The opening of the exhibition

Do you remember Olive Morris?

With performance by Calypso troubadour Alexander D. Great Saturday

21 November 2009, 2-7 PM

Gasworks, 155 Vauxhall Street, London SE11 5RH Underground: Oval / Vauxhall Gasworks has full wheelchair access Exhibition dates: 21 November 2009-24 January 2010 (closed over Christmas holiday)

Opening times: Wed-Sun 12-6pm or by appointment

The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive programme of events organised by the Remembering Olive Collective and a programme of film screenings. See attachements for further information and details on the events and screenings listed below:

Events and film screenings EVENTS Entry fee: £1 donation with a Olive Morris badge

MONDAY 16 NOVEMBER, 7-8.30PM The Empty Gallery Interviews A live conversation piece in which art writers Claire Nichols and Altair Roelants talk to artist Ana Laura Lopez de la Torre and other ROC members about the upcoming exhibition Do you remember Olive Morris?

THURSDAY 26 NOVEMBER, 7-9PM Artist Talk Sonia Boyce talks about her project Devotional – a celebration of Black female singers in British entertainment – and her involvement in the Remembering Olive Collective.

SATURDAY 5 DECEMBER 2-5PM Documenting Migration A workshop looking at the ways in which records and documents of migration are kept and used by official bodies and by migrants themselves, and their importance in framing public opinion and policy.

SATURDAY 12 DECEMBER Remembering Olive Bicycle Tour, 12PM Meeting at 11:45am in front of Olive Morris House, 18 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RL. Visiting some of the places where Olive did things, and learning more about her, and Brixton’s history. The bike tour will end at Gasworks in time for the 2pm event. Housing Matters, 2-5PM This event investigates how housing has changed since her times, and what forms of struggle have been adopted. We will hear from some of the people who have been involved in those struggles, with a Q&A session with groups who provide advice to tenants, squatters and the homeless, including the Latin American Housing Coop and the Squatters Advisory Service.

SATURDAY 9 JANUARY, 2-5PM Self-Education: On Alternative Strategies of Education In Olive Morris’ Brixton, self-education initiatives challenged the failings of standard comprehensive education for Black children. Members of ROC will be joined by a diverse group of educators to explore and exchange different approaches towards learning, across sectors and communities. This open, round table discussion will be initiated by a film screening.

THURSDAY 14 JANUARY, 7-9PM The Heart of the Race: Oral Histories of the Black Women’s Movement The Heart of the Race’s author Stella Dadzie, Kelly Foster and Mia Morris from the Black Cultural Archives introduce this year-long oral history project documenting the activism of Black women in the UK.

SATURDAY 16 JANUARY, 2-5PM Financing the Revolution How does one fund work of a radical nature? What happens to community initiatives when public and charitable funding dries up, or imposes their own agenda? With Onyekachi Wambu (AFFORD) on fundraising to support indigenous economic development in Africa, Sandra Hurst on financial literacy for Black liberation, and Carolyn on low-budget/zero-budget organising.

SATURDAY 23 JANUARY, 2-5PM: Closing event of the exhibition and launch of the publication Do you remember Olive Morris?

FILM PROGRAMME SUNDAY SCREENINGS Sunday 22 November, 4PM Pressure (1975), dir. Horace Ové, 120 min. Sunday 29 November, 4PM Babylon (1980), dir. Franco Rosso, 91 min.

Sunday 6 December, 4PM – Double Bill Baldwin’s Nigger (1969), dir. Horace Ové, 48 min. Dread, Beat an’ Blood (1979), dir. Franco Rosso, 45 min. Sunday 13 December, 4PM Born in Flames (1983), dir. Lizzie Borden, 90 min Sunday 10 January, 4PM – Double Bill From You Were Black, You Were Out (2008), dir. Colin Prescod, 38 min. Blood Ah Goh Run (1980), dir. Imruh Caesar and Menelik Shabbazz, 20 min. Sunday 17 January, 4PM Pray the Devil Back to Hell (2008), dir. Gini Ritcker, 72 min.

Sunday 23 January, 4PM – Triple Bill On Becoming An Activist (1999), Angela Davis, 3:36 min (audio) David Gilbert: A Lifetime of Struggle (2002), dir. Claude Marks and Lisa Rudman, 30 min. We Were Born to Survive (1995), dir. Paul Okojie, 29 min.

OTHER SCREENINGS Saturday 5 December, 5PM (after the ‘Documenting Migration’ event from 2-5pm) Signs of Empire (1984), dir. Black Audio Film Collective, 44 min. Thursday 10 December, 4PM – Double Bill Grove Roots (2009), dir. Rae Evelyn, Kaye-Ann Adjei, Dontony Gill-Nasady, Moktar Alatas, Zakiya Amlak, Clinton Plummer-Nelson, Bankole Adegbulugbe, Jodechi Cumberbatch, 45 min. Sam the Wheels (2008) dir. Clovis Salmon, various durations Thursday 7 January, 4PM – Repeat screening Pray the Devil Back to Hell (2008), dir. Gini Ritcker, 72 min.

FILMS ON DEMAND If you want to come in individually or as a group and watch films outside of screening times, you can organise your own screening at Gasworks with the view-on-demand film library. A member of staff will provide you with technical support and access to a list of films including Dread, Beat an’ Blood, From You Were Black, You Were Out and Grove Roots, as well a selection of YouTube clips. For more information and to arrange a suitable time if you are coming with a group, please contact: info@gasworks.org.uk Tel: 020 7582 6848

Yarrow is a perennial herb with erect, furrowed, downy stems. It has small flowerheads, very pretty, which are white or sometimes pinkish. It has a strong peppery smell.

Discarding the grass of course!

The plant’s healing properties were known to the Ancient Greeks who named Yarrow Achillea after Achilles, the legendary warrior. The specific name millefolium (=a 1000 leaf) referring to the plant’s many feathery leaves.

It’s one of the best fever remedies. It makes you sweat, lowering the blood pressure. you have to drink it hourly until fever subsides (combine with elderflower and peppermint). 

Yarrow tones the blood vessels and aids digestion. It is specific for thrombosis associated with high blood pressure. It is a natural antiseptic (which will also ease cystitis). Use it also for diarrhoea (and it’s safe for children).

 It will speed up the clotting of blood and can be used for all wounds, old and new, rashes, haemorrhoids. Useful emergency treatment to stop haemorrhaging. Use the crushed leaves directly on cuts, for nose bleeds or earache. Chew them for toothache.

 The principal constituent is an essential oil with azulenes that turn blue after distillation. The plant also contains the alkaloids achilleine and stychidyrine, tannins and bitter compounds.

 In China, yarrow stalks are used with the I ching system, in Europe, the druids used yarrow to divine the weather. Yarrow strengthens and protects the etheric body (the aura)

Key words: Fevers, colds, flu; Digestive tonic; menstruation; urinary antiseptic; diarrhoea; all wounds; antiseptic, stomachic, antispasmodic, astringent, diaphoretic.

Enough Yarrow for the burgers and edible flowers for garnish

Other names for Yarrow are Milfoil (a 1000 leaves), nose bleed, old man’s pepper, soldier’s wound wort, knight’s milfoil, bloodwort, staunch weed, devil’s nettle and devil’s plaything.

Nettles behind the kiosk

We also picked some nettle to make tea with. Nettle is another excellent tonic, packed with vitamins and minerals. There are some nice ones right behind the kiosk, part of the nature garden.

Smelling lemon balm

And there is some lovely lemon balm to the right of the path behind the kiosk. Lemon balm makes a great tea. One of my favourites.

Yarrow, Milfoil, Bloodwort, Staunchweed hand picked from the Nature Garden

 We washed and carefully selected the best herbs we’d picked and made tea for the thermic Invisible Food flasks.

Putting labels on the tea, all picked from the park

Then we started on the food preparation, all washing their hands first and if anyone dropped out to have a quick game of football, they had to wash their hands again!

Washing hands before the food preparation

We chopped up the yarrow with a mezza luna chopper, to get it nice and fine.

Cutting the herb with a mezza luna chopper

Making the vege burgers with the yarrow added in

We used a packet of burger mix and threw the chopped yarrow in. We carefully made little round burgers, pressing them many times so they didn’t crumble.

Cooking time: it's warmer around the stove

I used the woodgas camp stove to fry up the burgers. We used wood pellets and some sticks from the park as fuel.

Regulating the ferocity of the flame

Here I am regulating the flames. This stove has a battery assisted fan which saves you having to blow the flames to keep the fire going. It works really well.

Homemade tomato ketchup goes well

I used a lovely recipe for homemade ketchup from Hugh Fearnley-Whittenstall’s book. It’s delicious. Will post it here soon.  I also tried making some jerk sauce which is really tasty. 1 scotch bonnet pepper, some thyme, some spring onions and some allspice, olive oil and a dash of vinegar. It keeps well in the fridge.

and there was Levi Roots jerk sauce and a homemade one too!

It was great doing some outdoor cooking in Myatts Field. We had great weather – you can tell by the light in some of the photos – and I’m glad to be able to keep cooking and eating outdoors even as winter approaches.  Thanks to all participants.

Photos by Jorge Goia

Crab apples in the Community Garden

On Monday 26th October, Idid a session at the Community Garden at Tate Modern to celebrate Apple Day.

More info soon

Thank you lovely apples!

Imagine a fire burning. You hear a crack and a spitting sound. This is the presence of Water. The smoke that arises and ascends is Air. The flames that penetrate the wood are Fire, and remaining after the fire burns out is ash, the Earth.

It has, been suggested that the Greek philosopher Empedocles (c490-430BC) may have simply watched a fire burn and realized that everything natural consists of four basic elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

Earth is solid like a rock. It is heavy and considered the center of everything. It draws all the other elements to it. Earth is immobile, fixed, and stable.

Water is flowing. Water fills in space, It is soft, and has no boundary within itself. Water relies on other Elements to contain it. It is heavy and condensing, but easily dispersed.

Air is fight, active and ascending. Air lifts up and can act as a vehicle for fire.

Fire is penetrative pen·e·tra·tive  
adj.
1. Tending to penetrate; penetrant.

2. Displaying keen insight; acute.

Adj. 1. penetrative , purifying, and active. Fire is represented by the stars, is light in weight and is illumination. Fire transforms.

A pond in the winter is frozen. The water is cold and constricted con·strict  
v. con·strict·ed, con·strict·ing, con·stricts

v.tr.
1. To make smaller or narrower by binding or squeezing.

2. To squeeze or compress.

3. ; the molecules are brought together and bound. It is heavy but moving under the frozen surface. This is Water. The rock and stone around the body of water is solid. It is heavy and lasting, it will hold its own form, and the form of the water in a pond. This is Earth. In the spring, the sun shines down, producing heat and fight. This is Fire. The Fire Element transforms the ice into tiny molecules of precipitation, which evaporate and ascende as Air.

// Aristotle and Plato brought fame to the concept of the Four Elements. In order to identify each Element more precisely, Aristotle developed a system of descriptive personalities considered to be the Primary Qualities of each Element. By using the sense of taste, touch, and smell, the predominate Element is more easily recognized. These qualities consist of Hot, Cold, Moist, and Dry. Each Element is made up of two qualities. In this way, there is always an opposite quality to flow into, to be transformed by. Everything is rolling in and out of each other in a state of homeostasis homeostasis

Any self-regulating process by which a biological or mechanical system maintains stability while adjusting to changing conditions. Systems in dynamic equilibrium reach a balance in which internal change continuously compensates for external change in a feedback .

The Earth is cold and dry until it rains, and the cold moist Water fills in the space of dry. The sun comes out. Hot, dry Fire pulls the moisture out of the earth, and into the Air. The hot, moist Air releases Water and once again fills in the dry, cold Earth. It is a continuous cycle, a circle of life.

Greek philosophers used this theory of transformation and mutable mu·ta·ble  
adj.
1.
a. Capable of or subject to change or alteration.

b. Prone to frequent change; inconstant: mutable weather patterns.

2.  change to explain the existence of universal life. Ever)thing natural, even the stars and galaxies, are built from the qualities and characteristics of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. All life is dependant upon commonality. One element cannot exist without the next. Our bones are solid minerals, compost for the Earth: our bodies are 65 percent Water: our blood transports Air; and our spirit is the spark of life Spark of Life is the eighteenth episode in the of the popular American crime drama , set in Las Vegas, Nevada. Summary
Grissom, Sara and Greg work a case where a bushfire kills a man and burns a woman, who survived. , our Fire. We are microcosms playing a role in the creation of a universal macrocosm. The Four Elements consecrate con·se·crate  
tr.v. con·se·crat·ed, con·se·crat·ing, con·se·crates
1. To declare or set apart as sacred: consecrate a church.

2. Christianity
a.  everything in nature. Everything is in balance, or coming into balance. Every action has a reaction related to its primary qualities and its fundamental element. We are the Earth, we are the Air, Fire, and Water, as are the plants, the animals, the stars….

The Four Temperaments system of classification is built upon the balance of the Four Elements. The constitution of each person is recognized by build, spiritual attributes, physiological self, personality, and lifestyle. In Traditional Western Herbalism, the imbalances are found through diagnosis of the Elements and qualities within the client that are out of balance. These disparities are corrected using plant medicine or other therapies with a predominate quality opposite of that imbalance. A hot condition would call for cooling plants, a cold condition would require hot.

These Temperaments are broken down into four categories: Sanguine, Choleric chol·er·ic
adj.
1. Easily angered; bad-tempered.

2. Showing or expressing anger. . Melancholic mel·an·chol·ic
adj.
1. Affected with or being subject to melancholy.

2. Of or relating to melancholia. , and Phlegmaticphlegmatic /phleg·mat·ic/ (fleg-mat´ik) of dull and sluggish temperament.

2.
….. Click the link for more information.. Most people are a combination of two of these groups.

Sanguine is Air, Hot and Moist. Sanguine people are happy people. The season of Sanguine is spring. This is a time of renewal, rebirth and childhood. Joy is the emotion of Sanguine. These people are not fat or lean, but healthy. They like to sing and dance, and as Nicholas Culpeper puts it, ‘Loves mirth and music, and cares not what comes after.’ Sanguine imbalance may well come from overindulgences of “women and wine.’ They are typically emotional people who would sooner cry than become angry. They do not,. however, hold onto grief, and they fly on to the next plaything in life. This season of carefree living is considered the most favorable of the Four Temperaments, and is what one strives to hold onto, or to become.

Choleric is Fire, Hot and Dry.

A Choleric person is fiery. The season associated with Choleric is summer, representing youth. The reckless time of life when anything is possible. A Choleric person is usually athletic, and not tall or short. They are quick to become violent, and just as easily consoled. They are decision makers, thinking from their gut. Imbalances are predominately hot and dry. They often develop inflamed conditions, like boils and ulcers.

Melancholic is Earth, Cold and Dr)’. The season of the Melancholic temperament is Autumn, representing middle age. It is a time of change, cold and dry. A time to contemplate the past year. Depression is associated with Melancholy. Nicholas Culpeper describes Melancholic people as ‘naturally covetous cov·et·ous  
adj.
1. Excessively and culpably desirous of the possessions of another. See Synonyms at jealous.

2. Marked by extreme desire to acquire or possess: covetous of learning. , self lovers, cowards, afraid of their own shadows, fearful, careful, solitary, lumpish, (and) unsociable.’ They are usually tall and lean, and tend to hold onto anger. Imbalances are usually dry and cold, like arthritis or eczema.

Phlegmatic is Water, Cold and Moist. The season of phlegmatic is winter. All is still and frozen. Packed together and waiting. This is the season of old age. The phlegmatic person is usually overweight, and slow moving and slow-witted. They tend to stay close to home and take great pride in doing one task very well. They do not anger easily, and do not hold a grudge. Phlegmatics are prone to moist cold conditions, such as chronic upper respiratory issues

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Traditional+western+herbalism%3a+the+energies+of+four+elements.(herbal…-a0147467102

To be posted soon.

Preparation for the walk started the night before, when Solomon and I made bread to accompany the jam.

Kneading the dough quite late at night

Hands hard at work

We had another massive turnout on Saturday 17th October.  We started off thinking about how we prepare for winter, from buying some thermals to doing preserves of jam and chutneys. We walked from Wyck Gardens over to Ruskin Park and stayed in the Northway Road entrance area. I’ve been scouring the park for Sloes but I haven’t found any. I’d brought some sloes with me that I’d picked near Lewes in Sussex and others on Romney Marsh in Kent. Various people tried them raw and I wish I’d taken a photo of their faces as they did. Sloes are safe to eat but they immediately dry the mouth as they are strongly astringent.  The flowers are laxative (also a diuretic, good for cystitis and rheumatism) and the fruits are ‘binding’ and full of Vitamin C.  The  small fruits are the ancestor of the plum, measure around 9 – 15mm and have an attractive blue-black tinge and greenish flesh inside.  The fruits are good for jellies and gin.

Gathering in Ruskin Park

Picking up horse chestnuts. Can't eat those though!

 Horse chestnuts are apparently a good remedy for varicose veins and there’s a recipe in the Grow your own drugs book for this.  Conkers are best known for their game playing potential but Conkers as a game hasn’t really made a come back. Not yet.

One for you and one for you!

Looking at chickweed or yarrow

I haven’t got round to learning about mushrooms yet. In the meantime, here is one possible way of learning, workshops and forays around London.

 http://www.fungitobewith.org/

Funghi in Ruskin Park

Ancient Hawthorn trees were used as public meeting places

 We looked extensively as Hawthorn. The Bright scarlet one is Midland Hawthorn and the Duller Crimson is Hawthorn. You can eat the leaves in Spring and use the spring flowers in syrups and puddings and I’ve heard it makes an excellent wine. A delicious toast for an end of year celebration. A reminder of the spring that is round the corner.  An infusion of the flowers and leaves is a cardiac sedative, it dilates the blood vessels, lowers the blood pressure and I’ve even seen it in the Grow your own drugs as part of the ingredients for a cholesterol reducing tonic.   I’ve also read that it is not a plant to use for self-medication. If you’ve got a heart problem, get specialist help.  However, I really believe in the long term benefit from the careful and informed use of plants in your diet.

 The berries, ready from August to October are good for jellies and chutney.

Walkers taking over Northway Road!

A wild patch on the corner of Coldharbour and Loughborough. Too many cars to pick here though

Nice bouncy bush of mallow, loads of plantain too

Refreshments. The bottles of gin were to make sloe gin!

 We made ourselves at home in the Boardroom underneath Harper House and had refreshments including elderflower, mint and yarrow tea, lemon balm tea and dandelion root coffee.  We ate the bread Solomon and I made last night with apple jelly (from crab apples on the estate). Marion brought a spelt cake, delicious with a real almond kick.  We relaxed for a bit, and did some drawing.

Boys drawing plants

More drawing

Everyone destalking the sloes

 Then we started making the gin. All (washed) hands to the job! Some people brought their own sterilised bottles for decanting.

Double checking and Sorting through the sloes

Pricking the sloes so the juices run ...

Sterilised needles to do the job. This was a double prick technique someone devised on the day!

The Gin goes In

Give it a stir for good luck

Filling up the bottles again

This is Althea who was 40 weeks pregnant, a wild food enthusiast, and gave birth to a son 3 days after the walk.  Welcome to the World! We’ll toast you both with this gin, when it’s ready, at the Christmas feast

These were the plants we looked at on the Mental Health day walk on 9th October.

Today we celebrated all mental health. Walking and talking and looking especially at the emotional healing properties of plants, wild plants and cultivated herbs in the herb garden between Angell Town and Loughborough Estates.

It seemed right to have a little worksheet with everyone completing all the properties of the plants. So people had something to take away with them, a reminder of the day, some information, some supportive words. Here is a taster of the workshop and click here for all of them.

 http://lambethbandofsolidarity.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/healing-properties-of-plants/

Cleansing Nettle

We spent ages in Wyck Gardens as usual, there are so many plants there. It’s wild and wonderful.

Setting off in Wyck Gardens

And we even found blackberries, plump and juicy, like the early summer ones. I couldn’t believe it. Just 3 or 4. But a nice find.

We even found blackberries that were still good for eating!

There’s a large pear tree near Edgehill house, I’ve collected windfall for here for a pie. the pears were very hard and needed a lot of stewing. But they’re large.

Trying to get pears down, near Edgehill House

Completing the herb sheet at the herb garden

We looked especially at Rosemary, Lavender, Mint, Thyme, Sage and Lemon balm.

Looking for the mint!

And then we stoked up the storm kettle and had a welcome cup of tea. It was a little bit chilly.

Boiling water for tea with the storm kettle

We finished with butter bean and nettle pie, with turmeric.

Eating butter bean and nettle pies

It was great to have such lovely people around, and I hope to do more midweek walks in the future.

Now go here for the plants

http://lambethbandofsolidarity.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/healing-properties-of-plants/

Picking nettles in June

This year I’ve been a few times to the Cossall Park Estate to help Growing Southwark with their project to encourage the community to get growing and foraging for food. This first photo was taken in June when we foraged in the Kirkdale Nature garden and mapped it for food.

Mezza Luna to chop nettle finely

And we kept the nettle theme for our nettle burgers for the Feast on October 3rd.

Mixing the nettles in with vegeburger mix

 We mixed the nettles in with a vege burger mix. It’s possible to make burgers just from wild leafs too … mallow (heaps of protein), yarrow, lime tree leaf, nettles, dandelion leaf. Just avoid dog walking areas and by the side of a road. Parks are the best places because they haven’t had Victorian lead pipes leaking into their soil from previous buildings there.

Nettle burgers ready for the barbecue

 We patted and shaped and firmed and squidged. Ready for the barbecue!

We thought Jerk sauce might go well with the Vege burgers so we had a little competition. Kids from the Estate made the large pot on the right a week before the Feast and it was voted the best. This sauce is called CHK (Cossall Healthy Kids) Steve, local resident and drummer/singer in the band made the one on the left so well done Steve for making it into a competition! 

Dehusking sweetcorn

Feasting tables

 There were tables to eat at and gather today.

Walworth road bees and honey

And these bees are from a Walworth Road apiary. Cool! 

Organic apples for the taking or the pressing

Apple press

 Fresh juice was available all day. You had to press it first though.

Ready to eat!

 Jacket potatoes, vegeburgers, barbecued sweetcorn, pies, salads. All the food was vegetarian and most was vegan. No one complained.

Sarah and the salads

 Sarah from Growing Southwark demonstrating apron fashion.

Preparing the crumble topping

 Karen was fantastic preparing the crumble, completely on the spur of the moment.

Plums harvested in Autumn

 I’d visited Cossall in August and was delighted to find all these delicious purple plums in the nature garden. I collected, stewed and froze them for the feast.

Crumble and cream - it was delicious!

 It looked and tasted great!

Josh singing It's a Wonderful World

 Josh had been on the walk in June and turned up to sing It’s a wonderful world. Very Louis Armstrong style!

Washing up in front of the band

And we washed up in front of the band. No more being banished to the kitchen!

On Sunday September 20th, I teamed up with people from Transition town food group who want to kick start a project called Cookers and Eaters, learning traditional food cooking skills. And well, I can make jam but in fact, jam making is very easy but this was the first time I’d done it in the open air. 

Programme of events for the day

 We were in the Food area at the top of the park with 4 tables surrounding a raised stage.

Four tables and a stage in the middle

 The idea was to use the sound system to give a commentary on the jam which would have been hilarious but the sound system stopped working so I didn’t have the opportunity to interview passersby about their jam making experience and top tips.

Herbs and flowers we found in Brockwell Park

 We started the day with a walk round the park to collect some herbs for tea. We found nettle, yarrow, plantain and of course, lots of herbs in the walled garden. My favourite is hops which grow on the west wall by the lavender beds. I first tried hop tea a few weeks ago and I haven’t slept so soundly ever since I’ve had Zeca. Then I read that it was part of the cannabis family.

The Outdoor kitchen we called it and that stage deserves a second mention

 We had a table for book browsing, a table for the stove and food preparation, a table for the teas and a table for drawing plants and making triangles for bunting.

Chopping apples

 We started chopping the apples and asking people if they had any jam making experience they could lend us.

Getting the storm kettle going

 We used the storm kettles to boil water for the tea. It was hard work sometimes because some of the sticks we picked up from the park were a bit green. I like getting a feel for which sticks burn well, which ones are more brittle, which ones are more bendy. We did a lot of blowing to keep the flames going.

Stirring on stage

 I love this photo and that red in the pot and that white dress.  We boiled the jam for over 20 minutes but it wasn’t always boiling furiously. When the wind picked up the flame decreased.

Jam splattering bubbling cauldron deep red

 Here, it’s boiling quite well and frothing up.

Decanting jam into jars

 We filled about 6 jars.

Finger that's just been licked

 And the pot was there for anyone to dip their fingers in.

Bread made in the Park to eat with our jam

 So, when the bread was ready, we brought the jam over.

Raw food salad, the flasks, apples, fresh ginger beer & some children

 Other people had brought produce from their allotments and homemade ginger beer. Lots of apples too.

There was a lot of hungry people digging in

The Jam was a bit runny but it tasted good on the bread. A pregnant woman asked me about three times to buy a pot of jam and I kept saying no so we had enough for the picnic and to try again after if we had some left over. We did and she bought a jar but the jar I took home with me had gone off a few days later and I realised that the jars hadn’t been sterilised. Ooops and apologies to that lady! (the jam would have been fine on the day, don’t worry about that all of you who ate it, it just won’t keep if the jars aren’t sterilised).

But it was a great day and it was so nice having a big saucepan on the boil full with a bright, sumptous red liquid. It really drew people in and if we had had the microphone, we could have sung some incantations  – bubble bubble boil and set please.

As the autumn sets in, I want to find increasing opportunities for eating and cooking outside.

Thanks to Sarah for all the connections, Jasmin, Clara, Michelle and Adam for all their support on the day.