Community food growing is at the heart of the Edible Estates approach, whilst we want to see lots of fruit and vegetables grown, we’re just as interested in the growing connections between neighbours.  One of the core interventions is the development of a Estate Growing Hub which can provide a shared growing space for the neighbourhood, and a springboard for further initiatives.

The Estate Growing Hub provides a base of operations for the Edible Estates project in the neighbourhood, it provides a place where participants can manage a raised bed whilst they learn and practice the basics of growing their own, and a starting point for the planning of further projects.

The greenspaces enclosed within perimeter flatted blocks can be amenity rich environments providing play areas, mini-allotments and recreational spaces.  We have carried out extensive research, particularly into Scandinavian models, and implemented over a dozen community backgreens in Edinburgh.  

The key difference between a community backgreen and an estate growing hub is that they tend to be accessible by residents who live directly around the greenspace.  However, there are exceptions where we have been able to use a community backgreen as a mini-hub for the adjoining neighbourhood.

Having encouraged folk to grow their own food, its important to ensure that they know how to cook it in to delicious and nutritious meals.  We deliver a series of cooking workshops under the banner ‘We Are What We Eat’.  

The WAWWE sessions can take the form of cooking classes or shared meals.  Often, the workshops evolve into regular community meetings to manage the community gardens.

We will soon be posting information about new interventions relating to:-