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Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15986

Posted: Fri Nov 14, 14 9:01 am Post subject:
Good luck to you. Keeping up with the practical side is the important thing I think. I was involved with one group, which has managed to do some good things, but really thought they could make a political difference when I knew all along they were a bit pie in the sky.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 14 7:36 am Post subject: Re: Come and Join Us!

OtleyLad wrote:

I mentioned on here I was starting an 'Eco-Group' in Otley. Well it's now got a proper name 'Practically Green'. I'm in the process of putting together a website for it too. But first we will be having a stall at the Otley Victorian Fayre. It takes place this year on Sunday 7th December 2014 noon-6pm. It has grown into quite a big event with many stalls and activties around the town with lots of food (loads of Mulled Wine, roast Chestnuts, etc) and stuff. If the weather is good (fingers crossed) its a great way to spend an afternoon.

Join us (only �10 per year) and you get reductions on LEDs, access to cheap seeds and other stuff. We'll have some seeds for sale, salad trays and grow your own kits too - what more could anybody want?

So come along and support us (we are sharing a stall with the Otley & Yeadon Green party in the main street).

Bump

It's today!

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15986

Posted: Sun Dec 07, 14 8:09 am Post subject:
Good luck with it.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 15 5:41 am Post subject:

There's a nature reserve in Otley at Gallows Hill (yes it really was used for hanging people!) that has been run by a group (Friends of Gallows Hill) that has all but ceased to function. Here's a leaflet they produced a few years back: https://www.otley.co.uk/gallows/gallowshill.pdf

A 2.5 acre part of the reserve has never been touched - right now its a sea of nettles. I've been talking to the Steering Committee that oversees the project and they have accepted my proposal for Practically Green to take over the site and run it as a Community Garden!
It's barely sunk in just how big this could be! There are also a number of funding opportunities which we could tap into to really make it work.

The plan is to establish a series of crop 'circles' with 'edible hedge' boundaries made up of mix of native species. Each circle will be approx 25m diameter and devoted to a particular crop (fruit, perrenials, bee-friendly, etc).
Its got great potential and hopefully will develop into a well-used resource for the town.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 15 3:37 pm Post subject:
Fantastic! I'd be in if I lived near I have a varied seed stash when you're looking for donations of interesting things. I've also got the forest garden books and have dabbled in no dig / permaculture / plant guilds / hugelkultur if you ever want a sounding board for ideas

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 15 5:51 pm Post subject:
In the unlikely event that you're short of raspberries, currants, rhubarb and the like, I have some to spare...

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 15 7:09 pm Post subject:
2.5 acres would swallow a lot of those.

Behemoth

Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 15 8:26 pm Post subject:
Wow!

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 15 9:34 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

2.5 acres would swallow a lot of those.

They spread well.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 15 10:29 am Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

In the unlikely event that you're short of raspberries, currants, rhubarb and the like, I have some to spare...

When we officially get on the site they would be very welcome. Do you know the name of the varieties (or could we find out)? We hope to label things/propagate and maybe even sell them later.
You're always welcome to visit of course

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 15 11:15 am Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

Fantastic!
I'd be in if I lived near

I have a varied seed stash when you're looking for donations of interesting things. I've also got the forest garden books and have dabbled in no dig / permaculture / plant guilds / hugelkultur if you ever want a sounding board for ideas

Thanks for that offer - maybe when its up and running you could pay us a visit?

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Fri Jun 19, 15 12:52 pm Post subject:

OtleyLad wrote:

Do you know the name of the varieties...

Is the pope a Jehovah's Witness? Do bears use a flushing toilet?
There are currants of both red and black varieties and raspberries, of the red variety... actually I can probably get some yellow ones as well.
The rhubarb is I think Rheum rhabarbarum X triffid.

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 10, 15 1:08 pm Post subject:
Had a meeting with the leader of the Town Council today on the site of the proposed Community Garden. He's very much in favour! There's a Town Council committee meeting this monday and they've suggested I go along. It could be the start of the process of negotiating a suitable lease. Yeehaa I'm trying not to get too excited but just to be safe I'm going to drink a lot of beer tonight

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 15 5:13 am Post subject:

The project was unanimously given the go ahead at the Town Council meeting last night!
Hard to believe it but we now have a 2.5 acre site to put our plans into practice.
Something I've wanted to do for years is finally going to happen.

One Happy Rob

To get the ball rolling we are going to run a 'sponser a tree' campaign. By making a donation people can get a plaque bearing their name next to a tree. The tree will be planted in the Orchard section of the site where people can pick them for free for years to come.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 15 5:26 am Post subject:
Good luck with it. A community orchard is a great idea. The schools could get involved and incorporate so much into the syllabus, and the brownies, scouts etc could get involved too. We teach lots of courses on pruning, planting, juicing etc - so you have loads of people who will want to come and learn.

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