News

Local community garden thinks global

22 November

By Gareth Morgan, Project Manager of Forest Farm Peace Garden.

The tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of the new millennium was an international day of action to reduce carbon emissions and a chance to demonstrate the readiness of communities all over the world to tackle climate change. In our hidden corner of Hainault, Redbridge, the volunteers of Forest Farm Peace Garden celebrated this day by opening the gates to 150 visitors, inviting them to share our way of living the sustainable life.

The heart of our project is food - growing and eating it together in our organic community garden. Our great team of chefs cooked up a seasonal feast using fresh veg and herbs from the garden, including gazpacho, spiced potatoes, veggy curry and an apple & rhubarb crumble. Localising our food supply should be one of our most urgent priorities – it can make a massive difference to our carbon emissions (conventional farming and food distribution is entirely dependent on fossil fuels) and will be an essential step to secure our well-being post peak oil.

This year has seen a great increase in our supply of local apples through the Redbridge Abundance project – where surplus fruit is harvested from trees in gardens and parks by Peace Garden volunteers. A team of volunteers chopped, mashed and squeezed the juice from hundreds of apples that would otherwise have gone to waste, generating a delicious drink to refresh us on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Our aim is to extend this crop year on year, by locating more un-harvested sites and by planting more fruit trees around the borough.

Our resident medical herbalist Debbie also led visitors on a typically energetic and inspiring herbal tour of the garden. As ever, participants were exposed to a profusion of healing plants, growing wild and cultivated throughout the garden, and learned about their properties and safe use. The day’s guests had an opportunity to learn about wood turning, carving and wool spinning - traditional skills powered by human energy and creativity. The children’s area (in the new snug poly-tunnel) also nurtured creative crafts through the construction of bug houses and dream catchers using willow harvested from our living willow tunnel.

Throughout the day plot-holders were on hand to show off their productive plots and inspire visitors to grow their own. Plants, produce and delicious preserves were on sale, with bargain herbs and winter crops heading out to gardens around Hainault. Stefan, our head gardener, turned tour guide for the day, showing people around the new orchard areas and giving the low-down on how our community garden works. Redbridge recycling officers were also in the garden to promote recycling in the borough – and were thrilled to be going home with empty recycling bags as so little waste was produced on the day!

For more information about Forest Farm Peace Garden, visit forestfarmpeacegarden.org or email info@forestfarmpeacegarden.org