Hello from Harvest! Please read on for your fortnightly update on food growing in Brighton & Hove...

Harvest update

What's on

What to grow now

Funding & project support

Harvest update: We’re really excited about the new demonstration garden in Preston Park. The interest and support from residents has been simply amazing. The garden is still in early stages but it’s developing quickly thanks to a wonderful team of volunteers, Queens Park gardeners, and the park ranger. Thanks to everyone who’s supported the garden! Follow the garden’s progress via our new blog or find out how you can get involved. 

 Also, we’re looking for a bathtub for the demonstration garden (not for baths, but for carrots!). Please contact Sarah on 01273 431716 or sarah@bhfood.org.uk if you have an old tub you’d like to donate.

 Some upcoming Harvest courses:

27 March, Sowing & Growing, a course covering all a new gardener needs to know. 

4 April, Organic Gardening for Beginners

10 April, Growing on a New Plot and Growing in a Small Space

What’s on: As ever, there’s loads on, including:

-          Seedbomb workshops: 24 March& 1 April. Times and locations on the Harvest website. These little balls can be popped into a window box or other spaces in need of a little jazzing up with flowers or salad leaves...

-          Spring Forward: 20 March, 10:00 – 4:00, Jubilee Square, Brighton. Come celebrate Spring and the return to longer days at this Adult Learning Festival event. There will be lots of activities, including seed planting, song & dance, a recycled fashion show and much more. Read the programme and learn about all the great activities going on.

-          Seed Swap: 20 March, 10:00 – 1:00, Coachwerks, Hollingdean. Spring is here, and it’s time to get planting. Come along and swap seeds, have a cup of tea and talk about how your garden grows. This event is being organised by the 5ways Transition group.

-          Green Architecture Day: 20 March, 10:00 – 5:00, Sallis Benney Theatre. A day of stalls, exhibitions, talks & children’s workshops for anyone with an interest in sustainable architecture and design, or living and working in sustainable buildings. More info at the Brighton Permaculture Trust website.

-          Fair Trade & Farmers’ Market: 20 March, 11:00 – 4:00, Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, Brighton. Lovely fair trade crafts and tasty local food.

-          Bevendean Community Garden public consultation meeting: 28 March, 2pm, Holy Nativity Church Hall, Norwich Drive, Bevendean, Brighton. Hear about this exciting new project and offer your views. For more information contact Jeanette on jeanette@generalimprovement.co.uk.

-          Screening of Food Inc: 4 April, 11:00am, Duke of York Cinema. A screening of Robert Kenner’s most recent film, which is all about the devastating effects today’s globalised, industrialised food system has on animals, the environment, and the people working so hard to bring food to our tables. Not to be missed. Post screening discussion organised by Slow Food Brighton & Lewes to follow.

What to grow now: Spring is in the air and it’s time to get planting! Whether you’re growing in containers or in a garden or allotment, there are quite a few things to be getting on with. Now is your last chance to plant garlic cloves; you can also plant broad beans, early potatoes and onion sets. The Harvest website has a new monthly growing tips section. Read more...

Funding & project support:

Sussex Eco Awards: The 2010 Eco Awards are officially open! The award celebrates all the eco-good being done around Sussex and you’re invited to nominate your favourite green individuals, businesses and organisations to be eco-champ of one of the many categories.  Read more about the awards.

 Grassroots Grants: Next deadline 16 April. This funding programme, administered by the Sussex Community Foundation, offers grants of up to £5,000 to non-profits groups working to address the needs of their communities. For more information visit Sussex Community Foundation.

 Happy Spring (rain and all), 

The Harvest Team

To find out more and keep in touch with Harvest, you can find us at www.harvest-bh.org.uk or become a fan of Harvest on Facebook.

Harvest is a city-wide project, delivered by a wide range of partners and led by Brighton & Hove Food Partnership and Food Matters. The Food Partnership is a membership organisation, and membership is free to anyone who lives or works in Brighton & Hove. For benefits of membership and to join go to: www.bhfood.org.uk

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