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In this issue
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The Fringe...
...the Festival
Martin Rowson
News in Brief
Readers Letters
Park Life
News in Brief
Dissent
Tapas Time
Back to the Fringe
Straight to the Point
Royal Bengal
Handy Contacts
Summertime Blues
Summery Justice
Up the Junction
Books/Poetry
The Factory
Summer Allergies
Farmers Market
The Arts
Away Days
A Royal Visit
Coffee Corner
Surfing N16
Man in North Bank
XWord
View from the Lane
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Issue 1
OnLine Edition
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Ripple Farm Organics selling vegetables |
A quiet revolution is taking place in Stoke Newinmgton,
thanks to the vision and energy of the group of people who formed Growing Communities and
established the Stoke Newington Farmers Market. Organic produce from farms within a
seventy-mile radius, including vegetables from Growing Communities’ three Stoke
Newington projects, are now on sale at the Saturday Farmers Market at the Old Fire
Station.
Growing Communities believe it is important to buy local food. The transportation of food
by lorry over long distances is a major source of the emission of greenhouse gases and
leads to increased air pollution. The flavour of fruit and vegetables ceases to be a
priority as farmers both here and abroad are obliged to place an emphasis on the
production of varieties that stand up well to refrigerated long-distance transport.
Organic farming protects the soil and wildlife as well as helping rural communities by
encouraging local employment, and we can through our local farmers markets talk directly
to the farmers and producers about the produce we buy from them.
Growing Communities aim is to create organic gardens out of derelict and underused sites
in partnership with the local community and supply local people with weekly bags of fresh
organic fruit and vegetables. The neighbourhood foodgrowing project has already
transformed a one-time rubbish dump and two scrubby gardens into flourishing vegetable
plots. All three sites at Oaktree, Springfield and Clissold park have regular volunteers
tending vegetables and contributing to the box scheme that presently supplies over 100
households in Hackney with organic fruit and vegetables.
Within three years the operation has moved from a chilly garage to an office in the heart
of Hackney, during which time it has received the support of the New Opportunities Fund
Seed Programme, the Esmee Fairburn Trust and the Bridge House Estates Trust.
Co-ordinator Julie Brown says ‘We are currently reliant on external
funding but we want to move to being fully sustainable by enlarging a scheme that will
eventually provide jobs, enhance the environment, bring organic food to more people, and
offer inner-city Londoners the health benefits of gardening. We are currently working with
the unemployed, schools and refugee groups. To make newcomers welcome we have a regular
timetable for site visits, a welcome pack, induction sessions, and have a classroom at
Oaktree and organised childcare to give parents of young children the chance to get
involved’.
The Stoke Newington Farmers Market is Growing Communities’ latest venture. They want
to keep the transportation of food to a minimum and for more people to find out where
their food comes from and maximise the personal links with those who grow our food. The
team has worked for over a year to find local organic farmers in Oxfordshire, Kent and
Essex and encourage them to come to Stoke Newington.
Three-quarters of all organic food in the UK is imported. At the same time supermarkets
have increased their hold on organic food sales to 80% of the market. There are dangers
for farmers, the environment and customers if supermarkets control too large a share of
the market. If we buy directly from our local farmers markets, the profits will go
directly to the producers and we will ensure a greater variety of seasonal produce with
greater flavour and make our contribution to the environment.
The Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 10am-2.30pm at the Old Fire Station, 61
Leswin Road off Brooke Road, close to the High Street.
For further information contact Growing Communities
on 020 7502 7588 or www.growingcommunities.org