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Promoting Local Produce

Our communities recognise the importance of growing local food to reduce food miles, support the local economy, and increase self-sufficiency.

Many people who attended our Climate Assemblies said they wanted to create places and systems to share and distribute locally grown food, e.g. markets, pantries, and directories.

Local markets have already started in Dyffryn Nantlle and Bro Ffestiniog.

Dyffryn Nantlle

Marchnad Lleu, a monthly community market, arose from a desire to empower local residents who were trying to grow, create and share their goods with the community. With a focus on promoting local food and crafts, the market provides a welcoming space for producers and artists to showcase their offerings.

The core team behind Market Lleu had already met through the Extinction Rebellion (XR) group in Dyffryn Nantlle. They were later reunited at GwyrddNi’s Community Assemblies on the Climate. Marchnad Lleu emerged as a response to the need and desire for sustainable alternatives and community engagement.

We collaborate with Marchnad Lleu where we can, e.g. by organising a seed swap event. The Marchnad is a great place to buy organic, local produce: 3rd Saturday of the month in Neuadd Goffa, Penygroes – 10am-1.30pm.

Visit the website for more information: https://marchnadlleu.co.uk or join the Facebook group to make sure you get the latest news.

A blog about Marchnad Lleu: https://www.gwyrddni.cymru/en/marchnad-lleu/

Bro Ffestiniog

The Cymraeg Market, Tre’ Cocos, Penrhyndeudraeth runs monthly from the Penrhyndeudraeth Memorial Hall, with local food and craft stalls (photo: Wil with produce from Maes-y-Plas Gardens, Blaenau Ffestiniog).

You can book a table and get more information by emailing: marchnadtrecosos@gmail.com

Are you interested in promoting local produce in Pen Llŷn, Dyffryn Ogwen or Dyffryn Peris? Fill in this form or get in touch to see how GwyrddNi could support your idea.

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Gardens and Food Growing

It was clear from our Community Assemblies on the Climate that people in all five areas are passionate about being able to grow their own food, which is an essential part of reducing our carbon footprint and creating resilient and healthy communities.

GwyrddNi has been supporting some existing growing projects and has helped start new ones. Get in touch if you want to start something in your area!

Bro Ffestiniog:

Gerddi Maes-y-Plas

A gardening group meets between 11am-1pm on Thursdays in Blaenau Ffestiniog – at Gerddi Maes-y-Plas (gardens) or a new community plot nearby.

Join the Bwyd Lleol Bro Ffestiniogon WhatsApp group for details of where/when to meet, or even just to keep an eye out for progress and produce. Contact ffestiniog@gwyrddni.cymru.

Gerddi Maes-y-Plas in Blaenau Ffestiniog is a market garden projects from Y Dref Werddhere is a clip of the gardens on S4C (on Facebook). GwyrddNi has been collaborating with Maes Y Plas, with volunteers and to promote and expand the work.

Follow Gerddi Maes-y-Plas on Facebook.

GwyrddNi has also been collaborating with Gerddi Maes-y-Plas on another, nearby community site. Last year the site brought an idea from the Action Plans into reality and produced more than 1000 tatws (potatoes) locally. This year, the focus will shift to growing fruit shrubs and trees.

Prosiect Tyfu Tatws distributed 25 boxes with everything you could need to grow your own potatoes to all sorts of different gardens in Manod. This project is now on offer to any community Bwyd Lleol group in Bro Ffestiniog – so get in touch if you want to deliver Tatws i Bawb in your area.

Contact ffestiniog@gwyrddni.cymru to be part of this!

Dyffryn Nantlle:

Yr Orsaf’s Food and Wellbeing project is developing three main elements – a community allotment near to the leisure centre; Penygroes Wildlife Garden (Yr Ardd Wyllt), to create a community garden for local people and increase bio-diversity at the same time; and a Community Pantry, using food from the local Co-op, and food from other supermarkets, the ACT Foundation and FareShare. Contact esyllt.yrorsaf@gmail.com for more information.

Gardening Gatherings take place at Yr Ardd Wyllt, Penygroes every Wednesday from 10am-12pm.

Gardd Nant, Talysarn

Gardd Nant, Talysarn was started by Cyfeillion (Friends of) Talysarn a Nantlle with support from GwyrddNi. Over the past year, they have collaborated with local schools, had a visit from a group from Alabama (which was on S4C!) and have been organising other community events such as litter picking.

Volunteering days are organised regularly. Contact them at garddnant@yahoo.com or look for updates in the Facebook page for Cyfeillion Talysarn a Nantlle.

Dyffryn Ogwen

Gerddi Ffrancon (next to the Leisure Center in Bethesda) is a community garden by Dyffryn Gwyrdd (Partneriaeth Ogwen). Volunteers meet 3-4 times a week to grow food, with the hope of sharing the food with the community. The crew created jam over the winter with the fruit grown over the summer last year.

Contact chris@ogwen.org to get involved with the garden.

GwyrddNi also supports volunteers to garden with the pupils at Ysgol Abercaseg.

Pen Llŷn

In the Pen Llŷn Community Action Plan, there are plans to establish allotments to grow food locally, to collaborate with schools, to create a network of local producers and to promote local food in order to reduce food miles, improve health, strengthen collaboration, and boost the local economy.

Do you have an idea about how we can start achieving this, or do you want to be part of bringing this vision to life? If so, contact llyn@gwyrddni.cymru or fill in this form!

Dyffryn Peris

The Dyffryn Peris Community Assembly wished to:

  • Create a community food map
  • Find enclosed spaces for a garden/allotment
  • Share food and information
  • Create a space to share seeds, conversations, tools and company
  • Create micro community gardens and allotments for people to grow their own food
  • Create a group that is interested in working on the above.

Do you have an idea about how to start achieving this, or do you want to be part of bringing this vision to life? If so, contact peris@gwyrddni.cymru or fill in this form!

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Pickling Shed

The Pickling Shed offers a space for people to learn about and take part in workshops around preserving food. The idea arose as a way to deal with excess food grown in the local community gardens, but also offers the opportunity for people to learn something our grandmothers knew well – the art of pickling and preserving food. 

A dedicated space for Pickling workshops is currently being prepared at Yr Orsaf and will be ready soon. In the meantime, several workshops have already taken place.

Read more in this blog by Trey: https://www.gwyrddni.cymru/en/cwt-piclo/ 

Want to be a part of this? Contact sion.yrorsaf@gmail.com