Project on encouraging people to grow their own - input needed please!

[ack]

Hello everyone.

A quick introduction: I am starting on a project (as part of doing a MA at university) on growing one's own fruit and veg. Or rather, how people can be encouraged to grow their own food.

The background to this is that food is getting more expensive, is increasingly imported (from as far as Guatemala, India and Thailand for items such as aspargus, sugar pea snaps and even leeks) which increases not only our carbon footprint but also means that often items are not quite ripe/ready yet. We also seem to eat out of season, and on top of that waste hundreds of pounds every year by throwing food away that's been left to go off because we bought too much.

So, as a starting point for this project I am looking for people who either are happy to answer the questions at the end of this post for me (they can PM them back to me or just add them to the thread) or perhaps volunteers who may over the course of the next few months be willing to fill in questionnaires/give feedback every now and again on the things i will be producing in order to get people to grow some food at home (whether it's in a window box or in a corner of their garden).

It would be great to get a discussion started, or some feedback.

Have you ever thought about growing food at home?

What would get you started to grow your own? What's holding you back?

Why would or wouldn't it work for you to grow some food at home?

What's your experience if you are growing food at home? What got you started?

What general implications do you feel growing food holds/would hold for you?

If you have young kids, would you try and explain food to them by growing some (or have already done so)?

Thanks for having a read through this.

And even more thanks to those giving me constructive feedback.

Anna

[Yak]

Hi Ack

Here's some comments to get the ball rolling! Good luck with your research.

Yak

ack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello everyone.

>

> A quick introduction: I am starting on a project

> (as part of doing a MA at university) on growing

> one's own fruit and veg. Or rather, how people can

> be encouraged to grow their own food.

>

> The background to this is that food is getting

> more expensive, is increasingly imported (from as

> far as Guatemala, India and Thailand for items

> such as aspargus, sugar pea snaps and even leeks)

> which increases not only our carbon footprint but

> also means that often items are not quite

> ripe/ready yet. We also seem to eat out of season,

> and on top of that waste hundreds of pounds every

> year by throwing food away that's been left to go

> off because we bought too much.

>

> So, as a starting point for this project I am

> looking for people who either are happy to answer

> the questions at the end of this post for me (they

> can PM them back to me or just add them to the

> thread) or perhaps volunteers who may over the

> course of the next few months be willing to fill

> in questionnaires/give feedback every now and

> again on the things i will be producing in order

> to get people to grow some food at home (whether

> it's in a window box or in a corner of their

> garden).

>

> It would be great to get a discussion started, or

> some feedback.

>

> Have you ever thought about growing food at home?

I'm a recent convert (I started last year and this is my first proper year of doing it)

> What would get you started to grow your own?

N/A

> What's holding you back?

N/A though see comments below

> Why would or wouldn't it work for you to grow some

> food at home?

I think a lot of people think that they need a huge garden or an allotment in which to grow fruit and veg. Most city dwellers have limited, if any, outdoor space and I think this is quite a big barrier to many people. But in truth, you can grow loads on a windowsill or even indoors. I'm a street representative with FoodupFrontwhich aims to encourage those of us with limited space to grow our own. There are also initiatives like Channel 4's landshare and some local grants available.

> What's your experience if you are growing food at

> home? What got you started?

I don't quite know how it started but the more I do it the more addicted I become! I started out picking up a few packets of herbs, tomatoes and lettuce seed from B&Q last year. Now have over 20 edible crops growing in our tiny bit of garden, excluding herbs. I would grow more if I had room...

> What general implications do you feel growing food

> holds/would hold for you?

A huge amount of satisfaction when things go right. A form of grieving process when you lose a precious plant that you've grown from seed (I'm still smarting from the loss of one of my best courgettes earlier this week - sad, isn't it?!). I also like knowing exactly how the food's been grown and what it has (not) been treated with and it tastes superb. I've also met loads of neighbours through the Food up Front scheme. On a more personal note, I also found it an invaluable tool in helping to treat depression.

> If you have young kids, would you try and explain

> food to them by growing some (or have already done

> so)?

>

N/A

> Thanks for having a read through this.

> And even more thanks to those giving me

> constructive feedback.

>

> Anna

[Izodia]

Hi Anna,

I've just started doing some grow your own so here are my answers...

> Have you ever thought about growing food at home?

Yes, finally bought some tomato plants a couple of weeks back. May try other things in the future if this is successful

> What would get you started to grow your own?

N/A

> What's holding you back?

I always worried that I'd just kill them as I do with most normal plants...mainly by forgetting to water them. As they're outside, it'd be even easier to forget. The other issue is location. We do have some outdoor space but walls around it mean it only gets about half the days sun.

> Why would or wouldn't it work for you to grow some

> food at home?

See previous answer

> What's your experience if you are growing food at

> home? What got you started?

Just started. Finally decided to give it a go. Looking forward to seeing some results in a few months.

> What general implications do you feel growing food

> holds/would hold for you?

I'm hoping to have a good supply of tomatos that should taste better than the mass produced supermarket ones.

> If you have young kids, would you try and explain

> food to them by growing some (or have already done

> so)?

No kids so N/A

Good luck with your project

[PeckhamRose]

I live on a third floor flat. On the back balcony where the sun gets to more, I have room for 2 grow bags. Hmmm tomatoes again this year?

[bigbadwolf]

Hello Anna.

I have to admit that I don't grow any vegetables as I don't have a garden but when I was younger I and my brothers would often have to help my mum in the garden tending to her small vegetable patches. For her it was a tradition that was passed on from her mum who would grow food in their small Peckham garden to supplement her diet during the war.

I've never thought of growing food at home as I don't have the space but if/one day I buy my own property I'd do it if I had children. This is so they know what fresh veg tastes like but more importantly as lesson in where food comes from, not just the supermarket.

My experience of growing food is that it requires a lot of effort and most of all patience. You also have to start keeping a much keener eye on the weather. I remember when I was at school there was a massive storm and my mums vegetable garden was ruined and she was genuinely heart broken. Learning about combating pests is another must.

[louisiana]

Hi Anna

Good luck with the project.

Some answers below.

> Have you ever thought about growing food at home?

I've grown food at home on and off over twenty-odd years, but never in a major way. I've started seriously again this year.

> What would get you started to grow your own?

> What's holding you back?

I've moved home a lot (including countries), I work away a lot (including trips overseas), partner elsewhere (currently Shanghai), all of my family is in other countries (hence more travel to visit them) and don't have a huge garden (and the soil is dire and the garden was a heap when I moved in). It's a bit dispiriting if you're going to be away and everything is going to fail.

I'm also from a Med background and all kinds of things I've been brought up on food-wise are perhaps not feasible/not available/difficult in the UK.

> Why would or wouldn't it work for you to grow some

> food at home?

Working away, holidays: nobody to tend... things fall apart. Working with others would be the way forward.

> What's your experience if you are growing food at

> home? What got you started?

Before: trying my hand at basic veg for the table: courgettes, tomatoes etc. Courgettes nice and easy. Also herbs: had always had rosemary, sage, lemon balm. they tend to look after themselves.

Now: things that I'm a fan of that I'm trying: vine, fig, horseradish. Plus interest in experimenting with new things uncommon in the shops e.g. chard.

> What general implications do you feel growing food

> holds/would hold for you?

More exercise. Not that I'm short of it (walker and cyclist) but...

More time in the garden.

More time diverted from stresses of running a business. (Gardening is a bit like playing the piano.)

Stuff to share/getting to know others.

Plus ingredients for the new kitchen!

In general, I'd like to become more self-sustaining.

Goes along with other actions, such as starting bokashi recycling for *all* organic kitchen waste, or learning about bee-keeping over last year. I'm just about to go on a permaculture design course too.

And we (a small group) are currently seeking a large country place with plenty of land to run in a 'transition' way on a co-housing basis, so it's all part of being able to contribute skills to that too.

[bigbadwolf]

My mum also had a herb garden but because they live near a busy road apparently exhaust fumes would ruin the more delicate herbs.

[ack]

Thanks so much for giving me some feedback!

Thanks also to Yak, perhaps I can PM you and ask you some more about food up front, something I had looked already, but not in enough detail...

Hopefully some more people will come across this thread and let me know their experiences!

Thanks again.

[JetSetWilly]

sweetcorn, toms, strawberrys, peas and herbs grown in chez jsw.

[bigbadwolf]

So no one has tried growing their own homegrown......you know......combustables.

[charliecharlie]

have you been in touch with Food Up Front?

I am sure they would be able to put you in touch with their street reps and members... you would then have a really wide research base

http://www.foodupfront.org/

to answer your questions...

Have you ever thought about growing food at home?

have the worlds tiniest garden 10'x 14' max and am growing courgettes and tomatoes this year

I also grow sage, rosemary, chive, parsley, thyme, lemon balm, lemon verbena and fennel, as well as a mass of non edibles as well. It is amazing what you can do in a small space

What's holding you back?

space

What got you started?

I like to buy local produce and home grown has no food miles at all

My garden is all organic and so the veg I grow fits with my 'values'

It's fun and deeply satisfying!

It's as fresh as it can be!

What general implications do you feel growing food holds/would hold for you?

as above

good luck with your project

xxcc

[sophiesofa]

Here are my answers:

>

> Have you ever thought about growing food at home?

Yes I tried last year but we only had a tiny patch of concrete at the front of our flat that got no sun so nothing lived!

> What would get you started to grow your own?

A sunny space however small. We just moved 3 days ago and have a garden so are planning a big veggie patch. A guide/leaflet on the basics of veggie growing would help me because i know nothing about gardening so am quite scared everything will die.

> What's holding you back?

Time and fear. As soon as we've cleared out all the thousands of weeds then we'll get started and I think i'm so scared i might even make some kind of veggie planting spreadsheet to keep track of what i need to do so when it all dies I will no I tried my hardest. I think I will probably get emotionally attached to my veggies and give them names and be very upset if any dies/killed by anmals (which i know they quite often do).

> Why would or wouldn't it work for you to grow some

> food at home?

Am slightly put off by having no transport to go buy things like buying bags of soil etc. and did it last time by getting a bus then walking for ages (when i lived in greenwich) and it nearly killed me. I know i could order online and that there are more garden centres close by in East Dulwich but it still feels like it will be a pain in the bum to get the stuff i need. I think i'll just have to not be stingy for once and get a taxi if i have lots of stuff.

> What's your experience if you are growing food at

> home? What got you started?

sort of N/A because haven't started yet but will. What will get me started is the excitment of being able to eat something I have grown and looked after. Also hopefully it will be cheaper. I quite want to grow things like aubagines because they're so excpensive in the shops.

> What general implications do you feel growing food

> holds/would hold for you?

Fun and pottering around and slightly grubby fun.

> If you have young kids, would you try and explain

> food to them by growing some (or have already done

> so)?

N/A but if i did i think it would be a great way to teach children about healthy eating and how to care for something.

Good luck!

Sophie

[charliecharlie]

you could link up with monica's thread... she's setting up a project on kids in schools and growing veg

[ack]

Oh, I don't think i've seen that, what's the title of that thread?

[SteveT]

Grapes, cooking and eating apples, pears, blackcurrants, gooseberries, plums, wineberries, cherries, potatoes, runner beans, peas, tomatoes, rhubarb, strawberries.

[charliecharlie]

do a search for 'SNUBS new project' or 'Monica' and you'll find it

xxcc

[ack]

Fantastic, just emailed Monica! Thanks for that!

I've also now made an online survey, for anyone adding to the thread, it would be great if you could fill it in (basically questions from above, but in 7 very quick and easy click button answer way)

http://tinyurl.com/growing-your-own

thanks again to everyone!

[ack]

actually, it won't put the entire link, so here it is in two sections http://tinyurl.com /growing-your-own