News on our veg box, 'Barrows', stalls and also special events at the field for this week 13th July

News on our veg box, 'Barrows', stalls and also special events at the field for this week 13th July View this email in your browser

Our start through food From the start we've tried to explore new solutions to the lack of learning resources about food With very little in the way of funds we've created a garden that may help feed 30 families for a good part of the year. With a little more support we can invest in new growing beds, fertility improvements like 'Green Manure' and a host of on the field resources such as hens and teaching beds. It is not as if we are short of space - with over 5 acres the field provides an excellent base for work experience in growing and in time a range of study and learning opportunities. We are a dedicated and completely voluntary group of gardeners who share the desire to run a charity based on the growing of food, good fresh 'local' food all with the aim of learning, teaching and sharing. That is we wish to help people understand food and the entire system behind it from farm to supermarket shelf. Part of our work will be to develop cookery skills in our field kitchen and offer a unique way to discover more about the food we grow through taste and nutrition. We provide our Kent Shed project for Wellbing and sessions for schools and groups free of charge. We are currently only able to do this through the hard work and a few donations from a dedicated crew of local amateur gardeners who wish to share the joy of growing and good food. Get in touch for more info. Please donate now at..... https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/communigrow This week we supply fresh from our field... Spinach Courgettes - round Courgettes - long Courgettes - Yellow Red new potato - 'Belle de Fontenay' tasty - good all round use, boil, mash or fry White new potato - 'Amandine' - good all round use, boil, mash or fry Jerusalem Artichokes Horseradish Cucumber Radish salad leaf mixed Green salad leaf Green leaf Chicory Kohlrabi Dill in pots Parsley in pots Coriander bunch Mint bunch Rosemary bunch Sunflowers - plants and flower heads Tomato plants Raspberries Blackcurrants Rhubarb and more including Jams ask for a full list of over 50 varieties Chutneys Honey from Yalding Bees Wax candles bread to order (saturdays only) Coming soon, Tomatoes, eggs are back and Charlotte potatoes, onions and more   Improving health through fresh food   We have an invite for you We welcome all our supporters to join us at some time for one of our 'kitchens' in the field, part of our work as a 'Kent Shed' for wellbeing. In brief this is all about improving health through the experience of fresh food. It includes the delights of eating locally grown food along with learning and activity of growing. All at the field with talks and discussion related to food and Low Carbon living. The idea is to 'pick it - cook it - eat it' and was well received when we piloted the concept last year with pumpkin and courgette dishes to match the invention. We may only provide these sort of events to our supporters so they are by invitation only. For an invite simply express your interest by emailing 'events@communigrow.org' or call us on 07806 708 386 We welcome all our supporters to any of our events but please express your interest and we will let you know details in advance. Our 'Barrow on the Green' every saturday from 12noon until 2pm and at the Brassey Centre from 10am until 12noon. Our veg is purely seasonal and we've now the start of the summer harvest and do have a few tasty veg like beans and spinach along with staple like our new potatoes, red or white, courgettes round or long, cucumber, salad, herbs and sunflowers. Raspberries are also producing. Order your delivery (suggested donation of £1 per item plus £1 for packing and dropping off - minimum £10) or pop round to the barrow for what you want. Each week should bring something different from now until November - see below. Part of our crew now includes an expert Jam and Chutney maker. Richenda has been making locally on Bradbourne Lane for many years. We also have honey from Yalding and beeswax products too. Coming soon will be sourdough bread. If you would be interested in this please do get in touch by emailing bread@communigrow.org Note that if you can't make it at 12noon to the green we do also go to the Brassey Centre in Alyesford at 10am and may add more venues through the summer as well as our barrow rounds through the neighbourhood. Both our stall and barrow offer surplus plants. Get in touch if there may be something you need as our list this year is endless. Thanks

We also have..... 60 metres blackcurrants 150 metres onions 90 metres leeks 60 metres parsnips 30 metres garlic 360 metres broad beans 60 metres spinach 60 metres salad 150metres carrots 4 patches of rhubarb 10 metres of globe artichoke and a few Jerusalem We currently have cauliflower, kale and cabbage and horseradish along with more rhubarb for transplant Also coming along are tomatoes, kale, peppers, herbs, cabbage and sweetcorn. Aubergine and much more. This currently uses approximately 1/10th of our field. This year we had hoped for more but ill health and lack of funds makes it very hard for us to progress at the rate we would like. However next year we'll be producing much more and much earlier. We'll also have even more variety along with craft areas producing cut flowers, hops, essences etc etc. The addition of new wildlife habitat will also be a major boost to the area and to our resources for education. To help us with our work biy our veg, it is a bargain. Donate at https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/communigrow or come along and lend a hand, we are all novices.   We also need your help as our funds are short for some pretty fundamental things like seeds.   For some time we've been growing and not replacing nutrients other than our famous nettle juice fertiliser for tomatoes. We now need to keep ground covered with 'Green Manures' - plants that give benefit to the soil structure and nutrients for future crops - and develop our sustainable methods. We need enough to cover the entire field in rotation over the coming year. However we're short of funds that make any large order impossible and this is a serious problem for us. If you can help us raise £500 for this order you will directly ensure some of the most basic items for this coming year.   We ask all our supporters to give generously. £100 will boost the entire field, £50 will buy enough to sow several beds, £20 will contribute to one.   There are many ways to do this but the best is to do a bank transfer, ask Helen for details.   Next best is to go to https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/communigrow   We may collect gift aid on all donations. Simply fill out a form for a bank transfer or click on gift aid at my donate.   Please let us know what you may pledge specifically to this campaign and we shall ensure the funds go directly to that.   Thanks in advance and we look forward to seeing all who can come to our events   Laurence     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.  Registered Charity Number 1159534 COMMUNIGROW