News
The first of many summers for new city orchard
We're excited to announce that the Racehill Community Orchard in Whitehawk has been awarded £25,000 funding from the Veolia Environmental Trust and £10,500 from the Big Tree Plant. The money will be used to plant over 200 apple, pear and plum trees making the orchard the largest in Brighton & Hove.
Thank you to everyone who came along to the summer picnic on Saturday 15th June. There are activity days at the orchard planned throughout the summer, see our events page for upcoming dates.
New community garden needs your input
A new community garden has recently opened on the corner of Stanford Avenue and Cleveland Road in Preston Park. Now the organisers need your input to make the garden a success. Ideas for the name of the garden, what plants should be grown there and any ideas for funding the project are welcomed. It's down to the community to make the garden flourish so get involved and have your say. Email your suggestions to
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. Celebrate the birth of this project on Fri 21st June from 3.30pm. See poster for more info.
51 miles to Chelsea - an edible space in a public place
The Chelsea Fringe is coming to Brighton for the first time. On Wednesday 5th June from 10am-1pm, experience a show garden with a difference at our Demo Garden in Preston Park.
The Demo Garden started in 2010 as a small growing space demonstrating what's possible to grow in an urban environment and has inspired gardeners across the city.
There is also an urban foraging tour of Brighton running on Saturday 8th June, more info here.
Racehill orchard summer picnic
Join the first summer picnic and activity day at the new community orchard in Racehill, Whitehawk. The orchard has been recently cleared and planted by local residents and over time will become a new landmark for the city with plans to plant another 200 fruit trees. Join us on Saturday 15th June, 11am-5pm to explore the site and for a free day of activities including bug hunts, flower planting and art workshops. And of course, a picnic. More about the orchard.
Watch bowling greens blossom and bloom
Two bowling greens in Preston Park have been sown with wildflower seed and will set to bloom later in spring. The greens which have lain unused for two years will become a haven for wildlife with plants such as lupins, poppies and marigolds included in the mix. An area around the demonstration growing garden also got the wildflower treatment, thanks to our brilliant volunteers. Watch this space!
Spring & summer orchard activities
Have you been to Racehill yet? It's the new community orchard in town, nestled into the downland at the top of the city in east Brighton.
There are now spring and dare we say it summer activity days planned. All welcome to join. Dates, times and more about the project.
Tell us what you think and win foodie prizes
The Harvest project started four years ago and we're currently evaluating what's happened so far and planning what's next. Complete our short online survey and tell us what you think of our work. We want to get input from as many of you as possible – whether you just receive the newsletter, or if you've come on a course or to an event, or volunteered at a project.
The survey will take about 5 minutes to complete and respondents can win prizes including a £50 voucher for a meal at a local restaurant of your choice, an Espresso Mushroom 'grow your own oyster mushrooms' kit, a one hour visit from a gardening expert, a free place on a Harvest course and some seeds for your garden or allotment. The deadline for responses is 19th April.
Clear your diaries for....
Over 20 community gardens around the city are taking part in the first ever Big Dig Week from 16th-22nd March. The programme is jam packed with activities from vertical edible wall building to shared lunches, wild flower sowing, vegetable planting and wildlife spotting. Celebrate the start of the growing season and volunteer at a community project - it's a chance to explore Brighton & Hove's hidden gems and learn a few gardening skills along the way. Full details including the complete listings for the week and a city map.
Get growing this spring
Spring is here, well very nearly! Time to flex your gardening muscles and get sowing. Warm up with us at the demonstration garden in Preston Park this spring. Volunteer work days take place 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month, 10am-1pm.
Back by popular demand, we're also running courses on Core Growing Skills, Clearing your Plot and Community Composting. Download our training menu for a taster of what training is on offer year round.
Grow your own pub
30 volunteers have made a start on Brighton & Hove's first ever edible pub garden. The Bevy is a new community run pub/cafe offering a much needed watering hole and community space in Bevendean. The garden which is now planted with 4 rare apple trees and 2 plum trees will produce some of the food for the pub. The next big task is to terrace one of the overgrown steep slopes to start growing vegetables. Get involved and buy a share in the pub.
There's a new orchard in town
Thank you to everyone who helped with the orchard planting at Racehill this Saturday. Over 50 volunteers broke the ground to plant trees in celebration of the start of this new project. The orchard, which will continue to be planted this winter will yield fruit for 100 years or more.
Further activity days are planned over the coming months so there's still scope to get involved. Attend one of the work days and get stuck in or come to the community orchard planning meeting where the future plans for the orchard will be decided.
To Infinity and beyond
Ten young people from the Prince's Trust Brighton have just completed their community challenge at Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening Group. Over two weeks they cleared, cut, stacked, dug and generally grafted hard to build a new polytunnel for the project. The programme helps young people develop their skills and confidence and helps them secure work placements. BHOGG on the other hand, can now extend their growing season, and shelter from the weather during well deserved tea breaks. BHOGG have named it the ‘Infinity Tunnel’ in gratitude to Infinity Foods who donated it.
Harvest can help link commuity projects with one off, as well as ongoing volunteering. More about that here.
Racehill Orchard launch postponed
The orchard launch planned for Saturday 19th January has been postponed due to snow. Planting will go ahead on Saturday 26th January. More details about the orchard.
New community orchard gets go ahead
We are delighted to announce that planting of a new community orchard at the top of Race Hill in Whitehawk will be going ahead, with 88 % of local residents in favour of the orchard.
Harvest Brighton & Hove and Brighton Permaculture Trust have been working with local community development organisation Serendipity and Brighton & Hove City Council to talk to residents in the Whitehawk and Manor Way area on their views of the proposed project.
The new orchard will be on land that is surrounded by Wilson Avenue, Swanborough Drive and Race Hill Allotments. We are calling for local people to get involved.
Our Local Food Hero
Harvest volunteer Gary Johnson has been named South East Local Food Hero 2012 by the Big Lottery Fund. The Harvest team are very proud he has won a public vote to be given this award. We nominated Gary because of his outstanding dedication to our garden in Preston Park, including his reliability and willingness to share his knowledge with others. Gary is a skilled gardener and has been volunteering on the project since it was built in 2010, helping to build the garden and turn it into a thriving vegetable plot and a social hub where families come to show their children how food is grown. Harvest wouldn't be where it is today without the hard work and dedication of volunteers like Gary. Read more about the award.
Amex staff get growing
The Big Dig teamed up with Amex to bring some sunshine to Stanmer Community Garden Group (SCGG) this week. SCGG is run for vulnerable adults who want to gain confidence and grow food. The team of six employees from Amex spent a day at Stanmer Park and did a great job clearing a vast herb border and laying down fresh soil. Well done to all the team!
If you are part of a group or business and would like to spend a day with your colleagues out of the office, we can put you in touch with a community food growing project, or organise a group volunteering session for you. Contact Jo Glazebrook for more.
New compost hub for Brighton & Hove
Moulsecoomb Forest Garden is set to become a community compost hub. Funded by the Community Compost Network and Local Food Fund, they will be running free accredited training to help food projects develop their composting activities. With a large number of community gardens in the city as well as a growing number of community compost sites, this specialist training is timely. These courses will be happening across the UK, with Brighton & Hove being the only 'hub' in the south. More info about the course.
A Big Dig Thank You
Thank you to all the projects who took part in the first ever Big Dig Day on Saturday 15th September. We were delighted to see so many people visit the gardens and enjoy Brighton & Hove's community growing spaces. If you visited a project and felt inspired to get more involved, we can provide further advice and information about volunteering - Contact us.
Allotment notices
Many of Brighton & Hove's allotment holders have recently received notices about weeds, cultivation and other issues on their plots. We would encourage anyone who feels their notice has been given unjustly to contact the council's allotment service and use the appropriate appeal procedure. If any community plots are concerned about notices on their plots, please feel free to contact us for advice or support.
There has been media coverage of the issue in the local newspaper and on television. Our position is that the Council needs to work with the Allotment Federation, plot holders, Food Partnership and other stakeholders to look at the way the whole service is run, to ensure that this is fair and efficient. We support the development of a new ‘allotment strategy’ which could cover issues such as new sites, bringing disused plots back into use, management of the waiting lists, support for new plot holders, support for community groups etc to help ensure the service is run as fairly and efficiently as possible. We look forward to working with a range of partners on this issue.
First ever 'Big Dig' Day
Discover what’s growing on your doorstep: explore the secret gardens, hidden orchards, salad filled parks and fertile forests across the city. Join us to celebrate growing in our city on ‘The Big Dig Open Day’ on Saturday 15th September when 15 local food growing projects will be opening their gates to the public. Find out more, view an online map or download a brochure.
The dark blight rises
Blight is a fungus caused by wet and humid weather and will rot your potaotes and tomatoes; keep a close eye on your crops as conditions are perfect for blight at the moment. If your tomatoes or potatoes have been affected, you need to act quickly to prevent the spores from spreading into the soil or into the tubers. Get rid of infected leaves and stems and burn them as soon as possible, well away from your garden. The remaining potato crop is usually all right. The same applies to tomatoes. Grow your plants in a different place next year as blight will continue to live in the soil and chose resistant varieties. More growing tips.
Thank you...
The H
arvest project has made it to the finals of the National Lottery Awards.
We had hundreds of votes which put us in the top three projects (out of ten semi-finalists for Best Environment Project). There will be another public vote to pick the winner in the autumn. We will find out who won at an awards ceremony which will be broadcast on national tv.
There are so many exciting food projects in the city and we want all community gardens to share in the success of this if we win. Thanks so much for all your support so far!
Seeking your views on a new community orchard
Harvest Brighton & Hove are proposing to plant a community orchard on land at the top of Whitehawk and Manor Hill Estate.
We would like to know what your views are on this, and if you would like to be involved in some way should the project get permission to go ahead.
We are asking people from the local community to send us their views via this short survey.
Nominated for National Award
The Harvest project has been nominated for a National Lottery Award.
We've been shortlisted out of hundreds of applications to be one of ten semi-finalists in our category (Best Environment Project). There is now a public vote to pick the top three. The winning three will be invited to an awards ceremony which will be broadcast on national tv.
There are so many exciting food projects in the city and we want all community gardens to share in the success of this if we win. Please vote for us
Water restrictions lifted
New community garden launches
The Friends of Dyke Road Park have launched their new community garden with a day of planting, activities and picnicing. The garden has been designed with permaculture prinicples - no dig and low impact and will be a place where local people can come together to learn about food growing, share in the seasonal harvest and take part in pick and cook days. The garden also has a commuity compost site for people living and working in the area. Read more about the garden.
Brighton joins 'The Big Dig'
Harvest is part of 'The Big Dig' - a new, nationwide project which aims to engage thousands of new people in community food growing projects. We're really proud to be one of six cities which will promote and support volunteering opportunities at food projects - from growing to composting to corporate challenge days. Find out more about the project.
Allotment news
As many of you will know, at the recent council budget meeting, the proposed 67% rise to allotment rents was overturned and a rise of £2 for half-plots (from £33 currently) and £4 for full-plots (£66 currently) was agreed instead. Concerns about rental fees and other issues were discussed further at the Allotment Federation AGM on 20 March. Going forward, the Food Partnership supports the suggestion of a new ‘allotment strategy’ which could cover issues such as new sites, bringing disused plots back into use, management of the waiting lists, support for new plot holders, support for community groups etc to help ensure the service is run as fairly and efficiently as possible. We look forward to working with a range of partners on this issue.
The home-brew guru...
Andy Hamilton, BBC Autumnwatch forager, best-selling author of 'Booze for Free' and lover of all things alcoholic is coming to town to take us around the wilds of Brighton to forage for booze. Don't miss out on a chance to watch, learn and grab a drink with Andy... More info.
Volunteer survey
Several of the community allotments in Brighton & Hove welcome volunteers to learn more about growing whilst helping maintain the plots. Have you ever helped out at a community allotment on a volunteer work day or an open day, or wanted to but never made it? We're keen to hear about your experiences, what makes you keep coming back or what the barriers are that prevent more people from getting involved. Everyone who completes this brief survey by 31 March will be entered into a draw for a £20 voucher for Temptation Cafe on Gardner Street.
All the buzz...
A big thank you to all who attended our Science of Bees talk last week as a part of the Brighton Science Festival - we were overwhelmed by the massive interest in this topic! It 's great to know that so many local residents are keen to understand bees and encourage more pollinators into their gardens. We apologise to those we had to turn away, but we the room was bursting at the seams. For those who were unable to get in, or indeed want to learn more, you might be interested in Bee Hive Yourself, a talk on bees and other pollinators, and An Introduction to Natural Beekeeping, a 5-week course on this 'bee-centered' approach to keeping bees.
Allotment rental increases proposed
Many people will now be aware of the rental increases for allotment tenants being proposed in Brighton & Hove City Council’s budget for 2012-13. The increases stem from the removal of a subsidy the council has previously paid toward the running of the allotment service. This subsidy of £61,500 a year is the difference between the income the council collect from allotment rents and the cost of the allotment service to run. Read more information about the proposed increases here, from the Brighton & Hove Allotment Federation newsletter.
Or read more for the Food Partnership's statement on the proposed increases.
Organic gardening course
Earthy Women and Kids, a project at Stanmer Park, is recruiting participants for an accredited training course they are running in partnership with Nourish Community Farm and Brighton & Hove Organic Gardening Group (BHOGG). The course, which will run from 12 February to October, will be led by Plumpton College and experienced gardener Ruth Urbanowitz from BHOGG. The course fee is £55, a tremendous bargain! Find out more.
Brighton's Big Raspberry Plant
Harvest has offered free raspberry canes to groups that can plant them in public spaces in Brighton & Hove, where residents and passersby can see them. Over 200 autumn-fruiting canes were distributed to more than 20 visible public spaces such as parks, community centres, sheltered housing schemes and housing estates at the end of January 2012. Read more about the scheme and how to plant and care for raspberries (pdf, 196Kb).
What's your new year's resolution?
Are you looking to turn over a new leaf this year? If you’re still trying to decide on a new year’s resolution, think food! Not calorie counting or cutting out chocolate, but giving new foods or new ways of shopping a try instead. This could mean buying from a local veg box scheme, growing your own, or even volunteering at a community project where you can take home a share of the day’s harvest in return for you help on the plot.
Tis the season...
The Christmas season is in full swing! Puddings are being baked and shopping lists made. But what about all those decadent holiday meals? Tis indeed the season to be jolly when you consider the fantastic array of food and drink available locally. Check out our guide to having a local Christmas and find out where to stock up, how to choose an ethical turkey, and how to make the most of all those delicious leftovers. Download the Local Food Christmas guide (pdf, 300Kb), and for further information see our list of places to buy local food.
Harvest news from 2011
The Harvest project has come to the end of our second year already! So much has happened since we started in 2009, have a read of our short report with the top stories on what has been achieved for food growing in Brighton over the past year. Read the 2010-11 annual report online.
Funding for food projects
If you’re looking for funding for your food project then Good Food Grants if for you! Good Food Grants is a small grants programme that supports communities and schools in Brighton & Hove with grants of up to £1000 for work on issues like food growing, cooking, healthy eating, increasing access to good food, etc. Through our Harvest Schools project we also are offering small grants of up to £200 to schools for equipment and materials for school gardens. Find out more.
Read about some of the projects funded by Good Food Grants last year in our case studies section and see a full list of funded projects here.
Thank you...
Harvest Brighton & Hove won the public vote on the National Lottery Facebook page so we hosted Sarah Cox and Rufus Hound for a cook-off at our vegetable garden in Preston Park on Friday 18 November! Thanks so much to everyone who voted and passed it on - we couldn't have done it without you. Find out more, watch the video and see photos from the visit on the Harvest Facebook page.
Vote for us!
Harvest Brighton & Hove is part of a national contest which could see us filmed and featured on prime-time national tv. We are one of 10 Lottery-funded projects which may get a visit from some celebrities who are travelling the country to see the difference Lottery money can make – their journey will be broadcast online and during the Lottery draw on Saturday 19 November. But we need your vote to make sure we make it in!
Please go to: www.facebook.com/TheNationalLotteryUK and click on the ‘Cox & Hound’ game on the left-menu to vote for us – we’re one of the projects in the South when you see the map of projects that might be visited by Sarah Cox and Rufus Hound. If the link doesn't work for you, try https://apps.facebook.com/cox-
Please post it on your Facebook and pass it on if you can! This is a great way to showcase all the great food work that is going on in Brighton & Hove – including projects run by us but also the 60+ community food projects now operating in the city.
Available beds at Coldean mobility allotment
Are you interested in allotment gardening but have trouble with heavy lifting, digging or bending? A few allotment sites around the city have plots tailor made for people with mobility issues. The plots are shared with other gardeners (though each have their own beds - see picture) and include raised beds at wheelchair seat height, shelter, a paved area and a toilet. There are two vacant beds at the Coldean allotment site - if you are interested please contact Gerry Nevill on 01273 681931 or email
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Harvest Schools
The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership has been awarded funding by the Ernest Cook Trust for a new ‘Harvest Schools’ project. The project aims to improve food growing projects at primary schools in Brighton & Hove by offering termly workshops, networking opportunities, in-depth practical support from experienced gardeners and subsidised materials and equipment for projects.
Read more about the project or about our support for school growing projects.
Pickle Party
Join us for a celebration of all things preserving! Bring a sample or two of your homemade pickles, chutneys, jams or wines for everyone to taste. We'll all get a chance to try different things and share tips and recipes with each other. Find out more and register.
September food and fun
September is abundant in so many ways: so much food to enjoy and so many events! The Brighton & Hove Food Festival brings a month of cooking, baking, drinking, eating and enjoying great local food and drink with a host of foodie events. It's half-way through now but there's still loads going on, so don't miss out on the fun to be had between now and 4 October. See what's on.
Apple Day at Stanmer Park is also happening this month. This unmissable event celebrates all things apple: there will be orchard tours, fruit identification, lots of delicious pies and crumble, information stalls, entertainment and so much more. Get all the details.
Brighton & Hove Food Festival fun
September's Brighton & Hove Food Festival promises a month of cooking, baking, drinking, eating and enjoying great local food and drink. There will be markets, pop-up restaurants, local drink festivals and loads of more foodie events. See the full line-up.
The Food Partnership is organising two events as part of the festival: Harvest's Local Food Picnic on 17 September with cookery demonstrations, local food to buy, sheep, cheese bowling (yes, that's right!), and a food swap. Our annual food debate, on 21 September, will take a closer look at the future of good food in Brighton & Hove. Debate the issues with a range of speakers, including leader of the Council Bill Randall.
Who's growing in Brighton & Hove?
Did you know that there are over 60 food growing projects going on across Brighton & Hove? We think that's brilliant so we've put together a list so that more people can find out more and be inspired by all this great work - read it here. If we've not included your project, please get in touch and tell us about it.
Part of the Harvest project is about supporting community and school growing projects, large or small, as long as the project is in Brighton & Hove. To find out more about the support we can offer read the Groups section of the website, or contact the Harvest team.
Share your harvest!
Every year, garden gluts of courgettes, beans and more end up in the compost bin rather than on our plates. Now gardeners and allotment holders can ensure this extra produce is put to good use instead!
There are many community groups around Brighton & Hove that would be grateful for any donations, large or small, of fresh fruit & veg to share with their members (e.g. lunch clubs, community cafes and day centres). Through the Harvest Share initiative, the Harvest project at the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is helping to make links between these projects and local gardeners so more people can enjoy healthy, local produce.
If you've got an allotment, look out for a sign on your gate directing you to some projects who would love to put your produce to good use. Or call the Harvest team at the Food Partnership on 01273 431700 and we can put you in touch with a project near you.
Food growing & city planning
A draft planning advisory note on incorporating space for food growing in new developments has been developed by Food Matters in conjunction with the City Council as a part of the Harvest project. It applies to new build commercial, residential and mixed developments and to conversions where applicable and is intended as guidance for planning officers, developers and interested residents to inform them on what is possible to achieve depending on the scale and type of development.
This document is currently out for consultation and Food Matters would welcome any comments or suggestions of case studies illustrating where food growing has been included in new developments e.g. productive green walls, balconies, roof gardens - good photos welcome too! Feedback from planners, builders or developers would be particularly useful, as this is the document's target audience. Download the planning advisory note (pdf, 1.21mb). The consultation ends on 29 July, please send all comments to Clare Devereux on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
New foodie projects
Whatever the weather, Brighton seems determined to get growing this spring! There's a new community garden starting at the Brighthelm Centre on Queens Road - why not join the workday and discussion on 7 July? Meanwhile, in Hanover, salad is being grown on the old site of the Muesli Mountain Market - to be sold and served at the Dover Castle pub down the road! And there's another meeting of the group looking at setting up a People's Supermarket or local food distribution network in Brighton on 16 June, 6.30pm at the BMECP Centre. Get involved!
Marketing consultant brief
As we move towards the final year of Harvest Brighton & Hove, we want to assess the data we have collected on our food growing training programme, with a view to making changes in course structure, location, pricing or marketing. We want to ensure we reach more people with relevant courses. If you feel you have relevant experience, please read our consultant's brief (pdf, 100Kb) and apply before 15 June.
Brighton's in bloom!
Harvest is supporting the City in Bloom competitions this year - there's a wildlife garden category, a business category and entries from Brunswick Town and the City Centre into the Southeast in Bloom regional competition. Why not download a flyer for the wildlife garden competition (pdf, 624Kb), or check out our Grow It competition for businesses growing edible plants?
Judges will visit on Brunswick Town on Thursday 7 July and all residents are being encouraged to try planting edible or ornamental plants outside their homes and to keep the neighbourhood tidy. Find out more by downloading the flyer (pdf, 493Kb).
Big Lunch this weekend!
This Sunday 5 June is the Big Lunch, a day dedicated to getting together with neighbours to share a meal. There will be Big Lunch events going on across the country with several happening here in our fair Brighton & Hove, including at the Rest Garden on Dyke Road and the Bristol Estate (more info here). Is your street having a party? Have you got a neighbourhood BBQ happening in your local park? Let us know what you're up to, or check out the Big Lunch website were you can seach for events in your area. Go along and meet your neighbours!
Fork and Dig It Veg Share
Fork & Dig It, organic growers at Stanmer Organics, are introducing a new community supported vegetable scheme in Brighton & Hove called Veg Share. With community supported agriculture projects like this, the risks and benefits of farming are shared between the customer and grower. You pay upfront for your produce, guaranteeing the farmer a customer base so they can cover their costs and know how much to grow. In return you get your lovely produce - more in times of glut, less if there is a crop failure.
Shares are now available on a first come first served basis for…
- A weekly supply of ultra fresh local organic vegetables grown on soil association registered land at Stanmer Organics, just outside Brighton
- Seasonal: all members will receive their share of the harvest for 6 months: 1st July to 23rd December 2011
- Just 10 shares (or 20 half shares) are available
- Convenient local pick-up points in Brighton, Hove & Stanmer – or why not suggest one?
- Enjoy open days and ‘pick, cook and learn’ days on our beautiful site and meet your veg in person!
- Recipes and ideas for cooking your veg
- A not-for-profit, volunteer run, community supported agriculture scheme!
- Opportunities to volunteer and help to grow your veg!
- Supporting local food… local people… local growers… local jobs
Full shares cost £15 and half shares are £8, including membership. Healthy Start voucher bags (£3.10) are available to low income families.
Queens Park vegetable education garden
The herb garden at Queens Park has been taken on by a new group of people and is turning into a herb and vegetable oasis! Queens Park VEG is all about growing community and learning more about growing and eating vegetables and herbs. If you'd like to get involved, come along to a community work day which take place every Tuesday evening. Find out more.
Summer courses open for booking
Now that your garden's getting going, don't forget about our courses to help you get the most from your plot! There's spring preserving for your rhubarb gluts, the final session of our new plot, now what series for allotment holders, how to deal with pests and diseases organically and top tips for container growing in small spaces. Or why not bring the kids for a bit of seedbomb-making fun during half-term? Find out more about all events here.
Seedy Sunday Saturday Seedling Swap 7 May!
Have you got some spare seedlings you'd like to swap for some new and different varieties? Or perhaps you had the best intentions to sow some seeds but didn't get around to it? Either way, come along to our Seedy Sunday Saturday Seedling Swap and Sale on 7 May. More info.
Brighton CSA - invitation to tender
Funding from BIG Lottery has just been secured by a group of people working on exploring setting up a community supported agriculture (CSA) scheme in Brighton & Hove. CSA creates a direct link between a farmer and a community, where the risks and benefits of farming are shared and people have the opportunity to reconnect to food and the land.
The funding is to undertake market research and a feasibility study on developing a new CSA or suitable local food supply scheme. The Brighton & Hove CSA steering group is seeking a consultant / consultancy team to lead on this work. The consultants brief explains the background of this group, the work to be done and how to apply. Deadline for submissions is 9 May.
Grow It competition launched
This competition, organised by Harvest Brighton & Hove and the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival, encourages businesses of all kinds to grow edible plants in their shops, windows and gardens.
The 2011 competition was launched on 5 April at Temptation Cafe (joint winner in 2010 with Little Earthworms Nursery). Find out more or sign-up.
34 projects funded by Good Food Grants!
The Food Partnership's Good Food Grants is now in it's 5th year. The funds for 2011-12 have just been allocated, though it wasn't an easy decision!
This year 50 projects applied for funding from the Good Food Grant scheme. 50! We were bowled over by the massive amount of work going on in schools and communities to bring healthier food, cookery skills and opportunities to grow your own to more people in Brighton & Hove. Unfortunatley the £25,000 available could only stretch so far, but we are pleased to be able to contribute to the work of the following 34 projects:
Local food links!
Eat & Drink: introducing our local buyers, suppliers and producers
This workshop will bring together Sussex-based food and drink suppliers with local buyers interested in sourcing new and unique products for customers. It will provide practical examples of what buyers want from suppliers in order to create successful partnerships. The event takes place at Sussex Cricket Ground on Monday 28 March, 4-7.30pm, find out more and book your place.
New community vegetable gardens!
As Harvest enters its second growing season, the ‘grow your own bug’ has clearly bitten hundreds of new gardeners in the city! The first new growing project to launch this year is in Wish Park, Hove, where the park gardener is leading a team of residents to setup a new community vegetable patch. Meanwhile, in Whitehawk, Harvest has helped local residents of Henfield Close who will be setting up their own allotment-style gardens on their estate. Read more about the Wish Park launch or find out about volunteering at a community food project.Information for school and community projects
Funding workshop: Want to improve your fundraising skills? Harvest is holding a practical fundraising workshop for people involved in food projects, whether your group focuses on growing, cooking or healthy eating messages. Participants will receive tips on writing successful bids, plenty of info and advice, and some practice filling out funding applications. Book your place now!
Info for schools: The Harvest website has got loads of information to help groups get up and running. From top tips and growing advice to resources and funding information, we hope that community groups will find this of use. We've now added a page especially for schools who wish to start or develop a school garden. We believe there's no better way to get children interested in food than involving them in growing and cooking it, so if you want to give growing a go at your school have a look at the schools page.
Preston Park garden expansion begins!
We have now started work on extending the demonstration garden at Preston Park. The council have given us permission to double the size of the plot, which means we can grow a greater range of vegetables and fruit and hopefully inspire more people to have a go at growing their own.
Follow our progress at the blog, or find out more about volunteering to help out at a garden workday.
February work days at Fork & Dig It
Fancy spending a day in beautiful Stanmer Organics? Fork & Dig it, a community growing project on 2 acres of organic land, has some workdays coming up this month to prepare the site to start sowing seeds for the year ahead. Come along to learn how to grow organically and enjoy the fresh air. The work days start 10am, lunch at 12.30 and finish 3.30pm (Fridays finish 2.30pm). Everyone is welcome, regardless of skills and experienced, and one of the Fork & Dig it team will be on hand to supervise. Bring a packed lunch and wear suitable clothing and footwear.
Dates available: Tuesday 8 February; Friday 11 February; Tuesday 15 February; Friday 18 February; Tuesday 22 February; Friday 25 February; Saturday 26 February.
Please contact Yvonne on 07880 870217 or Tim on 0776 697 2915 before heading up there.
Fork and Dig it are based in Stanmer Organics, Stanmer Park Brighton. Take the number 25 bus or train to Falmer and walk through the park.
Seeking local food lovers...
Harvest is looking for Local Food Community Champions who can help to spread the word about local food and food growing. We will be recruiting a team of volunteers from around the city, who can help us to reach out to new people in Brighton & Hove. No previous experience is required, just a friendly personality and a desire to spread the word about food growing and local food. Knowledge of food growing would be a bonus!
Maybe you are a representative for a residents association or allotment site, or you’re a member of a group for parents and toddlers or at your local church. Or maybe you’re just interested in promoting local food and food growing to people at your workplace or in your neighbourhood. Whoever you are we could use your help to tell more people about how they can get involved with local food and food growing!
Read more about the role (pdf, 112Kb) or contact us to find out more.
Volunteers wanted for garden expansion!
This time last year we launched our demonstration vegetable garden in Preston Park. About 30 volunteers helped to build the garden, and a dedicated team of 7 regular volunteers maintained it. We had hundreds of visitors during the spring and summer - many of whom told us they had been inspired to try growing their own or to grow something new because of the garden.
Due to this amazing support for the project, we will be expanding the garden to double its current size so we can demonstrate even more ways that you can grow your own - in whatever space you have available.
We are now seeking volunteers who can help with the expansion of the garden. Read on to find out more.
Seedy Sunday is ten!
Seedy Sunday, Brighton's annual community seed swap, celebrates its 10th birthday on 6 February! The event is a gardener's paradise and just the place to stock up on all your garden needs for the year to come. You can swap seeds you've saved or buy from the range of seed and plant vendors at the event. There is also a fantastic line-up of talks and demonstrations. Visit the Seedy Sunday website for more info, times and location.
January sale on training courses
We're currently finalising our programme of training courses for 2011, with many courses open for booking now! Use discount code JSDSCB for £5 off any full-price place on a course.
Upcoming topics include: Fruit in a nutshell, Successful composting, Planning your plot and How to build a wood-fired clay oven.
There are also short courses on Clearing your plot, Building your own wormery, Beekeeping and an Introduction to growing your own vegetables.
Please see the full list of courses or contact us for more information or to book.
How to get all the birds...
Did you know that as well as being beautiful birds are a great help to the gardener eating huge numbers of common
pests such as aphids, ants and caterpillars that destroy our valued crops? Birds can struggle to find food during the winter months, especially with the snow burying the limited food supplies that are available. So hand out tasty treats to draw them to your garden and help them get through the winter.
Read on for some handy tips... Or find out more about how you can support the wildlife in your food growing space.
Good Food Grants - open to applications
Are you involved in a project that focuses on healthy eating, food growing, cooking or helping Brighton & Hove residents access better food? The Food Partnership's Good Food Grants programme is now open to applications. Projects in schools or communities can apply for up to £1000 of funding to support the work they do. Find out how to apply.
On the first day of Christmas...
The Christmas season is in full swing! Puddings are being baked and shopping lists made. But what about all those decadent holiday meals? Tis indeed the season to be jolly when you consider the fantastic array of food and drink available locally. Check out our guide to having a local Christmas and find out where to stock up, how to choose an ethical turkey, and how to make the most of all those delicious leftovers. Check out the full details here:
Download our top tips for a local food Christmas season (pdf, 300Kb).
If you want to know more, be sure to check out our list of places to buy local food or some tips from our campaign to reduce the city's food waste.
New case study on the Harvest website
Find out about the Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project allotment and how they've transformed the plot over the course of last year with the support from a gardening mentor. Read more...
Networking meeting for food projects in East Brighton
Are you involved in a food project in East Brighton? Do you want to know more about what's going on across the area, find out what others are doing, explore new ideas or opportunities for projects to work together?
The Food Partnership is holding an informal meeting for people working on all kinds of food projects - community cafes, food co-ops, community allotments, cookery workshops, or any other food related activity - both in schools and other community settings. The meeting is also open for people looking to get involved or start something new. Find out more.
Feeling fruity?
Brighton is going crazy for fruit this autumn! Harvest's Scrumping project has picked over 3 tonnes of fruit that would have gone to waste in gardens across the city. And lots of you are out foraging and preserving your own fruity treats. But what about growing some yourself?
We're offering a course on planting and caring for your favourite fruits, including apples, raspberries and strawberries. Or find out how to prune soft fruit bushes and take home some cuttings to plant in your own garden or allotment. You can even book both workshops for a discounted price... Or read about our other upcoming courses for 2011.
Get composting!
We've just added a range of tips and links on composting to our website. Even over the winter you can be creating lovely compost to fertilise your garden next spring! Read more about composting and wormeries.
New volunteering opportunity
Harvest is looking for a volunteer to help with DIY and maintenance at the Preston Park demonstration garden. Some tasks will including helping to build weather-proof signage and assisting with repair work at the garden. Read more.
Our first harvest...
Harvest Brighton & Hove has now been going for just over one year. We've published a very brief report about what we've been up to so far and what we're looking forward to next! Download the report (pdf, 1.64Mb).
Win a £20 voucher for Temptation Cafe on Gardner Street
Complete this 5-minute survey to be entered into the prize draw, we are looking for input into our training programme of courses on growing and cooking food. Whether you’ve been on a course already or not, we’d love to have your thoughts. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/harvest-training
Food photography - From the Ground Up
This exhibition aims to promote local and organic food production around the world, telling stories of small-holder farmers and community groups who are trying to grow wiser, focusing on local and organic food production to increase biodiversity, environmental sustainability and the resilience of local communities. It features projects and farmers from Lation America, Africa and here in the UK and tells their stories through photography.
The exhibit runs from 23 September - 23 October upstairs in Infinity Foods Cafe. Come have a look! More info...
Grow It winners announced!
The winners of the ‘Grow It!’ competition will be awarded their prizes this Saturday, at the Local Food Week Picnic in Preston Park as part of September’s Food and Drink Festival. The competition encouraged businesses to try growing edible plants in their shops, windows and gardens. Almost 30 businesses across Brighton & Hove signed up to the inaugural year of the competition, including hotels, pubs, cafes and even the local bus company! Find out who won...
Food Festival in full swing!
This year's Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival has been launched and is going strong, with a full menu of events throughout September and into October! There's loads going on, with big events each weekend and lots of restaurant specials, training courses, community events and Open House dining in between.
Some things to look out for include Harvest's Local Food Picnic (25 September), Apple Day at Stanmer Park (26 September) and the Fabulous Fruit Cookery course (30 September).
And this is just a taste! View the full listing on the Food Festival's website for more info about these and other Festival events. And don't forget, Harvest is organising the first event Local Food Week during the festival with lots of community and school events, a food quiz, allotment events and more.
New Harvest case studies
Want to know more about the many creative and inspiring ways local residents are growing their own? We've created a new case studies section on the Harvest website to share people's stories about food growing - whether at home, at the allotment or through a school or community project. We've got a few case studies up now, and several more to write, so keep checking back. We'd love to hear from you if you've got a food growing story you'd like to share so please get in touch!
Local Food Week, 20-26 September
The first annual week of events to celebrate local food in Brighton & Hove! Events will include a film screening, photography exhibit, foodie quiz, special menus at local restaurants, Apple Day at Stanmer Park, Weald Allotment open day and more. We'll also be announcing the winner of our ‘Grow It’ edible plant competition for local businesses. See the full event listings.
And on Saturday 25 September, join us next to our vegetable garden in Preston Park for an event where you can swap excess crops, watch cookery demonstrations, try local produce or take part in fun activities about food! Find out more about the local food picnic.
CSA survey - give us your views!
Do you want a greated involvement in the way your food is produced and distributed? Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a way of producing food in which the farmer /grower and the supporting community share the risks of farming. It gives the farmer a guaranteed income and/or market and means the community members have access to local food from a known, reliable source.
A group of people is exploring whether there is an interest in CSA in Brighton & Hove. This questionnaire is an important first step - please take a few moments to share your views!
Have your say!
We want to reach new people with our work and we want your input. We have lots of ideas for ways we could better target our work so it's accessible to a wider range of people.
Please take a few minutes to complete our survey and let us know what you think:
Save money - save seeds!
All food growers should be seed savers! Not only is it more economical to save seeds rather than buying them, but saving and swapping with others can help you to access new varieties, find and keep the best ones for your location, and help ensure some varieties of plants are not lost forever.
The Harvest 'seed saving' course takes place on Saturday 21 August, 10am-2pm. The course is run by the very knowledgeable guys at the Whitehawk Community Food Project, who maintain the largest seed collection in Brighton, with over 100 varieties of vegetables. Participants are welcome to bring seed to share and swap and there will be seeds available to take home afterwards. Book now to reserve your place!
Intern post - Food growing and planning
Food Matters is recruiting an intern to work on the Harvest project. This is an exciting new role to build on previous work on to explore planning and food growing in Brighton & Hove. The intern will help research and write information to advise planners and developers on how best to include food growing in their proposals for new developments in the City. Find out more information about the post and how to apply (pdf, 206Kb).Organic Pest Control training course - 3 July
Do you find that the slugs, snails, birds and other pests in your garden are eating more of your veg than you are? Are plant diseases ruining your crops? It is possible to control pests and diseases without using harmful chemicals, and Dealing With Pests and Diseases Organically will teach you how! This course, run by the very knowledgable guys at the Whitehawk Community Food Project, might just revolutionise your garden. Book now to reserve your place!
Pick and Cook Day - 18 June
Want to learn more about bringing food from plot to plate? Whether you have a garden, allotment or work on a community food growing project, pick and cook events will inspire you to cook delicious meals using your freshly harvested produce. At this event, you'll wander around the beautiful Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Project, picking whatever is ready and then the produce will be cooked up into a delicious meal to share and enjoy in the great outdoors. The event is free but booking is essential. Find out more...
New seasonal cookery course
Interested in learning more about cooking with the seasons? Summer Seasonal Cookery, our new hands-on 6 week course will teach you all about cooking with early summer produce. June brings with it a wealth of fruit and veg including peas, broad beans, strawberries, lettuces, new potatoes, asparagus, spinach and so much more! Never cooked a broad bean? Need some inspiration for tasty new recipes using rhubarb or new potatoes? This course will cover sweet and savoury recipes to help you make the best of summer produce. Find out more...
George Street Market relaunches Saturday 24 April!
The monthy market at George Street, Hove, is back! It is being relaunched as an Artisan's Market where you'll find stalls from over 30 local businesses, including a butcher, a baker and a natural candle maker; cheese makers; plant nurseries; fruit producers; fishmongers; freshly cooked curries; cupcakes; locally made preserves; fruit vinegars; musicians and street performers.
The market is on the last Saturday of the month for the next six months, running from 10:00 - 2:00.
Brighton businesses get growing for Local Food Week
We have just launched our ‘Grow It!’ competition - to encourage businesses around the city to grow edible plants in their shops, windows and gardens. This is a great way for businesses to attract new customers, show their support for local food and food growing, and maybe even save a few pennies in the process! The competition has been organised by Harvest Brighton & Hove and the Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival, as part of the city's first Local Food Week, 20-26 September 2010. Find out more about the competition, how to enter and how local people can encourage businesses to join in.
Spring sale - get growing!
Warm weather has finally appeared so why not take advantage of all the ways you can get growing?
We are running a spring sale on training courses throughout April, use code JSDSCA to get £5 off any full-price booking. See the full list of upcoming courses.
We have also launched a work placement scheme for anyone who's been unemployed for six months or more and wants to gain experience around food issues. Find out more and apply.
Or why not check out the get growing section to find lots of hints and tips or download our Starter Pack for new gardeners.
Community composting event - you're invited!
Are you interested in thinking about how we can compost more of our fruit and vegetable waste on a community level? The Food Partnership is starting a food waste campaign, and as a part of this we are holding an evening of speakers and discussion to explore issues around community composting, demystify the legislation and share ideas. Read more about how to register...Climate Connections launches!
Want to know about what people and communities in Brighton & Hove, and around the world, are doing in their own ways to take a stand against climate change? Through stories and pictures, Climate Connections, a new project led by Brighton Peace and Environment Centre, shows how climate change affects us, and connects us. Read the case studies at www.climateconnections.org.uk.
More land for growing food!
Minister Hilary Benn announced on 3 March that Brighton & Hove has been chosen as a pilot area for a new scheme to help more communities access land to grow their own food. Harvest Brighton & Hove will be working with the council and other partners to explore the potential of setting up a 'land bank' over the coming months!
We are also asking local residents to get in touch if you have spotted a patch of empty land near you that could be used for food growing. Find out more about this work and the new allotment plots opening up...
Seeds are the bomb!
Seed bomb: a little ball containing everything you need to grow a plant. Not explosive, and not edible (well, not til it grows) they are perfect for adding a touch of colour and nature to disused spaces, or even to your garden or windowsill!
Come learn how to make seed bombs for bees or edible seed bombs at a workshop led by expert gardener Josie Jeffery of Seed Freedom. There will be 6 workshops in all throughout February, March and April - including one during half term. Find out date, times and places...
Children's Competition
Harvest is not just for adults! Kids can take part too and the Allotment Federation's Children's Competition is the perfect opportunity for your kids to show off the growing skills and creativity they've learned up at the allotment.
The competition has three categories and children of all ages can get stuck in. Find out more about the competition and how to enter...
No digging - can you dig it?
Abundant veg, fewer weeds, less water use and no digging: too good to be true? No!
And you can learn how at a workshop on Saturday 6 March. The workshop will be lead by Charles Dowding, a pioneer of organic gardening who is well-known for using a ‘no-dig’ method. Find out more and book your place!
Funding and advice for food projects
Are you involved with a food project that could use some support? Maybe you need a little extra funding to get a new project off the ground or to boost your current project. Or perhaps you could benefit from some advice about food growing to help make your project more productive. Harvest can help! Read more...
