At our first meeting, the Grow your own Group attracted a happy band of (no.?) enthusiastic planters, more or less experienced.

WE want to learn and increase our skill base to a background of fun and friendship. So everyone brought food to share round Kate's kitchen table. It was amazingly delicious and varied. Some people brought dishes prepared from allotment or garden produce. Sarah had a glut of green tomatoes. She was fed up with the eternal chutney so would you imagine she made green tomato cake...and it was excellently tasty. Maybe we can get the recipe on here for all of you. Marian made a Ratatouille (spelt right?) of oven roasted golden squash, courgette and carrot. We had juicy toms and lush lettuce a bundle.bundle. Brian made a truly professional veggie quiche with eggs from his own chickens.
WE drew up a pot of ideas: each one saying what he/she wishes to gain from this group encounter. They run as follows:
Good ideas, tips, seed sharing and plant/seedling exchange.
Meeting like minded people..
"One conversation rather than lots splintering off " This important point prompted the idea that the person who hosts should also be the " mediator",stepping in to keep the meeting vibrant, control interruptions and courteously restrain anyone who unwittingly takes over or talks too long !! Dodgy job but Transition people need to learn good mediation skills anyway.
Email contacts and phone nos. collected for up to minute queries and questions So we can phone around to ask advice.
People's personal experience and advice..not too much reliance on computers. Rather rely on good food and good company !.
Research particular selected topics between us and pool our information.
Advice for beginners: what is easy to grow?
Shared experience : what grows well, where, how to deal with pests, pratical advice
Share produce and specialist tools.
How to start growing food in a way that fits into my life not takes it over ! ??
Having a good time and meeting people
To help people with any problems concerning kitchen gardening and to encourage children and young people to make a start.
We all agreed to a once monthly get together, evening 2+ hours starting at 7pm. Each session in a different home. All bring food.to share plus plate/cutlery and maybe a stool We finally chose the first Thursday of the month. This seemed to suit most people most of the time tho we are sad that Thursday doesn't work for some whom we know wish to join. So sorry.
The next GYO group is at Lynda Stone's new house. She will have just moved in but says she is up for hosting. Thank you Lynda
Look forward to seeing you all there and in the meantime happy growing, digging or composting.