Tooting Harvest Foodival

Foodival and Tooting Roots get coverage in Wandsworth Guardian

2011-10-11T14:28:00.001+01:00

Foodival Slideshow

2011-09-21T00:02:00.000+01:00

A Great Day at Foodival 2011

2011-09-17T18:55:00.000+01:00

A great afternoon was had at the 4th annual Tooting Foodival with this year's local produce cooked by local restaurants bought with a local Tooting currency - the Tooting Root - at the Brick Box in Tooting Market. Here are a few early photos ... more to follow I hope!

Foodival 2011 - Final call for help

2011-09-13T09:58:00.000+01:00

With only a few days until Transition Town Tooting's 2011 Foodival, the FoodGroup have been putting together the final touches to this year's grand event!

FRUIT & VEG DROP OFF
We need any spare fruit and veg that you have grown in your garden. We'll take this to local restaurants to cook up a storm with it. The result? We get to enjoy local Tootingproduce turned into local Tooting dishes by some of the best restaurants intown!

How do I donate?
Please bring any spare fruit and veg you have to Transition Town Tooting'sCommunity Garden at 5 North Drive Tooting between 4pm and 7pm on Friday the16th of September.

What if I can't make it on Friday or can't get to thegarden??
Please email Giles or call Tim on 07791 444 500 to arrange pick up!

FOODIVAL - Saturday 17th September
This year looks to be TTT's biggest Foodival yet with mobilegardens, Tooting's own currency -the "Root" and over a dozen stallswith arts, crafts, information and food all concerned with all things green andlocal! You can buy "Roots" for £1 to spend on local dishescooked up by local chefs and get special "Green Root"s for half priceif you bring your own bowl and spoon! Samba music and other performers willentertain during the day and you can continue the entertainment on into thenight at the Brick Box with live music from 9pm.

COMPETITION
We are having acompetition for the best homemade salad dressing to go on our own giantcommunity garden salad so drag out ma's secret recipe and join the competition-the winner gets a box of seasonal goodies from Abel & Cole!

VenueTooting Market - 21-23 Tooting HighStreet (not to be confused with Broadway Market next door - look for the mobilegardens out the front!)

Timefrom 1pm-5pm on Saturdaythe 17th of September with a Foodival party through the night from 9pm-to 3am!

Why? Becausewe love local food and want to grow, cook and eat local!

So see you all there and please, please, please bring any spare veg you have tothe garden on Friday afternoon or contact Giles or Tim for pick up.

HELP!!

Please email contact Giles if you can help out with any of the following:

Paper bowls and spoons (for naughty people who forgot to bring their own!)
Waste volunteers - to help us collect recyclables and make the event as sustainable as possible
Donation collection volunteers - to help carry a couple of buckets around and find the generous!
Decoration volunteers - to help set up and set down all the bunting, art and tables. Please come on Saturday to the market by 11am!

Many thanks to all those who have helped and are helping andsee you all there!

Giles and the Foodival Team xx

Foodival 2011

2011-09-09T15:12:00.000+01:00

This year's Foodival takes place on Saturday September 17th. Come and join the free community celebration of local food, details below:

Durga Puja Festival!

2010-10-12T07:59:00.001+01:00

Durga Puja are an Asian Charity supporting community interaction and are having their 24th festival this week from the 13th to the 17th of October. Visit: http://www.durgapujaonline.com/2010/09/tooting-durga-puja.html for more info. I'll be along on Friday as will Sadiq Khan and the local press...and about 500 other visitors so well worth a look! G.

The Power of Community

2010-09-27T11:01:00.001+01:00

Just a quick reminder that The Power of Community will be showing at Mushkil Aasaan -222 Upper Tooting Road -Tomorrow, Tuesday the 28th of September from 7pm till 9pm.
It's FREE and There'll be snacks provided so see you there! G.x

A big thank you for all your veggie donations!

2010-09-23T20:34:00.000+01:00

A big thank you to all of you who donated your produce to the Foodival last weekend. A big hand goes out to...

Eddie from Balham who donated kale and squash
Robin from Brixton who donated tomatoes
Mary from Furzedown who donated apples
Judy from Nimrod road who donated pears
Moria from Furzedown who donated swiss chard and tomatoes
Avril from Tooting who donated conference pears and green beans
Esther from Tooting who donated parsley, onions and apples
Lucy from Furzedown who donated potatoes
Sue Rentoul from Furzedown (who does all our lovely design!) and who donated apples
David and Mal from SW16 who donated grapes, tomatoes, chives, apples, potatoes and cress
Anna Smith from SW16 who donated apples
Sofia from Tooting who donated tomatoes and green chllies
Jane Haskings from Tooting who donated peppermint, bay, fennel, chives, curry plant, apples and runner beans
Everyone at Share Community Gardens at Springfield who donated peppers, tomatoes, rocket, mint, beans, cabbage and beetroot
Rose, Stephen and Margaret of Tooting Bec Housing Association who donated pears and damsons
Bunny from Tooting who donated courgettes, green beans, tomatoes and apples
Jane from SW18 who donated tomatoes, green peppers and aubergine
Helen and Shalini from St Georges Hospital Allotment Society who donated tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, chillies, chard, beetroot and swede
Mark Stroud from Tooting who donated tomatoes, courgettes, marrow, apples and parsley

Phew! We had about twice as much food as last year - so start building up your appetites for Foodival 4!

What A Lot of Fruit & Veg!

2010-09-18T20:20:00.000+01:00

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the mountain of delicious local fruit and veg donated today and also to everyone who helped collect, distribute and set up. We hope to see you all tomorrow between 12 and 4 pm to taste what Tooting's finest chefs create with it! DT

FOODIVAL THIS WEEKEND!

2010-09-15T11:49:00.005+01:00

REMEMBER THE CONDIMENT CONTEST - ENTER YOURS TO WIN AN ABEL AND COLE PRIZE!

BRING ALL FOOD DONATIONS TO 222 UPPER TOOTING ROAD ON SATURDAY 18TH SEPT BETWEEN 12 AND 3PM AND

THE FOODIVAL IS ON SUNDAY THE 19TH OF SEPT FROM 12 - 4PM AT THE SAME VENUE!!! SEE YOU ALL THERE!

Foodival this weekend!

2010-09-14T16:57:00.001+01:00

Hello all,

With less than a week to go till Foodival time preparations have stepped up a notch! The Foodival posters have been printed and given out to the restaurants and we now have cotton bags for printing on the day with a special TTT logo stamp being made as we speak. Donation of aprons have been coming in thick and fast and thanks for all the offers of plastic sheeting –I’ve collected one large piece and reckon we’ll only need a couple more to make sure all the floor space is covered J

We also have a range of green decorations including a veg shopping cart and a Foodival banner so the event should look pretty spectacular! Rememember that if you have spare time and come to Mushkil aassan on Satbetween 12 and 3pm and on Sunday between 11.30 and 5 it’d be much appreciated.

Below is a list of things we still need:

Large A3 writing board and pad and pens–to write down donators details on the Saturday
Bowls and spoons –better if biodegradable
Lots of aprons
2 sheets of large plastic or tarp
Tons and tons of fruit and veg donations!
Reminding everyone to enter a condiment into the condiment contest. You will lose against my killer mint conconction but I feel it is only fair to ask for some competion…. ;)
Please email me if I’ve forgotten something!

Thanks again for all your help –the Foodival looks set to be amazing!

See you on Saturday or Sunday or both!

Foodival Update and Planning Meeting and PEARS PEARS PEARS!

2010-08-19T17:45:00.000+01:00

Well with a month to go we now have 8, yes, 8 Tooting restaurants on board for Foodival so now it's a big call to grow, grow, grow for the event! I should also say that it's also time to pick, pick, pick for event - Rose is looking for Pear pickers (see pear trees below) for the mountains of them. This also means we need storage - Mark has already kindly offered the use of his freezer but we will need more so let me know if you've any space. Rose is looking for pickers on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings so please call her if you're free - 0208 673 3754 and 07910 028 367.
Hope you're all well and also to remind everyone of the Foodival Planning meeting next Tuesday in the Selkirk -it'll be downstairs as there's a party in our usual room but i'm sure we'll be fine :)
Cheers,
G.x

Rose is calling for all 7 foot Tooting Residents with Mr Tickle arms to help collect these pears. You know who you are!!

Finally A Proper Courgette!

2010-08-13T13:05:00.000+01:00

The flowers may be pretty and the bees may like them but my courgette plant has only been producing "chiplolatas" all summer: one bite and they are gone! But this week finally, ach ja, fantastisch ... ein BRATWURST!

This plant is actually grown from a seed I picked up at April seed swap. Despite myriad slug and snail attacks, it's producing the goods at last!

And these handsome tomatoes will hopefully be red by Sep 18th! Anyone else out there have some pictures of what they are growing? DT

5 Restaurants On Board!

2010-08-10T18:55:00.001+01:00

With less than 6 weeks to go before the Foodival I thought I best post an update. Thanks to the timely efforts of Esther we now have 5 restaurants on board for the day - Mirch Masala, Al Mirage, Spice Village, Roti Restaurant, and Masaledar with the possibility of more to come! After a nice little planting sesssion on the 3rd we now have oddles of compost and pots thanks to Abby (please email me if you'd like any of this!) and some lovely planted wellies thanks to Bunny -i foolishly failed to get a picture but i've put what they will hopefully look like below!
Also, a call has come from Rose to see if anyone is free to help collect pears and damsons -if you're willing and able please call her on: 07910 028 376 and she'll give details of collection dates/times :)
So all that's needed now is a call from me to see who can volunteer on either or both of the 18th and 19th of September and check that none of your lettuces have wilted to death in the insane heat!
Please email me any new pics you have of growing fruit and veg and i'll put them up on the site.
Right, well as a turn up for the books i've got to go drain some of my seedlings that have been drowned in this afternoon's down pour -eek!
See you all soon,

Bootiful!! ahahahaha!

GilesX

2010-07-30T23:36:00.003+01:00

Tuesday 3rd August UPDATE

2010-07-29T17:46:00.001+01:00

Hello all,

News just in -Mary at the Christian Education Centre has very kindly let us have our little planting event there so please see the final details below and a big thanks to Mary!

What? - Foodival Planting Meeting -bring some seeds,pots or plants if you have them to plant or swap but otherwise just bring yourself for the Foodival planting session -I've got some pots and compost and seeds so lets get growing :)

Where? -Christian Education Centre - 21 Tooting Bec Road, London SW17 8BS

When?? - Tuesday 3rd of August from 6pm to 8pm

See you all there!

Hilary J and Davey T's Toms...are you "Green" with envy!! (somebody please shoot me...)

Tuesday August 3rd -Foodival Action Day!

2010-07-27T21:11:00.000+01:00

Venue TBA but the evening of Tuesday 3rd August is all about the Foodival - they'll be free planting pots and compost as well as seeds and advice on how and what to grow. Bring your kids and get planting! If you happen to have any spare seeds/plants/pots please bring those as well as having another little seed swap would be ace. It will also be a chance to think about what you want to make for the Great Tooting Condiment Contest - your sauce / preserve / chutney or other condiment must be made from at least 75% home-grown ingredients and the winner will get an Able & Cole mix box that can be used to provide dipping veg!!

I'll blog again as soon as venue and times are sorted so watch this space and see you on the 3rd.

Giles X

TOOTING HARVEST FOODIVAL 2010 IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-07-22T15:52:00.002+01:00

ll not that I can believe it but it's less than 2 months till this year's Harvest Foodival. I've been busy fighting against the torrent of heat to keep my chives and tomatoes alive which has been a battle but they're fine -phew! On the upside, the heat has given me a bumper crop of grapes to bring to the foodival so maybe it'll be a donation more of fruit than veg from me this year but hey ho, it all tastes the better from having come from Tooting :)

I thought it was time to start blogging again for the event and get people excited and to let everyone know what's going on.

So far, we already have a cycle powered smoothie machmine and two allotments - one at Springfield and one at St George's Hospitals signed up (see pic from St G's below!) so it already looks like a stonker of a festival is at hand.

Just to remind those that don't know the dates and details for the event(why you wouldn't have these etched on to your arm is beyond me ;) Saturday the 18th of September is collection day for all donations of fruit big and small and Sunday the 19th of September from midday is the start of the festival foodie fun! Collection will be held at Mushkil Aasaan at 222 Upper Tooting Rd on the 18th so please donate anything you've got spare!

Also, I want to keep a pic record of how everyone is doing growing in this summer's searing heat -please email all pics and comments to giles@cen.org.uk

All the Best and more details to follow!

Giles

Foodival in The Local Press

2009-10-12T08:45:00.003+01:00

Click on the pictures to view a larger image.

Foodival 2009 Highlights

2009-09-30T19:15:00.000+01:00

Watch video highlights of Sunday's Foodival in Tooting here:

Thank You Food Donors!

2009-09-29T08:39:00.001+01:00

Thank you to all of you who gave their locally grown food for this year's Foodival - hope I've remembered everyone!

Share Community Horticulture Project
- marrows, khol rabi, tomatoes, chillies, aubergine, rocket, salad leaves
Malsara and David
- tomatoes, beetroot, marjoram, spring onions, carrots and 1 runner bean
Indrajit Patel
- tomatoes
Bhavins of Tooting
- spinach, methi, coriander, mooli
Leela Sirisena
- beetroot and potatoes
Daniel and Emma
- basil, lemon thyme, rosemary, mint
Giulia Mininni
- tomatoes, coriander
Guy Eaglesfield
- potatoes, beans and parsley
Jez and Antonia Mudungkotuwe
- hot chillies
Rose de Falbe - Weed, Seed, Feed
Tooting Housing Co-op
- pears
Steve and Margaret, Streatham
- pears
Esther Murray
- onions
Hilary Jennings
- plums
Susan Venner
- rhubarb and herbs
Giles Read
- marrows, huge marrows
Mrs Madden
- potatoes
Louisa at Deen City Farm
- pumpkin tomatoes lamb
Mark, Project Dirt
- peppers
Dan from TT Wandsworth
- tomatoes and herbs
Mark Stroud
- long beans and tomatoes
Lucy Neal
- eggs
Jamie and Katharine Barber
- grapes and rainbow chard

Foodival 2009 Photos

2009-09-28T13:58:00.000+01:00

Tooting Harvest Foodival 2009 was a great success! Well done to everyone. Here are some photos of Saturday's home grown vegetable collection at Mushkil Aasaan followed by the Food Walk and Food Fete on Sunday. Quite a crowd enjoyed free samples of a variety of locally grown and cooked dishes courtesy of Tooting's restaurants and, in scenes reminiscent of the pied piper, followed the magic table of sustainability up the High St!

Four Days to Foodival

2009-09-23T12:09:00.001+01:00

Foodival Map

2009-09-22T18:55:00.000+01:00

Here is the map of Sunday's Food Walk starting at Al Mirage At 12pm and ending at Fircroft School where the Food Fete will run from 2pm.

Only 10 Days Till Foodival!

2009-09-17T12:08:00.000+01:00

The Tooting Harvest Foodival is next Sunday! Hurrah! Here’s the timetable for the day – we really hope you can join us.

12 Noon to 2 pm: Food Walk (starts at Al Mirage, 215 Upper Tooting Rd)
Tooting’s High Street restaurants are cooking up dishes in their own inimitable styles using ingredients grown and supplied by local people - which you can sample on the day.

2pm – 4pm Foodival Fete: Fircroft School
The Food Walk ends in a Food Fete - where food & sustainability related events for all the family run from 2pm. Bring your bike to Ting Ting Tooting’s cycle repair station, try a fruit kebab, learn about urban bee-keeping, or enter your home-made crumble in the Great Tooting Pudding Competition.

Yes, you can win a £30 organic food voucher! All you have to do is cook, bake or borrow a cake or pud to enter into the Great Tooting Pudding Competition? Then maybe bribe the judges! At least one ingredient must be local (south London = local).

Plus, why not pledge your surplus fruit, veg or herbs and see them feature in a dish made by one of Tooting's finest eateries? Bring your produce to the party – either to the drop off point on Saturday 26 September between 10am and 1pm at Mushkil Aasaan, 220 - 222 Upper Tooting Road. Or to the fete on Sunday afternoon – where we can rustle up some lovely grub on the spot!

Call Giles on 07738 928 215 or Claudia on 0788 8833 525 for more details, or if you’ve got some veg to pledge.

Foodival Poster

2009-08-26T11:15:00.000+01:00

A Foodival poster campaign hits the streets of Tooting this week. Thanks to Mike Roberts and Sue Rentoul for the design and of course to all the participating restaurants and businesses.

Tooting Harvest Foodival Planning Meeting

2009-06-30T16:20:00.000+01:00

As plans for the Foodival gather momentum we're having a meeting on Wednesday 1st of July from 6pm-7pm at the Selkirk in Tooting (see http://www.theselkirk.co.uk/ for directions!). The short meeting is to discuss plans for the event and anyone who wants to pitch in is invited. Come along and let us know your thoughts on everything from recipe ideas to growing tips and we hope to see you there!

Deen City Farm Joins the Foodival!

2009-06-03T21:46:00.000+01:00

Louisa Loakes at Deen City Farm said that she'd love to help out with the festival and has started growing veg for local restaurants to cook on the day. Louisa provided vegetables and even eggs at last years event and is looking forward to this years festival - "Count the garden project in!" she said as well as suggesting fun childrens activities such as making animals out of local produce which is a fantastic idea! If you have any ideas for the event or any other comments please mail me at giles@cen.org.uk and please visit Deen City Farm's website here for info and how to visit this amazing urban farm.

Foodival Returns!

2009-05-27T18:45:00.000+01:00

Transition Town Tooting are busy organising this year’s Harvest Foodival taking place on Sunday 27th of September and are looking for all growers great and small to join in.

The event is a celebration of all things green and growing in the town, and restaurants down the high street from Tooting Bec to Broadway stations will be cooking up locally grown fruit and veg on the day so locals can sample the true tastes of Tooting! Along with the cooking will also be a number of walks to venues near the high street where food is already being grown above and around shops with talks on urban growing and the possibilities for broadening Tooting’s food production.

At the end of the day there’ll be a fantastic finale event including a growers competition with a category for “Fruit or Veg that Most Resembles a Celebrity” – truly a must win event! So we’re encouraging everyone to get growing and be a part of what looks set to be an amazing day that celebrates Tooting’s rich food culture with more than a sprinkling of fun!

For more details on how to be part of the event or to be emailed updates on what’s happening when and where, please contact Giles Read at giles@cen.org.uk or on 0773 892 8215.