Kildorrery one of 10 selected for Seed Guardian Programme
Kildorrery Community Garden is one of only three projects in Munster to have been awarded a place on the Community Seed Guardian Programme.
In total, ten community garden groups were selected nationwide. The Irish Seed Savers Association will now provide these community gardens with training and mentoring in seed growing and seed saving, with experienced facilitators.
Speaking to The Avondhu this week, a delighted secretary of the Kildorrery Community Garden group, Joanne Hunter, spoke of their plans for the garden.
“It’s brilliant that we’ve been chosen. A webinar will start this Friday which will bring a bit of confidence to what we’ll be doing in the garden. It will be decided on Friday as to what seeds to save this year and we will devote part of the garden to this, purposely leaving the plants go to seed.”
Consisting of 14 plots, the facility in Kildorrery is a valuable outlet for anyone in the community who has an interest in growing, with approximately 25 people regularly tending the plots.
With room for a further 2 people at present, locals with little or no experience are encouraged to come on board, as members of the group willingly share knowledge.
“Consisting of a very large polytunnel, raised beds, seating and some machinery, the Kildorrery garden is ideal for anyone who may be experiencing isolation or who may wish to learn about growing. The webinar as part of the Community Seed Guardian Programme will now further our knowledge and allow us to do things in a more formalised and efficient manner,” she said.
The hilltop group, who became members of the Seed Savers Association in 2020, saw the true value of their facility last year when lockdown came into force, as they were self sufficient with a surplus of seeds, which they could then send to those in need locally who wished to plant. Many people struggled to plant last year, unable to get to garden centres due to the Covid enforced lockdowns.
The Kildorrery association wish to thank the workers on the local Community Employment Scheme, who do much of the heavy lifting required around the garden, as well as keeping the grass cut.
FROM SEED TO PLATE
Training community growing groups to grow and save their own food seed, will increase access to seed availability and create greater community engagement with the full food supply, from seed to plate.
The mentoring will also enable them to learn the steps to enhance seed supply for community gardeners around the island of Ireland, without having to rely on food seed imports to grow their own food.
In operation since 1991 the Irish Seed Savers Association CLG originated from an ambitious effort to create a central store of food crop seeds and fruit trees where none had previously existed.
Their work to date has been to research and protect rare, heritage and naturalised open pollinated food crop seeds and fruit trees on their 20 acre farm in County Clare. Their main aim for their collections are preservation (find), conservation (keep alive through growing), and utilisation (sharing) for the continuation of these heritage food sources for now and future generations.
The other two Community Gardens Groups selected to participate in the Community Seed Guardian Programme in Munster are the Millenium Community Garden in Tipperary and Bantry Community Garden, Cork
This training and mentoring programme was developed with funding received through Rethink Ireland’s Innovate Together programme and Community Foundations Ireland.