Transforming your community green space into a regenerative growing area with polytunnels, raised beds, and composters is a timely initiative! Spring is a month away and food price rises and widening wealth gaps gathering pace.
When I was 7 my grandad said to me "Gent the younger, you can achieve anything you want in life if you want it hard enough." Add to that, and remember it's not what you know, but who you know and moving in the right circles.
Starting and working in those right circles really could not be simpler when using simple circular economy principles and regenerative agriculture practices to build genuine community resilience. That is how we bridge those generational, class and cultural gaps. Inclusion isn't a political football it is an easy to fix human right. Whatever class you think you are in if you have to work for an income you are working class.
If we want to SOW STUDY SUSTAIN, we need a plan, some elbow grease and a collective commitment to unlock the resources of those that inexplicable get left behind. We proved even a raised bed can be made accessible to wheelchair based growers.
Planning and Community Engagement:
- Community involvement: This is key. Hold meetings to gauge interest, share the vision of a circular, regenerative growing space, and brainstorm ideas.
- Gather resources: Inventory existing tools and materials in your street for the green space. See if residents have expertise or tools to contribute – like carpentry skills for raised beds.
- Design the layout: Sketch a plan for raised beds, polytunnel placement, and composter location, considering access, sunlight, and efficient use of space.
- Secure permits: Check with your local council for any permits or regulations regarding the land use and intended structures, although netted and polytunnels on public green spaces do not need planning permission.
Building that Circular Growing System:
- Composting: Use super composters to break down yard waste, food scraps, and other organic materials from the community. Encourage residents to contribute to the compost bins, keeping the system fed.The finished compost will then be used to fertilise the raised beds, 'closing the circular loop' to feed the next crop.
- Raised beds: Consider using recycled or reclaimed materials like wood or bricks to build the raised beds.Fill them with a mix of compost, topsoil, and other organic amendments to create a healthy growing medium.
- Poly and netted tunnels: Choose tunnels made from recycled materials if possible. Utilise rainwater harvesting systems to collect water for irrigation, reducing reliance on tap water. Practice crop rotation within the polytunnels to improve soil health and prevent pest issues. Go for fast growing fruits, veg's and herbs.
Regenerative Agriculture Practices: trial, error & scale
- Diversity: Plant a variety of vegetables, herbs, and some wild flowers to attract beneficial insects and promote biodiversity.
- Cover cropping: Plant cover crops between growing seasons to suppress weeds, fix nitrogen in the soil, and improve soil structure.
- Water conservation: Implement water-saving techniques like drip irrigation and mulching around plants to retain moisture.
- Seed saving: Collect seeds from open-pollinated plants to save money and promote self-reliance in future plantings.
Maintaining the Circular System:
- Informal Educational workshops: Organise workshops on composting, raised bed gardening, and regenerative practices to empower everyone in your community.
- Volunteer schedule: Create a volunteer schedule to ensure consistent maintenance of the growing area, composting, and of course harvesting the fruits of everyone's labour.
- Sharing the bounty: Develop a plan to distribute the produce including donations to food banks as this connect you to other growing communities. For sustainability consider selling produce through a community market. With fast growing, or share among participating residents.
Some additional Thoughts and Tips:
- Look into Lottery grant opportunities or local government support for community gardening projects.
- Partner with local businesses for resources like recycled materials or discounted supplies.
- Continually foster a sense of community ownership by encouraging residents to participate in planning, planting, and harvesting activities.
- Growing times
By following these steps and embracing the circular economy and regenerative agriculture principles, you can transform any green space into a vibrant, sustainable growing area that benefits the entire community. Remember, this is a collaborative effort, so get your neighbors involved and enjoy the journey of creating a greener, more resilient space.... together we can push up and community wealth build because it won't trickle down!
