Good food March - 16 September

A Europe-wide protest and awareness-raising organisation, the march is campaigning to get changes to EU law on farming to support small-scale farms; encourage greener and more sustainable farming; get fair prices for farmers and consumers; improve animal welfare and much more. Find out more on their website.

The March is coming to Norwich on 16th of September, visiting by bicycle several food projects around Norwich before setting out to Norwich FarmShare for a picnic. You’re welcome to join the march at any point, from cycling the whole route to just enjoying the picnic at the farm.

Join the cycle route or join by car or on foot at any point:

Start: 12pm – 12.30 Meet at Norwich Train Station
12.30 – 13.15 Cycle to John Innes Centre
13.15 – 13.45 John Innes Centre, Colney Lane
13.45 – 14.00 Cycle Bluebell South Allotments
14.00 – 14.45 Grow-your-own Project (to be confirmed)
14.45 – 15.15 Cycle to Chapelfield Shopping Centre, Norwich
15.15 – 16.00 Chapelfield Shopping Centre, Norwich centre
16.00 – 16.45 Cycle to Norwich Farmshare, Near Postwick Park & Ride
16.45 – 18.00 Good Food Picnic at Norwich Farmshare

Refreshments will be available at Bluebell Allotments & John Innes and bring a picnic for the meet at Norwich Farmshare: the organisers ask that you bring homemade, wholesome, ‘non-supermarket’ salads, bread, hot water, tea, coffee & own plates & cutlery.

For more information and any questions contact Britta on 07545 765 274, For more information on Good Food March 2012 see www.goodfoodmarch.eu

Have Cake & Eat It - 15 November

On 15th November after Rob Hopkins' talk we (350 of us we hope) will be eating cake. We would like the TN Birthday Cake to represent the communal spirit of Transition Norwich and therefore ask that you each bring a cake to share. The cakes will then be assembled creatively to make a big birthday cake. If you are bringing an allergen free cake eg. sugar, nut, dairy, gluten free please label it. Please deliver your cake to the kitchen or hand it to a volunteer in the foyer before 7.30 on the night. If you would like to join us for a shared supper before the event please bring a veggie dish (preferably local and organic) to share at 6.30pm.

If you could display a poster for the event or could print out a few leaflets to hand out and spread the word please email: training@transitionnorwich.org

We look forward to seeing you at the United Reform Church on Princes Street. Christine Way

Photo: TTBrixton's Unleashing Cake by Johhny Helm from Celebration Ingredient

Introducing Kitchen Conversations - Low Carbon Cookbook - 24 August

Last month we gathered at Christine’s and welcomed Sophie and Nick to our low-carbon table. We ate, as usual, a delicious supper of shared dishes (from rainbow summer slaws to foraged cherry plum pie) and afterwards discussed the Burning Issues embedded in the present industrialised food system. We looked at the scarcity of water, the destructiveness of supermarkets, peak phosphates, and how we can change the menu, both practically and philosophically, in our daily lives and neighbourhoods.

We also decided to open out these monthly discussions and invite everyone to take part in a conversation over supper on all aspects of food and carbon reduction.

Our first Kitchen Conversation will be on Eating Local for Real on Wednesday 24 August at 6.30pm at Jo Balfe's new cafe The Nectar at 16 Onley Street, just off the Unthank Road. Jo is a member of the TN Permaculture group and gives regular workshops on cooking and eating local and raw food. We'll bring our own local low carbon dishes to share and Jo will be offering drinks and pedal-powered desserts.

We'll be holding our second Low Carbon Kitchen Conversation at Norwich FoodCycle Cafe in September. These free community meals are cooked up each week at the Friends Meeting House kitchens from food that would otherwise be thrown away, donated by local shops, restaurants and market stalls (including surplus veg from Norwich FarmShare).

Everyone is welcome at both events. Details and times will be added soon to the calendar. Watch this space! Charlotte Du Cann

Bicycle blender outside The Nectar; Low Carbon Cookbook Crew; blight-free organic potatoes at The Spuds Don't Work anti-GM rally outside the Forum

Kitchen Conversation 1: Eating Local for Real at The Nectar Cafe, 16 Onley Street. KC 2: Food and Waste will be at FoodCycle, Friends Meeting House, Upper Goat Lane in September. For more details contact Charlotte Du Cann rootshootsandseeds@hotmail.co.uk

Norwich FarmShare Workday - 20 August

As we head into August we are celebrating our first full month of delivering our fresh locally grown veg to our members. The veg we've supplied during our first month has been delicious and we've had a fantastic range. It's amazing to look back on how the site looked only a few months ago and reflect on how far we've come.

It's been really nice to start to get to know each other as we meet up to collect our veg. Lots of people stop for a cuppa and a chat- we often end up swapping recipes and tips on cooking the vegetables. I learnt that broad beans are much nicer if you take the skin off as well as podding them! I've never liked broad beans before, but I've really enjoyed them this summer, especially in the falafel that Tierney gave me the recipe for.

We've been grateful for lots of volunteer help over the month, some people come every week, others as and when they find the time. There are lots of jobs we need help with: harvesting every Thursday takes several pairs of hands to make sure all the veg is ready to take to our distribution point; but the job that's really getting away from us at the moment is weeding. Some of the weeds are taller than the crops! If you've got time on your hands and you fancy some healthy exercise in the fresh air, we'd love to see you on the farm.

We have work days every Thursday from 9.30 for harvesting. As for weeding, to make it as easy as possible you're welcome to visit the farm any time you'd like: then all you need to do is look for our 'weed me' sign and get stuck in. Our next Saturday workday will be on 20 August, 11am to 3pm.

Weekly updates, veg recipes and details of how to get to the farm are on our website

Looking forward to seeing you there! Elena Judd

RELATED EVENT: The Spuds Don't Work Rally - 23 July

Following the successful GM Gathering Momentum conference held in London earlier this year an anti-GM rally will be taking place in Norwich on Saturday 23 July...

Over the past ten years British trials of Genetically Modified blight resistant potatoes have been failing to deliver. However, a conventionally bred variety of blight resistant potatoes has now been on the market for seven years. On Saturday 23rd July a coalition of ngo's, farmers and activists will be delivering a trailer load of this conventional varietyto the doors of the Sainsbury laboratory outside Norwich. There'll be pedal powered tunes, fine organic chips and good cheer as we go and show them that we've found the potatoes they're looking for.

Emma Hockridge, the Soil Associations head of Policy, Pete Riley, chair of the GM Freeze campaign, Gerald Miles, potato farmer and others will beinviting the John Innes researchers to join them in debate. On Sunday 24th July a day long camp will plan the next stages of the campaign. Help build projects on everything from getting the GM oil out of takeaways to next years proposed GM wheat trials, raising awareness of the new studies on human health effects to European public decontamination solidarity work.

Meet at the Forum in Norwich City Centre at 12 noon for free chips and fun. We will set off from there to the John Innes Research Centre by bike, tractor and coach at 1pm. Bring waterproofs and umbrellas! Camping spaces are available from Friday pm onwards. For practical details seewww.stopgm.org.uk/gathering-momentum or ring 07595 506673

New Carbon Conversations Groups

What is your carbon footprint?

That is the first question we try to answer in a Carbon Conversations group. Already Transition Norwich have run 11 successful groups in Norwich and Diss which have helped participants reduce their carbon footprints and make plans to reduce them significantly over the next five years. Even those already leading fairly low energy lifestyles have been astonished by some of the amazing revelations, enlightening discussions and inspiring exercises in the course.

For those wanting to start a Transition Circle or other kind of energy reduction group in their neighbourhood, workplace or organisation a series of six Carbon Conversations provides an excellent foundation. We now have several trained facilitators and apart from regular groups in central Norwich we can offer courses in your area. All you need to do is find 6-10 friends or colleagues who would like to participate, find a space and time to meet and we’ll find the facilitators. Christine Way

For further details contact: training@transitionnorwich.org or 01603 614460

Transition Circle Hethersett - 18 March

In February we met at Ruth's house in Hethersett to talk about how we should respond to the large scale housing developments that are planned for the area. There is more about this on the blog . Five people shared a meal and we also talked about the sucess of our first food order from Rainbow Wholesale and just how much food you can get on one bicycle - about 20kg! The idea is to cut down on packaging and to make organic produce available at reasonable prices. We are planning another order in March and have placed some publicity in the village magazine in order to encourage more people to join in. John Heaser

Our next meeting is on March 18th in Little Melton and we will be talking about the the Story of Stuff - email us at hethersett@transitionnorwich.org
if you would like to come along.

One Planet Community Kitchen

The Low Carbon Cookbook group has been meeting since September 2010. Now in 2012 we are collating our material in a series of blogs on This Low Carbon Life and meeting more occasinally. You are welcome to get in touch however. Here is our first call out post with details about the project at the end:

"If you want to find a way into Transition choose food," Rob Hopkins once said. And judging by the number of blogs on this subject most TN authors agree. Writing, cooking and working as a cooperative crew are three essential Transition skills and this new working party aims to give us experience and enjoyment in all three. We’ll be working to create a Low Carbon Cookbook that will be a selection of bring-food-to-share recipes (with its ecological footprint), as well as a guide to downshift cuisine and local food activism - from TN's CSA and reskilling workshops. to hinterland appleshare and community bee projects and all the strands that make up the Low Carbon Food Pattern of Norwich.

On the way, we’ll be inviting Transitioners from the region to share their knowledge of community food projects and co-operative working structures and I'll be offering practial hands-on guidance on Writing and Cooking as a food writer and ex-magazine editor.

The Low Carbon Cookbook originated at TN's First Birthday party in October 2009 and has since been discussed in the Strangers’ Circle as we have looked at food as one of the main drivers of carbon reduction and resilience. A short precis of the book and links to the subjects we are covering can be found at This Low Carbon Life (see under working projects on the right hand column). (Charlotte Du Cann/Communications)

Kitchen work began in October 2010 and the Low Carbon cooking crew plan to cook and track the seasons during one growing year. If you are interested in taking part in the project do get in touch  All welcome. Our sessions are monthly and we meet in Central Norwich.

Photo: fruit brought to the Strangers' meeting on Resilience and Community by Mark Watson

REPORT: Seedling Swap

We came from Bungay by bus and Hethersett by bicycle (and from quite close by, by car - but with very heavy boxes). The list of plants we swapped was huge: kale for valerian, quinces for sunflowers, squashes for raspberries; tomatoes, Slovak white peppers, lettuces, aubergines, datura, feverfew, chillies and much more.

The Playhouse kindly hosted us and brought lilies and mint to the swap, happily taking away chillies and basil.

It was a fun, relaxed day. We chatted with friends old and new. Some people heard about Transition Norwich for the first time, others had been with us since the Unleashing.

It felt good, to be sharing something of ourselves, these tiny plants we'd nurtured from seeds - in airing cupboards and on windowsills; and to share our pleasure and our passion with other plant lovers.

To give freely, to share and receive, and to plant something in hope. A symbol for Transition. (Elena, Food & Farming/TN2)

Allotment - Plant Swap

We're making good progress with the allotment in spite of the continuing cold weather - windowsill gardening is the key while we wait for the soil to warm up! So far we've got seedlings of at least six different types of tomato; three sorts of pepper (including seed from Slovakia for delicious white salad peppers; aubergines; courgettes; squashes and pumpkins (with a special exotic from South Africa, Flat White Boer]; some cabbages and salad; and potatoes chitting nicely (Pink Pir Apple, Nicola, Charlotte). We're planning a plant swop at the end of May, probably outside the Forum - so all you green-fingered Transitioners, do please sow a few extra seeds now to swop on the day! For further info contact: jane@janechittenden.co.uk (Jane Chittenden)

NEWS: New Shoots in Transition

The headline story this month is a new development within TN, as the initiative decides on its "legal" framework. There is an FAQ all about this new organisation at http://www.transitionnorwich.org/jan10docs/faq.pdf . This is an on-going process and open to debate, so do write in with your comments and further questions.

Meanwhile in 2010, year of projects, the TN food projects are expecting to hear about their funding bid soon and the TN allotment team is all set to go for all those who want to grow-our-own. You can find them at the friendly set-up at Bluebell Allotments North, with seeds and tools, a community apple press and plenty of opportunities to share lunch and produce.

New Company to Form
One of the things we really value about Transition Norwich is that there is very little central control. Members of different theme groups, Transition Circles etc. can organise whatever activities they like as long as they broadly fit with the objectives of Transition Norwich. We are keen not to lose this creative freedom.However, when it comes to bidding for money for specific projects, funders like to see an incorporated not-for-profit organisation where there is a structure that enables certain individuals to take responsibility for the successful delivery of that project.

The Core Group therefore feel that there is a need for Transition Norwich to create a not-for-profit organisation that can bid for funding for significant projects, on behalf of Transition Norwich. We are not suggesting that Transition Norwich itself should be shoehorned into this new organisation, but that the new organisation should run alongside Transition Norwich.We suggest that this new organisation should be a "company limited by guarantee". This is the most common legal structure used in the UK for not-for-profit organisations. It ensures that money can never be paid to shareholders etc. Companies limited by guarantee are listed with Companies House and have "limited" at the end of their name, just like regular profit-distributing companies. Our new organisation might be called, for example, Transition Norwich Projects Ltd. (Tully Wakeman/Core Group)

The new group is at its formative stages and responses, comments and recommendations are welcomed, Please write to Chris Hull at (chrishull@phonecoop.coop). A summary of all comments will be published in a following bulletin.

Food and Farming: New projects for 2010
We hope to start work early in the new year on delivering four exciting food projects in Norwich:
• a Community Supported Agriculture scheme growing organic vegetables on the edge of the city at Postwick. We’ll be recruiting members who will pay an annual membership fee in return for a regular supply of seasonal, organic, local produce with a very low carbon footprint. Members will also be encouraged to get involved in supporting the project.
• another market garden on the playing fields of the Hewett School, linking students and local people into vegetable production and selling through local community outlets including the school kitchen, and ideas like weekly market stalls at local primary schools.
• a flour mill milling local organic wheat at Wholefood Planet on Hall Road, and supplying local artisan bakers who will then be able to bake a “Local Loaf”; and
• brokering local staples such as oats and beans into wholefood shops in the city.

We’ve put in a funding bid to get these projects started, and are hoping for a positive response and to get the projects under way, early in 2010. (Tully Wakeman)

Allotment: Spring is Around the Corner!

Quite a lot is already happening on the allotment. Vegetables: the broad beans have all come through (Sabberton Supreme beans are looking particularly good), the garlic and onion sets are starting to shoot and the spring cabbages are bedding in nicely. Fruit: there are lots of little strawberry runners to plant later and I have discovered that the mystery tree is a self-fertile Stella cherry. Brenna's putting aside some cuttings from pruning the allotment's fruit bushes.

I’ve made good progress on digging. There is more to be done when the weather improves - too cold at the moment. Over the winter we can propagate some herb cuttings – any offers from people with interesting herbs?

Our outline planting plan needs to be developed in detail before the spring rush in March. Do join us for a planning meeting at the allotment soon. (Jane Chittenden)

Local Food – How to Make It Happen in Your Community

by Tamzin Pinkerton and Rob Hopkins (Green Books)

Out on the 17th, this is an invaluable guide for setting up practical and inspirational food projects - including CSAs, community orchards, garden shares, food coops and directories. Reports and tips from world-wide Transition initiatives, as well as “mission statements” from key food activists, from Growing Communities in Hackney to the fruit gleaning project, Abundance, in Sheffield.