Urban gardeners and farmers across the capital are gearing up for the eighth City Harvest Festival. The theme of this year’s event is Growing Food in the City and will be held on September 22, at Capel Manor College, Enfield.
The event will act as a London launch for the Year of Food and Farming; a government led initiative to encourage children and young people to learn more about how food is grown and produced.
The festival will include a horticulture marquee, where the huge range of crops grown in the city will be displayed, bread-making demonstrations, and many activities, as well as London-grown food cookery demonstrations on the day.
The BBC’s Urban Chef Oliver Rowe, who owns restaurant Konstam, which sources over 90 per cent of its produce from within the London Underground area, will officially open the event.
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. Rowe said the judges want to see plenty of imagination: “The prize might go to tomatoes growing out of an old shoe, or a window box of salad leaves.”
Kentish Town City Farm in Camden has planted grain in containers to show where flour comes from to use at the bread-making demonstrations on the day. Catherine Miller, from City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG), which is co-ordinating the event alongside London Food Link, 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.”
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