OVERVIEW

Over the last 8 years food growing has played a central role in Student Eats with our free membership network bringing together students and staff across 70 sites to produce nutritious and delicious food.  Charles Dowding, a well-known no-dig gardener and author of 9 books, has been supporting Student Eats and we're now focussing our support towards no-dig growing methods. This technique leaves soil structure intact creating the potential to increase soil carbon, water retention and produce food with higher nutritional benefits.

This half day training session will help groups to develop a no-dig system for term-time harvesting and will cover planning planting, composting systems, seed saving, volunteer recruitment & retention as well as how to measure impact.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing the training, attendees will be able to:

• Identify what resources, equipment, etc are needed to set up a new no-dig site or to convert an existing site to no-dig
• Create a realistic growing plan for produce that's harvestable in term time
• Understand the techniques, and be able to communicate the benefits, of saving seeds and making compost alongside using no-dig growing methods

 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This training is appropriate for students, students' union staff and students' union officers. 

 

WHAT SOS-UK PROGRAMMES DOES THE TRAINING SUPPORT?

Please note this training does not specifically support any SOS-UK programmes but it is also available as part of our in-depth Support to develop a no-dig food growing site programme that includes ongoing support with monthly mentoring sessions, an additional on-site visit and other benefits.

 

WHAT OTHER SOS-UK TRAINING DOES THIS OPPORTUNITY LINK TO?

Setting up a sustainable food social enterprise on campus - this training may also be of interest if you are thinking of selling any produce or making preserves from your produce that could be sold.

 

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR DELIVERY?

This training is available as:

• bespoke delivery for individual instititions / students' unions

This training can be delivered online or in person.

The training lasts for 3 hours.

 

DATES

Training can be commissioned at any point during the academic year

 

COSTS

Bespoke delivery in individual institutions / students' unions: £500 per session