle Create new habitats for conservation Membership of our new market garden community open to all I would like to thank all who have enabled this to happen so far and in advance to all those yet to come. If anyone is able to help us plan the new planting please get in touch, email 2015@communigrow.org.   Transition Network is a charitable organisation whose role is to inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities as they self-organise around the Transition model, creating initiatives that rebuild resilience and reduce CO2 emissions.  Ultimately it’s about creating a healthy human culture, one that meets our needs for community, livelihoods and fun.  We’re here to support you. We shall soon have a few copies of the 'Transition Free Press' available for a donation of £2 to cover costs. To order email laurence@communigrow.org.

As a 'Friend' of Communigrow you may express your interests in our charitable project either as a growing plot for fresh fine veg or as a place to learn and have some fun or as a method to explore your own ideas. In future there will be many rewards only available to our friends as they will propel the project forwards. Print out, complete and return to us as an image file, join@communigrow.org, thanks Facebook - Larkfield and Ditton Local Food Website - Communigrow.org We are looking for families who do not currently eat a lot of fresh veg. Over the next year we want to work with a group of families to help them introduce more fresh food and reduce pre-packed and prepared items from their diet. If you know of someone of any age or ability, who you feel may benefit, please do get in touch. Email goodvegclub@communigrow.org   Recipe, Strudelise your pumpkin this week with a fab culinary delight shared by Petia Pumpkin Strudel Ingredients : ·         1 1/2 lbs pumpkin (peeled and seeded) ·         1 cup sugar ·         2 ounces walnuts (chopped) ·         1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ·         1/2 lb butter, melted (optional) ·         1 (1 lb) package filo pastry ·         2 -3 tablespoons icing sugar (for sprinkling) Directions: Grate the pumpkin and steam gently. When soft enough drain and place in a bowl. Add the sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon and mix in with the pumpkin. If you decide to use the butter, melt it. Take two sheets of filo pastry and drizzle some melted butter on the top one. Spoon some of the pumpkin mixture over the pastry and roll loosely. Repeat with the rest of the pastry. Take a non-stick baking sheet (or else oil it). If it is rectangular place the rolls parallel to each other. If it is round, start lining the rim with the rolls, slowly spiralling them towards the centre. Bake at medium heat for about 20 to 30 minutes. Let the pie cool down and serve sprinkled with icing sugar.

"WE BADLY NEED WAYS TO COMMUNICATE THE URGENCY OF THE GREATEST CRISIS HUMANS HAVE YET ENCOUNTERED. CLIMATE CHANGE HAPPENS JUST SLOWLY ENOUGH THAT IT CAN SLIP BY OUR DEFENSES, UNLESS WE ARE ABLE TO HARNESS–AS THIS PROJECT SO POWERFULLY DOES–THE DEPTH OF HUMAN CREATIVITY TO SLAM THE MESSAGE HOME.” Bill McKibbenco-founder of 350.org and author of The End of Nature. also “KNOW YOUR FOOD” is a short film series which introduces viewers to the terms and principles that enable them to be more responsible, sustainably-minded consumers. For this series, we’ve worked closely with hundreds of thought leaders from every aspect of our food system to explain the real cost of cheap food, we’ve explored concepts like GMO and Organic, and we have discovered solutions to such challenges as food waste and seafood fraud. By learning these key principles, consumers can do their part to fix our food system. Read all about CSA's A fantastic article about The Oak Tree Low Carbon Farm community supported agriculture initiative from The Guardian, highlighting the importance, struggles and rewards of local food as part of 'Live Better Community Project' month. http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/sep/01/writers-community-challenge-how-i-helped-bring-in-the-harvest Who is Bill Mollison? The first permaculture book I ever read is Bill Mollison's Design Manual, 'A Practical Guide for a Sustainable Future'. It's not bedtime reading as all of 580 pages long and I dare anyone to turn a page without being amazed at just how creative we may be with such a topic. It takes quite awhile for some of the details to sink-in and I have to admit to finding it a lifetime exercise for myself. Take his ideas on community. He outlines the basis for a fairly straightforward and some may say very obvious sort of world where a community cares for itself and by being good at that it may be a good neighbour to the next and so on. The basis is for a minimal outside input, building resources and creating a 'wealth' based on social interaction and balanced trade, consuming what we need and not what we want. If you start this book and want to know more about one of the greatest modern-day thinkers I feel sure he would say you've missed the message, the one who inspired is inconsequential to the one who may be inspired. Next week, the humble bucket. A great under   Our location Access is onto the private estate so please do not enter uninvited or without appointment as you may be challenged - we cannot provide an 'open door' to the general public even though we may like to. We welcome all to join as a 'Friend' of the charity Communigrow to avoid all potential problems. We prefer if you can walk or cycle to the plot Exit A20 next to the KIA garage turning into Bradbourne Lane. Pass the Tandoori Palace on your right. As you come down the hill there is a right hand turning into the East Malling Research Institute Grounds. Turn in here and follow the road (Red Line), over the small stream. Pass the cluster of offices on your left until you reach a small white house on your left and the entrance to the Communigrow field (Green triangle) is just past it on the left through the wide gate.   Copyright © 2014 Communigrow, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: join@communigrow.org