Gardening Volunteer
Time to Grow
Volunteer opportunity with food growers collective Time to Grow. We offer hands-on weekly gardening sessions in Dalston in a relaxed, fun and supportive environment, applying organic principles of food growing and forest gardening techniques.
Time to Grow are a collective of food growers in North London helping turn unloved land into thriving food-growing spaces. We focus on helping people turn disused private garden spaces into community food-growing sites. All of our produce is distributed to volunteers, garden owners and community food providers. This includes the Gleaners Workers Cooperative, the Holy Trinity Food Share, North London Action for the Homeless and Curry Club. We also work with schools and local authorities to run workshops and trainings on ecological food growing. We currently help steward over 25 plots, with roughly the same number of volunteer coordinators. As we head towards our busiest period of the year we are looking for volunteers within our Hackney team, specifically to help with 3 gardens in Dalston, which are all next to each other. One of the gardens is established and the two other gardens need work to develop them into thriving, biodiverse habitats, like the first one, where we employ organic methods to grow healthy, nutritious food. We offer weekly sessions and tasks include regular weeding and clearing space; creating paths; watering, improving soil by adding compost, green manures, mulching; propagating (seed sowing); potting on; planting out; crop, flower, and herb maintenance; harvesting; seed saving; creating support structures for beans, tomatoes etc; and making wooden bed frames; creating compost bays and making compost; making ponds and maintaining them. In the sessions we share knowledge and understanding of organic principles of food growing and also low maintenance forest gardening methods. Sessions are usually two hours a week per garden, evening and daytime sessions available, with occasional 4 hour sessions with a break and a healthy, nutritious meal offered.
Community Work,Gardening,Practical Work & DIY,Environmental
Carpentry, Cleaning & Tidying, Conservation, Creative & Design, Gardening, Language Skills
Minimum skills: - good communication and listening skills - feeling comfortable both working in a group and alone without close supervision - being prepared to work outdoors whatever the weather Within reason: - previous knowledge of food growing and gardening appreciated but not necessary - a willingness to learn together. - Reasonable fitness and agility - Patience - Tolerance and flexibility
- Spending time together outdoors in nature is well known to have many benefits on our health, mentally, emotionally and physically. - Working together as a group in a collaborative and supportive setting learning together about growing food can feel empowering. - Connecting to nature and playing a role in improving biodiversity and soil health and growing food locally to be shared can feel meaningful, uplifting and joyful. - There comes with it a sense that you are making a difference and having a positive impact on so many levels. - You will also have access to healthy nutritious food and the harvest can be shared regularly through the seasons!
Sessions usually 2 hours per week with occasional 4 hour sessions with a meal provided.
E8
Hayton Close, Dalston Gardens Estate (formerly known as Rhodes Estate)
Hayton Close is on Dalston Gardens Estate (formerly known as Rhodes Estate). This estate is behind Dalston Junction station, and between Dalston Lane and Forest Road E8. Also near to Kingsland Road. Nearest Bus Stops: Dalston Junction: buses: 242,38,277,56. Kingsland Road bus stop: 149,76,67, 242 Overground: Dalston Junction and Dalston Kingsland
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