Permaculture #3 - Localise Your Food Supply

[klause]

I get most of my fruit and veg from our local market at a third of the price they are on sale at the local Tesco.
I couldn't tell you where the veg is from but it is 'muddy' so i guess it hasnt been transported too far. there is one farmer on the market that sells his own produce and has given me valuable information in the past as how to grow and improve my own crops at home.

The local council are trying to run down the market (I wonder why?) by hiking up the rent for stalls causing alot of stall holders not to bother last week; it was a sad sight to see..It is in our own interest to buy from local suppliers so we can continue to buy fresh produce not flown in from the other side of the world.

Better still grow your own - i've planted my own cherry tree a year last autum (got 10-15 cherries last summer, hoping for alot more this year).

[paul standley]

Hi Steve, maybe you could look to start a little urban permaculture project if you have a garden or patio/yard (food plants not pigs...!)

Have to say, I'm getting interested in the general topic and looking to get a small allotment this year as one of my 2011 goals is to start switching to some self sustainability with an 'edible garden'.

I just bought 4 fruit trees that stay small and will be in large patio pots and I'm looking to take some of my lawn up and planting some food plants and herbs.

Paul

[Marvell]

A few urban garden tips:

1) You can plant a really decent herb garden in a window box.
2) There are varieties of tomato which are specifically bred for growing in hanging baskets.
3) Don't grow pumpkins!

[paul standley]

Hi Steve, maybe you could look to start a little urban Permaculture project if you have a garden or patio/yard (food plants not pigs...!)

Have to say, I'm getting interested in the general topic and looking to get a small allotment this year as one of my 2011 goals is to start switching to some self sustainability with an 'edible garden'.

I just bought 4 fruit trees that stay small and will be in large patio pots and I'm looking to take some of my lawn up and planting some food plants and herbs.

Paul

So, 5 months on from my earlier post and I'm pleased with how my first foray into food growing has gone this year. Here's a short clip of pics of stuff I'm growing in containers (mostly) right now...

Tomatoes (upright cherry tom variety in pots and 'tumbling tom' cascading cheery type in hanging baskets & in front garden) , potato's, onions, garlic, lots of various salad stuff, various herbs, capsicum (sweet) peppers, various soft fruits, lemon and orange trees (got flowers on the lemon tree but first 3 dropped off so might have a problem there) and the 4 fruit trees (now 5 actually) are growing strong but I won't see any fruit until next year at the earliest.

Took the front lawn up...! and in the middle of slabbing part of it for sitting out and for pots and I'll cultivate the rest. Got some cherry toms in the front garden as I ran out of pots & space in the back and they're taking over...!

Compost bin is doing great as well...!

I didn't get an allotment yet, thought I'd see how I did this year first.

[ElementOwl]

Looks like it is going well Paul, I would like to start growing my own stuff but I am in the middle of renovating the house so I have to sort that before I can begin tackling the land (it was used as a small garden nursery before the previous owner became ill and it fell into rack & ruin, now it is a bit of a mess).

Thanks for taking the time to update this thread, I would be interested to see how your future harvests go.

[kernewek]

Looks like it is going well Paul, I would like to start growing my own stuff but I am in the middle of renovating the house so I have to sort that before I can begin tackling the land (it was used as a small garden nursery before the previous owner became ill and it fell into rack & ruin, now it is a bit of a mess).

Thanks for taking the time to update this thread, I would be interested to see how your future harvests go.

Im embarking on a full permaculture design course at the mo, i need to design 10 projects over the next few years and am looking for gardens in notts. would you be interested in having a designed food growing garden?

[paul standley]

Im embarking on a full permaculture design course at the mo, i need to design 10 projects over the next few years and am looking for gardens in notts. would you be interested in having a designed food growing garden?

Good luck with your course Kernewek... Anyone in Nottingham area should take you up on this opportunity, it's not often one get's a chance to have their garden designed for them.

This year was a fast learning curve for me and next year I will grow some things again and not others and doing some things the same and changing others in an attempt to further integrate food growing within a suburban 'normal' garden. Key for me seems to producing good natural compost (just starting on my 2nd compost bin now) and growing produce that is either expensive to buy in the shops (like rasberries & strawberries) or easy to grow (potatoes & tomatoes)...

[Edwin]

Veg gardening in containers useless this year again but our newish fruit trees have really taken off and pruning will be necessary this year. Definitely makes the case for forest gardening or whatever one wants to call it. Would be really good to have pigs and chickens in an orchard but that isn't possible.

[ElementOwl]

Im embarking on a full permaculture design course at the mo, i need to design 10 projects over the next few years and am looking for gardens in notts. would you be interested in having a designed food growing garden?

Yes, just had a chat with OH and she is keen to know more, if our patch of Nottinghamshire fits with your course it could well be an interesting project. Our place is rural rather than sub-urban and there are a few aspects you would have to work around too. If it sounds like it could be useful for you please drop me a message when you are ready and I will send further details.
Many thanks