Ecologist, Janice Fuller, will be speaking about 'Managing Our Hedgerows' at Anglers Rest on Wednesday, 16 April 2014 at 8 pm. Admission is free, so come along and learn what you can do to help improve Headford's bio-diversity. If you'd like to know more about what Janet does, check out this article about her from the Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/the-ecologist-who-gets-locals-to-say-yes-to-biodiversity-1.1588639
and read full programme details here: http://www.greensodireland.ie/wildawake-walk-where-you-are.php?--=5
Green Sod's purpose is to save this land for present and future generations. In holding land in trust, we acknowledge and respect it for its own sake, thus protecting its indigenous life from destruction.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
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| Communism-The People's garden party-is alive and well in Headford. |
Now, before you get nervous, ask yourself, Do I know what Communism really is? For those who aren’t one hundred percent sure, Communism is a system structured upon common ownership of a means of production.
So, what, you may ask, is our communist means of production
in Headford? Why, the Headford Community Garden, of course.
Thanks to Louise Morrow and Kathleen McMahon, you can get a
big, fat dose of communal horticultural therapy right here in Headford for just
€10
a year. That €10 investment (which goes to cover
public liability insurance), can help you grow your own dinner, make friends, swap
harvests with other gardeners, store your personal gardening equipment in a
locked shed, or just sit on a bench and listen to the wind chime while you watch
others pull weeds. Even if you’re not a vegetarian, that €10, and a little elbow grease, can go a long way to putting food (and flowers) on your family’s table.
One year ago this week, this Community Garden was born when Kathleen
and Louise were inspired by the Headford Environmental Group Bio-Diversity
Scheme.
‘We found out that community land was available,’ Louise
says.
‘And the Kilmaine Community Garden helped us organise,’
Kathleen adds.
The Headford group meets Mondays at 10:30 am, Thursdays at 7:00 pm
and Saturdays at 11:00 am, but the garden is open all the time and gardeners
are welcome. You can contribute to the larger space or have a personal space.
Everyone pitches in and all supplies, from boards to build the raised beds to
bags of soil and bulbs, to seeds and seedlings are donated by members. Even the
fence was put up, ‘out of community spirit,’ the ladies tell me.
Both Kathleen, who says she’s grown roots in Headford literally,
as well as figuratively, and Louise, who’s been an avid gardener for over ten
years, have big goals in mind. ‘We want to provide a space that the entire
community can enjoy,’ Louise says, ‘so new members are welcome.’
‘There are a lot of wonderful, interesting people involved
in this,’ Kathleen says, ‘a great social aspect.’ It’s clear, there’s loads of
help and inspiration available here. The ladies even want to involve schools so
that kids can learn where food actually comes from.
‘We’ll be having get-togethers for holidays,’ Kathleen tells
me. Those will include the upcoming Easter egg hunt at 2:00 pm on the 19th
of April, as well as a Summer Solstice gathering, a market stall at Headfest,
and a Harvest Festival.
The crops grown at the Headford Community Garden include
strawberries, leeks, parsnips, French beans, runner beans, peas, pumpkins, lettuces,
beetroot, kale, cabbage and brussel sprouts. In addition, there will be three double-height
raised beds, including one to attract butterflies and bees, and a sensory
garden with herbs for scent and touch.
When I ask if the garden is organic, the ladies tell me that
they encourage people to leave their chemicals at home, but the garden itself
is not 100% organic. For instance, corn seeds are always genetically modified.
And if the cheap food and social aspect of a community
garden aren’t enough for you, then consider this: According to the Daily Mail, ‘Gardening is Healthy!’ That’s
right. Researchers have now proven that
pulling up weeds, planting seeds or seedlings, smelling roses, and pretty much
any gardening activity can lower blood pressure, increase brain activity and
produce a general optimistic feeling.
During World Wars I and II, victory gardens were a part of
daily life on the home front. Why? Because they were considered a civil ‘morale
booster.’ Gardeners felt empowered by their contribution of labour and
rewarded by the produce grown.
Anyone who’s plunged their hands in the dirt to plant a tiny
pansy from Tesco, or yanked out weeds ‘til their back ached, knows the joy of helping
to coax life from the earth. Now there's proof. The Daily Mail article mentioned above cites a study reported
in the Journal of Environment Psychology. Researchers took 112 stressed-out adults and split them into two groups. The
first group sat in a room with a view of trees and then strolled through a
garden. The second group sat in a windowless room and then walked in an urban
environment. The group that relaxed in the garden showed decreases in blood
pressure and a positive change in feelings. Researcher. Dr. Terry Hartig, from
the University of California in Irvine, said: ‘Some of the changes could be
measured within minutes.’
When I ask
if people wanting to participate in the Headford Community Garden need to have
experience or plant knowledge, Louise gives a negative shake of the head and flashes her perpetual smile. Kathleen answers with the quiet calm of a Buddhist monk who’s
spent a lifetime raking sand. ‘You don’t need to be a gardener,’ she
says. ‘New members, new participants, are always welcome.’
The garden is located next to the Headford Mart. After you turn left into the Mart, take the road that forks to the right and follow it until you see the raised beds and polytunnel. If you’re interested in joining the Headford Community
Garden or finding out more, contact Louise at: 086.0849863.
And if you feel like you need a few gardening tips so you can use a space allotment efficiently, here’s a short programme to help
you get started:
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