The idea
Edible Radford will be a space focused on building community resilience - growing a range of fresh fruit & veg, providing guidance on how to use it & the health benefits of eating it.
The space is a 22m x 11m plot, where we will create an accessible network of raised beds to grow fruit & the 7 families of vegetables. Each section will contain an educational guide to cultivation, nutritional benefits & recipe ideas.
A converted shipping container will form a structural base for community gatherings & provide shelter.
We will have regular volunteer sessions at Edible Radford - usually on Tuesdays. The space will however be open every day as the site is a semi open churchyard setting, making it readily accessible to educate, inspire & benefit the community.
Plant giveaways, free food events, & educational workshops will bring the community into the space, promoting local engagement & interaction. We'll also invite local community groups & charities in Radford to use the space.
What we'll deliver
- Raised beds growing fruit & veg
- A garden hub structure ( converted shipping container)
- Accessible stone / gravel paths
- A community mural
- Educational artwork for specific vegetable families: info on health benefits / nutrition, ideas for usage
- Workshops about food growing & cooking, nutrition, composting
- Structures & habitats to attract wildlife
- Gardening tools
- Fresh fruit & vegetables freely available to harvest
Why it's a great idea
Edible Radford will be an accessible, welcoming & interactive space that gets the community closer to the food growing process & makes a healthy diet more attainable.
Edible Radford will teach the community how to grow food by providing resources like seeds, plants & education on cultivation. There will also be fresh produce freely available to harvest on site with ideas on how to use it.
Edible Radford will create a larger patchwork of green spaces in Radford that promote healthier lifestyles & food growing, by linking to other Nottz Garden Project spaces -Gamble St Corner, Raleigh St Patch, Tomato Corner, Love Yard & POW Garden.
Edible Radford will be a space that promotes wellbeing for the local community who can benefit from being outdoors.
Edible Radford will benefit local groups by reaching out to refugees at Arimathea House & to homeless / vulnerable users of SFICE foundation, both of which are located on the same site. Strong links already exist to both groups.
Steps to get it done
- Install the container to provide shelter
- Build the raised beds & paths
- Plant the raised beds & create educational signage
- Edible Radford opening day !
