East Gate Community Gardening

Welcome to our cyberspace garden fence!

On our Facebook page, friends of East Gate Project learn about our projects as they progress, and find out about opportunities to take part or help.

Here on the blog we will look at food growing and community gardening from different angles and share stories about the project and what we have learned along the way.

How we started and why 

East Gate Project arose out of a conversation about a book. The conversation was about poverty in our local area and the book was 'Restoration Agriculture'  by Mark Shepard.  The book was an eye-opener to me about the relationship of the way we grow food to human beliefs and attitudes.

The first members met through a shared Christian faith.  We have a wonder of the natural world and worship its Creator, believing His wisdom and character are reflected in it.  People of all faiths and none are welcome!

What you will find here

Expect organic pest control methods, (some quite strange), recipes using home grown vegetables, fruit and herbs, (such as the apple mint jellies illustrated), ideas about nutrition, and thoughts about different approaches to gardening and food growing.  There may be an account of new skills such as joinery, and pruning.  Probably there will be stories about the chickens, too.

We have also found out about our local cottage garden history and techniques, raised beds, no-dig and hugelkultur, forest gardening and more.

How we are different

East Gate Project is unusual in that we are not located in one central place, but have a raised bed project, a public edible garden site, and are taking care of a Heritage Trust garden in Heysham, as well as using our own gardens.

Our aim is to grow, give and share food, and support those who do - at the same time building friendship, which is just as important.  Gardening together provides a context to benefit the community.  It keeps us active and outdoors, and we all enjoy it, too.

Though we didn't plan it, links have been formed between individuals and organisations to help move surplus food grown by us and by friends to where it can benefit those in food poverty.  We aim to support those local charities at the front line.
                                                                                                                         

 

Our friends 

We are indebted to the many old and new friends who have given time, cuttings and seedlings, tools and equipment, and even a car and a trailer, to help us.

You are invited to come along with us on our journey, to discover more about gardening and food growing and watch the project develop.

Watch this space!