Transition Nottingham’s Great Spring Sowing on Sunday 22nd March is the first festival of its type in the city. People were invited to come to the Arboretum and have hands on experience of sowing seeds, and fire your imagination as to what you can produce in whatever space you can find.

On the day there was gardening tips from a whole host of experienced gardeners with different methods of growing your lunch so you can find out which way of gardening suits you most. To celebrate Mother’s Day, Nottingham In Bloom were giving out seeds to all Mums, and to coincide with World Water Day there was information on rainwater harvesting. There was also be a seed swap and a Grow In What You Throw area to encourage reuse of existing materials.

They say: Today, many of us don’t know where our food comes from, or how it’s grown. But not so long ago, most people knew how to sow seeds and grow some of their own food. We also don’t realise how much oil is required to feed us – about 9 calories of fossil fuel energy is required to produce 1 calorie of food energy! Growing our own food is good for our bodies, our pockets and the planet! At this time of economic uncertainty and impending oil scarcity, we need to get our hands in the soil and get back to our roots....

Clare Davies the inspiration behind the Great Spring Sowing says “Nowadays we are beset by all sorts of problems to weigh us down. I find that sowing seeds to create your own produce is the most hopeful and practical thing you can do at this time of year”

The Great Spring Sowing will be a fantastic day out when people can actually sow their own lunch! On the day, there will be a chance to have a go at making black gold in the form of compost, and a seed swap so that we don’t end up with hundreds of lettuces and no carrots. You don’t need expensive seed trays to grow plants – in the ‘Grow in what you Throw’ area, festival goers will be encouraged to sow seeds in old yoghurt pots and margarine tubs that they’ve brought along.

As the 22nd March is Mothers’ Day, Nottingham In Bloom will be giving away flower seeds to every Mum. For those without gardens, there will be creative ideas on growing food in small spaces, and the launch of a scheme to identify and share Nottingham’s unused gardens and green spaces for communal food growing.


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Transition Nottingham was established in the summer of 2007 to provide a grassroots response to the problems of peak oil and climate change. We hope that you’ll get involved in turning Nottingham into a city that is less reliant on fossil fuel energy and is a better place for all of us to live in.

Nottingham is a big city and so all the real action will be happening on a local level. The role of ‘Transition Nottingham’ is to raise awareness of the Transition process, support the establishment of these local groups and help them to network with each other.


Transition Nottingham
 http://www.transitionnottingham.org.uk

Transition Nottingham Great Spring Sowing
 http://www.transitionnottingham.org.uk/greatspringsowing

General Info:
 http://www.transitionnottingham.org.uk/greatspringsowing/media/GSS_Press%20Intro.pdf

Greenweeks - Celebrate Sustainability Nottingham
 http://www.greenweeks.org

earlier posts:

Transition Nottingham Urban Harvest Festival 1 Event
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/10/410024.html

Transition Nottingham Urban Harvest Festival 2 Apple Pressing
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/10/410046.html

Transition Nottingham Urban Harvest Festival 3 Windmill
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/10/410068.html

Nottingham's 'Fresh' Project at Ecoworks, St Ann's Allotments
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/10/382929.html

St Anns Allotments open Day
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2006/08/348168.html

4th East Midland Vegan Festival, Council House, Nottingham
 http://indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2007/12/387387.html

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ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email:  tash@indymedia.org
Member of the National Union of Journalists [No: 014345]
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"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
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