Well it started as an off-the-cuff remark to a colleague, but thanks to the power of twitter and blogging, the idea of utilising the undeveloped spaces of Birmingham’s Eastside for a community food production has gathered some momentum! The very impossibility of the idea is motivation enough to make it happen. There are of course a few obvious barriers to an Eastside City Farm:
* The land is owned by various people and already earmarked for development.
* The site is ‘brownfield’, probably not very fertile and quite possibly contaminated by years of industry.
* Site security would be non-existant and it might be an all too tempting venture for the mindless vandals in society.
However, it would still be good to put this as yet unused land to constructive use. It surely cannot make business sense to build anything for a while, so why not ride out the economic storm with a community food producing venture? That’s a lot more use than patches of grassy wasteland.
Considering all the healthy eating campaigns and the soaring cost of food, the prospect of engaging the people of Birmingham with a grow-your-own fresh produce scheme has got to have some merit. Having it slap bang in the middle of the city centre is a bit mad – but what greater place to attract attention?!
I’m imagining that such a venture could take the form of some or more of these:
* A co-operative community project that shares the harvest spoils.
* A charitable venture where produce is distributed to those in need.
* A social enterprise where produce is marketed and sold to the public to fund operations.
* An education centre to encourage and enable the public to produce their own cheap fresh food.
For sure, there are a lot of big scary unanswered questions – mostly money ones, even if someone did lend their grassy Eastside patch to the cause. But, anything can happen if you let it……. if not in Eastside, there’s got to be another site in Birmingham for some urban agriculture?!
As with all good ideas, someone’s thought of it before! Middlesbrough has an urban farming scheme on the go (thanks to Dave Harte for the link) and there’s also a national Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, with some projects active in Birmingham.
Anyone up for a Birmingham urban farm/grow your own project?!
I’m definitely interested – both in the planning and learning how to do the actual digging/planting stuff.
Agree with all of the challenges you outline and your ideas for the venture. I’m tempted to look at a space outside of Digbeth/Jewellery Quarter/City Centre etc. precisely because of the land contamination issues you mention but still close to the city centre (e.g. Highgate/Ladywood – they’re also priority areas for various community funding). I should declare an interest here in that there’s a small plot of land opposite where I’m about to buy a house in Moseley that I’d like to do some planting on. It’s in private ownership and I’m waiting to hear back on who actually owns it. But enough about me…
I think talking about a ‘farm’ means animals. It would be fantastic to run a community smallholding but that’s clearly A LOT of work to start off with. I think a community ‘grow your own’ garden is more do-able initially both financially and logistically.
So let’s have that Town Hall meeting you suggested on Twitter before winter kicks in properly. On a schoolnight? In a hostelry in Digbeth of your choice?
Land contamination = raised beds! Although sure, little pockets of activity around the city would be good – and ideally, every space available in everyone’s garden/window box!
Agreed on the term ‘farm’ conjuring up images of animals – although ‘garden’ makes me think of flowers. Will need to stick our marketing caps on to think of a generally appealing name. Given the industrial surroundings of Eastside, I had thought of ‘The Food Factory’!
Can you recommend a hostelry in Digbeth? I’ve been to the Spotted Dog, once….and that’s about it. Sometime next week?
Ah raised beds of course – Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s favourite!
Point taken on ‘garden’ and flowers. Food Factory is a definite possibility. Capturing ‘urban’ thing is important but at the same time saying something about smaller/less industrial in the approach to it appeals to me. We could of course capitalise on the rhubarb connection somewhere in a name for instant promotion via rhubarb radio etc. Hmm lots to think about.
Anyway, re. meeting – put it to the vote on the email list! After 6 Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday next week are all fine for me.
Back to the day job
but cheers for giving a space for discussion.
How’s about calling it Feastside?
I’m in – end of my road has largeish space where once a big moseley house stood.
Lovely ideas btw I know some folks who’ve had funding for allotment projects. As well as an agricultural therapist. Lots of good practice emerging in research around theraputic benefits, social and health benefits. I also love the idea of using disused urban spaces see New York community gardens:
http://www.tpl.org/tier3_cdl.cfm?content_item_id=18995&folder_id=2928
How does next wed 22nd @ 7pm sound for the first meeting of the “urban veg patch discussion folks”? spotted dog – or other?!
I’m aware that night time meetings at relatively short notice aren’t much use to those with little peeps….happy to arrange other times too.
Thanks to Katie we have an ‘official’ wiki: http://feastside.wetpaint.com/