The Haven Roots to Resilience project started in February 2021. 

The Roots to Resilience project was the first of our projects to link food growing and the Community Larder together.  The idea sprouted during conversations between Starkeeper, the Keeper of the Haven, and Francesca, a new volunteer who joined the Haven Helper family at the end of 2020. She had a background in coordinating community growing projects and working in market gardens and wanted to share her skills and knowledge.  In response to Community Recovery Fund grants being offered by the government to help communities across Scotland during the pandemic an application was submitted and successfully granted.  Roots to Resilience was now an official offshoot of the community larder and we had a resident Haven Harvester on hand to help people with their growing journey.  

 

The project’s main aims are to inspire folk within the community to grow food at home or in their allotment for themselves, and if they have surplus to donate it to the larder.  The project has coordinated  seed giveaway days in 2021, 2022 and 2023, we plan to continue doing this every year.  

So far the project has:

  • Partnered with One Seed Forward  to give away approx 300kg of seed potatoes to individuals and organisations in and around Stonehaven.
  • Given away Grow Your Own kits which contained seed trays, pots, labels, seed compost, a 30 litre bag of veg compost and a grow bag.
  • Created a free seed and plant swap shop within the community larder.  Seeds available included peas, beans, carrots, kale, beetroot, courgette, spinach, herbs and edible flowers. Lots of fruit and veg plants were donated and very quickly found new homes.
  • Created helpful wee videos to show people how to sow seeds and plant crops.
  • Reduced food waste locally by gleaning crops from local veg farms.

 

"Growing your own food is like printing your own money."

Ron Finley

For more information please contact our Haven Harvester Francesca at haven.roots2resilience@gmail.com