This is the year to stop making excuses and decide to learn how to grow some food for yourself, and your family. It is possible, it is worthwhile, and it will help you to eat better. It will also allow you to take some action on climate change because of the impact that increased local food production can have to reduce C02 emissions due to a reduction in food miles (the measure of the distance a food travels from the land to your plate ).

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Uist Growers Almanac: the natural way to grow is a horticultural publication that seeks to share the rich resource of local knowledge and skills on growing fruit and vegetables successfully in the challenging and wild landscape of the islands of the Uists and Benbecula, Outer Hebrides. It was commissioned, written and published as part of the outcomes of the Climate Challenge Fund project Local Food for Local People CCF-3812: a year-long project (2015-16) run in partnership by community organisations Tagsa Uibhist and Cothrom. Additional funding providing writing-up time, and covering printing and evaluation costs was received from The Pebble Trust.

 

Local Food for Local People CCF-3812 provided opportunities for local people to learn about healthy eating and wellbeing, and how to grow fruit and vegetables for themselves. It has provided growing facilities in the form of Keder Greenhouses, raised bed allotment plots, and delivered formal (SVQ Horticulture) and informal horticultural training to support the ‘growing community’ to work towards becoming more self sufficient, as well as developing understanding of how to use ‘seasonal vegetables’ by working with Sgoil Lionacleit Home Economics teachers and pupils.