Pete BA's blog

Transition Buxton has now joined the Northern Fruit Group http://www.northernfruitgroup.com/index.htm as an associate member - this entitles any 3 TB members to attend training or events held by the NFG through the year. You'll need to pick up a membership card (I've got them here) to show.

A number of Workshops are held including:-

• Summer pruning of Tree and Soft Fruit
• Winter pruning of Tree and Soft Fruit
• Bench Grafting
• Budding

Fairfield Junior School have space for 6 to 8 fruit trees - confirmation awaited, but we may be able to plant 4 or 5 near the playground, and 2 or 3 big standards out the front (a strong risk they'll get vandalised, but if they don't any fruit will be accessible to all). Thanks to Katrina Stein for meeting me, and for your positivity.

Christ Church in Burbage also has a large area of unconsecrated ground that can accommodate around 17 trees. Many thanks to Rev John Hudghton & Joyce Alright.

A wet Sunday morning was spent collecting apples from trees at Eyam Hall. Plenty of windfalls, and some nice sound fruit too. Derek's processing a good quantity, some are going to be pressed at the Green your home event on Saturday, and today I delivered a box to the SureStart centre in Fairfield. I'm planning to take samples to the Transition Hope Valley Apple Day on Sunday (http://www.350.org/transition-hope-valley-apple-day) for identification. Some trees are beautiful mossy, gnarled free-standing espaliers http://www.ba-gardendesign.com/eyamhall.html

We've grown some enormous radishes! They're hot too. Great in coleslaw, and allegedly(!) good as a beer snack, and apparently store well, but does anyone have any other creative ways of preparing/preserving?  

Kids school meals have got a lot better in recent times, but there's a lot more that can be done to get them involved with cooking, growing etc., and to reduce their exposure to junk food advertising. You might like to check out the childrens food campaign... www.childrensfoodcampaign.org.uk

A new government may be a fresh opportunity to make some progress.  

I've requested, through the Chatsworth website, that I'd like to make  contact with the 'Devonshire Group Environmental Committee' http://www.chatsworth.org/a-greener-chatsworth ref: parcel of land in Buxton (i.e. Lismore field).   I'm not going to hold my breath for a response, though.