POOLE AGENDA 21

TATNAM ORGANIC PATCH


Tatnam Organic Patch - New Website tatnampatch.org.uk

Because Geocities is closing down. Please update your bookmarks.

Open Day - Sat May 16th 2009 11am to 3pm - was opened by Bridget Strawbridge, of the Big Green Bus and BBC "It's not Easy Being green"

A very successful day, with a steady stream of visitors to the site.
Google Group for Tatnam Patch
Tops brochure (650Kb Word Document)
workday break April 09
Workday break for late Lunch, April 09

THE PROJECT

To create and maintain a model organic garden and wildlife habitat.

  • The name is Tatnam Organic Patch (Allotment Association).
  • The site is the triangular piece of land bordering St. Mary's catholic church at Tatnam farm allotment site - (directions)
  • Steering group partners - Poole Agenda 21 environmental group and East Dorset Friends Of the Earth.

    OBJECTIVES

    1. To serve as a Model of good practice in Urban food growing using solely Organic methods.
    2. To encourage the growing of older varieties of vegetables no longer commercially available and an interest in the nutritional value of the vegetables grown. (Seed to be saved where possible).
    3. To provide a managed wildlife habitat and promote bio-diversity.
    4. To provide a focus and a stimulus for community action.
    5. To provide a community composting scheme. (There are several blocks of Pensioners flats in the immediate vicinity that are a potential source of organic material and a govt. White Paper on waste was seeking for 40% of households to be composting their organic leftovers by the year 2000.) Visit by Hillbourne Community First School July 2002
      School Visits 2002-8,
      more planned for 2009

      Subsidiary Aims

    6. To provide educational facilities for gardening, composting and nature studies.
    7. To encourage whole family involvement (as do continental allotment sites.)
    8. To keep records of the Garden's evolution, inputs and outputs, plantings and a wildlife log.
    9. To introduce novel and improved methods of gardening making maximum use of recycled and locally obtained materials.

    THE BENEFITS

    Urban Organic Horticulture can offer the following benefits:
    Environmental improvement : by reducing food packaging waste, reducing transport pollution, increasing bio-diversity and decreasing the chemical burden on the local environment which is imposed by intensive food production.
    Health : by improving peoples diets, providing excellent physical exercise and promoting mental health by relieving stress.
    Education : by providing a managed habitat and Model Organic Garden which can serve as an educational resource for the whole community.
    Community Spirit : by fostering community identity, friendships and a sense of social responsibility and providing an arena where anyone regardless of age, sex, disability or any other social factor can get involved

    Barbacue - Sept 08
    BBQ - September 2008

    PROGRESS TO DATE

    Tops Newsletter - May 2005
    Nov 2005 - Trip to Ourganics Permculture Garden, Litton Cheney

    See pics of previous seasons

    2005/6 seasons
    2002 season 1998 / 1999 / 2000 / 2001 season
    Dec 2003 newsletter
    Newsletter May 2003
    (TOP Newsletter 3 / News 2)

    Allotment rules (highlights)
    • No peat to be used on the garden (we had been accepting donated split bags)
    • HDRA Guidelines to be adopted (but also, no organic pesticides, and no Bordeaux mixture)
    • Working party projects every 3rd weekend in the month
    • Subscription �5 indicidual, �7.50 for families - newsletter for participants
    Recent projects -still to finish

    Water saving and moving - a plumbing scrapyard challenge How much water are we collecting ?

    Greenhouse - including automated irrigation
    Host a hive for a local beekeeper - pollination and honey prospects (100 lb in first year !)

    You're welcome to join us to work or just to come and visit ! Working parties on the first Sunday, and 3rd Saturday of every month, or ring us.

    Coming months
  • Herb Garden - surrounding the herb spiral we built last year
  • Composting, including converting an old chest freezer for a hot compost box
  • Daddy I need a pee ! - sawdust toilet
  • Designs for a Gazebo are being sought - possibly hexagonal and turf roofed, with removable side walls, but who knows how it will turn out ?
  • Mini-gardens in construction - demonstrating what can be done in a limited space

    • GET involved Contact Jan 01202 623987, Gary on (01202) 679517, Andy on 389782
    MAP of how to find us see map here
    IDEAS on making a corner of your own garden a wildlife haven see Natural gardens (planting in sympathy with local ecology)
    LINKS to other community allotment / garden schemes see the QED Dartford site, or for virtual gardeners try Over the Garden Gate
    Aranya teaches Permaculture principles and design. He has used TOP garden for practical sessions for several courses.
    Green ideas for school playgrounds The Growing Schools Garden
    Organic Gardening advice Henry Doubleday or Centre for Alternative Technology
    Poole Agenda 21 Other Projects page
    Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

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