Garden Share
Transition Keynsham Garden Share
Transition Keynsham’s Garden Share Scheme aims to match keen gardeners to spare garden land. Many people in Keynsham have gardens that are underused, or that go unmanaged due to lack of time, interest, or physical mobility. At the same time there are many residents who have no access to a garden and would love the chance to grow their own food, herbs and flowers.
Garden Sharing is becoming increasingly popular. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingsall from the River Cottage television programme has started a national website: http://www.landshare.net/; and many other Transition Towns and cities also have their own Garden Share Schemes up and running.
This is a local initiative linking up people who have unused corners of their garden, with local committed growers. The benefits for the garden owners include a share of the produce, the pleasure of seeing a lovely developing vegetable plot, and sharing in the community.
Please read this very positive article on TK’s garden share in the ‘Country Garden’ Magazine.
How it works
When we think we have a suitable matching, all parties meet at the garden in question. If they are both happy, they agree on the share of produce, (usually 1/5th) and the access times, etc. This is a written agreement so both parties are protected. The service is free to Garden Owners. Gardeners are asked to pay an annual fee of £5 to Transition Keynsham and join the South West Counties Allotment Association at a cost of £2; this automatically gives them public liability insurance.
Getting involved: If you are wishing for the chance to get outside, grow some tasty veggies, get your hands dirty, and vastly reduce the food miles involved in your food, or if you have a garden plot that you would like to offer to a grower, then please contact Mary on 0117 986 2257 or email keynshamt@yahoo.co.uk
In association with
Reports from the growers and garden owners;
”I was reading the Week In, when I came across an article entitled Garden Share. I rang the number indicated and gave my details over the phone. I promptly received some forms to fill in and was soon put in touch with householders who are business people with a large garden and with no time to manage it themselves. Now, I am a frustrated gardener with a small garden and great desire to grow vegetables, so Garden Share was able to make an arrangement that suited us both. I can now dig a lovely big garden and grow all the vegetables I ever wanted to grow and the owner benefits by having 30% for the produce. (Garden Share recommends 20% but I always produce far more than I ever want.)
So many thanks to Garden Share for arranging this match and the Week In for bringing it to my notice.
C & M Face, Keynsham”
“Just a quick note to say thanks for the prompt response to our enquiry, Chris has already spent some time in the garden over the weekend. Mary his wife has said he is like a new man and hasn’t been this excited for years. Vicky and I think the transitions project is a great idea and a perfect arrangement for both us and Chris.
thanks again – Kelvin.”
“Really enjoying having the garden share and have made a very good friend in *——*, the owner. We both benefit hugely, both with fruit and vegetables of course, but *—-* having someone there to look after the garden and do her odd jobs and me as I get coffee and biscuits!!!!” (To Note: A garden share agreement does not suggest in any way that the grower should do any odd jobs for the garden owner or look after any part of the garden that they are not growing food in.)
