Blog

It might have only been a dozen mixed radishes but it was the first food ever grown at the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Thanks to funding from the Big Lottery funded Harvest project, we have been working since February on transforming an area at the back of the school with pupils from the Swan Centre. During our weekly sessions we have been building raised vegetable beds with the pupils, planting potatoes and a small herb garden. We have visited Stammer… Read More »FIRST CROP AT BACA

While the majority of our work takes place at the forest garden we are also busy planning, plotting, transforming and running gardening clubs in Moulsecoomb and beyond. On one day last week we continued to transform a space at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy building raised beds and planting vegetables with Swan Centre pupils. At the afterschool garden club at Moulsecoomb Primary pupils visited Stanmer Nursery to buy wildlife and bee friendly plants as well as some more colourful ones to… Read More »TENTACLES OF THE FOREST GARDEN

The hard work has begun of clearing and leveling the foundations for our new shed.

Around 80 people braved the cold to stare through telescopes as part of the BBC’s stargazing events. A roaring fire with pumpkin soup and hot drinks kept everyone warm and when the clouds broke we could spy the moon and its craters, Jupiter and its five moons. Thanks to Dr Darren Baskill from the University of Sussex and Jo lewis from Science and Technology Facilities Council for bringing their telescopes and making it happen.

A few days before Christmas, the roof went up on the temporary structure while the council put up a new fence. In 75 work hours, we cleared the site, the old fence line and put up our tin shelter. Hey, they should make a Changing Rooms programme about us.

In an amazing short space of time our temporary shed now has a tin roof! Well half of one. Don’t know how much it will protect us from the elements tomorrow at our Christmas party but everyone has been working their butts off to get it sorted. Tomorrow we say thank you to everyone with a three course meal at the garden and plenty of mulled wine. Cheers!

At the end of the winter term we fire up the clay oven and serve up Christmas dinner for pupils that work with us, a few that used to and some of the teachers/teaching assistants. Sticky Fingers Simon with help from some of the pupils dished up chicken, roast potatoes (pink fur apples from the garden – everyone should grow these), kale, parsnips, carrots with a big dollop of gravy. Very quiet round the table as everyone devoured the lot,… Read More »SCHOOL CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Temporary structure really taking shape, old fence line gone.

The chalk floor on the temporary structure is finished thanks to hard labour and a pounder. The A frame is being built and the support struts will be up soon. The council are going to put up a new fence at the back and to save the council money we are moving along the back line, bashing out old concrete posts, removing tangled fencing, tree stumps, rubbish, old shoes, glass and cow bones. The weather continues to be kind to… Read More »FLATTENING AND BASHING

Week two after the Great Fire of Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and the base of the temporary shed is almost ready thanks to hardcore volunteers, school pupils and help last Sunday from Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue . Thank God or climate change or just sheer luck but the weathers been so mild we’re still picking salad and raspberries and working in t-shirts, so we wouldn’t have had to hide in our shed yet from the rain, cold and snow. But… Read More »FLOOR TAKES SHAPE