Where the City and the Country meet

Michael Wale finds out how farming works in a more urban environment

For the first time since the pandemic the public are to be welcomes back to London’s Harvest Festival of City Farms and Community Gardens at Lambourne End in Romford on September 21.

The day long Festival celebrates London’s City Farms and Community Gardens, volunteers, farmers and gardeners as well as bringing many of their animals together to be admired and compete for prizes.

Rachel Schwartz is company secretary of an organisation, with no paid staff, that binds a myriad of charitable farm and garden projects, together. She is a person with a huge energy and comes from a high flying fundraiser background for charities in America. Of the Festival she explains that it is a collaborative event.

City Farms and Community Gardens in London emerged from the cooperative values of the 70’s, she says recording a moment in British history. “People volunteer their time and work together to put on the Festival to enhance the experience of the volunteers. It brings members of the public, family and friends and volunteers and full-time workers together.”

In these days of an ever increasing cost of living, funding for every charitable institution has suffered. There just isn’t the spare cash about that there used to be. London’s City Farms and Community Gardens are no exception to this tightening of finances. Miraculously though they find themselves with a mosaic of opportunities.

Fortunately, local authorities appreciate the social value they add to their communities.

Farm and Garden volunteers have improved mental and physical health. They meet people, learn new skills, use ones they already have and make friends. The larger community enjoy visits to these open access green spaces. Funding also comes from visiting members of the public.