Food represents so much more than just food. It is health, climate, culture, economy, land, labour and power.

That was the driving message behind the Fix Food: Fix the Planet talk Sue Pritchard gave in February, as part of our Root For Our Future project. The talk was a bold and urgent call to reimagine our food system as the lever for solving some of the greatest crises of our time.

This was a talk all about food, money, and power. Centred around the food system, with topics of health, climate change, and justice as a vision for the future of our food system.

“If we fix food, we fix everything.” It sounds ambitious, but when you look at the evidence, it starts to feel less like a slogan and more like a roadmap.

Food at the nexus of crisis

The modern food system sits at the centre of multiple overlapping emergencies:

• Global food systems are responsible for around 25 – 33% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Agriculture is the biggest driver of biodiversity loss worldwide.
• Diet-related ill health and obesity are rising, fuelled by ultra-processed foods.
• Children are now physically shrinking in some communities as a result of poor diets.

Food connects climate change, biodiversity loss, public health, inequality and economic instability. Yet the food system that feeds us has become increasingly consolidated, financialised and commoditised.

Just four global agribusiness companies – often referred to as the “ABCD” group – control around 80% of the global grain supply. This extreme concentration of power means:

• Farmers have little bargaining power.
• Small businesses struggle to compete.
• Policy is heavily influenced by corporate lobbying.
• The system remains locked into dysfunction.

As the talk made clear: “It’s not a cost of living crisis, it’s a cost of inequality crisis.”

The false economy of cheap food

We are told that cheap food is good for consumers, but cheap at the checkout often means expensive elsewhere.

A report commissioned by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission estimates that unhealthy diets cost the UK £268 billion per year – almost equivalent to the country’s entire annual healthcare budget. This is the direct cost (treating diet-related diseases) and indirect cost (such as diminished quality of life and lost productivity) attributable to our current food system.

The conclusion is stark: the investment required to ensure everyone eats well is far smaller than the cost of continuing with the status quo. However, the power of a handful of multinational food manufacturers blocks meaningful change.

Long-term downward pressure on food prices has not delivered food justice. Instead, it has driven:

• Environmental degradation
• Poor public health
• Farmer income stagnation (farm incomes have barely risen in 50 years).
• Extraction of value from rural landscapes

A local story: Wales and the River Wye

These global dynamics are playing out locally.

In Wales, many farmers are struggling to survive. Some are selling up or being bought out by large agribusinesses, asset equity firms, or nature credit schemes. Wealth is extracted from the Welsh landscape rather than reinvested into local communities.

The consolidation of intensive chicken production along the River Wye – linked to multinational supply chains such as those associated with Cargill – illustrates how global corporate models reshape local ecosystems. Concentrated livestock systems put pressure on waterways, biodiversity and community resilience.

When power concentrates, landscapes and livelihoods change with it (and often not for the better).

Justice at the centre of food

If transformation is to succeed, justice must sit at its heart.

There is a call for a new food economy anchored in three principles:

1. The right of every citizen – regardless of class, income, race, geography or age – to sufficient, affordable, healthy food.
2. Regulation that curtails the power of Big Food, promotes dietary health and reduces chronic disease.
3. A financial system that rewards real value creation – directing money towards regenerative farmers, local communities, and businesses selling healthy food.

Healthy food must be affordable and available to everyone, but this cannot be achieved by squeezing prices ever lower. Instead, political leaders must change the rules of the game so that:

• Growing healthy, sustainable food is properly rewarded.
• Financial returns flow to farmers regenerating natural resources.
• Preventative health is prioritised over post-hoc damage control.

What can we do?

As individuals, we are often told that the solution lies in our shopping baskets, such as:

• Asking questions about where our food comes from.
• Buying fewer ultra-processed foods.
• Eating seasonally.
• Choosing less intensively produced meat.
• Eating more plants and whole foods.

These choices, although important, require time, money, education and access. There is privilege attached to navigating food decisions in a complex marketplace. Individual action alone cannot transform a structurally unequal system.

Another, more powerful option for individuals is to collectivise – to organise, advocate and demand systemic change together.

While individuals can shift consumption patterns at the margins, only governments and powerful international institutions can:

• Restructure subsidies
• Regulate corporate power
• Invest in regenerative agriculture
• Redesign supply chains
• Ensure universal access to healthy food

Grow well. Trade fairly. Reward what matters.

A just and sustainable global food system would:

• Grow ecologically appropriate food.
• Trade fairly in ecologically appropriate food.
• Protect and enhance biodiversity.
• Strengthen food security and resilience.
• Restore dignity and income to farmers.
• Deliver healthy diets for all.

Food systems are not peripheral to climate strategy, health reform or economic justice – they are foundational.

If we fix food – not just at the level of personal choice but at the level of power, policy and finance – we begin to fix inequality, environmental collapse and public health crises simultaneously.

Food is not just what’s on our plate, it is the system that shapes our future, and that system can be redesigned.

Root for Our Future

This event is part of Root for Our Future, a two-year project exploring food sustainability within Torfaen. Everyone is welcome to attend one of our events. They’re completely free! This project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

We gathered under the shelter of their beautiful greenhouse to chat all things compost. Our goal was to support the volunteers in building on their brilliant work nurturing the garden’s green spaces and to help make their composting efforts even more effective.

We began sharing a bit of composting theory: what makes a healthy compost heap, the role of microorganisms, and the balance between green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials. It’s a science, but also a bit of an art. With a practical demonstration, we also discussed how to layer materials effectively, and why cutting prunings into small pieces helps them break down faster.

We also took some time to dive deeper into the topic of Bokashi bins – what they are, how they work, and why they’re such a brilliant addition to any composting setup. Bokashi bins use a special mix of bran and beneficial microbes to ferment food waste, including items like cooked leftovers and dairy that can’t usually go in a compost heap. The result is a nutrient-rich pre-compost that can be buried in the soil or added to a compost pile to speed up decomposition. It’s a great way to reduce food waste all year round, even in colder months when traditional composting slows down.

To help the garden put these ideas into practice, we were delighted to gift two Bokashi bins to the Llanfrechfa Grange volunteers. Hopefully, they’ll make a perfect compliment to the garden’s existing composting systems and help the team make the most of every scrap!

The morning was filled with great conversation, laughter, and shared learning. Despite the rain, spirits were high and it was heartening to see how passionate the Llanfrechfa Grange volunteers are about sustainable growing and community gardening.

We left feeling inspired by their commitment and can’t wait to see how their composting efforts continue to flourish!

A huge thank-you to everyone at Llanfrechfa Grange Walled Garden for welcoming us so warmly.

Want to learn more about composting? Check out our blog!

Root for Our Future

This event is part of Root for Our Future, a two-year project exploring food sustainability within Torfaen. Everyone is welcome to attend one of our events. They’re completely free! This project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Whether you bring your own apples or use some of ours, you’ll get the chance to press them into fresh, delicious juice using our project funded community apple press. Alongside the pressing, local food enthusiasts will demonstrate a variety of food preservation techniques. It’s hands-on, family-friendly, and completely free.

But beyond the fun and flavour, events like this play an important role in building a stronger, more resilient food system and in helping our community respond to climate change.

Reducing food waste, one apple at a time.

Every autumn, countless apples go to waste — left unpicked in gardens, falling from trees, or discarded because they’re a little misshapen. By gathering and pressing these apples, we’re keeping good food out of the bin and transforming it into something valuable and nutritious.

Food waste accounts for 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. When food rots in landfill, it releases methane – a potent climate-warming gas. By using every apple we can, we’re making the steps towards cutting down on waste and helping to shrink our community’s carbon footprint.

Reviving traditional preservation skills

Our grandparents knew how to make the harvest last – drying, fermenting, and preserving foods to carry them through the winter. Today, many of these skills have faded, replaced by supermarket convenience and disposable packaging.

By sharing knowledge of food preservation, we empower ourselves to take more control of our food supply, waste less, and eat more seasonally. Pickling, fermenting, and bottling not only extend the life of produce – they also strengthen food security and reduce dependence on industrial, energy-intensive food systems.

Local food, local resilience

Events like the Apple Pressing Day bring neighbours together around shared values: community, sustainability, and care for the environment. Supporting local food initiatives helps shorten supply chains, keeps resources in the community, and builds resilience to global challenges like climate change and food price volatility.

When we gather to press apples, share recipes, and swap tips, we’re doing more than making juice – we’re nurturing a sense of connection and collaboration that’s essential for a sustainable future.

Come be part of it!

Date: 19 October 2025
Location: Llanyrafon Manor, Cwmbran, NP44 8HT
Time: 10am – 2pm

Bring your apples – or use apples from the manor’s orchard – and join us and the folks at Llanyrafon Manor for a day of community, learning, and celebration. Together, we can turn surplus fruit into something sweet, share the joy of traditional skills, and take small but meaningful steps toward a more sustainable food system.

Let’s press for change, one apple at a time.

Root for Our Future

This event is part of Root for Our Future, a two-year project exploring food sustainability within Torfaen. Everyone is welcome to attend one of our events. They’re completely free! This project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The session explored the science and practice of composting, from the basics of what compost is to the different systems available for home and community use. Tamara shared practical advice, common pitfalls to avoid, and techniques for creating rich, fertile compost that supports healthy soils and sustainable food growing.

Below is a simple, no nonsense guide based on the workshop, capturing the key knowledge and tips so you can get started – or take your composting to the next level.

What is compost?

Compost is decomposed organic matter broken down until most material is unrecognisable.

Soil is a mixture of clay, sand, silt, minerals, and organic matter. For vegetable growing, 5–10% of organic matter is ideal.

Manure is animal dung with or without bedding material. It takes around a year to decompose. Be cautious with horse manure – Aminopyralid weed killers may take over a year to break down.

Humus is not compost, but a further stage of decomposition, providing long-term fertility. There are questions around whether it actually exists…

Why use compost?

Mimics nature’s recycling system.

Microbes transform raw materials into complex organic compounds.

Protects soil structure from winter rain damage when spread in autumn.

Nutrients are less water-soluble than synthetic fertilisers, reducing nutrient leaching.

Recycles garden and kitchen waste.

Boosts microbial activity and soil biodiversity.

Suppresses weed growth naturally.

Composting systems also empower self-reliance. By producing your own nutrient-rich soil amendments, you reduce dependence on supermarkets and garden centres that promote synthetic fertilisers and the idea that we “need” them. Instead, you create a circular system where your waste becomes your resource. This saves money, builds resilience, and reconnects us with natural cycles of fertility, offering independence from the chemical-driven food and gardening industry.

Principles of composting

A compost heap is a thriving ecosystem full of bacteria, fungi, worms, and micro-organisms. For them to thrive, they need:

• Food: Green (nitrogen-rich) and brown (carbon-rich) materials.
• Air: Essential for aerobic decomposition.
• Moisture: Prevents the heap from drying out.

Balance is key:

• Green materials feed bacteria.
• Brown materials feed fungi and help retain air pockets.

Signs your compost is working:

• Volume of heap reduces (material is being eaten).
• Heat is generated from microbial activity.

What can go wrong?

Smelly heap → Too wet or too many green materials (especially grass clippings). Solution: cover heap and add more brown materials.

Not heating up → Not a problem; decomposition will still happen, just slower. Adjust your green/brown ratio. Save brown materials to add when needed.

Compost ingredients

You want to use both green and brown materials when composting.

The ideal layering ratio is 5 cm green to 1.5 cm brown. This isn’t exact science, but a useful guideline.

Phases of a compost heap

1⃣ Initial phase

• Heat builds, lasting several days to weeks.
• Can reach 40°C, (sometimes 55°C –70°C, hot enough to kill weed seeds).
• Regular green additions maintain microbial activity.

2⃣ Cool phase

• Fungi feed on fibrous/woody materials.
• Turning the heap reintroduces oxygen and can warm it up again.
• Stop adding new material towards the end of the cool phase.

3⃣ Maturing phase

• Other organisms (worms, woodlice, beetles) move in.
• Organic matter continues to break down into stable compost.

Types of compost systems

• Pallet bins – Best in groups of three for efficient rotation.
• Conical plastic bins (“daleks”) – Space-efficient for small gardens.
• Hot boxes – Super-insulated; require careful mixture management.
• Tumbler bins – Easy turning, faster results.
• Worm bins – Perfect for kitchen waste, producing worm castings.

A special shout out for Bokashi bins!

As part of out Root for Our Future project, we gifted our community friend, Fairhill Methodist Church two bokashi bins to super charge their composting efforts. But what are they?

Bokashi bins

• Originated in Korea, popularised in Japan.
• Uses fermentation (anaerobic process) to create a pre-composting conditioner.
• After 2 weeks, fermented matter can be added to a compost heap or directly buried in soil.
• Accepts all types of food waste including cooked food, meat, and bones.
• Uses an an occulated bran to begin the fermentation process.
• Also produces Bokashi tea, a nutrient-rich liquid feed.
• Learn more here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/garden-inspiration/get-gardening/bokashi

Compost boosters – Comfrey

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is an invaluable compost activator and natural fertiliser:

• Belongs to the Boraginaceae family.
• Name comes from Latin confervere – “to heal.”
• Traditionally called “knitbone” or “bone-set.”
• Best variety: Symphytum x uplandicum “Bocking 14” – a sterile hybrid that won’t self-seed.
• Deep roots (up to 2 m) pull nutrients from the subsoil.
• High in potassium but also contains nitrogen and phosphorus.

Uses:

• Add leaves to compost as an activator.
• Use as mulch.
• Make a liquid feed (fermented comfrey tea): https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-make-a-comfrey-feed/

Composting is both a science and an art. By understanding the balance of materials, the needs of microbes, and the natural decomposition cycle, you can transform garden and kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost that supports healthier soil, stronger plants, and a more sustainable gardening practice. It’s a way to close the loop, live more independently, and nurture both your garden and the planet.

Root for Our Future

This event is part of Root for Our Future, a two-year project exploring food sustainability within Torfaen. Everyone is welcome to attend one of our events. They’re completely free! This project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

In a world grappling with climate change, food insecurity, and unsustainable agricultural practices, one ancient tradition is making a quiet comeback: foraging.

Gathering wild, edible plants, mushrooms, fruits, and even seaweed isn’t just a hobby for nature lovers – it’s a powerful, practical way to build a more resilient, localised, and climate-friendly food system.

As part of our Root for Our Future project, we recently hosted a guided foraging walk with Adele Nozedar, founder of Brecon Beacons Foraging. The event took place along our local canal, a beautiful stretch of landscape that many of us pass daily, often without realising the abundance of wild food growing all around us.

It was more than just a walk. It was an invitation to slow down, look closer, and connect with the land in a new (and very old) way.

“It was a great reminder that the area we live in is abundant with food and sustenance!”

“Thank you so much for organising the walk — a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.”

These reflections from participants capture something deeply important: wild food isn’t just about nutrition – it’s about community, connection, and resilience.

In the context of climate change and growing concerns about food security, foraging offers a powerful, place-based response. Let’s explore how foraging supports sustainability, food security, and ecological awareness in the face of global challenges.

Low-carbon footprint food source

Unlike industrial agriculture, wild foods don’t require irrigation, fertilisers, pesticides, fuel-powered machinery, or long-distance transportation. When you forage locally:

• You’re cutting emissions from food transport (often called “food miles”).
• You’re avoiding the embedded carbon from synthetic fertilisers and monoculture farming.
• You reduce reliance on industrial food systems that contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

In short, a handful of wild berries picked on a walk has a much smaller environmental impact than plastic-wrapped blackberries flown in from another country.

Strengthening local food resilience

Foraging promotes self-sufficiency and local knowledge, especially in times of crisis or supply chain disruptions. Whether it’s due to extreme weather, political instability, or economic downturns, global food supply chains are increasingly vulnerable.

By learning what grows wild in your area and how to harvest it responsibly, you’re:

• Reducing dependence on centralised food systems.
• Diversifying your local food sources.
• Enhancing community resilience by sharing skills and knowledge.

This local empowerment becomes especially important during events like droughts, floods, or pandemics, when access to conventional food can be compromised.

Preserving biodiversity and ecosystems

Sustainable foraging encourages awareness and stewardship of native plants and ecosystems. Foragers often become advocates for preserving natural areas and understanding the importance of:

• Biodiversity in plant and fungi populations.
• The interdependence between species and ecosystems.
• Protecting habitats from development or pollution.

When done responsibly, foraging doesn’t deplete resources – it encourages reciprocity and respect for the land.

Reducing food waste

Nature doesn’t waste anything – and neither do skilled foragers. Wild food is often seasonal and abundant, growing where and when it’s needed most.

Foraging teaches people to:

• Eat in tune with seasonal availability.
• Use all edible parts of a plant or fungus.
• Preserve and store foods without industrial processing.

This mindset helps shift away from the waste-heavy practices of industrial food production and consumption.

Cultural revitalisation and food justice

Foraging reconnects communities with traditional ecological knowledge, especially in Indigenous and rural cultures where wild foods have always been central. Reviving these practices can:

• Promote food sovereignty.
• Challenge systems that have historically excluded marginalised communities from land and food access.
• Rebuild relationships between people and place.

In this way, foraging isn’t just environmental – it’s deeply social and political, too.

Mental health and climate awareness

Finally, foraging fosters a deeper relationship with nature. As people reconnect with local landscapes, they become more invested in protecting them. This connection supports:

• Greater awareness of climate issues.
• Mental wellbeing through time outdoors.
• A more intentional, seasonal, and mindful approach to eating.

When we know our ecosystems intimately, we’re more likely to defend them.

A few words of caution

Know the Risks – Be aware that some wild plants and fungi are poisonous and can be deadly, never eat a plant or mushroom unless you are 100% sure of its identity and know it is edible. 

Foraging must be done responsibly and ethically:

• Never take more than you need.
• Avoid rare or endangered species.
• Understand local rules and property rights.
• Learn from experienced and qualified foragers.

The goal is not to exploit the land, but to live in balance with it.

In the face of the climate crisis and food system vulnerabilities, foraging offers a grounded, local, and resilient alternative. It’s not a complete solution to global food issues, but it is a meaningful practice that fosters ecological awareness, reduces environmental impact, and reconnects people with the land that sustains them.

So, the next time you pass a patch of dandelions or a cluster of wild berries, consider this: the future of food might just be growing – quietly, freely, and sustainably – all around you.

For more information on foraging wild foods, the following links are a good start in the right direction:

https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/guidance-for-safe-foraging

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/foraging/foraging-guidelines

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/foraging

https://www.wildfooduk.com/foraging-code

Want to start composting at home or improve the compost you’re already making? Join us for a free, local workshop all about composting.

We’ll talk about:

This workshop is perfect for anyone who’s new to composting or just looking to learn more. No experience needed – just come along, meet some neighbours, and pick up some practical skills for reducing waste and building healthy soil.

Saturday 20th September

2pm – 4pm

Fairhill Methodist Church, Cwmbran, NP44 4QS

What Three Words: rate.hiking.intend

Please book your FREE space by emailing us at: hello@climateactiontorfaen.cymru

Root for Our Future

This event is part of Root for Our Future, a two-year project exploring food sustainability within Torfaen. Everyone is welcome to attend one of our events. They’re completely free!

Click Here to learn more

What is food fermentation?

Humans have been fermenting foods for thousands of years, and we continue to do so today although now it is largely done through industrialised processes. It’s very likely that you have eaten some fermented food recently – yoghurt, cheese, olives, miso, kimchi, tempeh, salami are all part of the modern diet and are all the product of fermentation. Before the invention of refrigeration, people used all sorts of methods to store food, including fermentation, allowing them to enjoy the bounty of the summer harvests throughout the winter.

Fermenting essentially introduces conditions where good bacteria can thrive, making it difficult for bad bacteria to establish, so prolonging the life of the food. Fermenting has the added benefits of improving the flavour of foodstuffs and making nutrients within the ingredients more readily available to our digestive systems so improving their nutritional value. And, as we all now know, the microbes in raw fermented food are key to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome – note the use of the term raw, some fermented foods available in the shops have been pasteurised, killing the microbes.  

A quick word on botulism! Botulism is a potentially deadly neurological disease caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria clostridium botulinum. There has been a lot of scaremongering about the likelihood of getting botulism from fermented food. This is absolutely untrue. In fact the conditions created when fermenting are the complete opposite to what botulism spores need to grow. There has not been a single recorded case of botulism caused by consuming fermented foods, so rest assured! That is not to say that ferments can’t go bad, they can, but when they do you will know about it – mould, the stench of rotting cabbage – and you will not want to eat them!

So, what can you ferment?

Pretty much any fresh, raw vegetable and fruit! Cabbage is the traditional basis of things like sauerkraut and kimchi, to which things like carrots, apples, radishes, herbs etc can be added. Root vegetables like parsnips and carrots make delicious ferments on their own, and a spicy salsa can be made from tomatoes, peppers, onions and chillies.

The possibilities are endless!

It is entirely possible to make a delicious ferment using only the slightly sad (not mouldy) looking vegetables at the bottom of the fridge, but it will be infinitely better if these are mixed with something fresh too, aim for 50% fresh to 50% not so fresh.

During the workshop we focussed on lacto-fermented vegetables, probably the easiest form of fermentation that can be used to create a vast array of krauts, kimchis and pickles.

Key rules to follow

Before we get to the recipes, here are a few key rules which we advise you to follow to ensure the best result for any kind of fermentation:

• Wash vegetables well, and peel carrots, ginger etc if they are not organic.
• Chop all vegetables to approximately the same size.
• Having clean equipment is important – not sterile, do not use sterilising tablets or similar, but wash everything in hot soapy water before you start (including your hands!), and wipe down surfaces. This will help prevent contamination.
• Glass jars are better than plastic for fermenting, although food grade plastic containers will do if that’s all you have available.
• If making a brine, try using filtered water if you can as water straight from the tap contains chlorine and other chemicals than can interfere with the fermentation process. Tap water can be used if it is boiled and left to cool for a few hours as this will get rid most of the chemicals.
• Always leave about 2-3cm of headspace at the top of the jars to allow the ferments to expand otherwise you could end up with a messy overflow! On that note, it is always best to put your jars onto a plate when they are fermenting to catch any liquid that bubbles out.
• ‘Burp’ your jars daily when they are fermenting to release the carbon dioxide – this is as simple as slightly undoing the jar lid to allow air out.
• Make sure the vegetables are always submerged below the liquid to keep them in an anaerobic environment and to prevent mould growth.
• Mould is not good! Any mould in your ferment means that it has been contaminated and should be composted.
• Your ferments will sometimes develop an opaque, white-ish dusty looking film on the surface which is called Kahm yeast. Unlike mould this is harmless and can just be scraped off and the ferment will still be fine to eat.
• If you leave your ferments for a long time in the fridge the top few centimetres might dry out and darken. When this happens just remove the darkened vegetables and enjoy the ferment below.
• Trust your nose, if it smells off then it probably is! If you do have a ferment that goes bad you can feed it to your compost which will thoroughly enjoy all the microbes.

Recipes!

Kimchi (makes about 1 litre)

• 1 large white cabbage
• 6 tbsp sea salt
• 2-4 tbsp gochugaru Korean chilli powder or any dried chilli
• 1 large carrot
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• Thumb-sized piece of ginger

Coarsely chop the cabbage and place it in a bowl. Make a brine using 1 litre water mixed with the salt, stir well to dissolve salt and pour over the cabbage. Press the cabbage down using a plate or other weight to ensure it is under the water then leave out on a kitchen surface for 8 hours or overnight.

After the cabbage has soaked in the brine grate the ginger and the carrot and chop the garlic. Drain the water off the cabbage, retaining about 200ml. Taste the cabbage, it should be salty but not too salty – add more salt if you can’t taste salt.

Mix the cabbage with the carrot, garlic and ginger and then add the chilli powder – start with a small amount, tasting and adding more until you are happy with the flavour. Pack the kimchi into a jar, pressing down firmly with each addition to release liquid. Fill the jar nearly to the top, leaving some space for expansion, ensuring that the liquid comes over the top of the vegetables. If there is not sufficient liquid top it up with some of the reserved brine. Add a weight, close the jar and leave to ferment, burping the jar daily. Taste it every week and once it has reached a level of sour spiciness that you are happy with put it in the fridge where it will keep for months.

Quick kimchi

Using the same ingredients above but shortening the soaking time. Chop the cabbage and add the salt, massaging it through the cabbage until it starts to soften. Pour over 1 litre of water and weight it down with a plate and leave for up to 1 hour. Then follow the post-soaking instructions above.

Fermented garlic

• 2 or more heads of garlic
• 2% brine solution (1tbsp salt dissolved in 1 litre water)

Remove the loose skins from the garlic cloves and then place them into a clean jar. Cover the garlic with brine leaving space at the top of the jar for expansion. Weight the garlic down, close the jar and leave it at room temperature to ferment for 4-6 weeks.

After 4-6 weeks, store in the fridge and use for salad dressings, sauces, whatever you would normally add garlic to! But, don’t cook it as you will kill the microbes, just add it to cooked sauces at the end of the cooking time.

The garlic cloves might turn a grey/blue colour which will look alarming but is perfectly fine, its due to the sulphur compounds in the garlic. The cloves will still be edible.

Resources

There are many resources on fermentation out there, and with so many there can be conflicting guidance given. We suggest starting with a book from a reputable fermenter, and these are some of Amelia’s (our fermentation queen) favourites:

• ‘Wild Fermentation’ by Sandor Ellix Katz
• ‘The Cultured Club’ by Dearbhla Reynolds
• ‘Fermented Vegetables’ by Kirsten and Christopher Shockey
• ‘Fermentation’ by Rachel de Thample (River Cottage Handbook No. 18)

Our Spring Fermentation Workshop was a free event and part of our Root For Our Future project, funded by the The National Lottery Community Fund/ Cronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol.

This blog will cover the basics of Tamara’s teachings on how to grow from seed, offering an overview of 5 steps for consideration, with a sprinkling of handy tips and tricks that she has picked up over the years.

Step 1 – Choosing your seeds

It can be overwhelming to choose which seeds you would like to grow, but as a beginner it is recommended to stick to the basics and look for seeds that are marketed for beginners and relatively easy to grow.

You can find seeds in garden centres, grocery shops, supermarkets, at community seed swaps, and online. You can even save seeds from plants, and we will be hosting a seed saving workshop on how to do just that later this year.

Did you know that commonly found herb and spice seeds that we use for cooking, like coriander seed and cumin seed, are exactly the same seeds that you would get from a seed packet found in a garden centre? Buying seeds in this way, particularly if you buy from zero waste shops, is often a cheaper alternative than buying in packets. Even world food aisles in supermarkets may sell different varieties of seeds that you can try out and grow (particularly good idea for micro greens!).

When deciding which seeds to grow, there are a few things to look for on seed packets. This includes:

• The variety and growing info
• Growing and harvest season
• Symbols indicating awards (such as the RHS Award of Garden Merit)

Looking out for symbols can reveal if the seed has won awards, revealing a lot about the seed’s likelihood to perform. For example, seeds awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit have gone through extensive trials and must meet certain criteria, making them a good choice for reliability and quality.

Another thing to consider is whether it has “F1” on the seed packet. Without going into too much detail, what this basically means is that it is a hybrid; an offspring of two different plants that have been cross-pollinated for desirable traits. The benefits of buying an F1 or even F2 seed is that they will often be more uniform in appearance and performance than open-pollinated seeds and are often more resistant to pests and disease. The downside is that they don’t reliably produce seeds that “come true to type”, meaning if you save seeds from an F1 hybrid, the plants produced are likely to have a broad range of characteristics that are often poor in quality. Another consideration when it comes to buying hybrid seeds is that we lose the genetic base of the plant, which means we lose important genetic diversity which creates challenges for the seed’s resilience long term.

An alternative to hybrid seeds are heritage or heirloom varieties . These seeds have been passed down through generations and are valued for their unique flavours, textures, and appearances. Choosing these varieties help to promote genetic diversity and improve food resilience and security. There are plenty of companies out there who sell heritage / heirloom seeds and actively promote the saving of seeds, for example Real Seeds is based in Wales and sell varieties better suited for growing in the UK climate.

Step 2 – Choosing your container

You can use any container for seed sowing as long as it’s a couple of inches deep (or deeper if you plan on growing beans and peas) and there are holes in the bottom for drainage. There are a variety of options to choose from, of all shapes and sizes, and you can even be quite creative with it! Examples include:

• Supermarket food containers, like mushroom trays (often a good size for growing micro-greens on a windowsill)
• Modules
• Seed trays
• Cardboard toilet roll inners (cut these in half to maximise resources)
• Repurposed items, such as wellingtons and in Tamara’s case, glassware!

What you decide to use completely depends on your preference and what you intend to grow. For example, lettuce is great for growing in seed trays and modules are great for multi-sowing onions and beetroots. Just be mindful that using small containers require more effort around monitoring the water levels and more frequent feeding of the compost your seedlings call home.

Step 3 – Choosing your compost

Compost varies greatly and more often than not, the pricier the compost often means the higher the quality – you get what you pay for. Growing from seed requires a lot of nutrients which means that using a lower quality compost may prove challenging for your seedlings to grow healthy and strong.

If you are buying compost for seed growing, we recommend buying peat-free and if you can, invest in a higher quality compost such as Sylva Grow which is available online or at local garden centres.  

Alternatively, you can search for initiatives such as free compost at local recycling centres (just like the one in New Inn, Pontypool) or try your hand at making your own compost. Making your own compost does take time, but it is a great way to make use of food and garden scraps in a way that saves you money and has a healthier footprint on the earth. Lots of information is available on how to make your own compost and we will be hosting a composting workshop later this year, so make sure to keep updated using our social media channels and website!

Step 4 – Sowing your seed

Start off with your compost mixture. You may need to improve the quality of your compost by adding other things which improve soil structure and water retention, such as:

• Vermiculite – naturally occurring lava rock which helps to improve water retention whilst attracting nutrients. It is a good substrate to use if you are handling very fine seeds. However, it does pose social and environmental challenges  to be aware of.
• Perlite – expanded volcanic rock which helps with soil structure, creating more air pockets and improving drainage. However, perlite is dusty so take care to avoid inhaling the dust and dampen with water before using it. Similar to vermiculite, there are questions surrounding its sustainability.

Almost fill your container with compost and then gently shake to level it off. Gently press down using your fingers or another container until it the compost is firm, but not compacted. Put some seeds in the palm of your hand and then carefully pinch and sprinkle the seeds in an even manner over the compost. Always read the packet to understand how deep you need to sow your seeds.

Once the seeds are sown, cover them either with compost or vermiculite (good option if you are dealing with very fine seeds). The general idea is the bigger the seed, the bigger the cover of compost. You can use a sieve to finely cover the seeds with compost. Don’t forget to label your seeds with the date and the name to avoid confusion when the seedlings start to grow!

Next is watering. You can water your compost before sowing or you can fill a tray with water and sit the container in the tray to let it soak up the water from the bottom. After about half hour, pick up the container to feel its weight and see if water is draining from the bottom. You can use a watering can but be mindful that heavy handed watering can displace the seeds so make sure to use a fine rose on your watering can.

It is recommended to sow little and often to ensure a steady supply of food and avoid gluts (having too much to harvest at once).

Step 5 – Pricking out seedlings and potting on

If you have sown several seeds in a container, it is a good idea to prick out the seedlings and transplant them separately into a larger container. Pricking out seedlings is an important step as it gives the seedlings enough space to grow healthy and provides them extra nutrients that fresh compost offers.

You can prick out your seedlings when they have their first pair of true leaves (the first set of leaves that look like the parent plant). Using a pencil, a dibber, or even a teaspoon, gently leaver the roots of the seedling out of the compost – always holding the seedling by the leaves and not the steam which can be easily damaged.

Transplant your seedlings into small pots or trays filled with fresh compost. Make a hole in the fresh compost and carefully place the seedling into the hole. Position the seedling so that its leaves are in line with the top of the compost and gently firm the compost around the seedling and carefully water it in. Again, don’t forget to label your seedlings!. freezer food guide page

Once transplanted, place your transplanted seedlings somewhere bright such as a windowsill or greenhouse.

Knowing when to pot on your plants to their final growing space depends on the type of plant, where you want it to grow and the time of year. If you plan on growing the plant outside, young plants need time to adjust before being planted out – a process called hardening off. You can position your young plants in a sheltered spot outside during the daytime for a short period of time. Gradually, extend the length of time that your plants spend outside over the course of a couple of weeks before moving them to their final home outside.

Our Seed Growing Workshop was a free event and part of our Root For Our Future project, funded by the The National Lottery Community Fund/ Cronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol.