Incredible Edible trees to bear fruit…
…FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
22nd October 2020
The Transition Town Totnes Incredible Edible team are delighted to have been fully back in action from the beginning of August, enjoying socially distanced time outdoors in the five Incredible Edible sites in and around Totnes and Bridgetown. The Incredible Edible project has been growing fruit, herbs, nuts, vegetables and edible flowers in public and unused spaces in Totnes for everyone to share since 2007. The potential output of even small spaces is huge and the motivation to get involved can vary from believing that land for growing should be available to all, to re-localising the UK’s food supply, avoiding packaging, cutting down on food miles or just enjoying being outside and gardening with others. During lockdown, tending the growing areas in isolation was a source of great solace for individual volunteers during their daily hour of exercise.
Incredible Edible are grateful to the National Lottery’s Awards for All for current funding for coordinator Briony Baxter’s role. Additional funding, for the planting and after care of fruit trees, has just been gifted from the proceeds of the “Show The Love” concert held at St John’s Church on Valentine’s Day in February. Katie and Briony met recently for a socially distanced handover of the cheque.
“Show The Love” is an annual, nationwide Climate Coalition initiative raising positive awareness for climate change by connecting people to nature. Inspired by their experiences on Waterloo Bridge in 2019, the Totnes Women’s Institute organised an inspiring day of talks and activities, and also sowed the seed of an idea for an evening fundraiser, raising money for the planting of trees locally. WI’s Gillian Madge handed the gauntlet to local music promotor Katie Whitehouse, founder of Totnes based agency, fromthewhitehouse. “We invited a fantastic mix of local musicians and poets” says Katie, “and quickly sold out of every ticket! We had an incredible night and raised over £1,100 to donate to the amazing team at Incredible Edible for the planting of and care for fruit and nut trees locally.”
Expertise isn’t necessary
Briony said, “If you live near a public space that would benefit from a few fruit trees, please get in touch through the TTT website to tell us about it. We’re keen for local residents to look after the trees we plant as they need a lot of watering in the first few years, as well as a bit of pruning, which we will be very happy to teach. And then of course we need people to pick and enjoy the fruit.”
Totnes residents wanting to get their hands dirty over the winter are welcome to attend tree plantings or other sessions. Briony pointed out that, “Expertise isn’t necessary. We provide tools and share skills, so if lockdown made you think it’s time to grow some of your own food, but you don’t have a garden, come along and get some experience, as well as some free food to take home with you. We are really encouraging younger people to come along. It’s great fun and an important life skill. No one is expected to come to every session – unless you want to of course. You can come once, or a couple of times a year, there’s no pressure.“