Nourish Events Calendar
We know what we don’t want: dodgy trade deals like TTIP, CETA and TISA. But what might a good deal look like? Is a trade deal that’s fair for farmers, workers and citizens really possible? And what would it look like?
This event is a space for ‘blue-sky’ thinking on the ins and outs of what our ideal trade deals would look like organised by Trade Justice Scotland coalition (we used to be Scotland Against TTIP). Expert input will be from Jean Blaylock, trade policy officer for Global Justice Now.
Book your (free) place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/trade-that-does-good-tickets-32089911790?ref=estw
The Scottish Farm Land Trust and Gail Ross MSP are excited to invite you to ‘WANTED: Land for new farmers’ an event at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 27th September, 6-8pm. We’ll be exploring the potential of a land trust to support new entrants into farming and facilitate socially and environmentally productive agriculture.
Research undertaken this year by Nourish Scotland, as part of a feasibility study for the Scottish Farm Land Trust, found that hundreds of people are actively looking for farmland in Scotland, and are motivated by looking after the environment and developing rural livelihoods. However, access to land is a critical barrier. The Scottish Farm Land Trust aims to acquire farmland and lease it out with secure, affordable tenancies to new entrants to establish agroecological farms.
According to Scotland’s Land Reform Act, we are working for ‘a Scotland where the ownership, management and use of land and buildings contributes to the collective benefit of everybody’. A land trust could help facilitate a transformation of how we use our land, and support farming in Scotland that provides nutritious food for local people, sustains rural communities, contributes to healthy ecosystem and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
On 27th September, we’ll be joined by speakers who have successfully established land trusts in Europe, who will be sharing their wisdom and inspiration. We’ll hear from local producers, outlining how farming can address critical social and environmental challenges. You’ll be able to pick up a copy of our forthcoming report ‘Wanted: Land for New Farmers’ which is the outcome of a feasibility study for the Scottish Farm Land Trust, and find out ways to get involved with making this vision a reality.
Calling Scottish Growers
The Organic Growers Alliance and the Landworkers Alliance are organising a regional workshop day for those growing produce organically (or uncertified to organic standards) at a smaller scale for local communities.
When?
10.00 – 16.00 Sunday 18th August
Camping is available on Saturday 17th August at East Coast Organics, East Lothian
What
Sunday – 10am to 4pm, a day of workshops led by experienced growers from Scotland. There will be time for discussion and exchange of knowledge and information, plus a farm walk round the East Coast Organics growing areas. An organic, veggie lunch is included! Please see workshop list below.
Saturday from 5pm – camping (tent or van) the night before is possible. The LWA are organising some informal social activities, please bring instruments if you want! An evening meal can be booked.
Where
East Coast Organics, East Lothian
Tickets
Numbers are limited so please book as soon as you can. There is discounted places available for OGA or LWA members but you do not have to be a member to come.
The event is aimed at people growing organic vegetables at small scale for sale to a local market.
Price of tickets includes the online booking fees.
Food and Drink
Lunch will be an organic vegetarian provided by East Coast Organics included in the ticket price.
Dinner on Saturday needs to be booked separately and can either be an organic meat or organic veggie meal also provided by East Coast Organics.
Coffee and tea will be available.
Camping
Camping is available at ECO. Camping costs £5pp. Please reserve your space in the tickets section and bring cash to pay on the day.
Become a member
Join either the Organic Growers Alliance or the Landworkers Alliance and get a cheaper ticket to this event and other events throughout the year.
Liftshare
We encourage people to lift share to the event. Please use this spreadsheet to coordinate lifts.
Workshops
Help us plan the day. When buying your ticket, please tell us your top 3 workshops that you would like at the get-together from the following list:
1. Overwintering crops in polytunnels, how to use tunnels most effectively
2. Dig and no dig methods in polytunnels
3. Finances and organic vegetable businesses, including pricing
4. Protecting and improving the soil in polytunnels, including green manures, using mypex
5. Harvesting, packing, storage
6. Resting and care for people and the soil – not growing over the winter
7. Other – other suggestions for subjects and workshop leaders welcome (no promises!), please give details
More information
Please contact:
Roz Corbett LWA rozlandworkersalliance@gmail.com
Antonia Ineson OGA Antonia.ineson@googlemail.com
Pursuit of economic growth is the core goal of governments around the world. This is leading to unsustainable resource use, and in richer countries is increasingly disconnected from the wellbeing of people. Importantly, it’s no longer clear what the purpose of this growth is.
The Scottish Government has set out to reconnect these aims and to place equal weight on wellbeing as a goal of public policy.
But when it comes to food, growth can appear like the only sensible policy. After all, the population is growing, and we still have hundreds of millions of people with not enough to eat – in Scotland, the number of people going to food banks because they cannot afford enough food for themselves or their families continues to rise.
What would happen if we put aside the economics of endless growth – and the associated risk and damage caused to the planet – and instead focused on how to better use and share the wealth of resources we already have? What does progress look like if growth is not the final goal? What are the ‘economics of arrival’ for food?
In this public event, Dr. Katherine Trebeck, Research Director at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and co-author of The Economics of Arrival, will discuss some key ideas from her new book – ‘arrival’ and ‘making ourselves at home’.
With more than enough food for everyone already being produced in the world, there is no more needed. Most societies collectively have enough, so how can governments address remaining inequalities to ensure that everyone ‘arrives’ in this world of prosperity? And once we have arrived, how do we ‘make ourselves at home’ when it comes to food?
Join us to find out.
Drinks and snacks will be provided from 6pm.
In this Talk, Professor and TEDx Peter Higgins will discuss our relationship with our planet, its climate and biodiversity. He will offer some thoughts on communicating new ideas and supporting positive policy developments. Get ready for a challenging and perhaps controversial evening! The talk will be followed by a question and answer session.