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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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. |
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