We are a volunteer community garden in Hackney, London, UK. We have been up and running for 3 years, consisting of about 40 residents from various age and cultural groups, who have been growing food in a previously disused space on the estate. We have just been given our second site to expand to meet growing demand, so watch this space to follow the next phase of our project!
Sunday 23 September 2012
Harvest Festival
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Harvest festival @ The Duke
Sarah and I decided it was time to harvest our spinach and cavelo nero before the frosts start, but we were concerned what we would do with it all. After selling some to friends, I happened upon a poster for a veg swap day at The lovely organic pub, Duke of Cambridge in Islington, with the produce also going to local charity Shelter from the Storm, who feed and house homeless people completely through a volunteer system. Riverford Farm
donated as well as Sarah Green organics, what a great day, thank you Geetie and Dominic from the pub. We hope to be involved next year.
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Monday 17 September 2012
Wild London green space walk
Saturday 1 September 2012
Artists in residence
As part of Fransisco's youth project a group of our young folk from the estate have been applying their talents to the garden walls. They started on their designs in back in rainy June and this week between rain showers managed to get paint to panel and created some beautiful murals to brighten up the garden. What talent and enthusiasm!
Pond progress
This week Fransisco and volunteers from the London Wildlife Trust took the hole dug by the girls from City and Guilds, and turned it into a pond! We will let the water settle for a week before planting it out, but we are well on our way to a new habitat for frogs and other critters, and a beautiful contemplation spot in the corner of our garden. Thanks LWT and C&G.
Wednesday 15 August 2012
Bloomsbury deliveries now underway
We have now started deliveries to the Bloomsbury area, with happy customers from the Careers Group and UCL. Bunches of spinach and cavolo nero will be on sale for £2 per bunch, delivered daily. Email us on kingscresgarden@gmail.com if you would like to join our list.
Wednesday 8 August 2012
Growing strong
It is hard to believe this space was an empty patch of grass just six months ago! Despite the rainy weather, look what our members are managing to produce this year. Beautiful pumpkin and courgettes all heading for harvest in the coming weeks.
How do you like them apples?
The latest sad news is the destruction of the apple trees donated by London Wildlife Trust which were growing in containers in our new garden, awaiting future planting out as part of the estate regeneration. Unfortunately, someone has stolen the containers in that half the trees were growing in. Apparently an empty yellow bucket is more valuable to them than a growing apple tree.
The good news is that at least one of the trees looks like it will recover. We will do our best keep it alive, and keep moving forward. Out of all destruction comes new growth.
Thursday 2 August 2012
City and Guilds staff go gardening
More photos on our facebook page.
Thursday 26 July 2012
Growing and selling
The beds and bags we planted with seedlings from Capital Growth's 'Grow to Sell' workshop are now ready for harvest. We made our first sales of 'micro-vege' boxes to local residents Claire and Barbara.
Please let us know if you would like one of our micro boxes delivered fresh to your door by bicycle (think about how fresh you like your vege, and how long the bike ride will be...). Right now we have cavolo nero, spinach, mint, gem lettuce and spring onions on offer.
Cutest resident?
We built a shed!
Monday 2 July 2012
Half term youth project
Monday 21 May 2012
Kew Gardens visit with Wild London
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Monday 7 May 2012
Grow to sell
As part of the training course we were provided with a basic equipment to get started on a more commercial production system and in a few weeks a tray of seedlings will arrive ready to be planted out. We are hoping to use one of our beds to try our hand at commercial production, to raise some money for our garden, and to supply local food to our wider community. Watch this space!