Programme
Welcome to the Festival’s 4th edition! The Power of Food Festival showcases community food growing in and near Edinburgh and celebrates the inventive and generous people who breathe life into neighbourhoods through their work in the gardens. Its purpose is to encourage greater societal wellbeing, environmental sustainability and social inclusion through the promotion of community food growing. Community gardens are a vital part of our urban landscape and come in many different shapes and sizes. The one thing they all have in common is that they bring people together around a meaningful concept of growing food together, sometimes on the most unlikely piece of land. This year, we invite you to explore a wide-range of community food gardens all over the city and all the way to the Pentland Hills: from an old farmhouse, long-lost ancient castle grounds, and internationally renowned gardens, to previously unloved pieces of land, urban and rural crofts, and repurposed old industrial sites. Every garden has an interesting story to tell. They are often small and hidden away, sometimes large, or near familiar city landmarks. The 23 gardens taking part this year await you for garden tours, food, gardening workshops, music, storytelling or other entertainment, and children activities. Visit one or many! The Festival is entirely free. Take the opportunity of the Festival to discover hidden gems and rediscover well-known corners of the city in a new light. Wherever you go, we hope you enjoy the experience. The Power of Food Festival Team
Why celebrate community growing? Food is universal and concerns us all. We all must eat to live. What we eat impacts on our own health as well as on nature and on all the people involved in getting food from field to plate. Food is the social glue that connects us to one another and to the world around us. Our food choices shape our physical environment - both urban and rural - indeed, our environment also shapes what we eat. Food is at the crossroads between many complex issues, global and local, social and environmental: health, social inequalities, climate change, North/South relations, biodiversity, water, waste, landscape, economics, food poverty. Food is central to our societal well-being, for better and for worse. The act of growing one’s own food is powerful and to do it with others is transformational, for individuals and for communities. It creates strong social connections around shared positive goals and collective action. It is inclusive and acts against social isolation. Community food growing creates welcoming oases of calm where nature sets the pace and buffers the stress of everyday life. It promotes better mental and physical health, in a way accessible to all. It reconnects us to nature, the seasons, and where food comes from.
Community food gardens thrive on people’s generosity, our desire to share and learn together, our human creativity and ingenuity. They often turn dead or neglected spaces into beautiful, productive ones. They promote a positive neighbourhood identity and a sense of civic pride. The collective nature of community food growing gives a sense of shared purpose, a meaningful place in the world, a greater feeling of self-belief. It is about self-reliance: ordinary people taking power in their own hands to make positive change happen. Community food gardens take all forms, shapes and sizes – they all have a different story to tell. The Power of Food Festival invites you to explore their diversity and discover the human stories that shape them.
Cycle Tours In conjunction with Edinburgh’s Festival of Cycling, we are delighted that Sustrans are partnering with us again to offer guided bike rides around some of The Power of Food Festival’s gardens. Visit several of the beautiful gardens by bicycle in a friendly and inclusive group. The led rides are as far as possible off-road, on the Edinburgh cycle path network, and along Edinburgh’s designated Quiet Routes. They are family friendly (though all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or carer). Participants must bring a road worthy bike and suitable closes for the weather. Rides are free but must be booked in advance via our website.
Gardens The following is a list of the gardens participating in The Power of Food Festival 2018. Opening times vary from garden to garden so plan your day carefully to not be disappointed. For the latest information and details of specific events taking place in the gardens during the Festival, please check the individual websites/social media for each garden.
Saturday 16th June Sunday 17th June Sat and Sun
Saturday 1
Gorgie City Farm 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
2
Gracemount Community Garden 12:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Gorgie City Farm is a free-entry city farm. It serves as a unique outdoor resource offering hands on educational and learning opportunities for all our visitors and offers educational tours and workshops for organised groups. We also promote community development, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion by providing volunteering opportunities for all.
We are a community-run walled garden building a culture of organic gardening, cooking and eating seasonal fruit and vegetables. We work closely with local schools, volunteers and young people to build a positive destination for outdoor learning and play.
Gorgie City Farm is run as a working farm: our animals are bred and raised for food production. We also have a market garden where we grow food for use in our café and to supply local restaurants, and a wildlife garden. More importantly, the garden is a place where volunteers can get their hands dirty and learn how to grow their own food. We bring the sounds, smells and sights of rural Scotland into the city.
• Garden Yoga
• Edinburgh Food Social Food Van • RSPB Bug Hunt • Garden Tours • Den building in the wood • More tbc!
Come and explore our market garden and meet our hard-working volunteers. In addition to usual farm activities, you’ll be able to: • enjoy a garden tour • talk to volunteers about their work • try out harvesting and tasting activities • take part in a garden bioblitz
51 Gorgie Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2LA
47 Gracemount House Drive, Eh16 6FD
Buses: 1, 2, 3, 25 and 33
Located next Gracemount Primary School.
Bike: near the Union Canal
Buses: 7, 11, 31
www.gorgiecityfarm.org.uk info@gorgiecityfarm.org.uk
facebook.com/GrowStrongerEdinburgh richard.growstronger@gmail.com
3
Granton Castle Walled Garden 12:00 AM – 4:00 PM
4
Granton Community Gardeners 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Grantons lost castle garden is thought to date back to the late medieval period. A hidden gem on the waterfront, the two acre walled garden is in the beginnings of its community-led restoration. Small groups of volunteers have worked there on Wednesdays and Sundays since May of 2017.
The first gardens were created by a group of neighbours in Wardieburn Road in 2010. Since then lots more people have got involved, and we now support and encourage food growing at 12 different sites within a five minute walk. We are taking on a new larger site on Wardieburn Road this spring.
An organic approach with a light carbon footprint has been our motto as we work together to transform this neglected space into something cherished for everyone to share.
Food, children's activities, garden tours and more!
We will be offering guided tours of the walled garden and a historic insight to this late medieval survivor - one of the oldest walled gardens left in Scotland.
Near 20 West Shore Road, EH5 1QD Location Map Near Scottish Gas Headquarters, landmark blue gasholder and Madelvic House (Granton Hub) grantoncastlewalledgarden.wordpress.com grantoncastlegardengroup@gmail.com
10 Wardieburn Road, EH5 1LY Saturday, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Buses: 19, 8, 14 Bike: near routes 11, 12 facebook.com/grantoncommunitygardeners gardengranton@gmail.com
5
Grove Community Garden 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
6
Leith Community Croft 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
We have been gardening on this particular site for five years. Other elements of The Grove have already been moved to new sites twice. At the end of this growing season, when the landowners start to build, this garden will be moved too, but only to a new part of this large piece of development land.
Leith Community Crops in Pots was born in a dull grey, barren, entirely concreted yard in the heart of Leith – an underused and unloved spot. Our founder, Evie Murray, started L-CCIP to give her children a healthy outdoor experience in the urban environment of Leith. Starting in her backyard, Evie and her children began to grow their own fruits, vegetables and herbs.
All our planting is in containers which sit on pallets which can be relatively easily lifted onto trucks. The garden is run by garden members with no paid staff. Some members have their own individual plot, others garden communally, but all members are expected to help with the upkeep of the garden as a whole. We have regular communal gardening sessions and workshops where we can share skills and cake.
The physical and emotional benefits were obvious and, as the children enjoyed learning about food, they loved to eat their veg! As Evie shared more about the many environmental, social and educational benefits of growing food in urban areas, she inspired other mothers to join in, she recruited a Board and then rolled out her work across Leith.
The garden will be open for visitors to look around and we will be serving herbal teas and cake.
We now have several integrated projects. As well as creating Edible Schoolyards around Leith, Edinburgh Council also appointed us to manage this two-acre of prominent common good land as a community growing space, with and for the locals. We encourage ‘green’ food production, a sharing ethos and the provision of wildlife habitat. A representative of the Scottish Crofting Federation has visited and the SCF has stated its support for our urban croft. The Croft is integrated with other projects and is an event venue.
Drysdale Road, Edinburgh, EH11 1AF garden is behind the hoardings opposite student flats.
St John's Place, Leith Links, EH6 7EL
Buses: 1, 34, 300
Buses: 12, 16, 21, 34, 49, 25, 300
grovecommunitygarden.wordpress.com grovefcg@gmail.com
leith-community-crops-in-pots.org evie@cropsinpots.org
7
Milton Road Community Garden 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
An unused space in Edinburgh College has been transformed into a Community Garden. All are welcome to come and get involved and have fun! The College's students, staff, neighbours and community groups volunteer in the garden and help to maintain it.
Edinburgh College, 24 Milton Road East, EH15 2PP Buses: 5, 44, 113 Located at the back of Edinburgh College car park facebook.com/MiltonRoadCommunityGarden
8
New Caledonian Woodlands 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Be the first to try produce from the new kitchen garden in a secluded corner of one of Edinburgh's historical but little known public parks. We will be offering tasters of a range of herbs, veg, edible flowers and fruit teas. Jam-packed with tasters of activities from foraging on fun foodie trail to games and treasure hunt in the woods. Have a go on our pole lathe, listen to live music and enjoy fresh elderflower cordial round the fire. Or shelter in our cosy yurt. We will display stalls with our rustic woodcraft and other handmade products. Bannocks and a range of goodies will be available all day from a donation-based cafe.
Inch Park Cottage, Inch Park, Old Dalkeith Road, EH16 5UF Buses: 21, 24, 33, 38, 49 facebook.com/NewCaledonianWoodlands @NCWoodlands info@newcaledonianwoodlands.org
9
North Edinburgh Arts 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM
North Edinburgh Grows started out as NEA’s award-winning garden project. Now that the project is complete, the NEA garden is a hidden sanctuary in the heart of Muirhouse, focusing on food growing and landscaping skills, as well as creative play. It is there for the enjoyment of all. There is a play area, sand pits, gardening plots for groups, home-grown fruit and veg for the Pop-In Café to use and seats and spaces for relaxing. We have a small team who manage the garden with regular volunteers and groups supporting its maintenance and development.
10
Sunshine on Leith 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Our garden is located in a tenement backgreen and has 39 raised beds used by local residents predominantly to grow vegetables. We also have a wildlife corridor, wildflower meadow, pond, and lawns. There is a good variety of fruit trees and bushes. We will have volunteers on hand to show people round and explain how the garden works.
Our youth gardening group will be showcasing their work, demonstrating their garden, seed sowing and cooking up a shared lunch. Please check our facebook page as there may also be arts events on. From Pennywell Road, take the covered walkway along the Muirhouse Shopping Centre building site. NEA is the blue building ahead of you, next to Muirhouse Library. Come inside and make your way to the garden from the café.
North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court, EH4 4TZ Buses: 8, 14, 16, 21, 24, 27, 32, 37, 200 By bike: North Edinburgh Paths & Crewe Toll to Cramond www.northedinburgharts.co.uk garden@northedinburgharts.co.uk
Entrance via grassed area next to 2 South Sloan Street, EH6 8ST sunshineonleithgarden@gmail.com
11
The Meadows Community Garden 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Our small community garden is located in the heart of the city centre, in one of Edinburgh’s much-loved parks, the Meadows. We aim to encourage intergenerational activity by providing a space where people of all ages can grow vegetables together and share horticultural knowledge and skills. We have been delighted to welcome students, families and local residents who have all been keen to get involved in growing food together. We currently have six raised beds and a small orchard. We are located on the Meadows, behind the University Main Library, near the tennis courts and baby playground.
12
The Welcoming Sustainable Garden 12:00 AM – 4:00 PM
The Welcoming Sustainable Garden is a community garden within the Saughton Mains Allotment site. It is a new and exciting feature of the Welcoming A Greener Future Project developed by the Welcoming Association - a local charity working with migrant and refugee communities in Edinburgh. The Garden aims to be a lovely outside space for people to get together, learn about food growing, share stories of traditional food from all over the world and reconnect with the natural environment. We have just started working on the garden in April 2018, but we are really excited to work with volunteers, service users and other local organisations to develop this amazing outdoor space! Come and enjoy an afternoon of food, music and short workshops to experience the exciting world of gardening. There will be the opportunity to meet new people and hopefully to find inspiration into starting your own little garden at home or join your local community garden.
In the Meadows, near the tennis courts, off North Meadow Walk
Saughton Mains Allotment, Chesser Loan, EH14 1UF
By bike: route 6
Buses: 3, 4, 22, 25, 30, 33, 44
www.greeningourstreet.btck.co.uk greeningourstreet@gmail.com
www.thewelcoming.org chiara@thewelcoming.org
13
Cowgate Community Garden 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
This container community garden is being created with the children of a local nursery for the enjoyment of everyone in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. It provides a new use for a public space that is more familiar as the Fringe Box Office. The Cowgate Under 5s Centre with support from community partners and TCV Scotland have planted flowers, fruit and vegetables. During the Fringe festival these mobile planters will be moved temporarily to accommodate the box office. They will then return to increase the Old Town’s greenery and provide a welcoming space for children heading to nursery, tourists on city tours and anyone wandering along Old Assembly Close! Hosts will be on hand to welcome you to the space and tell you more about the project.
Old Assembly Close, 172 High Street, EH1 1QX The area is a public space. Follow signs to the Fringe Box Office www.cowgateunder5scentre.co.uk Sarah.Burton@cowgate-nur.edin.sch.uk
Saturday & Sunday 14
Duddingston Kirk Glebe Sat 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM Sun 1:00 PM – 4:00PM
15
Granton: Hub Sat 12:00 AM – 3:00PM Sun 12:00 AM – 3:00PM
Duddingston Kirk Glebe is a two-and-a-halfacre site on the shores of scenic Duddingston Loch. It has been developed into a productive garden where volunteers can learn to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers. The site is unique, being almost the last piece of Glebe land (traditionally given to the parish minister to farm) still in use in Scotland.
Our garden is just one year-old and quickly growing as part of a community initiative to create an inspiring community garden and Hub. The garden is located on previously disused brown-land attached to the 1898 Madelvic Electric Car Factory. Come and enjoy this new green space and find out how you and your family can join-in many fun activities.
Come and have a look and discover for yourself! There will be garden tours, cups of tea and the chance to take part in a bioblitz with the RSPB (Saturday morning).
There will be art activities in association with the Edinburgh Scrap Store, music in the garden, free soup and smiles. Plenty to see including the Wild Flower Nursery in association with RBGE, Community Vegetable raised beds, and Herbal Remedies’ raised beds. Head indoors for Granton’s industrial and marine science history exhibitions.
5 Old Church Lane, Edinburgh, EH15 3PX Go through the large black gate at No.5 Old Church Lane and turn left Bus 42 By bike: route 1 www.duddingstonkirk.co.uk/gelbe_project.html
Madelvic House, 33 Granton Park Avenue, EH5 1HS Buses: 8, 16, 19, X37, 47, 200 www.grantonhub.org fergus@granton.org
16
West Port Garden Sat 11:00 PM – 4:00PM Sun 11:00PM – 4:00PM
West Port Garden is a beautiful inner city green space. Cared for by people who live nearby, it is owned by the City of Edinburgh Council and is an important part of the urban corridor for biodiversity. Planted for colour and wildlife, the garden attracts a wide variety of birds, butterflies and bees. We also welcome people from all parts of the world during our open days. The garden depends on donations for its planting programme and encourages new gardeners to come along on Sundays to get involved. The history of the garden is well documented; one of the many Patrick Geddes designs the garden was intended for the use of tenement children and families to give them outdoor experiences and to enjoy fresh air and nature. This legacy continues with new generations of families living in the area; regular gatherings of friends and neighbours are a feature of the garden sometimes with poetry readings and singing!
17
Youth Vision Sat 10:00 PM – 4:00PM Sun 10:00PM – 4:00PM
Youth Vision supports young people disengaged from formal education, through outdoor learning. Our community garden was set up to provide some of the food for the young people supported at our 18th century farm steading that we use as our base. During the Festival you will have a chance to see what we do and get involved in our garden. There will also be food and drinks, and outdoor activities throughout the weekend. See details on Facebook.
• Tours of the flower and vegetable beds • Talk and presentation from Alan Stewart The Wildlife Detective on The Protection of Flora and Fauna and Biodiversity • Presentation from volunteer gardeners on their Art work and gardening experiences. • Talk on The Importance of Promoting a Plant-Based Diet West Port Garden nestles at the foot of The West Port, just at the mouth of the busy Grassmarket.
West port off Grassmarket, EH1 2JA Next to the backpackers hostel Bus: 2 facebook.com/grassmarketgarden upthespiralstair@yahoo.co.uk
Threipmuir Farm Steading, Pentland Hills Regional Park, EH14 7AS A 20 min walk from Harlaw & Threipmuir car parks Bus: 44 facebook.com/YouthVisionscotland
Sunday Bridgend Growing Communities 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM
18
Community growing project on an allotment site. Promoting social inclusion and individual health and well-being. • Taste and tour • Games • Hanging baskets
19
Clovenstone Community Garden 12:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Clovenstone community garden was initiated four years ago by community gardeners at Edible Estates. They are currently in the process of handing over management to the Clovenstone Growers; Association, whose "raison d'être" reflects the ethos and purpose of The Power of Food Festival. Individual raised beds were granted to interested local residents; communal beds are used to grow food to share and cook together, to run activities with local kids, and to sustain the emphatically community-based ethos of the Association. First a shed with rainwater storage tanks, then a propagation table and polytunnels, and next a developing wildlife pond have appeared in the garden. There will be live music, kids activities, a lip balm making workshop, and plenty of opportunity to chat to garden members about our various projects around the garden. But most important of all will be the multicultural menu, reflecting the ethnic diversity and culinary art of the population of Clovenstone. Coming up Clovenstone Road, pass under a narrow footbridge, turn left at the bus stop, head up the footpath and continue straight ahead until you see the garden.
Greenspace between Clovenstone Gardens & Clovenstone Park, EH14 3ET 41 Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, EH16 4TE Buses: 24, 33, 38, 49 www.bridgendgrowingcommunities.org.uk
Buses: 3, 18, 20, 21, 30 By bike: near Union Canal facebook.com/eedibleestates frauke@edibleestates.co.uk
20
Bridgend Farmhouse 12:00 AM – 4:00PM
Bridgend Farmhouse has been a participant in The Power of Food Festival since the start, staging events over the last few years while our renovation works were under way! We are honoured to finally be hosting it in our now fully restored community-owned farmhouse and looking forward to sharing the joys of our kitchen garden. We will have various entertainment on offer, linking with local groups to provide fun and interesting activities for adults and children, including food and music. We look forward to being part of it and look forward to welcoming you on the day.
21
Newhaven Heritage Community Garden 12:00 AM – 3:00 PM
There is a patchwork of plots dotted round Newhaven and a focus on the Main Street Garden and The Old Burial Garden opposite. Local residents and school children come together here to garden, socialise and enjoy the fruits of their labours. This year’s event is called "Eat One, Grow One (or Two!)" - a celebration of simple salads to grow, eat and enjoy. In addition to the salad tastings, there will be songs from Newhaven Community Choir, seed sowing, garden "tours" and children’s activities. Near Newhaven Harbour, east along Main Street from Fishmarket Square, behind "Alien Rock" climbing centre.
Old Burial Ground, Main Street, Newhaven 41, Old Dalkeith Road, EH16 4TE
Buses: 7,10,11,16
Buses: 24, 33, 38, 49
Bike: route 14 Hawthornvale Path
facebook.com/BridgendFarmhouse donna.mcardle@bridgendfarmhouse.org.uk
facebook.com/Newhavenheritagecommunitygarden
Lucymetcalfe@msn.com
22
Edible Garden Project, Royal Botanic Garden 12:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Edible Garden Project within the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh was set up 7 years ago to share horticultural knowledge and training and to engage with a diverse range of communities to promote growing your own vegetables. We have our own polytunnel in the demonstration garden providing vegetables for the café and restaurant here in the garden and we are really excited to say that we have registered to convert to organic status. Help us celebrate Edinburgh’s community food gardens with the city-wide Power of Food Festival. Pop in to the demonstration garden and meet the Edible Gardening Project team for vegetable gardening advice and tips, and fun garden activities for families. Join a public tour of the Botanic Cottage, discover how it was saved then rebuilt and how it is being used today (limited spaces; arrive early to avoid disappointment - tour times and booking options will be available on the day).
Main entrances on Arboretum Place or Inverleith Row By the Botanic Cottage, behind the century-old Beech Edge Buses: 8, 23, 27 www.rbge.org.uk @EdibleGarden1
23
The Calders Green Shoots Community Garden 12:00 AM – 3:00 PM
This will be our 5th planting year since we opened in May 2014. We now have 68 raised beds and many local people, both young and old, looking after them. Our garden includes various fruit trees, and strawberry plants. We have also planted hops which the Grass Roots Remedies from The Health Agency used in their herbal mixes: a first for the garden! We have come 4th and 2nd in one of the Botanic Garden events. The polytunnel has been a great help in growing from seed then to replanting outside. We grow tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, courgettes, cuccamellons and corn. We also make various jams and sell plants. Between this and fundraising events e.g. a family day on Easter Sunday donations are helping keeping the garden going. We hope to reach out even more to our surrounding community
1 Calder Park, Edinburgh, EH11 4NF Next to Sighthill Primary School Buses: 25, 34, 3 Bike: near the Union Canal passing through The Calders Estate. facebook.com/greenshootsgarden caldersgreen@gmail.com
Membership The Festival is entirely free and run by volunteers. You can show your support for the Festival by becoming a member of the Festival Association. Membership of The Power of Food Festival Association costs ÂŁ1 per individual or organisation. By becoming a member, you are joining and supporting a social and environmental movement that is working towards a better world. You are also telling us that you want the Festival to continue showcasing and celebrating community food growing into the future, and you help us do so! Our members give us invaluable financial, practical and moral support. Every ÂŁ counts but it is about much more than that, really. The main reason why it is important for us to have a strong membership base, is that it shows us that many people care about this cause and that all our efforts are valued. Find out more about membership on our website: poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.com/membership/
Partners As well as the community food gardens, we are immensely grateful to the people and organisations who support the Festival weekend. Their enthusiasm, kindness and generosity printing materials, running guided tours, designing our programme, hosting our meetings and feeding us on various occasions in the run-up to the Festival are deeply appreciated. The Festival couldn’t happen without them!
Find out more! Keep up to date with the latest news online: www.poweroffoodfestival.wordpress.com poweroffoodfestival@outlook.com @poffest EdinburghPowerofFoodFestival
The Power of Food Festival cannot accept any liability for any loss, damage or injury sustained by any member of the public during visits to the listed gardens.