It does not matter how many times we say it, nor how many times it comes around. The emotional attachment of Spring is so powerful that it pushes back against all that Winter has brought.
Where better to be then than with fellow Volunteers at Fabric Community Garden in Lancing? Late winter brought a succession of stormy, wet and dark weather that meant that for about a month we were unable to meet up. We generally do that on Thursday mornings between 10am and Noon. So after the long enforced gap, we were together again. We welcomed three new Volunteers, new faces, ideas and opinions to go into the mix. The garden is sited next to tall buildings that mean from late October until early March it remains in shade. But today the warming suns rays on our faces and backs were the perfect gift from Mother Nature and with that impetus, strummingw, tidying the deep beds, sowing flower and vegetables seeds were a joy. Enjoying a cuppa before we packed up, we remarked how good we felt to be in the garden. To be together. To be working at this fabulous project. You are most welcome to pay us a visit, 107 North Road in Lancing
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Now in our second full year, I am taking you on the journey through the vibrant world of our community garden. It is more than just a patch of land; it's a thriving hub that fosters a sense of connection, health, and kindness among individuals.
Planting Seeds of Connection: The community garden serves as a meeting place for like-minded individuals to share a love for gardening and a passion for community building. We work side by side, nurturing our plants and engaging in meaningful conversations. From sharing tips and tricks to discovering the joys of gardening together, this is where connections blossom. Nurturing Nature, Nurturing Ourselves: The therapeutic aspects of gardening contribute to our overall wellbeing. We experience the benefits of spending time outdoors, connecting with nature, and engaging in physical activity. From reducing stress and improving mental health to boosting our immune systems and increasing mindfulness, gardening offers us a multitude of rewards for our body and soul. Kindness Blooms: Kindness is at the heart of our community garden. The acts of kindness that take place within our garden ripple out into the wider community. We share surplus produce, organise events for children, encourage each other, share ideas and work with Nature. Our garden highlights the positive impact of kindness on mental and emotional wellbeing, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. From Seedling to Harvest We feature stories of success and challenges on Social Media and our website. We share thoughts, tips and tricks for gardening enthusiasts, covering topics like soil preparation, companion planting, and organic pest control methods. Recipes and Culinary Adventures. A focus for our future is to celebrate the fruits (and vegetables) of our labour by sharing delicious recipes using the produce from our garden. We aim to inspire our community to connect with their food and explore the joy of sustainable eating Our community garden is a vibrant space where people, plants, wellbeing, and kindness converge. Join us on this captivating journey, and together, let's cultivate wellbeing and kindness one seed at a time. Join us, we are in the garden most Thursdays 10am to about Noon "like us" on Facebook visit our website and you will receive updates, stories, and inspiration from our blossoming community gardento edit. "The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things ... " Plato
Well, Steve, Barry and James have been working away and put a pond in the garden! Say the word pond and you are very likely to think of water lilies, fish and a reasonable size water area. Of course the creatures that use ponds do not necessarily see it quite like that. Our pond ticks another of our "purposes" - to repurpose and act sustainably. So a gifted very large storage box and paving slabs plus some very hard work by the lads becomes our pond. Well done! Elsewhere in the garden we have log piles, bird boxes and bug hotels gifted to us by individuals and community groups, again, thank you The broad beans are now germinating in pots and in one of our deep beds the garlic, onions and shallots are growing away. The Spring bulbs are doing very well, I think that come Easter they will look a treat On Monday we have a meeting with Hermione Giles at West Sussex Mind, we are offering the garden to them as part of their "Families in Mind" project https://www.westsussexmind.org/help_and_support/specialist-services/families-with-young-children on a regular basis. It will be great to have the children along with their Mums and Dads As the better weather approaches we are going to be chatting about bringing back our regular weekly session where we invite you along to give us a hand, enjoy a cuppa and enjoy the lovely garden, that is likely to be Thursday mornings 10am until noon Is anyone out there a Composting Guru? You are? We would love to have you visit us to advise and perhaps run a workshop at the garden. Please get in touch The cold weather hangs around but the volunteers are busy at the garden. Great news is that the rest of the items purchased via our Lancing Parish Council community funding has arrived! Lovely tools that will be a huge benefit for us; Thank you
James, Barry and Steve continue the make our pond - we hope to be in time to attract some frogspawn. Nature and creatures are a key part of the garden and we are striving to make it as sustainable, organic and supportive as possible to that The bulbs planted at our October 22nd community day are now all coming through in the borders and pots. In a few weeks we look forward to a blaze of colour (and a blaze of warm Spring sunshine) We are planning our gardening year and are very pleased that the garden will be playing host to staff and members/studentsService Users of West Sussex Mind, Cycall (Inclusive cycling) and Northbrook College. We will be growing food for the Step Up To The Plate project that supports local families and individuals There will be events in the school holidays to bring along the local community, just like last year And we very much look forward to welcoming in new volunteers to take advantage of this lovely garden, enjoy friendships and grow beautiful flowers and vegetables. Please get in touch if you would like to join us.... We are generally meeting on Thursday mornings but other days to suit you would be fine Please remember that you do not need any permission to go into the garden. It is open when the Fabric Building, 107 North Road is open, generally office hours. In you busy day why not come along to sit there, to read a book, to pick a few weeds or a have picnic? You will enjoy the experience.... On Saturday we held our first 2023 event in the garden, Step into Spring" - the clue is in the title! To the south of the garden is Lancing Tabernacle and throughout the winter it casts its shadow over the plot - but now light and sun reach us. Those large numbers of daffodils and tulips that we planted in pots, beds and our wheelchair friendly planter are coming through and will probably be in bloom throughout March, an exciting thought. The garlic is growing away too. Over a couple of hours we planted out Charlotte potatoes into our repurposed car tyre planters, sowed Broad Bean The Sutton in pots, planted Red Shallots, moved topsoil and compost to our vacant deep bed and raked it down ready for planting and tidied lots of wood that had seemingly been left for us
Over home made Rock Cakes plus drinks we had both an adult and children's nature quiz, chatted and made friendships We were visited by Holly and buddies from Cycall Worthing who are keen to work together, as we are, and we will be creating a special growing area, a new deep bed for potatoes and other vegetables where locals can come and take some of what is grown there in return for a donation A very, very good gardening morning for us... And a big thank you to all who helped Our next community day will be on Saturday 11th March, 10am until Noon, please pop the date in your diary and come along! +4 to edit. Lancing Fabric Community Garden 22 10 22. A productive and enjoyable morning working together. Warm and dry weather very much a bonus. What will be the long border between the garden and the car park was started by taking off the grass and deeply digging the earth beneath. Another morning will be needed to complete this and then we will begin to plant bulbs of daffodils, tulips, allium and crocus that will give everyone a lift when they begin to flower from February onwards next year. Just think how lovely that will look!
Work began on our third deep bed, both the physical construction of that but more importantly getting the site ready. Yes, it involved digging! Our existing two beds are actually still looking very prosperous, with beans, squashes and courgettes in evidence We have been given a lovely present, a Bug Hotel by a local Beavers Group, thank you! Remember that this is a community garden, no permission is needed to pop in. You are welcome to come and sit down to enjoy it. Or if you would like chat with us, we are likely to be around this Tuesday morning... |
AuthorI am a volunteer at The Fabric Community Garden and will be sharing in photos and words what we do there ...... Andy Brook Archives
March 2024
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