We are having lovely harvests thanks to the warm wet weather we have been receiving. The broad beans, kale, garlic, beetroot, spuds and salads have all been cut, pinched off or pulled from the ground much to our satisfaction.  All this lovely produce can then be shared between out helpers and the local community around us, which is what it's all about!

Work days:  Sundays 1-4pm  Thursdays 6.30-8.30

It seems there are lots of edible and community gardening projects springing up around Kinsale what with the school gardens facilitated through the education for sustainability programme and the new allotments which are thriving. The more the merrier I say!!!  Because of all the hard work that is going into these community growing projects Transition Town Kinsale has decided to reward them. Following suit from the highly successful Bandon community garden awards TTK will also be giving awards for the best community garden scheme in Kinsale. Look out in September for our launch of the awards and to find out how your community or group can get involved.

  The edible gardens network is really starting to find its feet as a useful resource for the food growers of kinsale. We meet fortnightly socially at Actons Hotel bar, to share our gardening experience and try to solve any gardening problems we may be having within the group. There is also an open discussion on a particular topics such as composting, so we all get to widen our knowledge base which hopefully will then rub off in the garden. We also have been meeting for garden visits, such as to Gort Na nain, an organic farm nr. Nohoval and members' gardens. If you are interested to join the group's emailing list to find out when our next meetings are email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

...spring is in full step! We have been very busy in the garden in the past couple of months and we have had some wonderful sunny Sundays to enjoy the space and share it with others. Since the beginning of March we have been sowing a number of salads and vegetables both in pots to grow on in our cold frame or straight into the ground. The salad bed is looking quite full with Leaf Beet, Spinach, Rocket, Beetroot, Radish, Oriental leaves and lettuces all planted out.  They are really coming on and in a few weeks time we should be able to start harvesting some! Other veg has been sown in situ such as Peas, Broad Beans and Parsnips (which we sowed with Radishes to get a quick crop before the Parsnips get going). Potatoes have also been planted in tyres and their green tops are growing at a fantastic rate.

Maintenance work has also continued; timber edging beds, improving levels to make flat work areas and continuing the work on extending the shed to make a covered seating area, which is nearing completion. All in all everyone has been working very hard and the garden is certainly demonstrating what can be done when people come together for just three hours a week!

We have been really lucky to have so many great helpers and plenty of kids (inspired by their veg growing classes at school! They have been loving sowing and looking after the baby plants as well as keeping everything topped up with water and well weeded. There has been something for the adults too with the running a free 6 week course in organic growing. So far, classes on ‘soil', ‘Seed sowing' and ‘composting' have taken place and participants have been gaining lots of tips to take into their own vegetable gardens. If you would like some help to get going growing or just want a fun afternoon out please do come down to the garden workdays Sundays 1-4pm.

 

 As a result of the coming together of minds at TTK's open space event on 7th March a new initiative has been created to bring the community together to share their growing experiences. It is hoped that through The Edible Garden Network local ameteur veg growers of all levels of experience will be able to share their skills, resources and work load. The network hopes to hold regular garden 'meets' in members gardens where jobs can be tackled in the spirit if community and cooperation.

What better way to spend an afternoon than to be gaining excercise, friendship and practical skills. Through the sharing of garden activities we can learn a lot more about varying growing techniques and hopefully go away with some helpful tips about how we can make our own garden more productive. Better still, members of the network will be able to call their own 'meet' and so spread their work load between friends.

In the light of Peak oil, climate change and the current economic situation more and more people are growing their own food. TTK is active in promoting local small scale food production and sees such activity as vital to creating a resiliant community. The garden network will help further this as well as strengthening community ties and building friendships.

The network is looking for members, message Aimi Pinder on this site or attend the 'grow your own' event on 21st march to get your name on the list!