The Glenkens has traditionally been a farming area, so a focus on and understanding of local food production is a familiar field. However, in recent years there has been a real upsurge of interest in growing and producing food locally. In this article we are introduced to just a couple of the sustainable food projects in the area that are teaching young people the skills they need to grow food locally.
Dalry school permaculture
Over the summer a group of Permaculture Design students, as part of a group by Propogate, developed a plan to revitalise the Dalry School garden.
Propogate is a community interest company specialising in local, community and sustainable food projects. The Permaculture Design course in Galloway is a collaboration between Propogate and permaculture educator Lusi Alderslowe, who is author of the book Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share in Education: The Children in Permaculture Manual.
The group’s brief from the Dalry school’s Parent Council, was to design a food growing and maintenance plan for the garden that would best make use of the polytunnel and raised beds already situatted in the garden. The group were also asked to develop ideas for how the wider garden space could be best used for outdoor learning.
The detailed design includes a plan for flexible annual food-growing calendar that can be adapted to the needs of the school. It includes suggestions for soil improvement, composting and planting for biodiversity.
There are also ideas for creating spaces in the garden for reflection, play and outdoor learning. The next step is to consult children, teachers and parents to gauge wider needs and aspirations for the garden. These findings will feed into a working action plan to be taken forward by the school’s Parent Council.
With a renewed focus on the garden, the hope is to create a vibrant, productive outdoor place for the children to call their own and look after. This will be a safe space for children of all needs and sensitivities to play, learn and grow, and be nurtured by nature.
If you would like to get involved, call the school office on 01644 420 259, or email the Parent Council at dalrypcchair@gmail.com
Bairn Banter seed to spoon
The Carsphairn children’s group, Bairn Banter, have had a very productive and hands-on learning experience focussing on producing their own food for free.
By Melissa Ade, Banter Bairn
Parents and children began the gardening project in the beginning of the year, when they took responsibility for a section of disused ground beside the village hall and looked into purchasing a raised bed and bags of compost (funded by Blackcraig Windfarm Fund through Carsphairn Community Council).
This then allowed the children to begin sowing pea, carrot and cabbage seeds, plus onion sets and donated potato tubers. Each Saturday the group of children and parents would carefully tend to the micro-vegetable-patch by weeding, thinning and watering to ensure the best plant growth throughout the spring and early summer months.
The children engaged in a wealth of learning opportunities from bug hunting, colour-matching plant identification, soil structures and overall soil care and plant welfare. Come harvest time, the children were thrilled to be able to savour the fruits of their labour, feasting on the tasty peas and strawberries picked fresh from the garden.
The group also dug up some of the plants so they could share the produce amongst families to take home for them to enjoy. The children collectively decided they would like to make soup from their garden veg, so parents helped the children to make this happen.Vegetables were dug up or pickled, washed and then prepped ready for the pot.
And it was certainly worth it, as it was “the most delicious soup that I have ever tasted”, according to Bairn Banter attendee (aged four).
