Stroud's Edible Open Gardens weekend 9th and 10th July

Here is the latest on a project we have long been seeking to get off the ground. This week we had a meeting and funding has been confirmed. Volunteers will run the event but we needed money for publicity and more - it will run similar to the Eco-Renovation Open Homes event which we have run the last three years in September - the good news is that we have also had some funding for that (so news soon on plans for this year). Lots of exciting ideas - and spaces if folk want to get involved in helping to organise this event.

Over 20 edible gardens and allotments have signed up to open to the public in July to encourage people to grow and learn more about food. There will be vegetables, fruit, herb and kitchen gardens, chicken keepers, pigs and more in various communities including Stroud, Whiteshill, Stonehouse, Bisley and Horsley. The gardeners will be available to share their knowledge and passion for growing.

Transition Stroud are still seeking a few more gardens for the project. If anyone is interested in offering their garden for part of the weekend in July please contact Helen Royall on 01453 755509.

Philip Booth, an organiser of the event and Transition Stroud member said: "We are delighted to have confirmed this week initial funding from the Cooperative Community Fund and Cainscross Parish Council to help publicise and organise this event. This is a chance to celebrate some of our wonderfully productive gardens and local food growing projects in the Stroud Valleys. We want to see if we can reach lots of people who have never grown veg before."

Food prices set to rise

Philip Booth added: "Local food accounts for only 1.5% of national food consumption. Our food system is staggeringly inefficient and heavily dependent upon oil, at a time when the production of energy from fossil fuels is on the decline. Our dependence on imports is damaging for national food security, harmful to the environment and is simply unsustainable. The UN report that food prices have hit a record high and are forecast to continue climbing this year. Shoppers have already been hit with jumps in the price of many key food items and with the impact of the economy it has never been a better time to grow your own food. With this Edible Open Gardens project we hope to all learn, but also inspire more local food production at a lower environmental cost than the supermarkets."

Gardens still wanted

The project so far has a grant from  to help organise and publicise the project. Transition Stroud is a group working on the transition to a locally based low carbon lifestyle. More info at: http://www.transitionstroud.org/

We are hoping to set up our own website with more details of this event very soon.