Hello all and it’s four weeks until the Tooting #Foodival2017 on Saturday 16th September!

In last week’s blog post we shared Part One of the Foodival plans: all about food and cooking (surprise, surprise). We’re inviting you to:

• donate locally grown produce
• enter the Top Tooting Cook Competition
• come along to The Big Feast

Today we’re sharing Part Two of the plans: all the other wonderful activities that are happening right in the heart of Tooting as part of the 2017 Foodival. These activities are all about:

• growing
• sustainability
• creativity
• community 
• and fun 

All these activities are complementary to the Foodival’s purpose of celebrating local growing, sustainable food, local cooking and the local community (the whole community including nature as well as people) – all done in diverse creative, refreshing and participative ways.

Timings to follow as the schedule comes together across the twin venues of Mushkil Aasaan at 222 Upper Tooting Road SW17 7EW and part of Hereward Road right next door.

What are we offering for all ages to come and enjoy and explore?
As well as Donating Local Produce (appear in our traditional ‘I Grew This’ poster!), the Top Tooting Cook Competition and The Big Feast, we’re grateful to all our partners who are offering:

Stalls
Sales of locally-made Jams and Chutneys; Upcycled Crafts; Local Honey (plus an observation hive of 16,000 bees – nearly the same as Tooting Ward’s population).

Jeni’s Crafty Arts
There will be a series of hands-on creative workshops led by local makers.
In one workshop you can come and make ladybird and lacewing hotels out of plastic bottles…learn about beneficial insects and create a safe place for them to roost and overwinter.

Music
By artists from The Sound Lounge.
 

A sculpture to help check in with nature

The Story of Rewilding
A hands-on and imaginative storytelling event that introduces children to environmental thinking.
Join Andy to create amazing props with recycled materials and become part of the Story of Rewilding narrated by Emily our local storyteller.
Families are particularly welcome to participate together.

Spoken Word
With a food and growing theme – you can join in, surprise us!

The Green Stage
Three 45 minute workshops: Composting and Power of the Humble Earthworm; Autumn and Winter Gardening; Seed Saving and Propagation (with some more topics up our sleeves if we need them…).

Stands for meeting and discussion with local projects
Stands for Tooting Community Garden (explore how to make teas from your garden plants); for the Wandsworth Food Partnership, Carbon Conversations and more. Hear about 2017’s Pollinator Paths Wandsworth project that has sown the seed for creating a growing network across the borough. Learn about the Gardens of Refuge project with our partners CARAS, and about Transition Town Tooting’s plans (bring us your ideas!).

Our pop-up Big Bed
Made from a big recycled shipping container, the Big Bed will showcase vegetables and flowers grown in Tooting by the beneficiaries of Share Community garden. And you can help decorate the planter on the spot.

Whew!
There’s bound to be lots here to catch your interest – we’ll share the schedule soon and you can plan your day.
Or just come along and see what you find, have a chat and enjoy the atmosphere.

Woven through all these activities and more will be judging for the Top Tooting Cook, cooking and eating together at The Big Feast and admiring the displays of locally-grown produce. See last week’s post for the timings for those events.

If you have any questions, or would like to volunteer in preparation or on the day or in follow up, please email Malsara Thorne at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com
Please share the #Foodival2017 plans by following Transition Town Tooting on Facebook and Twitter – thank you!

‘I Grew This!’