Reducing Food Miles through Community Gardening

Project Aim:

To encourage our islands' "self-reliance" with regards to food production, resulting in the reduction of our combined Carbon Footprint by up to 25 tonnes per year.

'Carbon Footprint' refers to the amount of 'greenhouse gases' we produce through burning fossil fuels for electricity, fueling our cars, heating our homes, etc. By purchasing less fruit and vegetables from supermarkets (growing them ourselves instead), we are reducing fuel used through transportation, and therefore, our Carbon Footprint too. The Carbon Footprint is usually measured in tonnes, and given as the equivalent of 'Carbon Dioxide' - a greenhouse gas which is causing 'Climate Change'.

What has happened so far:

• April 2009: Community Powerdown Officer, Michelle Koster is appointed by the Development Trust, on a 2-year contract. 'Community Gardening' is identified as one of her main projects.
• May 2009: Powerdown Officer launches a 'Seedling Exchange'.
• July-August 2009: Door-to-door survey of all 15 households in our community with Social Landlords (incidentally, they all situated near the Ferry Terminal on Rousay) conducted, to determine the level of interest in growing their own vegetables. Two-thirds of households surveyed indicated that they would like the opportunity to grow their own produce in an allotment.
• August 2009: Meeting held between the Powerdown Officer and those people from households with Social Landlords, further supported the "sufficient level of interest" in developing allotment sites for these households.
• January 2010: Bid for funding submitted to the Climate Challenge Fund (a grant scheme for community groups in Scotland), on 11 January 2010.
• April 2010: The Trust received a funding allocation of £69,185 from the Climate Challenge Fund for this project.
• May 2010: Community Gardener/Project Co-Ordinator (Matthew Wigley) is appointed, on a contract which will initially run until 31 March 2011.
• May 2010: Half-Acre piece of land purchased, to use for the allotments. The site is adjacent to Johnstons Road, near the Ferry Terminal.
• June 2010: Application for planning permission to create 8 allotment sites and 1 polytunnel on the purchased land is received by Orkney Islands Council, on 30 June 2010.
• October 2010: New two-wheeled tractor is purchased for this project. The new equipment includes its own trailer, and comes with various attachments for: grass-cutting; ploughing; potato-harvesting; ridging; and rotavating.
• October 2010: Planning permission for the allotment site is granted on 19 October 2010.
• February 2011: Application for funding of community gardens in each of Egilsay and Wyre, and a Community Home Growing Education Programme submitted to the Climate Challenge Fund. The total amount of funding applied for was £71,719. The Trust hoped to save 5.28 tonnes of Carbon, should funds for this part of the project have been allocated.
  • Land would have been purchased on each of Egilsay and Wyre. Each Community Garden would have consisted of a Polytunnel (costing £6,974) and Shed (£3,500). There would have been various tools purchased, while a water supply would have been installed via a bore hole and pump. The total cost for each garden would be £27,549 (bringing the total cost to £55,098).
  • The current Community Gardener, Matthew Wigley, whose duties for the Community Garden and Allotments in Rousay were scheduled to finish on 31 March 2011, would have been responsible for the construction of both the Egilsay and Wyre gardens.
  • A Home Growing Education Programme would have been developed, to be delivered over the summer months at the Community Garden on Rousay. Topics proposed, included:
    • How to improve soil structure, using carbon-neutral methods.
    • How to improve productivity, using methods that reduce the amount of fertilisers and pesticides used.
    • Wormeries and Composting
    • How to enchance food production, through the use of recyled items and other carbon-efficient technologies.
    • How to make better use of protective structures in order to enchance the growing season.
  • The funding would have also allowed for an After-School Gardening Club for local children, 1 day per week, from March - November inclusive.
• March 2011: Attempts to receive funding for the construction of community gardens in Egilsay and Wyre are announced as unsuccessful.
• 26 March 2011: Allotments are officially opened, although work is still ongoing before they are available for use.
• April 2011: The Development Trust offers 16 allotment sites and 11 polytunnel pitches to residents of Pier Houses and Johnstons Road.
• March 2012: A community day is organised, asking for volunteers to help complete the community garden, to great success.
• March 2012: A water butt is fitted at the allotment site, behind the main allotment shed.
• March 2012: The Development Trust distributes free Sutton seeds (cabbage, carrots, lettuce, radish) to members of the community.

What happens next:

• As of April 2012, the Community Garden is nearing completion, following a big effort by local volunteers to finally see the garden completed.
• Guttering will be erected around the main allotment shed, so as to collect rainwater.
• It is hoped that the allotments can be connected to the mains water, providing stand pipes for each plot and one inside the polytunnel.
• Any sites and/or pitches not rented out to residents of Pier Houses and Jonhstons Road by end of April 2011, were made available for other members of the community to rent (as of April 2012, the price is £20 a year per double plot, or £10 a year for one polytunnel plot). To apply, contact the Rousay Allotments Association at the Trust's Office. If members of the community do not want a site or polytunnel pitch, but would still like to use the equipment (including: strimmer, rotovator, grass cutter, plough, potato furrower, potato lifter), then you can do so, by joining the Rousay Allotments Association at a cost of £5 per annum (as at April 2012). The cost of hiring the strimmer or rotovator is then £10 for 24 hours.

What should happen (Community Garden, Rousay):

• A Community Garden, at an overall estimated cost of £42,810, will be developed at a site within the grounds at Rousay Community School.
• The above site will have drainage pipes installed, to enable safe access all year-round.
• The garden will be accessible by everyone in our community, and will consist of a: polytunnel, fruit cage (to protect soft fruits from birds), heated seed bed, and shed (for storing tools and equipment), as well as four benches. The garden itself will include raised borders, while access will be provided via a stone chip path, set upon a Geotextile base (permeable fabric allowing water to pass through). The garden will be surrounded by a wind-break fence, which will also be 'rabbit-proof'.
• The heated seed bed will be used during the earlier, colder parts of the year, to produce seedlings which will then be distributed to members of the community, for FREE.
• Some of the above-mentioned seedlings will be retained for the school children, aiding their learning about growing fruit and vegetables, with their crop used for: school dinners; meals for the Triangle Club; and meals at some community events.
• As they will be growing their own produce, special tools and equipment will be purchased for the school children to use, such as: composting bins; forks; hoes; pruners; rakes; shears; spades; trolleys; watering cans; wheelbarrows; wormeries; etc.
• There will be presentations, "hands-on" demonstrations, and Open Days for the community. These will act as educational tools, as the community learns how to grow their own fruit and vegetables successfully.

What should happen (Allotments):

• An allotment site, costing an estimated total of £25,915, will be developed, to include eight individual allotments.
• The allotment site will consist of: a rechargeable Envirolawnmower/strimmer; composting bins; gardening tools; a polytunnel; a rotavator; two sheds (1 x small shed; 1 x "community shed"); and two wheelbarrows. Whilst all of this equipment will be available for use by the allotment users, the rotavator will also be made available to the rest of the community.
• Photovoltaic (solar) panels will be attached to the roof of the Community Shed, which will recharge the Envirolawnmower.
• The Community Polytunnel will measure 14' by 42'.
• Each allotment site will incorporate rabbit-proof fences and gates. In addition, pipes will be laid, and appropriate connections made, to enable a water supply to each site.
• An Allotment Society will be set up, with an annual fee charged to the users of each allotment site.

Main Contact(s) for this Project:

• Allotments: Hilary Byland (Director of REW Development Trust & Chairperson of the Rousay Allotment Association)
• Community Garden: Zoë Flaws (Director of REW Development Trust)

Links to relevant Around Rousay news articles:
Funding granted for Allotments and Community Garden ; Development Trust advertises new Gardener vacancy

Links to Relevant Documents:
Application for Planning Permission; Location Plan; Polytunnel Specifications; Site Plan;
Correspondance from Agent (Matthew Wigley);
Letter announcing that the application was assessed as 'deficient'; Land Ownership Certificate;
Neighbour Notification List; Consultation Response from SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency);
Decision Notice; Planning Handling Report





Click here to go back to the list of Development Trust projects.