Author: redkite

MEANWOOD VALLEY URBAN FARM NEEDS YOUR HELP!

/ redkite

MVUF help

It goes without saying that we’re all living through extraordinary and troubling times and unfortunately, I’m afraid that Meanwood Valley Urban Farm is going to struggle to get through this. We are seeking your help to make sure we can open our gates again when this crisis is over.

We’ve had to close to all our visitors and we can no longer host the 50 sessions for vulnerable adults or the outdoor activities for around 150 local school kids each week. This all means a huge and unprecedented loss of income.

We’ve launched a fundraising appeal to help us steer the Farm through the crisis. In our 40th year, we had big plans to celebrate our big birthday with you all. And with a little help, I hope we still can. We realise it’s a hard time for many people, so any donation you can give would be hugely appreciated.

While we’re closed to visitors and participants; life on the Farm goes on. I’m so proud of the staff and volunteers who are still working daily to look after the animals, including our new lambs and chicks, growing food in our market garden and keeping the site safe. We’ll continue to look after the Farm and all of the animals throughout this, in line with public health guidance.

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well and that we can all come together very soon at the Farm to celebrate its 40th year.

Many thanks.

Adam Ogilvie

CEO – Meanwood Valley Urban Farm

https://justgiving.com/campaign/save-meanwood-farm

 

Dig For Safety!

/ redkite

DigForSafety(S)

Feed Leeds is postponing our big Sprouts event, and we’ll be holding meetings by email etc. for the duration.

Meanwhile, spring is here and food growing is about the very best thing anyone can be doing right now, specially if you have a pot, a plot or a patch of soil somewhere safe to access.

Get outside and get digging, and get chatting to neighbours from a safe distance.

You can buy seeds online, and there’s loads of advice on our website. Just give it a go and ask here for help if you need it.

Grow and share food (and land if you can) – it’s our best insurance against problems with the food system, it’ll keep communities talking, and it’ll get us out of our houses for some welcome exercise.

And rather than panic buying, grow some verbascum, large leaf aster, wooly lambs’ ear and mallow. The leaves are absorbent, resistant, and loved by, for example, labrador puppies!

Many of us will have a hard time, and so will many we care about, but every cloud has a green lining. So let’s really push a “Dig For Safety” campaign this spring, by all means possible, and commit to being on hand to help our neighbours in whatever ways we can.

Keep safe everyone!

Tom.