PROPOSAL
Over the course of 2009 and 2010, an ever-increasing group of residents in Shandon in Edinburgh have been discussing how we can grow and buy food which is more local, seasonal and organic. We want to see our local shops thrive; we want to make connections with farmers and producers in the wider region and we want to see gardens , backgreens and common areas flourish with home-grown produce.
In April 2009 we received a grant from the national Climate Challenge Fund to help us develop. We have now identified three priority areas – listed below. In addition, we have agreed to be part of the community coalition which has been given 15 acres of land in Morningside to develop as a community garden site during 2010.
You can get more details of all of these things in our sections on meetings and events and key documents.
Action Groups
The Shandon Local Food Group has identified 3 priority areas for action as a result of community consultation. Each of these areas is listed below. The focus will be on planning action!
- Developing our community garden
- How to grow your own food
- Getting the best from local shops and local producers
Email us if you want to get involed in any of these groups or simply want to find out more.
Get in touch
You can email hello@shandonfood.org.uk or phone/text 07847 504011. If you are getting in touch please let us know your address as it is important for us to know where in Shandon interest is strongest.
Some of the ideas sound great, anything that helps us get a bit more from out wee urban gardens would be good. Hopefully we can reduce the number of gardens getting covered in gravel/paving slabs and get stuff growing. Swapping tips/ plants and centralised composting would be good for a start. Weed and cat control advice also welcome. Please keep me informed of progress.
People might be interested in the Craigie’s Farm Deli and Cafe website. The food they grow is organic, and they also sell organic meat and vegetables, etc. Most of the food from the cafe is also organic.
They are very keen on community involvement in food and regularly invite groups of primary school children to bake bread, and, while it’s cooking, to collect free range eggs, scramble them and eat them with the bread they have baked.
They’re website is http://www.craigies.co.uk
The cycle ride out there gives an excellent appetite. Route: follow cycle path signs along north suburban cycle path, down to Davidson’s Mains, through Barnton and over Cramond Brig, up to the bridge over the Queensferry Road, and half a mile along the Kirkliston Road to the Craigie Farm road end.
I’d like to get some more info on the vegetable boxes from the local producers.
There is a useful list from the Soil Association at: http://www.soilassociation.org/Web/SA/saweb.nsf/e72f0c7da90e70da80256cd9004e17d6/1e1cf1f42fcadae580256eb700403642/$FILE/organic_veg_box_scotland.pdf
Two suppliers who produce and deliver locally are Oxenford Organics and East Coast Organics, both on the list.
Hello all,
and possibly the wider involvement of the community. Maybe get in touch with ECFI to see how the group could be integrated into other organisations. I think ECFI are doing a major mapping exercise to find out who is involved in food in Edinburgh, this might be a simple way of ensuring funding is used most wisely for the benefit of residents.
it seems like a fantastic plan, but I think one thing that is missing is what is going to be done with all the food
Good luck!
Hi Mike
Thanks for giving us the heads-up about ECFI. I talked to them a bit before the last newsletter, so I’ll give them a bell re:mapping (if Gavin’s not already done so).
Our bring-and-share in the Autumn was directly influenced by the Fife Diet’s moveable feasts, and we all want to do more communal food things. I guess it just didn’t get brought up at the consultations.
Regards,
Alex