Nourish is working with Elmwood College, Lantra and Skills Development Scotland to develop a certificated course for those wanting to start (or brush up their skills on) growing and marketing food for local markets. To make sure that the course is best tailored to student's needs, we need your help: we've compiled a questionnaire and would be very grateful if you could fill it in. It's here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/newfarmersprogram

If you want to know more about the course, have a look at the webpage here: http://www.nourishscotland.org.uk/page/new-farmer-programme, or visit the Facebook site here: http://www.facebook.com/newfarmerprogramme.

If you'd be interested in taking the course, in hosting trainees (apprentices) on your farm, or in becoming a…

We are pleased that we have many great speakers for the Scottish Orchards Gathering 

John Hancox, Chair Scottish Orchards

Sarah Boyak MSP, and Alison Johnston MSP;

Ian Edwards,  Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh,

Keith Geddes, Chair, Central Scotland Green Network,

Dr Charles Winstanley, NHS Lothians and their growing projects,

Jim Paterson, Entire Kintyre Orchard Project. 

There will also be plenty of reports from local groups across Scotland 

Guest speakers from various groups and projects.….

Billy Miller, Bute Produce/ Coffee Conscience,  Angela Rowe, Love Milton, Glasgow, Rowena Statt, Urban Design and historic orchards, Don MacKeen, Fruitful Schools, City of Glasgow College

Allen Armstrong, Clear Buckhaven, Fife, Simon Foad, Craigies Farm, Edinburgh, Kate Rycroft, Amisfield Walled Garden, Haddington, Savio D’Souza, Go Greener Orchard, East Renfrewshire,  Kelly McIntyre, Fintry Development Trust.  Emily…

Saturday 2^nd June is Portobello Market day!

It’s the Royal Jubilee weekend this time round, so come along to the market for the first class traders and some great entertainment for the holiday weekend.

This month:

Annie D will be there with her renowned face painting skills, plus Phil is back with his Woodland Crafts workshops, Fin Loening & friends will provide some great music and this month a special outdoor Zumba class with a difference! Come along and find out.

And of course, all our usual traders and a few more will be there for your shopping needs, from award winning oils, fresh fish, locally produced fresh meats, continental deli products, great fresh bread, artisan…

Hi Folk - the Scottish Orchard gathering is coming together well - and lots of good speakers / workshops from across a Fruitful Scotland ... But we'd like to hear from more folk, planting, growing, using produce and so on. Please let me know if you'd like to bring material from your projects for the marketplace... 

hope to see you there - see eventbrite to book 

Eventbrite booking http://scottishorchards.eventbrite.co.uk/

Cheers John

www.scottishfruittrees.com

Best 

john 

'The Scottish Wild Harvests Association has co-operated with Reforesting Scotland to produce a guide, A Handbook of Scotland's Wild Harvests (£12.99). Due to be published in July, this book will get you started in finding plants from fields, woods, and seashores. As well as food plants, it covers some basic medicinal herbs, craft materials, and garden supplies that can be sustainably foraged, and has a detailed chapter on firewood and how to run a wood stove. Recipes with a distinct Scottish flavour, from nettle haggis to blaeberry muffins, abound and the emphasis throughout is on safe and responsible harvesting. The most nutritious species in Scotland are usually common, so the wild represents a real resource, particularly during the late spring, or 'hungry gap' when local vegetables are scarce.

Take a look at   www.saraband.net 

CFHS is looking for applications for funding from community food intiatives that want to increase access to locally grown fruit and vegetables in their communities. Groups can apply for up to £1000 to develop ideas to make this happen. 

The funding programme runs until the end of March 2013, but will close once all the funding has been allocated.

For details of how to apply, please read the further information (PDF 29 kb) or contact Anne Gibson 

http://www.communityfoodandhealth.org.uk/2012/microfunding-increasing-access-to-local-food/

Scottish Gov seem to be waking up to the concept, with this press release:

The increasing appetite for ‘grow your own’ was served up a cash boost today by Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson. Mr Stevenson announced a £600,000 package of support to encourage the development of more community growing and support the growth of Scotland’s grow your own sector. 

For more info go to: 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/05/fundingboost17052012

and

http://www.growyourownscotland.info/

Hi Nourish - we are currently looking for an experienced Project Coordinator to join our team  for 12 months whilst our Development Director is on Maternity Leave.

Fife Diet Project Coordinator, Part Time, Maternity Cover

Fife Diet is a members-led project which aims to

• Transform our food culture
• Build local economic resilience
• Create low carbon & sustainable food models

Our new Local Food Solutions project will reduce the carbon footprint of participants through community engagement around food throughout Fife. We are looking for an enthusiastic and suitably experienced project coordinator with project management experience.

Full details are here:…

james chapman

Here's the courses I'm running over the next 12 months. 



* Short design course - Fife

Venue - Monimail Tower

Dates - Thursday 2 to Tuesday 7 August 2012 (over a bank holiday weekend)

Price - Sliding scale from £200 to £360 + optional camping at £5/night. Subsidised places available on request.



* Introduction weekend

Venue - The Big Shed, Tom Breck, Loch Tay, Perthshire.…

The Otesha Project's team of volunteers is taking shape for the Tastetastic summer cycle tour, which will be exploring and spreading the word about food sustainability in southern Scotland. We're now around 20-strong!

The team will be trained to deliver workshops on food sustainability, which they'll deliver at schools and community events en route. They'll also be visiting and volunteering at sustainable food projects - and promoting those projects as they go, by blogging, talking to the media and telling the children and teachers they meet.  And they'll be living low-impact together in the saddle, 'cycling the talk', if you like (sorry).

And it's going to be a learning experience for the team, too, as they explore and debate everything from trade and transport, to…