“Eating Our Landscape”: A British Town [hopefully] starts a new “American Revolution”- The GAIA Health Blog

“Eating Our Landscape”: A British Town [hopefully] starts a new “American Revolution”

On 03.09.14 • In Featured Articles • by Doug Wallace

Pam Warhurst (above, right) tells how she and her community decided to start a revolution by growing food in public spaces in Todmorten, England.

They didn’t consult.

They didn’t write reports.

They didn’t ask for permission.

They just did it…

In just a short time, their town, Todmorten, England, became a lush garden, full of food-growing plants.

Says Pam…… "Almost everyone can be involved, and after awhile, almost everyone wants to be involved. That’s the power of people doing something for themselves. Nothing can stop us!"

In England, in the county of West Yorkshire there is a small town whose people decided they were worried about climate change, food security in Africa and their children's future .

It is Todmorden, a town of 14,000 inhabitants, which in 2008 started what has become the "Incredible Edible" movement.

They started growing vegetables and herbs in flower beds, the aims are to make use of  underused areas of the community and public spaces to grow food for all to eat.

The people wants “to get closer to the food we eat, education and community involvement”.

Their growing around town is organized by their community growers’ group, they are all volunteers. Most of their growing around town is done in raised beds.

That means they can use fresh uncontaminated soil and avoid messing surrounding areas.

THEY ARE EVEN GROWING IN THE CEMETERIES!!!!! Geez, even the dead people are participating!!!!

Many of the beds are adopted by groups of people, who do much of the planting and maintenance themselves and may benefit from the produce too.

But what is very important is: gifts from the garden to the public is allowed free access.

Last year in Todmorden were counted 70 green areas turned into urban gardens.

Along the streets of the town there are plenty of fruit trees, that in the right seasons offer cherries and apricots.

They are also bushes with blackberries and strawberries and the point where you can collect legumes, including beans and peas.

The project to make Todmorden the first self-sufficient city of England is expected to reach its peak in 2018.

Today there are nearly 40 independent groups across the UK and more than hundred globally flying the Incredible Edible flag.

For this motive, they have a new website, due for formal launch in April, it aims to bring together all the wondrous people who have taken on the "Incredible Edible" framework across the world, as well as to inspire new members.

For "Yanks" (like me) desirous to become more jealous, more info is at:
IncredibleEdible Todmorden and their Facebook page

Bloody Good Show Pam!……Bloody Good Show!!! 🙂
(not sure if I said that right, but I have been dying to use that word "bloody" at least once in my life)

~stay healthy~

…you might also like

Ron Finley: The "Gangster Gardner": He plants food and gardens in Vacant lots in South Central L.A.
(click here or photo below).

Seattle is creating a massive "Food Forest" with free edible veggies and fruits
(click here or photo below)

check out all my articles in "Sustainable Gardening, Eating, Living…..and all that jazz"

Doug Wallace

3 Responses

Peter McFadden

03.10.14

Great website, I love the piece about Incredible Edible Todmorden!

Doug Wallace

03.10.14

Thanks for the comment, I don’t do this for money (notice my lack of advertisements), comments like yours are my payment!!!!

Tanya Wall

03.18.14

Hi
lovely blog and piccies, but you may have missed that the fact that the official Incredible Edible Network, which is working with our member groups across the globe, has already launched.
Established last year, We have 55 homegrown UK groups and work with 4 official groups in the US but there are loads more interested folk and affliated groups. There are also 500+ global groups.
The Network offers a huge range of resourse and support to enable members and those who want to be to flourish, to help them help each other, and inspire new groups.
So why not take a look at http://www.incredibleediblenetwork.org.uk and our lively Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IncredibleEdibleNetwork
So much going on, you could probably write another feature…..

Leave Your Response

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