Young people volunteering at the Tooting Community Garden, Sunday 8th Sept
Thanks a lot to the young people who came along to the garden for four and a half hours, in rain and sun (they are taking part in a Challenge Network programme).
What did we do?
The young people selected from a set of helpful jobs in the garden:
> They ground our bread wheat into flour
They used creative ways to thresh the wheat (to separate the seeds from the heads); and to winnow it (getting rid of the chaff mixed in with the wheat kernels). Then they milled it into flour. (Come to the Tooting Foodival and you can try Tooting Sourdough bread made with this flour by Furzedown’s Naked Loaf)
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| Or: gently treading on the heads |
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| Bashing the seed heads against the wall |
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| Milling the wheat into flour |
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| Blowing the chaff away |
> They saved home-grown sunflower seeds to sow next year
> They picked a lot of brambles for the Tooting Foodival
> They cleared up rubbish out in the entrance to the Garden
> They prepared a plot and then sowed ‘green manure’ seed
> They made a series of plant prints for us to use as posters:
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| Pleased with a full-size print of a sweet corn plant |
The day – like any day in the Community Garden – was not only about doing tasks. We looked at what’s growing, tried radishes and rocket, chatted together, sheltered under the holm oak for lunch, experienced of being outdoors all day. And the group prepared a bit more for the one-day project they have designed, which takes place on 21st September on Tooting Common – more info to come on their Facebook page here.
Many thanks to the other garden volunteers and families who came along yesterday, and to Adrian for the loan of the flour mill.
It was a really good day!
PS: in a fortnight, on Saturday 21st Sept from 11:00-3:00, the Community Garden will be open as part of the London-wide Edible Gardens Open Day. More info to come.