Incredible Edibles Forres is looking to expand with new members and new grow areas
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A GROUP of gardeners is looking for volunteers to help tend a shared patch that has been growing in the town centre for eight years.
Romany Buck’s cousin, the late Jenny Smith, started the Incredible Edibles Forres vegetable plot outside Castlehill Church on High Street to encourage passers-by to help themselves to free produce and learn about growing their own.
Romany said: “Jenny saw the importance of growing healthy food and wanted share her enthusiasm and knowledge in a practical way. When she heard about the Todmorden Incredible Edible project she realised this was how.”
Incredible Edible’s urban gardening started in 2008 in West Yorkshire. It inspired people to start projects around the town, using derelict sites and wasteland to produce organic fruit and vegetables.
Romany said: “The scheme helps feed families and provides an incentive for folk who may be unemployed, homeless, have a low income etc. Thanks to the women who started this project, Incredible Edible groups are growing healthily in many countries now.”
Jenny built up the local project, dealing with the constitution, bank account and insurance, networking to get activities up-and-running, emailing practical and inspirational information, and taking photographs of the vegetables and volunteers.
“She was on site every Sunday and at other times,” said Romany, “tending plants and improving the soil. She always came prepared to work and engaged with passers-by. She was passionate about all soil-improvers such as compost, manure, seaweed, volcanic dust, chicken pellets and green manure as rich soil is the basis of health in plants, people and plane.”
Incredible Edibles Forres’ four volunteers maintaining Jenny’s vision and have introduced wild flowers along the east side of the church to encourage pollinators. They hope to highlight vertical growing, using fencing to grow edible and colourful plants.
“We’re co-creating with nature,” said Romany. “We want to encourage everyone to work together for the common good.”
Incredible Edible meet every Sunday at the plot at 11.30am.
Romany finished: “We want volunteers to help Forres grow more incredible! Castlehill Church has been sold so our project could be a stepping-stone towards new roots going down elsewhere around the town!”
Call Romany on 07765062618 for more information.
