Growchapel Food Forest - Growing a future together

COPEScotland continues to explore ways to support Growchapel, most recently we worked with Growchapel to sponsor a food forest designed by https://www.propagate.org.uk/ working with plot holders, and other groups involved in Growchapel, including Enable, Thomas Fortune Centre Drumchapel.

Discovering more about a food forest we began to realise this is not only about supporting local food growing it also helps support the local ecosystem as food forests are three-dimensional growing up, down and out. This site may be of interest if this is something you want to read more about https://projectfoodforest.org/what-is-a-food-forest/

We were delighted to collaborate with local partners and Propagate to take the original drawing for the proposed Food Forest and make it into a banner to display in the community allotments to inspire plot holders and others who may be interested in growing food and supporting the natural world. A copy of the banner is shared below.

There are so many advantages to growing our food, especially in these times when costs are rising on the weekly shop. These are examples of the advantages of growing our produce:

• It helps keep us active as we are doing something physical and working outdoors, if we find bending a challenge, why not consider a raised bed.?
• It is so satisfying to eat something you have grown yourself and to share with friends and family, it also can be more nutritious as it's fresh from the garden.
• Growing our fruit and vegetables is kinder to the environment as food does not need to travel any further than the garden or allotments to the kitchen?
• We know it's good to be outdoors and get the sunshine vitamin so being outdoors helps us maintain our vitamin D levels, just remember, and use sunscreen, see our tips for staying safe in the sun.
• It can save us money!

Check out the Growchapel Handbook in the document section if you would like to know more about growing your fruit, vegetables, or herbs. If you do not have a garden, try container gardening, or check out of there is a local community allotment near you. While there may not be any vacant plots, there may be people or groups seeking volunteers.

Growing our fruit, vegetables, and herbs, is good for us, each other when we share and the planet.