City Harvest for BBC's Urban Chef

Urban gardeners and farmers across the capital are gearing up for the 8th City Harvest Festival[1], highlighting food produced in London.

This family event – on 22nd September at Capel Manor College - is as close as London gets to its own county show, complete with animals and produce from across the city, plus London-grown food being used in cookery demonstrations on the day. 

The show, which will be officially opened by the BBC's Urban Chef Oliver Rowe[2], is being co-ordinated by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG)[3] and London Food Link[4]. 

One of the highlights for Green-fingered Londoners is the “Container of Food plants” competition, one of a series of fun competitions at the event.  With space at a premium in the city, entries will be rewarded not only for the best produce but also the most creative container.  Oliver Rowe said the judges want to see plenty of imagination: “The prize might go to tomatoes growing out of an old shoe, or a windowbox of salad leaves.'

Kentish Town City Farm in Camden has already planted grain in containers to show where flour comes from and link with the bread-making demonstrations on the day.  Catherine Miller, from FCFCG, said:  “With the festival at the end of September, there's still plenty of time to start your container - easy veg like lettuce and rocket only take a month to grow.”

Held in 30 acres of beautiful grounds at Capel Manor College[5],in Enfield, the show will also be a London launch for the Year of Food and Farming[6], a government and industry-led initiative to encourage children and young people to learn more about how food is grown and produced and how it reaches us.

Ben Reynolds, from London Food Link, said: "Given increasing interest in local food, and reducing food miles, what can be more local than growing your own? Very few people are going to be self sufficient, but the more people who grow food, the bigger difference it makes"

ENDS

Press contact: Ben Reynolds, London Food Link project officer, tel (work): 0203 5596 777; (mobile): 07939 202711. Catherine Miller, Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens, tel (work) 020 7485 5001

Notes

City Harvest Festival on 22^nd September, 10am – 5pm at Capel Manor College,  Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield EN1 4RQ. Tel: 08456 122 122 http://www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk/. Adults £5, Concessions £4, Children £2, Family Ticket £12 (2 adults and 2 children). For more information on the event and the “Container of food plants” competition category, go to www.sustainweb.org/news.php?id=187

The event will also award prizes for the biggest pumpkin, the best goat and many other categories.  Please note these competitions can only be entered by City Farms and Community Gardens in London.  For more information on entrance criteria, please contact Catherine Miller on 020 7485 5001 or Catherine@farmgarden.org.uk.

[1] The City Harvest Festival, now in its eighth year, celebrates the work of London's city farms and gardens at Capel Manor College, Enfield.  The theme of this year's event, on 22^nd September 2007, is Growing Food in the City.  Some of the activities at this year's show include:

• children from London's city farms showing their animals,
• a horticulture marquee where the huge range of crops grown in the city are displayed,
• bread-making demonstrations,
• and many activities, including for children, making this an enjoyable day for the whole family.

http://www.capel.ac.uk/Gardens/city_harvest_festival.html
http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=88

[2] Oliver Rowe is the owner and head chef of the restaurant Konstam, which sources over 90% of its produce from within the area covered by the London Underground.  Oliver's search for ingredients was followed by the BBC for their 2006 series The Urban Chef. Since then Oliver has made a number of other TV appearances on shows including Saturday Kitchen.

[3] FCFCG is a charity that exists to support, promote and represent community-managed farms and gardens http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ 

[4] London Food Link is a project of Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming. Representing around 100 national public-interest organisations, Sustain (a not-for-profit organisation) advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich society and culture.

[5] Capel Manor College, London's specialist college for land-based studies, is the place to study for those considering a career in Horticulture, Arboriculture (Tree Surgery), Floristry, Garden Design, Animal Care, Saddlery or Countryside Studies. Set in 30 acres of gardens complete with a Georgian Manor House, Victorian Stables and animal corner. Other centres are also located at Regent's Park, Gunnersbury Park, Castle Green and Crystal Palace. http://www.capel.ac.uk/

[6] The Year of Food and Farming is a government campaign, in partnership with industry, to promote healthy living by giving young people direct experience of the countryside, farming and food.  The year runs from September 2007 to July 2008.  For more details go to http://www.yearoffoodandfarming.org.uk/