This is a traditional Argentinean dessert eaten on Sunday Easter. The wreath represents the love and friendship that unites people.  It also represents family unity and the concept of continuity, of starting over each year as an eternal rebirth. Ingredients: Starter 15 gr of dry yeast 70 ml of water 2 tablespoons of flour 1 teaspoon of sugar Mix with spoon, let stand for 20 minutes until bubbles form and the mixture increases its original size. Dough 100 gr butter 100 gr icing sugar 500 gr sifted flour 3 eggs orange zest Optional: chocolate chips Custard cream  500 ml milk 4 yolks 1 ..read more

This winter helped by a grant from Action Earth we have been giving our compost on the Meadows Community Garden a make over. A quantity of willow which was surplus to requirements at a local school garden has been used to weave a new boundary to the compost area. We have also created compartment areas to segregate the compost and the old leaves we gathered in the autumn. The leaves will take longer to break down than the compost, but will form good quality mulch by the autumn. The compost which was collected across the autumn and early winter is a great habitat for invertebrates and will go on ..read more

We are so pleased that Action Earth is supporting our community garden winter projects: it’s the right time rebuild our compost corner, plant a new hedge and develop our growing area so we can improve biodiversity. Rain can slow things down, but we generally keep going regardless. It’s a real boon to have outdoor projects to work on, and feel close to nature. We’re also learning new skills; willow weaving and hedge planting. We’re using old skills in new ways, figuring how to create structures that will stand up to the wind and wild weather. Many thanks to Action Earth for funding our projects ..read more

We at the community garden raise our mugs to Christmas cheer and will reconvene on 7 January 2023. We have projects to complete and seeds to sow … another year of growing adventures and community actions ..read more

It’s snowy, it’s cold. But it’s beautiful as well. Crisp, fresh and sparkly air! A chance for dressing up in woolly hats and gloves. Throwing snowballs and building snowmen It also means there’s less gardening to be done as all is dormant. But it’s been an active year so what better time to pause and celebrate all we’ve done. Welcome, whether you’ve come for an hour, every day or are just passing. Come and drink a toast to fun and joy and creativity! Mulled wine and mince pies.  Saturday 17 December, 12-1pm at the Meadows Community Garden ..read more

…and Lavender, Marjoram and Oregano. All growing in our Meadows Community Garden herb plot! Too cold for Basil right now so we’ll leave that little beauty until Spring. We have some medicinal herbs too – kindly donated by a Medical Herbalist – they’re all bedded in for the Winter and we’re looking forward to watching them grow and develop over time. Nothing deadly of course . It’s a herb garden, not a poison plot! Which, as a lover of all things herby, is a bit sad in a way since some of the more problematic varieties are lovely to look at. There’s also lots of Borage, newly planted Hawthorn h ..read more

Food sharing is an integral part of our community ethos. We are happy to share our produce and grateful when we have an opportunity to pick apples, or grow veg in the neighborhood. Food sharing is also integral to the Shrub, which rescues food and runs on a pay as you feel basis. We have picked up food for our community events at the Shrub on several occasions. The Söderberg bakery offers slots for collecting unsold bread. This has been a boon for some of our members, and a reminder to us all that sharing is key! Furthermore, food sharing initiatives are a way to reduce food waste while provid ..read more

It’s always a pleasure when young volunteers turn up at the community garden and we’re ready to provide activities to suit different interests, including Duke of Edinburgh candidates. So it’s especially heartening to have twelve young people from St Thomas Acquin high school come forward to plant bulbs and maintain our wildflower beds. Come the spring, they’ll see what a difference the early flowers make for the emerging insect population. And we’ll all enjoy the fine show ..read more

Ingredients 300g plain flour (sieved) 175g sugar (brown or caster sugar) 200g  butter at room temperature, cubed For the filling 450-500g apples, peeled, cored and cut into small pieces 50g sugar (brown or caster sugar) 1 tbsp plain flour 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional) Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 2. Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 3. Place the apples in a large bowl and sprinkle over the ..read more

https://app.vyond.com/videos/72bea70e-8205-4e20-bb99-db4b9a6815c3 We’re always delighted to welcome researchers at the community garden, and Amelia Holmes has made a video about her findings. It’s about 5 minutes long and worth every second! School children helping water our new orchard; the trees were planted by a team from a local office, on behalf of Trees for Cities: community in action ..read more