ONGOING PRACTICAL SERIES
As a continuation of MRFFC and the spirit of practical knowledge exchange, we are busy organising an Autumn and Spring series of visits to meet some of our speakers at field level. This will be complemented by a series of online sessions to continue the discussion of resilient food system across the Marches region (see below).
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Meet up at Tom the Appleman's - Monday 13th November 10am - 1pm.
We invite you to join us on the ground to talk more about agroforestry, permaculture, forest gardens and orchards. Come and see Tom's Fruit Tree Nursery just before the busy tree lifting season begins. There will also be a chance to talk with Wade Muggleton from Marcher Apple Network. This will an opportunity to learn more, engage in a practical activity and be part of emerging plans for the Marches as a centre for trees within the farmed landscape. Followed by a bring and share lunch for those able to stay.
Please register for this free event through Eventbrite.
Donations are most welcome to support the continuing work of the SGFP.
This is the first event being put on through the emerging Marches Real Food & Farming Network (MRFFN) and is being delivered in partnership through the Shropshire Good Food Partnership and the Herefordshire Food Partnership.
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During the Marches Real Food & Farming Conference (MRFFC) we had a session on Collective small-scale mixed farming and heard about the experiences at Canon Frome Court, and this day will kick off with a farm visit to find out more. There will be an opportunity to see what is going on and meet people involved.
We will be hearing more about Herefordshire Food Alliance events to promote local sourcing, their success and challenges and enjoy a lunch sourced from Herefordshire farm produce will be provided by HFA. There will also be tea and cake.
In the afternoon we will be taking forward our thinking on bioregional food and farming and looking at the wider context of localized economies and cultures. This will involve mapping and action planning, building from what has emerged from the MRFFC People's Assembly.
Come and share your ideas.
Outline of day
Arrival from 9am for a 9.30 start
• 9:30 Farm tour and discussion on collective small-scale growing
• 12- 1 Local sourcing experience sharing - Herefordshire Food Alliance
• 1-2 Lunch - networking incl with community members
• 2pm Marches bioregion - mapping and planning workshop
• 4pm Close
Tickets: 20 full day, plus an extra 10 for afternoon only.
Please register for this free event through Eventbrite.
ONGOING WEBINAR SERIES
Our webinar series will allow us to continue to discussion of resilient food system across the Marches region - all are welcome to join, but booking is essential.
Dr. Chris Yap will be running a special session online where we'll be able to go into much more detail on how to collectively move forward in shaping a local food & farming future that is regenerative and resilient. This session will also give our listeners an opportunity to share their ideas and input.
Dr. Yap is a research Fellow at the Centre for Food Policy, City, University of London working on the intersections between land, food, and governance.
As part of the FixOurFood research programme, he works with local food partnerships to develop multi-sector local and regional food policy.
Please register for this free event through Eventbrite so that we can share the Zoom link in advance of the webinar.
Donations are most welcome to support the continuing work of the SGFP.
PAST EVENTS
Dr. Chris Yap ran a special session online on how to collectively move forward in shaping a local food & farming future that is regenerative and resilient.
Dr. Yap is a research Fellow at the Centre for Food Policy, City, University of London working on the intersections between land, food, and governance.
As part of the FixOurFood research programme, he works with local food partnerships to develop multi-sector local and regional food policy.
The Collaboration Hub
The report from the Collaboration Hub and the closing 'People's Assembly' will be released soon. Watch this space.
The Collaboration Hub was a facilitated space focused on co-creating a vision for our local food future and how we can work together
to achieve it.
Practical Sessions from MRFFC 2023
Soil Testing
Hosted by Niels Corfield
Soil & Pasture Health Monitoring - Practical Workshop
Learn how to read your soils and pasture using in-field DIY methods.
Discussion on implications and how to fix your soil
Follows-on from Weatherproof Farm session
Bring wellies, and also a spade (if you have one)
Using a Brix Refractometer
Hosted by Matthew Adams
BRIX Testing measures carbohydrates to assess how well the plant was able to photosynthesise as an indicator of nutrient density. Anybody can do this with simple, basic equipment. Come and find out how.
Open Food Network Masterclass
Hosted by Nick Weir
The Open Food Network Platform can support you in building a direct sales model. Learn more in this guided masterclass.
If you would like to set up your enterprise, please bring a laptop with you to the conference and we will talk you through the very simple set up process. You will go away ready to start taking orders.
Johnson Su Reactor
Hosted by Kate Gatacre
Kate Gatacre and her team will demonstrate the Johnson-Su bioreactor, which is a static method that has shown the best results for fungi dominated compost.
Seed Cleaning
Hosted by Catherine Howell
Catherine Howell of the Gaia Foundation's Norther Seed Savers group will demonstrate how to use a seed aspirator to 'clean' and separate seeds from their plant material. The plans for this machine are open-source and available through the Vital Seeds website (https://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedcleaner.html) and is a perfect size for home or community-scale seed saving operations.
Dung Beetle Safari
Hosted by Clare Whittle
Join Claire, a veterinary surgeon, on a tour of dung pats hunting for dung beetles. Dung beetles are vitally important insects improving the quality and structure of soil, cleaning pastures, reduce parasite burdens in livestock and providing a variety of other crucial services. Changes to agricultural practices have had negative impacts on them with wormer use causing a reduction in numbers. Come and explore the world of the dung beetle.
Soil Blocking
Hosted by Casper & Fleur MacIndoe
Find out how to make soil blocks for plastic-free seedling production from Casper and Fleur at the Street Allotment Project.
Soil blocking is a seed starting technique that uses a soil block maker to create individual blocks of soil. These blocks are then placed in a tray or flat, and the seedlings are planted in the blocks. Soil blocking has several advantages over traditional seed starting methods, such as using pots or cell trays.
Garden Tour
Hosted by Kate Gatacre
Start the day with Kate Gatacre, Head Grower at Linley Farm Market Garden, having a look at the amazing glasshouse and beds