Land yourself a great veg patch (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Land yourself a great veg patch

8:33am Wednesday 9th September 2009 in News By Helen Mead

Catherine McGrath owns a small hill – and would like to share it.

“It is behind our house, and is very overgrown,” she says.

While Catherine and her husband Tim love their green outlook, they believe the land could be put to better use.

“It is very, very unkempt,” says Catherine. “The previous owners bought it in the 1960s from British Rail and ran it as a smallholding – they had a goat and grew lots of produce.”

But Catherine and Tim lead busy working lives, and have found it difficult to maintain.

“Over the years we have made a couple of attempts to clear it, but it is a big job,” says Catherine, who works as chief executive of a Bradford-based reading charity.

The couple would love to see the land in Brighouse brought back into use. “It is really fertile land, well-suited to crop-growing, and has lots of lovely trees,” adds Catherine. “It is quite steep and would need to be terraced.”

Their desire to see the land put to a more productive use led to Catherine and Tim signing up to an innovative scheme that is taking off across the country.

Landshare is a venture run in partnership with Channel 4’s River Cottage series which aims to make the River Cottage lifestyle enjoyed by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, more accessible to everyone. Hugh is well-known for growing his own ingredients on his smallholding at the Cottage in Dorset.

The online scheme, which was launched in June, invites people to register in one of three categories – landowners, growers or helpers.

People with land or gardens they may not be using at all, or not cultivating to their full potential, can offer the land to others, and those who want land can take up the offer. Helpers may already be involved in growing, and be able to offer practical guidance or advice.

One of a number of entries from the Bradford area reads: “Hi, we are looking for a small plot of land in the Eccleshill area of Bradford. As a thanks will share produce with landowner.”

Another says: “Help needed in preparing ground of derelict allotment site to set up a community supported agriculture scheme to supply local people with fresh fruit and vegetables.” Catherine registered her land a few weeks ago. “I am hoping someone comes forward,” she says. “We are open to any kind of offer. Our neighbours have said that if other people come along, they will also help.”

Those interested in cultivating the land – which has “fantastic views” – would be given an opportunity to do their own thing. “They would not need to get involved with us very much,” says Catherine.

Colin Johnson has registered with Landshare for the opposite reason – to find a plot of land he and his girlfriend Helen can garden. “Our house has no outside space and we have just started a family,” he says.

With a green outlook, the couple, who live in Shipley, would love to grow their own food. “We think about things like where food comes from and food miles,” says Colin, an information manager for the NHS.

The couple have seen offers from those with large gardens they are willing to share, but they have not so far found one sufficiently close to their home.

“It would be nice to bring children up having access to a garden where we could all potter about, and the children could help plant seeds and learn where food comes from,” he adds.

Yvonne Simpson is also on the lookout for land. “I am on the waiting list for an allotment and had also rung our parish council to ask whether they knew anyone with a spare piece of land they didn’t use, so I was very excited when I heard about Landshare.”

Later this year, district nurse Yvonne, of Wrose, retires, freeing up more time to devote to hobbies such as gardening. “I have a small back garden at home where my partner grows fruit and vegetables, but there is not enough space, so I am looking for a second piece of land to grow more greens, and crops that don’t require daily attention. I’d also like some space to grow flowers.”

Yvonne thinks the Landshare scheme is brilliant. “It is so simple an idea, which could help so many people.”

The response to the scheme has been overwhelming, with more than 40,000 people already signed up. Landshare producer Jane Lucy is delighted.

“It is early days, but there is a real sense of community in the listings. People are willing to help each other, and by next spring when the growing season starts again, it will be even bigger.

“People are looking at the site for various reasons – they may want to teach their children about growing food, or reduce their CO2 footprint, or they may be worried about buying food from supermarkets and not knowing where it has come from.

“The scheme has both environmental and health benefits, and is a way of helping people to get to know other people in their community.”

She adds: “We are just scratching at the surface – the next phase, I think, we will see a lot more land coming from derelict council-owned space, institutional landowners and churches.”

For more information, visit landshare.channel4.com