We could not have achieved this without our funders Farming The Future and Prism, the gift fund, our project partners Feedback Global/ Sussex Surplus and One Church, or our wonderful host farms and food producers. If you have a farm in Sussex and would like to welcome visitors from local food hubs, please get in touch.
Why farm visits matter
The national cost of living crisis continues to bite, and the way we eat and shop for food is changing. The Food Foundation found that an increasing number of people are being pushed into food insecurity, especially children. These households are more likely to cut-back on healthy fruit and veg, or need to skip meals altogether.
Affordable food projects across Brighton and Hove are springing up to meet this demand by providing community shops and meals. As costs remain stubbornly high, sourcing fresh produce direct from the farm can help projects greatly.
Affordable food projects are also looking for ways to boost the wellbeing of the people using their services. Food insecurity can be a very stressful experience and can even cause symptoms of trauma. We know that getting outdoors through activities like gardening is a great way to improve mood and confidence.
That’s where Soil in The City comes in. The project was designed to connect people using affordable food projects with the local land where food is grown. Hands-on farm visits were organised in collaboration with projects and farmers, with the aim to increase wellbeing, knowledge, and food access.
“I haven’t been able to get out of bed for days, but my friend told me about this trip to the countryside and encouraged me to come. The fact there was a free bus collecting us from our affordable food hub where I feel safe, made it much more encouraging for me to come along, and I’m so glad I did.”
– Soil in The City participant
Developing a project with local roots
Last year in 2022, the development stage of the Soil in The City project got underway. Fist, we invited members of AFHs to taster sessions with the market garden and horticultural therapy site at One Church’s Rock Farm as our backdrop. The participants explored and expressed what they wanted from the project and we listened.
“I loved trying the different herbs. There was a flower which tasted like pepper and so many things that I didn’t realise you could eat.”
– Soil in The City participant
This feedback led us to organise visits to the local farms and growing spaces which sparked the participants interest. During our busy summer of visits, the groups learnt farming tips straight from the experts, shared a farm fresh lunch, and harvested produce to take back to their AFHs.
Feedback Global and the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership organised visits which focussed on community engagement. One Church has been developing a model where food is grown ecologically for the local market, alongside facilitating nature-based therapy in a calming space. Distributing this produce and making it accessible to everyone is key, as projects development manager Ben Szobody explains in his blog.
“It was so good for my mind. Sometimes I feel very sad and stressed. I enjoyed being somewhere that made me feel calm and relaxed.”
– Soil in The City participant
By the end of the development phase, an amazing 336 attendees had been on 19 visits to engage with land and farms. The heart-warming feedback from participants shows just how valuable this project has been. We are looking forward to expanding on this groundwork over the next year with the help of the funding and connections we have established in the development phase.
Exciting plans to expand the project
This year we will visit even more local farms, food processing units and farms to continue a deepening understanding and offer opportunities to those within the city. We’ll be going to:
- The Mac’s Farm in Ditchling to meet & feed their 6000 free roaming hens
- a SHRUB supplier at their farm in Sussex, and to see how SHRUB pack and process all the tasty produce
- Stanmer Park Wellbeing gardens for a CHOMP family session, making cheesey breadsticks from local produce and cooked over fire, whilst playing games talking about food
- One Church will continue working with AFHs to refine their model of local produce entering the affordable markets whilst continuing to supply Florence Road Market
- Feedback will be hosting a wellbeing walk with a food hub from Bevendean to Kingston with a fresh local dinner on arrival to the farm
And so much more – keep an eye out on what we’re up to on our social media, upcoming blogs and by signing up to our fortnightly newsletter.
How to get involved
Do you have a Farm or food factory in Sussex which you think would be interesting for others to visit?
Please contact Libby – libby@bhfood.bozboz.dev
