Photo posted by polandeze on Flickr
Allotment Soup is an annual creative and artistic harvest celebration of food growing and
allotment culture, organised by Grow Sheffield. This year, it was held up at Grimesthorpe Allotments, and 20 or so allotment holders participated by hosting artwork and workshops.
Transition Sheffield contributed by putting on a Transition Trail with a set of questions designed to provide a bit of thought and discussion:
- How did you feel when your first seed sprouted?
- What is the easiest fruit/veg to start growing?
- Which is better – local, fairtrade or organic?
- Could we survive without electricity?
- When person A helps person B, who feels best?
- Where does water come from?
- What is good about being on this allotment, right now?
- How much land does it take to feed a city?
- How did you feel when your first seed sprouted?
- How many ways does food travel to get to your plate?
- Should everyone have the right to somewhere that they can grow food?
- Do we need other things apart from food in order to thrive?
- How many people could this plot feed?
- Should allotment holders be allowed to sell food?
- How much time does it take to grow £1 of strawberries?
- When would/will the most people grow or have grown the most of their own food? – 50 years ago or 50 years in the future?
- Does plastic grow on trees?
There was a steady trickle of interested people throughout the event and they were interested not just in these questions, but also in the fine produce evident on the allotment, including some grapes nearly ripening, a wheelbarrow of fine squashes, and Rick’s excellent raised bed and soakaway system which uses privet trimmings to create walkable paths between beds.
And the day finished with a lovely gathering including soup, steady chatting and live music. It was lovely to look around and realise how many new faces we’d met during the day.
And many people were surprised by how spacious and beautiful the allotment site is – an invigorating and breathable space between the semi-derelict and wild industrial areas of the Don Valley, and the densely packed terraces of Osgathorpe. Many thanks to Grow Sheffield for organising another fine event.