It’s January! The days are lengthening, the hellebores have seemingly enjoyed the very hard frost and are blossoming all the more beautifully, and the snowdrops are peeking through the ground. It’s still winter and yet, there’s a definite feel of aliveness in the air. What would you like me to wish you for 2025, the beginning of a new quarter of a century? Perhaps simply to keep well?
The late Michael Mosley inspired millions of us with his series on Just One Thing to keep well and you won’t be surprised to know that gardening was definitely just the thing! Of course he highlighted the health benefits: physical, mental, and on the all-important gut biome. Yes, getting out in the fresh air, getting your fingers in the soil, and growing plants is good for us … especially if you get to eat that deliciously fresh, organic veg in due course! With the majority of us living in flats without our own patch of land, he shone a light on the beauty of community gardening: there are lots of opportunities to join in the fun, with the extra benefits of social connectedness, shared purpose, and, literally, planting hope together.
So yes, it’s January, the days are still short and cold, yet it’s as good a time as any to get out there…
That’s what I did last Friday, to visit Davidson’s Mains nursery and primary school and walk around its expansive grounds. My friend Annabel has recently started working there. She is one of those energetic and passionate people every parent dreams to have in their child’s school! Outdoor learning is most definitely her thing. She understands the huge benefits for little (and not-so-little) people of connecting with the land, gardening, food growing … and keeping chickens! She’s only been in post a few weeks, but she and her colleague Max are on a mission to transform the school grounds into a rich haven for biodiversity, enhanced learning and greater wellbeing for all. Just imagine the difference between having large and rather drab grassy patches, and moving to create an intricate mosaic of open and secluded spaces, varied in purpose, look and feel. The beauty and interest of having a wide array of colours, textures, smells and shapes is something we can all enjoy. Amongst the plans is the idea of developing an area for foraging. And oh, they even have a woodland! Hear the birds! Experiment with bushcraft! Run around in a frantic game of hide-and-seek!…
So yes, there we have it: a state school investing in a more holistic form of learning that generates greater wellbeing for all - the children, the staff, the community at large … and wider nature. Visionary school staff who can see the potential and are passionate to turn it into a reality. That’s all to be encouraged and actively supported. The task in hand can feel overwhelming, so to my mind, it’s a case of appreciating the baby steps and rejoicing in the journey itself, without getting too fixated on the final destination…
This particular school is lucky to be a close neighbour of some of Edinburgh’s community-focused food growing pioneers: Lauriston Farm and its land partners Rhyze Mushrooms and Grass Roots Remedies. These are fonts of inspiration and knowledge to be drawn from. What I see in all of this is the potential for a beautiful ecosystem of interrelated community / nature / food work to flourish. I’m also acutely aware of the dire need for more investment - human and financial capital. As some of you reading this already know, I’m working on that too: creating new ways of citizen-led investing in regenerative urban food ecosystems. I really believe that if we join hands / heads / hearts all together we can make it happen! Do you want to join in?
I’m leaving you with … just one thing … to inspire more:
This research paper exploring “Biodiverse edible schools: Linking healthy food, school gardens and local urban biodiversity”: https://tinyurl.com/4323y58u
Author: Marie-Amélie Viatte
Determined to open people's eyes to the beauty and power of regenerative urban food growing.
For more articles: https://substack.com/@connectedbynature
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