365 reasons to grow, buy and eat local food

This project was (2015) a collaboration between Communigrow and Sustainable Malling to co-create a book with the same title.

Notes from our first workshop[edit | edit source]

Our first workshop took place on April 11, 2015.

365 Reasons[edit | edit source]

Please see separate articles:

• 365 reasons, Grow local food
• 365 reasons, Eat local food
• 365 reasons, Finding local food
• 365 reasons, More about local food
• 365 reasons, the list

What might the book include?[edit | edit source]

sections can include more than one contributor

• tips on propagating
• how to start off, setting up a local food growing group
• cultivating
• growing-the basics
• recipes, which ties it all together
• how to grow and how to use, side by side
• why it'd be good for you
• what to do with unusual crops
• what to do with sudden abundance
• promoting the positive aspects, of growing, finding and eating local food
• how it'll make you feel better
• tips to provoke, think for yourself, explore, pose some questions
• pictures or photos
• drawings or artwork
• quotes or soundbites to break up the text
• a year in the life of Communigrow, highlights of the year
• stories, anecdotes
• whatever might interest, inspire or be useful to other community food groups
• facts and figures, as long as presented in a fun way, eg Laurence talks about how many miles of potatoes
• what you can do, information both for other local groups and for individuals
• overcoming pitfalls
• historical or heritage context eg what local foods were traditional in Kent?
• a brief history of Communigrow
• local food and allergies
• Local food as part of a low carbon diet
• other food projects in Malling, Kent, South East England, rest of the UK - Phil
• a flavour of community food groups in other parts of the world (100 mile diet) - Phil
• Local food and cities - Phil
• Local food and connected communties - Phil
• local food in the context of sustainable communities - Phil
• local food and local walks - Phil (West Malling area)
• more reasons, the scarier stuff! (to be right at the end of the book, if we include this) - Phil
• where to find out more - Phil
• feedback from readers, leading to a 2nd edition

How could we create content for the book?[edit | edit source]

• request ideas and comments from the wider group of Communigrow supporters, eg on a specific topic, every once in a while
• partner organizations or groups maybe interested in helping with the design of the book
• write ups of shared meal and other Communigrow events eg the field kitchen last October
• use of local hall for bring and share food events
• chat to family and friends about local food
• review other books about local food or community food projects
• write up experiences of volunteering with the project
• taking or finding suitable photos
• sketches or artwork
• keeping a small notebook to jot down ideas as they arise
• practice writing short anecdote or story about local food

Resources and references[edit | edit source]

Please see separate article: 365 reasons, Resources and references

More about the project[edit | edit source]

The book will be drafted on the Sustainable community action wiki (on Appropedia) and will be published under a Creative Commons license.

Editorial group[edit | edit source]

(as at June 2015)

Helen: Why I enjoy eating fresh food

Richenda: Using local produce and seasonality

Mario: Food and education, Mario's website: Start with Food

Phil: Co-ordinating editor

Contributions of suitable material from other members and supporters of Communigrow or Sustainable Malling most welcome!

Many thanks to Danielle and Brett for their contributions at our first workshop.

What we'd like help with[edit | edit source]

from other members of Communigrow

• a brief history of Communigrow
• photos, drawings, artwork which we can reuse under a Creative Commons license
• stories, anecdotes eg experiences of volunteering with the project

3rd Editorial group meeting[edit | edit source]

Agenda[edit | edit source]

1. Mario is developing 30 pages on 'The language of food'
2. developing the book outline
3. student/customer feedback
4. progress review
5. promoting the project more widely?
6. date and venue for next meeting

2nd Editorial group meeting[edit | edit source]

Laurence, Danielle and Brett were unable to join us. Welcome to Mario! Mario has written extensively about food and confirmed that he could contribute material under a creative commons license. Confirmed that the group and the publication will concentrate on the postive aspects of local food. As the focus of Communigrow is increasingly on education it would be good if Mario could contribute something on this subject after more active involvement with Communigrow.

In order that we can use a fair amount of illustration, once we've developed the text we can aim to produce up to 3 versions of the book:

1. mostly plain text but with some single tone illustrations
2. ebook with colour illustrations
3. possibly also a higher cost printed version with colour illustration and design work

Contributions from Five Acre Students: 3 students have already written a presentation. Richenda to find out if we can use this material, and material from future visits. Richenda also kindly offered to develop a feedback sheet for Communigrow customers.

Agenda[edit | edit source]

1. If Laurence can join us we might do a group interview
2. Towards an outline for the book - see Category:365reasons
3. design contribution sheets for a) Five Acre Students b) Communigrow customers
4. If Communigrow successfully 'seeds' a local low carbon group: "Bradbourne LOWcarbon Community", it'd be useful to develop a section in the book something like: "Local food as part of a low carbon diet"
5. progress review
6. date and venue for next meeting

Events[edit | edit source]

• July 8, 2015 - 3rd Editorial group meeting, West Malling (contact Phil for details)
• May 13, 2015 - 2nd Editorial group meeting, West Malling (contact Phil for details)
• April 11, 2015 - 365 Reasons to grow, buy and eat local food, fun ways to co-create a book. Communigrow workshop (in Ditton) in collaboration with Sustainable Malling.

See also[edit | edit source]

• Malling
• Food, sustainable community action
• Food UK
• Food London
• Local food
• Portal:Food and agriculture
• Community Supported Agriculture
• Food miles
• Category:Food choices

External links[edit | edit source]

• Wikipedia: Local food, Low Carbon diet, High carbon and low carbon food choices, Community Supported Agriculture, Food miles
• Communigrow - Kent Community Supported Agriculture, blog, latest news, etc.
• Communigrow on Streetlife (sign in maybe required)
• Sustainable Malling on Streetlife (sign in maybe required)