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Keep in touch with the Food Alliance Blog - sign up here Follow on Instagram here, Facebook here Here's where you can see what's happening for good local food in Herefordshire. From local food events, through farming to food waste - we use the Sustainable Food Places topics so you can see the things you're interested in at a glance. Click on each one for more information or scroll down the most recent. Contact us to tell us what's going on in your part of the County and sign the food charter to add your voice! |
Two practical hands-on events for farmers in the next month focusing on building soil, reducing pesticides and maitaining yield. Farmers will need an SBI number - and you get lunch :)
Holistic approach to reducing pesticide use and improving returns -
Boycefield Farm Dilwyn
Tuesday 16th May 10am – 1pm Farm walk with Billy Lewis (farmer) and Ben Nott (WUF Catchment Adviser), followed by lunch.
Food, farming and nature are featuring in this month's County Council election demands - and promises.
Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Herefordshire CPRE, Friends of the Upper Wye and Friends of the Lower Wye are calling for new allotment sites to be established - at least 50 plots, plus rewards for farmers shifting to 'sustainable and regenerative methods of production'. More about the Hustings that was convened, and the pledges of the panel that attended, here.
Are you near Ledbury? Do you eat or farm food? Help make a pilot digital hub happen for good food!
Since the alliance event on vending machines and infrastructure, we've been talking about how local sustainable producers can club together as a digital hub, and how people living in Ledbury could benefit from a good value local produce pick-up.
We'll be at Ledbury Community Day June 10th sharing ideas and finding out what people think - please support this by:
- Providing a small amount of your produce for Kids Kitchen's activity or as an example of what you sell
- Chatting to people and completing a simple survey?
Please get in touch! If you're already talking about this with Sustainable Ledbury or Ledbury Food Group - even better!
Another chance to find out about the Southside Project and Growing Local's new market garden on Saturday. "Fitness Football and Food"
More info at Growing Local's website. 
https://growinglocal.org.uk/growing-local-gardens-open-days-events-april-may-2023/
"We are planning on holding three open events in April and May to talk to people about how they can get involved in our project by:
– volunteering to help develop the site into our market gardens, educational garden and orchard areas – we are looking for help in everything from gardening to hedge laying, carpentry to bee keeping!
– taking on a future vegetable crop share
– coming along to our workshops, events and training opportunities (for schools, families, children, young people and adults)
Meet Tracy from the Wildlife Trust in Leominster at the weekend and find out about growing your own food and flowers...
As part of the Nextdoor Nature project.
"We understand that many people are put off or prevented from growing things due to a lack of space, knowledge or money.
We want to help change this because the more produce we grow the happier our wildlife will be.
We can all work together to share knowledge, growing spaces, ideas and the items we need to do this as a Community Growing Group.
If you would like to find out more and get involved Tracy from Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and Lynsey from Age UK Mens Shed will be at Leominster Library, in the meeting room upstairs, on Saturday 29th April 2023 from 10am to 12pm.
Come along have a cuppa and let’s get talking.
For more information contact Tracy on 07903 069185 or email
Uber-local sustainable grown apples from Artistraw, Greggs Pit and more at Blossomtime this weekend:
"Come and enjoy Big Apple Blossomtime
The early May Bank Holiday weekend brings the perfect opportunity to enjoy a good value family day out (or two!) amongst the lovely Herefordshire countryside and orchards of the Marcle Ridge.
This popular two day event will take place on Sunday 30 April and Monday 1st May in and around Putley and Aylton, just a ten minute drive to the west of Ledbury.
Marches Mushrooms, Presteign Honey, Goode Tomato plants... local food to be found at the Spring Greens fair this weekend...
"SPRING GREENS ENVIRONMENTAL FAIR - Sunday 30th April 2023
at Court of Noke, nr.Pembridge, Herefordshire, HR6 9HW
By the kind invitation of Edward & Emma Bulmer
Exhibitions, stalls, displays, local food, shelter, arts & music
Demonstrations, guided walks, presentations & activities
Local Campaign Groups and Sustainable Businesses
Dog & Child-Friendly Atmosphere
NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR STALLS & WORKSHOPS
E:
Foraging Taster and Well Dressing this weekend:
"Enjoy wandering the nature trails and views of the Teme while you learn some of the wild edible plants sat in the hedgerows , how to harvest them safely and sustainably, how they can enhance dishes and learn how to re-awaken your senses to the natural world.
Recharging your wild spirit restores the balance many of us lose in the hectic pace we call life in the modern world.
An interest in nature led Chef Alex into wild cuisine while working for an ancestral skills school, teaching game prep, wild cooking, foraging and fermentation amongst other things.
Join us on an outdoor experience that will awaken your senses, learn new skills and have a greater understanding of nature. Followed by a light forage inspired picnic.
Please message to arrange any dietary requirements and further details"
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/foraging-the-fold-tickets-594540585897
The Tuck Shop in Hereford is a new 24hr opportunity in Hereford to buy great sustainable food.
Hyper local milk producer Whole Moo World, Willy's organic cider vinegar and Peter Cooks Bread have products based there - see below for the blurb.
Are you producing and selling food according to a thriving, healthy and environmentally benign local food economy?
Contact us to tell us what you do, keep in touch and sign the food charter to add your voice!
The 'Healthy Start' scheme supports people who are pregnant or have a child under 4 to buy good food and milk.
Healthy Start is now available as a card, and the new cards can be used anywhere with a Mastercard logo.
Do you sell good local produce, and accept Mastercard? You may be able to accept Healthy Start cards!
Do you have a young family and are you claming Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit?
You may be able to support GREAT local sustainable food without spending another penny! Check your eligibility for Healthy Start here.
If you know a local business selling locally produced sustainable produce who is also accepting Healthy Start - let us know and we'll shout about it.
To support more families to find out about this, there are many resources to access .
Event - 25th April 7pm with Herefordshire Meadows and Buglife:
"Join Buglife and Herefordshire Meadows to learn about the Get the Marches Buzzing project and how it is connecting up wildflower-rich habitats across Shropshire and North Herefordshire, working to restore habitats for rare and declining pollinator species like the Dingy Skipper butterfly (Erynnis tages) and the Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola). Most importantly, find out how you can help on your own patch."
The Fold are launching a CSA - community supported agriculture where you can be part of a thriving farm, and get vegetables, without living on a farm!
"As a Member of the Fold Community Farm, you purchase a “veg share” which gives you a weekly veg box of freshly-picked, organic, seasonal produce, delivered to your chosen collection point.
As a bonus, you will enjoy free community events, such as guided farm tours, communal meals and volunteer days on the farm! You’ll also get to vote on how the scheme is run."
Grants to Develop Community Food Hubs
The Hubbub Foundation, in partnership with Starbuck’s, is making funding available to develop their network of community fridges into food hubs to help local residents learn about sustainable, affordable and healthy living. Up to 50 community fridge groups will benefit from grants of £7,000 to deliver new activities relating to cooking, growing, budgeting and using surplus food.
Are you a Herefordshire Secondary School
? Apply for a fully funded place on Bite Back's School Food Champions programme!
Herefordshire Food Alliance would love to support your application, and incorporate the food champions in your school in all our other work countywide - steering group, events etc. Get in touch!
"School is the single biggest opportunity we have to ensure every child is getting the food they need to thrive - but right now, that is not the reality. School Food Champions was created to change this!
https://www.biteback2030.com/school-food-champions-sign-now
I am excited to let you know that applications are now open for secondary schools to join Bite Back 2030’s School Food Champions (SFC) programme. We have fully funded spaces for 50 schools to begin delivering the programme in September 2023.
Our friends across the border have an interesting event if you're thinking of looking that way for food growing land...
"Are you trying to secure land for an agroecological farm in Wales? Have you been considering whether, crowdfunding, grants, community shares or loans from ethical investors, but you aren’t sure what is right for you?
Come along to this event on 24th April, run with the Landworkers’ Alliance as part of the Resilient Green Spaces project, to hear from and ask questions to organisations with experience in the field, and those who have supported them to do so.
Our Shropshire neighbours have an opportunity for farmers and those connected to agriculture under 30 - deadline 30th April.
Share your vision for the future of our food and farming in Shropshire & the Marches
What do you think are the most promising approaches to a regenerative and resilient local food future? Share your thoughts using real examples of what is happening across the county - any format welcome.
What you get:
- Your writing/podcast will be showcased by SGFP in our comms and at MRFFC
- Free 2 day ticket to MRFFC
- £250 to cover time and expenses
- Best entrant will have opportunity to work with SGFP in production of a series of case studies and/or podcasts (subject to acceptable standard being met)
Join Food Alliance members and more at Whitecross Schools bonanza fair on Friday!
We'll be there talking about all the positive steps we can take to make great connected food systems for the future, Billy from Boycefield Farm will be talking about regenerative agriculture, @growinglocalhq will have grub... Bring some cash to adopt a tree and support their meadow initiative!
"SPRING INTO ACTION!
Community Eco-Festival
Friday 21st April 2.45—5.30pm
#Whitecross School, Hereford
A free workshop run by We Are Farming Minds - details below.
We Are Farming Minds also have many resources on their website https://www.wearefarmingminds.co.uk/
"Our next FREE Mental Health Awareness workshop will be on Wednesday April 19th at the HFYFC Offices, Beech Business Park, Tillington Road, Hereford HR4 9QJ. You can choose either a morning or afternoon session:
"We don't need it to be a crisis to know that there are good solutions... We are the connectors. We are the people who will make things happen." Kath Dalmeny, Sustain
It was a great experience for Herefordshire Food Alliance to feel so linked with partnerships across the UK at the Sustainable Food places conference this week.
How to integrate school meals, increasing uptake of the brilliantly useful healthy start vouchers, the economic value of allotments, youth kitchens... there are so many great ideas to learn from and links to make - it's dizzying. We'll bring the best back here to Herefordshire and work with all our partners - to find what works here.
Being part of the wider Sustainable Food Places network meant we were able to feed into a big House of Lords inquiry this week through our regular meeting.
The House of Lords Select Committee Inquiry on the Future of Horticulture is asking questions about the challenges and opportunities, along with a range of specific questions
At a county level we joined Gloucestershire, Shropshire and others to share what we've found through our activities as an alliance. For us this included:
