Although we try to make these divisions between what people do and nature, I think the two are intertwined and integral. This is a matter for celebration

- Andy Goldsworthy (artist)

URBAN FOOD AND SHEFFIELD CITY COUNCIL
Members of GS, Sheffield Campaign against Climate Change, Jillian Creasy (Green Councillor), Sheffield Wildlife Trust and LEAF had a Meeting with Mary Bagley, Head of Parks and Recreation Department at Sheffield City Council re Urban Food and Climate Change, Urban Food projects and to see if we could assist in helping the allotments division running more efficiently. Grow Sheffield now has a volunteer supporting the understaffed Allotment department and there were a number of other positive outcomes including the department making a commitment to work with us to ensure that urban food growing is part of the city wide Green Space Strategy and Climate Change Strategy - watch this space

FIRST GROWSHEFFIELD GENERAL MEETING
Grow Sheffield had our first general meeting in March and we now have a committee to support and advise on our activities. The many talents of the committee include expertise in organic food growing and permaculture, food policy, alternative exchange systems/open sourcing, wild food, therapeutic horticulture, the arts, accounting, community gardens, I could go on.. so it feels like a good team!

RECENT EVENTS
Since the last update we have had a fantastic chutney making evening to use up the last of the Abundance apples, a reclaim the soil event at Ponderosa, the first meeting of our guerilla gardening group and the third in a string of successful pruning workshops. Pics and details can be found through the events page..

WILD AND WONDERFUL – FOOD FOR FREE
Stephen Watts is running wild food walks, meet noon at Hunters Bar roundabout, Ecclesall Road. Next walks in April, for more info: 0796 2961194 or email maxsalad@googlemail.com. www.myspace/maxsalad

NEW WEBPAGE
Grow Sheffield is delighted to be working with Access Space to set up a webpage for getting people together and active around food growing. This will be for enabling sharing of spaces and resources for example people who have garden space to share (with perhaps ‘rent’ being a share of the produce) can put up a notice or people who want others to come and help on their allotment or community plot or people who want to share their allotment. The idea is as ever to get more people growing, knowledge sharing and more efficient and productive use of growing space across the city.

ABUNDANCE 08
We are starting to think about Abundance 08 in Sheffield. We are particularly keen to hear from organisations and individuals who would like to be part of Abundance harvesting network in different parts of Sheffield ie North, East and West.

Wortley Hall Organic Garden
Darrell Maryon is running two 1 day workshops at Wortley Hall Organic, an organic kitchen garden just outside Sheffield www.organickitchengarden.co.uk. Workshops take place in April and September inlcuding introduction to growing and later in the year seed saving and extending the season see www.soilassociation.org/tasteofthegoodlife for more info or contact Darrell wortleyorganic@blueyonder.co.uk

NEW FARMER’S MARKET IN NETHER EDGE
Nether Edge Farmers Market Holding 4 Sunday markets a year (from 12 noon – 3pm) along Nether Edge Rd on the 9th March, 8th June, 21st September and 7th December. As well as farmers’ stalls and craft stalls, there will be several community tables to which anyone can bring home-made goods / produce to sell. Please go along to support this local trade in food and ideas.. contact Chris Venebles (255 0805) or Thildy Lowe (255 2454 – afternoons/evenings only)

AND NOW you can add your comments and respond to growsheffield postings at http://growsheffield.blogspot.com/ So please check it out and post, comment and chat perhaps about items above. We are trialing this blog to see if people find it useful and easy to use.