It’s March 2020, we’ve all suddenly had a bit of a shock regarding our ability to go and buy food, either through limited access to shops (self isolation) or limited stock in the shops. There are other food supply option which we can access like our very own Tree and local food veg box schemes, but these cannot all ramp up at the same speed as the emergency measures have struck. As a resulRead More…
By Isabelle Low Come spring, the winter crops of cabbage and kale and leeks have bolted and the stores of potatoes, onions and roots are running out. Spring vegetables have only just been sown and won’t be ready to harvest until May and June. Eating in the hungry months in medieval times was both hard and uninspiring – a diet dominated by old potatoes, cabbage and wormy apples. PresRead More…
Today we heard from Climate Change Commission that UK must cut land use emissions by two thirds to meet our goal of zero carbon by 2050. There has been much talk about planting trees to achieve this, but low carbon farming and taking care of our soils is expected to account for as much as 23% of those savings. You can probably imagine what planting more trees would look like, but low carbRead More…
Are you
doing Veganuary? Good for you! A few
suggestions. On a vegan diet, it’s
really important to make sure that you eat a balance of 50% vegetables and
fruit, 25% protein (beans or nuts) and 25% good carbohydrates (wholemeal rice or
wholemeal pasta) plus a bit of oils (olive is best). Please
consider carefully before you buy out of season or exotic plants which have
beRead More…
It goes without saying that the community gardens have the best volunteers! One would think that December is a quiet month in the garden, not with our amazing team. While there is not much photosynthesising, there has been great growth in team building, friendship and good old relaxing (but productive) fun! The Uni Hall and Whitethorn teams have paired up to support each other in the gardensRead More…
This time every year we witness the leaves from the trees change colour and fall to the ground, their job of making energy for the trees to grow is over but their work does not end there. The leaves are full of nutrients and carbon which we are eager to put back into the soil. The task of raking, collecting, leaf blowing, stock piling and shipping begins. For the gardeners and veg growers,Read More…
by Isabell Low, photo by Angela Saunders This summer,
I grew just for fun a row of Cosmic Purple carrots at the Edible Campus garden
at St Gregory’s. The raised bed at St
Greg’s is particularly good for growing carrots as it is too high for pests to
reach. I had a great crop: all
completely clean though a couple had forked due to lack of depth. Cosmic
Purple carrots tasRead More…
Isabelle Low Our Edible Campus gardens are currently awash with runner beans. They are one of the superheroes of any vegetable garden: reliable to grow, prolificly productive, no significant predators or diseases, plus they give a payback by setting nitrogen into the soil. Their only drawback is that they need to be planted out only when the risk of overnight frost has passed so Read More…
