Nurture Nature

Earlier this year, after too many months of 'I'll get around to it' procrastination, I finally made a sourdough leaven or starter, and became a simpler, happier breadmaker, able to dispense with sugars and fats whilst making the most delightful sourdough breads. 

A spell of work away coincided with hot weather at home, and in forgetting to ask my family to nuture my leaven and keep it tended, all of the natural yeast cells died and it was starter no more. 

From scratch, the process of growing a starter is simple and straightforward. The recipe I used included a spoonful of yoghurt and a few raisins for sugar, flour and water. Each day, throwing half of the small mix to make room for more ingredients. By day five or so, the fermentation process starts, and in the space of another 48 or 72 hours, turns a gloopy, soupy mixture into a vibrant, fragrant sourdough starter that can be mixed with nothing more than flour ( 200g starter to 500g flour), water and a little salt, to make a bread that stays fresh and usable for days.

The process reminded me that you can't rush what happens in nature. It's nurture that's needed, not speed, when building new life.

Tyfu Pobol - Growing People

Forwarded press release from Katie Jones, the driving force behind FCFCG in Wales:

A new programme to help people set up and manage growing schemes in the heart of their community has been launched across Wales by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG).

Called Tyfu Pobl (Growing People), is funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, which is itself funded by the Welsh Government and the European Union. The three year programme will support a variety of schemes, including community farms, allotments, community gardens, community orchards and Community Supported Agriculture schemes. It is a direct result of booming interest in community food growing and creating natural green spaces.

The Welsh Government-funded programme will ensure that community groups don’t work in isolation – local people will be encouraged to share their knowledge and expertise so that connections between new and well-established growing schemes are created throughout Wales.

A new development team is already in place, with regional offices in Cardiff, Pembrokeshire, Newtown and Bangor (contact details below).  Meanwhile a Community Enterprise and Funding Coordinator to help combat the withering effects of the current funding climate by accessing funding sources and working with groups so they become more financially sustainable and less grant reliant.

As part of the programme, local growing groups will benefit from support and advice from the development team as well as fieldworkers drawn from existing groups and allotments mentors. A travel bursary scheme will also be available so groups can visit each other’s sites and regional meetings to enable local growers and gardeners to meet up, learn new skills and swap ideas and inspiration.

An official launch event takes place on 23-24 September at Greenmeadow Community Farm in Cwmbran, which will kick off the new autumn programme of regional gatherings and training events. Training will be delivered around 4 main areas; sustainability, social inclusion, the setting up of a community growing project and the creation of community growing spaces for land owners.

Introducing the new Tyfu Pobl Development Team

South East Wales (Cardiff) Office Tel: 0292 0225942
Katie Jones (Development Manager): 07793 669 721; katie@farmgarden.org.uk

Emma Williams (South East Wales Development Worker): 07786 880119; emma@farmgarden.org.uk 
Tim Atkinson (Community Enterprise & Funding Co-ordinator):07755 7004608; tim@farmgarden.org.uk 
Abby Charles (Wales Administrator): abigail@farmgarden.org.uk

South West Wales Office Tel: 01834 869927
Rupert Dunn (SW Wales Development Worker): 07787 773437; rupert@farmgarden.org.uk 
Unit 1A, The Old School, Station Road, Narberth, Pembrokeshire SA67 7DU. 

Mid Wales Office Tel: 01686 946235
Gary Mitchell (Mid Wales Development Worker) 07866 802737; gary@farmgarden.org.uk  
Cwm Harry Land Trust, Unit H, Vastre Industrial Estate, Newtown, Powys SY16 1DZ.

North Wales Office Tel: 01248 208630
Sarah Collick (North Wales Development Worker) 07910 498762; sarah@farmgarden.org.uk 
Ty Gwydr / Greenhouse, 1 Trevelyan Terrace, High Street, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1AX.

Nurture nature

Earlier this year, after too many months of 'I'll get around to it' procrastination, I finally made a sourdough leaven or starter, and became a simpler, happier breadmaker, able to dispense with sugars and fats whilst making the most delightful sourdough breads. 

A spell of work away coincided with hot weather at home, and in forgetting to ask my family to nuture my leaven and keep it tended, all of the natural yeast cells died and it was starter no more. 

From scratch, the process of growing a starter is simple and straightforward. The recipe I used included a spoonful of yoghurt and a few raisins for sugar, flour and water. Each day, throwing half of the small mix to make room for more ingredients. By day five or so, the fermentation process starts, and in the space of another 48 or 72 hours, turns a gloopy, soupy mixture into a vibrant, fragrant sourdough starter that can be mixed with nothing more than flour ( 200g starter to 500g flour), water and a little salt, to make a bread that stays fresh and usable for days.

The process reminded me that you can't rush what happens in nature. It's nurture that's needed, not speed, when building new life.

Getting what you want

with thanks to BCI & Do colleague Denise DeLuca:

"I can teach anyone to get what they want out of life.

The problem is that I can’t find anybody who can tell me what they want.”

Mark Twain

Improv & biomimicry

Colleague in change Paul Z Jackson, founder of the Applied Improvision Network, defines these seven characteristics as central to the making the idea of improv into a working, living artform that's as relevant in business and organisational life as it is in play. I'd been introduced to Paul and BCI's Belina Raffy by Neil Mullarkey (Comedy Store Players), and since then have enjoyed making the connections between improv's practice of dealing with emergence, biomimicry and the rapid change needed for transformation to a sustainable future.

The seven principles are:

Here and now - respond to what is happening right now, noticing the present.

Yes...and - learn to build others' ideas rather than fall into the familia yes...but

Commit; move the story forwards - action creates learning, information and opportunity

The power of the obvious - be prepared to work with what's staring you in the face

Disposability; letting go - acknowledge the redundancy of your own ideas and actions as well as of others

Taking turns - building a story or process in collaboration, together builds diversity as well as potency

Make your partner look good