Digging in at the plot – 2.8.25
As we’ve mentioned in previous posts – Digging in at the plot 28.6.25 – when it comes to practical action in our community, we like to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. That includes publishing posts describing decidedly unglamorous working sessions on our local community fruit and vegetable plot. That’s because radical change at the grassroots comes from keeping on slogging away at things, and not giving up when it feels like we’re getting nowhere. This was the report from yesterday that was first published on the Keynsham Community Veg Plot in the Park Facebook page:
It was a short but productive work session today at the plot. The shortness was due to a) the heat and humidity and b) the fact I'm getting over a head cold. Firstly, as you can see in the photo, there was some cropping. What was picked today will be getting distributed. Also, what was picked was only scratching the surface, trust us on that one:) There's loads more to come...
As well as the cropping, a number of the beds were weeded and, there was some general tidying up undertaken as well. As we're a bit short handed with helpers, we can only focus on the areas where the crops are. Sadly, we haven't got the time and energy to address the hedge by the main path down from the café. We'll probably undertake an extra session mid week to see to this.
However, we did get the herb garden tidied up the other week:)
Despite some performative clouds putting in a brief appearance, there was no rain. So, the inevitable watering had to be undertaken...
The next scheduled work session on the plot is on Wednesday 20.8, starting at 2pm, but, as already mentioned, extra ones are planned and they will be announced here on this page.
The point of this plot is to show that it’s possible to make a start on growing at least some of the food we need, right where we are in our communities. As we’ve mentioned many times before, in an ideal world, there would be a plot like this in every neighbourhood. When we walk around Keynsham, we make a point of identifying spare plots of land that aren’t doing anything much, and which if the will is there, could be turned into productive fruit and vegetable plots.
All it takes is the will... That’s very easy to say but, as we’re finding, it’s incredibly hard to generate. What we want to do is get these plots going before a crisis hits rather than as a reaction to one, when it would be far too late to have any meaningful impact. Not only that, there’s a political angle to this as well. Namely that whoever controls the food supply, controls the population. We do not fancy the idea of letting the corporations, and a government that does their bidding, be the ones left in charge of our food supply.
The continuing shortage of helpers on the fruit and vegetable plot in the park, plus the amount of uncultivated land in neighbourhoods across our town tells us one thing. Namely that we need to seriously up our game in promoting what we’re doing so people will be inspired to follow our example. Again, easy to say but, hard to put at the forefront of what we do, particularly when we’re on our hands and knees battling the sodding bindweed! So, we’ve got a lot of thinking to do about how we can effectively get that message across and, inspire people to start their own community fruit and vegetable plots.