Waste not want not....

Pickling and preserving to expand the lifespan of produce is a tried-and-tested method from bygone times - but it is coming more to the fore as communities embrace it to demonstrate how it can help to reduce the amount of food waste.

It is a year since Re-considered, a co-operative dedicated to preventing waste and creating value from waste, Grow Bradford - a catalyst for people to become more involved and connected with growing food, developing skills, improving health and transforming their local community and spaces, and partners launched their community venture based on preserving surplus fruit and vegetables.

Working alongside Bradford Council’s markets service, they are capturing surplus produce from St James Wholesale Market alongside local growers.

And the outcome of this collaboration is the brand ‘Plenty - The People’s Preserves’ which they are now busy promoting through events such as the Forage lunch they are hosting this evening at The Triangle, the craft beer emporium in Shipley.

Emma Hill director and co-operative member of Re-considered explains through the community preserving workshops they are hoping to pass on the ancient skills to others with the overall aim of preventing food waste.

The workshops also encourage participants to share recipes, flavours and skills.

Foraging is another focus of their work and is the theme for the three course gourmet lunch taking place from 7pm this evening.

The menu is designed around overlooked food - food considered waste or food which is growing wild around the area.

“It (foraging) is something I have always been interested in,” says Emma.

She says it will expand people’s boundaries of what they can eat through a creative and and resourceful menu.

Emma explains how certain flowers such as elderflower and rose can add a different dimension to a summer salad along with a variety of edible foraged leaves.

“It is food resources that are local that are often overlooked and it is a really interesting way of getting outdoors and getting into contact with nature as well. It is really rewarding,” says Emma.

“We are trying to get people to look at food waste and food resources and using things carefully and creatively and looking at what we have on our doorstep.”

She says it is also about education how to use surplus home grown produce sustainably. “People are more aware and there a lot of places such as the Real Junk Food cafes. People get the issue now and lots of people like making stuff,” adds Emma.

Charlie Gray, who is involved in Grow Bradford a collective helping to document, promote and increase local food growing and biodiversity-related activities, explains how they will be using surplus locally grown and foraged ingredients to create a flavoursome menu for this evening’s meal.

Ingredients such as pink purslane as well as preserved pickles, roasted peppers, vegetable pickles, herbs and sorbets bursting with wild flavours will feature in the three course menu at the pop-up meal.

The ethnobotanist says her interest stems from ‘caring for people and plants’ and getting people involved in the local food system.

As well as working alongside Plenty, Charlie is also involved in the Horton Community Farm in Horton, Bradford.

Based at Cecil Avenue allotments, the community farm is a thriving permaculture project for local food, environmental education and horticultural therapy.

Charlie explains areas ripe for foraging include hedgerows as well as clearings, green spaces and even local parks.

She says initiatives such as the Forage meal are particularly important as they promote the prevention of food waste.

“I think it is important because it helps people to think more in-depth about the food system; where food comes from and think about the nutritional contents because they (wild food) have a greater variety of nutrients.

“It also helps people to be creative and think about the waste side of food as well; just being more creative and less wasteful.”

She says it also demonstrates a more creative and more diverse diet. “In some ways foraging and growing your own and help save money as well.”

“Every bit you forage or grow you haven’t bought it in the supermarket.”

It is hoped the meal may become a regular event, along with the other community initiatives they run.

On July 14 Plenty is hosting a fermentation event at Outside the Box cafe in Bridge Lane, Ilkley, a community cafe launched in June 2013 which also supports adults with a learning disability.

“We are all pickling and preserving but it is really good for health. People are really interested in it,” says Emma.

For tickets or more information visit plentypreserves.co.uk or contact The Triangle, 47 Bradford Rd,Shipley.