Public event

Location:
Sroughton Tithe Barn
near Ipswich
Suffolk
IP8 3BJ

Date: Mon 06 Feb 2012 10:00 to Mon 06 Feb 2012 16:00

The Making Local Food Work Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project presents it's 2nd East Anglian conference

Growing, Selling, Buying: In your local community

February 6th 10:00 - 4:00

Sroughton Tithe Barn, near Ipswich, Suffolk (www.sproughtontithebarn.org.uk)  

Linking up food co-ops, buying groups, allotment plotholders, community garders, urban scrumpers & small producers.

This event is for you if you grow food on an allotment, community garden, or smallholding; or buy produce through a food co-op or buying group; or even forage wild food or scrump urban fruit! Likewise, if you are faced with transitioning to a more sustainable and autonomous future. But you are especially welcome if your interest is simply in eating good food!

The theme this year is how we can link up the supply chain between our community-scale producers and our community-owned buying groups - in what novel & innovative ways have groups across the UK managed to get community-grown fresh produce into local residents' hungry mouths? Market stalls outside social centres selling allotment surplus, peddler's carts giving scrumped apples away for free, looking after a flock of chickens one day a week, specialising in one particular product, supplying a restaurant with all their salad leaves- what will work best for your community?

There will be plenty of time for Open Space discussions at the event, and that includes food co-ops and others presenting about the work they do, bringing any issues they've encountered to the forum, or thrashing out ideas for a project step-by-step.

The day includes sessions on:

• Abundance - Harvsting and distributing fruit that would otherwise be left to rot
• Maria Lacou of Wivenhoe - Troubleshooting and diversifying session for wholefood buying groups
• Elouse Dey - London's Capital Growth project supporting community gardens to sell surplus
• Meeting the Local Foods Suffolk team
• Rebecca Tully - Cropshare stall selling allotment holders surplus in Walthemstow
• Metfield Chicken Co-ops & Suffolk's Pig Clubs

Plus networking with local groups and action planning to help set up or improve your community food project.

Plus a delicious lunch of local seasonal produce!

This is a FREE event but booking is essential.  Contact gemma@sustainweb.org or call 07971 863586.

More information and a toolkit showing how to get started is available at www.foodcoops.org.