York is an eclectic mix of past and present. Enshrined in history from its city walls to its landmark minster, this North Yorkshire tourist destination is a place that is proud of its past, and also embraces positive changes for the future. The amount of two-wheeled transport already demonstrates its cycle-friendly ethos, not to mention the many more positive examples of this environmentally and sustainably conscious city. So it is no surprise to find the concept of vertical farming is developing within this urban setting.
Launched early in 2021, Grow It York based at Spark: York - a vibrant community of restaurants, retailers and entrepreneurs housed within 23 former shipping containers in Piccadilly - is an indoor vertical farm producing salad leaves, microherbs and herbs in one of the containers.
IN SEARCH OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD
Grow It York is part of FixOurFood, a collaborative food research programme, led by Professors Bob Doherty and Katherine Denby at the University of York.
FixOurFood is one of four large consortia, the others led by the Universities of Cambridge, Reading and Sheffield, funded by the UKRI Transforming UK Food System Strategic Priorities Fund along with Government agencies including Defra and FSA. The five-year project aims to transform Yorkshire food networks and develop regenerative systems to create a fairer and more sustainable future.
Dr Alana Kluczkovski, research associate at the University of York in the Department of Biology for FixOurFood programme and Grow It York operator, believes the location of the farm within the city is bringing people closer to food and increasing awareness.
They are already working with some local primary schools to encourage children to get growing from an early age, developing links with the community and exploring the many benefits the project can bring.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2023 من Kitchen Garden.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 2023 من Kitchen Garden.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
A FOOD FOR ALL SEASONS
Another Christmas has passed in a whirl of twinkling lights, naff jumpers and Brussels sprouts. No doubt we smug kitchen gardeners were patting ourselves on the back after another year of home-grown delights on the dinner table. Frost-sweetened parsnips dripping with butter, tender carrots and potatoes grown and roasted by our good selves. Not to mention the swede, turnips, cabbages and other winter treats. If you're reading this while Christmas memories are fresh, you might feel your waistline expanding just thinking about it. For some, it might even be too soon to talk about food full stop!
DIGGING THE DIRT THINGS THAT GO CLUNK IN THE LIGHT
John Holloway finds the mechanical and electrical tools on his allotment site somewhat 'challenging', shall we say. But has he found the perfect solution?
THE BIG (OR LITTLE) PARSNIP GROW-ALONG
Back in December we included a free packet of parsnip seeds with every issue and invited readers to join us in growing the longest root. Here are some top tips to get you started
DIGGING FOR DEVON!
Rhiannon Alcock thought gardening was definitely not for her. So who could have foreseen that one day she would go on to found a thriving community project growing food for food banks?
WINTER WONDERFUL
This month Anna Cairns Pettigrew has prepped a range of delicious and nutritious dishes for us all to try, with mustards, Savoy cabbage and 'Cavolo Nero' kale on the menu
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR COMPOST
Dr Anton Rosenfeld from Garden Organic shares some great ideas for ways to use your composted waste effectively
A wildlife pond is born
Jane Kelly finally got round to making her own pond in the hope that it would attract a variety of wildlife. And it did!
UNDER COVER
HARVEST WINTER SALADS - Winter salads, whether they have been growing outside, on a windowsill or under cover in the garden, will be starting to grow faster as the day length increases. Regular picking of the outer leaves helps to keep the plants healthy and producing for much longer.
HERB OF THE MONTH: SAGE ADVICE
Sage has been an important culinary and medicinal herb for centuries but it also comes in a range of leaf colours that makes it a real treat for the eyes (and nose) in borders and pots
CREATING A POTAGER GARDEN
Creating vegetable beds in patterns with dividing pathways can be an attractive and practical way to grow. Emma Rawlings offers some tips on making a potager
