Cycle of the Seed
A partnership between Greening Campaign and Garden Organic
Food security is a big issue in the UK and we all need to act- but sometimes it’s hard to know how or where to start. We will support your community to run a fun and inclusive programme to increase local food growing, whilst opening discussions around food security and how we can improve it.
One of the risks around food security is food diversity – the Greening Campaign is extremely proud to be working with the Garden Organic Heritage Seed Library, which holds over 800 varieties. Just as wild space is lacking in biodiversity, so is our national food supply – to meet the extremes of climate change, biodiversity in food is essential.
The Cycle of the Seed Pillar aims to get your community growing more of your own food and become more aware of the many benefits of food growing, including bolstering food security, improving soil health, encouraging biodiversity, enhancing health and wellbeing, building stronger communities, and helping to reconnect us with the natural world around us.
Garden Organic believe that everyone can grow their own food organically. Our experts support all members of the community to adopt simple organic gardening principles and practices. Whether you are growing on a balcony, in a garden, or on an allotment we here to help.
“Feeling valued, putting something in to the community. The Community growing space is proving an important social activity including the recently bereaved looking for a shared activity, and a couple (one with dementia) looking for something they can do together.” Greening Silchester
We will offer training for Pillar champions to support those starting out on their food growing journey exploring getting started with growing food, cooking with the plants, reducing the amount of food we waste, and composting what is left to produce the perfect food for next year’s crops. Your Pillar champions & members of the community can then share their new skills and knowledge with others to really get your community growing.
Food security is a significant issue that local growing has the potential to address. Across the UK approximately 5.4m UK residents considered themselves as food insecure in 2020. Understanding how to grow our own food, free from chemicals, can help to alleviate food insecurity and give communities access to locally grown, fresh, nutritious, organic fruit and veg.
Food growing is a fantastic way to bring communities together and a great focal point for social gatherings, celebrating diverse cultures through food festivals, community picnics and farmers’ markets. Put simply, most of us love food, and sharing it with others is even better.
The Cycle of the Seed Pillar will help your community:
- Become more food secure by growing some of your own produce
- Raise awareness of food security issues
- Bring people together around a shared demonstration space
- Save money by growing and sharing your own produce
- Improve health & wellbeing
- Reconnect to natural systems and cycles by using organic methods
- In your second year you will learn about Heritage Seeds and their importance, with support from the Garden Organic Seed Bank
- In your third year, you will learn all about Seed Saving, and if we get it right, some of your seeds will go back to the Seed Bank for future generations!
- You will also have the chance to grow some of these nationally important seeds.
The personal benefits of being part of this Pillar:
- Learn new food growing skills
- Share skills with others in your community
- Share food with other residents
- Save money on your food bill
- Taste the fresh food and know the health benefits that come with it
- Make new friends
- Feel part of your community
- Understand the true importance of Heritage Seeds
Joint Pillar Events
Throughout the year all 5 Greening Campaign Pillars come together to run joint events. This shows how we can tackle climate change challenges through shared solutions. For example, growing fruit & veg at home cuts down food miles so uses less energy, encourages you to waste less,
and any waste scraps can be composted to use in your next year’s growing reducing waste.
Let’s get everyone growing the organic way to cultivate a greener, healthier, more biodiverse and sustainable world.
Interested in running a campaign or finding out more?
Please contact the Greening Campaign and we will talk you through all the options. We want to support you to enjoy running The Greening Campaign - our future is your future - we all live on the same planet!
