The Bedfordview Urban Farming Project, under the auspices of the Bedfordview Safety Forum (BSF), is being developed as a result of the need for a sustainable food source for the BSF’s food collection. Over 100 tonnes of food have been collected and distributed.
DA Councillor Jill Humphreys thanked the NGO Order of St John’s, Bedfordview CPF – especially all the fundraising done by Alison Grobbelaar, Bedfordview Methodist Church, DA Councillor Alta de Beer, Renate Volpe and George Thomas Woods for driving the Bedfordview Food Collection. The community showed phenomenal support in donating to this necessary food drive. A more sustainable solution is needed now.
The oak leaves along Van Buuren have been raked, bagged and taken to the new site at Bedfordview Primary School, where they will become compost that will nourish and feed the gardens.
Thanks goes to: Janine Carstensen, Chris Boshoff (team leaders), Fred Crabbia (for making available a 4-ton truck + team), Greg Bryant, (Bedfordview Primary Headmaster) RAG Better Bedfordview Team, Mark Morris, Marina Constas, and Lynn Loots (who personally bought bags and paid 15 people to clear the pavement).
‘The urban farming idea came out of the need for a sustainable food source. The donors have been phenomenal. We have exceeded 100 tons of distributed food parcels to hungry people. But this is not sustainable indefinitely. Food must be available growing at every front door, Arbor Village has also been baking biscuits for the food parcels’ said Humphreys.
There are numerous private growers in the suburb who will be making available 40% of their harvest to the project. The plan is also to do workshops and seed distribution in townships and informal settlements. The forum has had incredibly generous donations of seedlings from a local nursery and these are planted and flourishing.
BEDFORDVIEW SAFETY FORUM
bedfordviewsafetyforum.org.za
