#CommunityGrowers
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froglife.bsky.social
Our #BostonAndBeyond team spent the morning at The Communitygrowers CIC, & what a brilliant session it was!

Together they dug out a wildlife pond for their children’s wellbeing garden - creating another vital habitat to support reptiles & amphibians.

They were even lucky enough to spot a frog!
December 4, 2025 at 2:01 PM
ruthwatson.eurosky.social
How do local #Farms #MarketGardens #CommunityGrowers reach the people who live in the urban centres near them?

These local #FarmToFork connections are crucial if we are to ensure #FoodSecurity and support biodiversity.

My latest column, out now in #FarmingScotlandMagazine
A screenshot of a column in Farming Scotland Magazine: Farming at the heart of a manifesto for people and planet By Ruth Watson 50 years ago, a group of people including the local doctor, a farmer, and a baker, got together to deliver ‘The Aberfeldy Manifesto’. They made a compelling case for the connection between good food and good health, while emphasising the importance of short chain food supply for local resilience, the economy, and sustainability. The community is again coming together to look at food systems to help support wellbeing both of people and planet. Recently, I chaired an event in Aberfeldy organised as part of their Open Gate Festival. Alex Brewster farms at Rotmell, near Pitlochry. He sees the potential of the growing ‘Support Local’ movement: “There's a very able network already within Highland Perthshire. These local connections do empower local businesses. A lot of great people are currently involved. I don't think you reinvent the wheel. Empower the groundwork and that's when the communities fight for themselves and create a local food culture.” The discussion, ‘Food for People and Planet’, began with a lively presentation from local schoolchildren, which NFUS President, Martin Kennedy (himself an Aberfeldy man) had high praise for. “What's been demonstrated by Kenmore primary was absolutely fantastic,” Martin told me. “We need to see that right through the country until we get our consumers understanding the importance of high-quality local food production and nutrition that's at the back of that, instead of importing from places without the same environmental, animal health and welfare standards, don't necessarily treat labour in the same way as what we do here. I'm really optimistic about it, but it needs to start with education.” As more people become aware of the importance of food connections, we need to find ways to make it easier for local farms to connect with their communities.
November 1, 2024 at 11:20 AM