Group really produce great results
Green-fingered local residents – and those who want to find out more or start growing their own food – have been encouraged to get involved with new edible plant sessions at the BARI Store in Blairgowrie.
Thanks to a collaboration between Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust’s (BRDT) BARI Food Project and Biodiversity Blair group, the new BARI Growers group meets every Saturday at 2pm in the BARI Building on 55 High Street in the east Perthshire town, with more than 15 people of all ages attending the first session.
Under the guidance of volunteers and local growers Angela Comley and Rob Alfano, participants will be able to plant and take home a new edible plant each week. Example plants are also being grown at the store.
So far those taking part have planted a variety of potatoes, peas, and strawberries and with at least four more sessions to go there are plenty of opportunities for more people to get involved.
Lesley Mcdonald, from BRDT’S BARI Food Project and Biodiversity Blair group, explained more about the initiative, which is part of the Trust’s ‘Home Grown Wellbeing - Feeding and Growing with our Community Project’ supported by National Lottery communityled funding.
She commented: “Food that you have grown yourself tastes so much better, and is better for the environment simply by reducing the amount of food miles involved in its production.
“As part of efforts to support improvements to the environmental sustainability of the town and increase the growing of healthy food locally, reducing food miles and food costs, BRDT is delighted to facilitate these sessions, which are open to anyone and everyone who is interested in finding out more about how to get started growing your own fruit and veg.
“You don’t need a huge garden or lots of space to get started, everything we do will be planted in pots or growbags, and each household taking part will be able to take the food that they have planted home with them every week.
“This is a six-week long initiative initially, but depending on the planting and growing season, and the levels of interest, we may extend that.
“The idea is that we create a growing community through these sessions, and as the weeks go on we will be able to compare progress, share experiences and discuss what has worked and what hasn’t worked.
“Everyone who has been to the first couple of sessions found them enjoyable and useful, which is great to see, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the plants grow in the coming weeks and months.”
For further information on the BARI Growers, email lesley@ discoverblairgowrie.co.uk or follow ‘BARI Food and Refill’ on social media.
Pics: Clare Mcmicking.