Join us for our Autumn 2017 Open Day

7 October 2017  2-4 pm  Hammonds End Farm, Harpenden, Herts, AL5 2AY

Come along for a free tour of our little farm in Harpenden. Refreshments provided.

At FoodSmiles members grow organic veg together, sharing skills and learning about growing, we share the harvest once a week.  Our main working parties are on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday afternoons.

Paths are uneven, please wear strong shoes.

Come and Grow - Incredible Edible launch!

At long last, we'll be launching our Incredible Edible Civic Centre garden on Saturday 7th October, as part of St Albans Food Festival's 'Sustainable Saturday'! Please come along 11am-2pm to help us start turning this neglected bit of land into an abundant food garden right in the town centre - or if you're not ready to get your hands dirty this time, just to pick up a flyer, take a look, see our plans and find out more. You'll find the garden right next to the main entrance to the Alban Arena.

Anyone who lives, works or plays in St Albans is invited to pick food from the garden, and to help out. We hope that it will bring local people together, provide free food for anyone who would like it, enhance the town centre, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and enable us to teach and share growing skills and promote the benefits of growing-our-own. The garden is small, but will have a rich mix of berry bushes, rhubarb, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers.

If you have any questions about the garden or would like to sign up for more news about both our community gardens, please email us at the address below.

Join us for an expert talk on Bee Keeping

Bee Keeping Talk

At Courtyard Café, Hatfield Rd, St Albans on Wednesday 20 September 10.30-11.30 am

Local bee keeper David Miveld will be sharing his knowledge and experiences of bee keeping in St Albans.

All Welcome – just £5 including coffee

Spaces are limited so to be sure you can join us, please email coffee@foodsmilesstalbans.org.uk to book your place.

Join us for an Introduction to growing Asparagus

Introduction to growing Asparagus

At Hammonds End Farm, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2AY on 22 April 2017 1.30-3pm

You will learn about planting and looking after asparagus plants and plant an asparagus seed to take away. Suggested donation £3 per person.

Please wear shoes suitable for the garden. Places limited so please book via email: skills@foodsmilesstalbans.org.uk

Join us for our Community Food Gardens Talk

Community Food Gardens Talk

At Courtyard Café, Hatfield Rd, St Albans on Wednesday 5 April 10.30-11.30 am

Come and hear about the Incredible Edible garden in Dunstable and how you can soon get involved in St Albans. Food and Flowers to share, planted by the Community for the Community, enhancing the town centre and our lives. 

 
All Welcome – just £5 including coffee

Spaces are limited so to be sure you can join us, please email coffee@foodsmilesstalbans.org.uk to book your place.

Join us for our 2017 Open Days

Wednesday 15th March, 2-5pm
Saturday 18th March, 2-5pm
Saturday 25th March, 2-5pm

FoodSmiles St Albans, Hammonds End Farm, Hammonds End Lane, off Redbourn Lane, Harpenden, AL5 2AY. When you enter the farmyard, turn left after the barn on the left and find us through the wooden gate. (Please drive very slowly in the farmyard area.)

Come along for a tour and to see what we do, or bring gardening gloves and get involved with the day's seasonal tasks, which will likely include sowing seeds for spring, planting out seedlings in a polytunnel, spreading manure and insulating the new compost bins. You'll also be welcome to ask questions about growing your own at home. 

Admission is free (though donations are welcome and will go towards helping us to expand).  
Tea will be provided, along with a selection of cakes made with vegetables! 

Strong shoes are essential as the ground can be uneven underfoot, and please bring gardening gloves if you'd like to join in with the work.

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Sustainable St Albans Week!

Sustainable St Albans Week begins this Saturday, and promises 100+ exciting events focusing on sustainability in the district, including walks, talks, outdoor activities, workshops, exhibitions and, of course, a FoodSmiles Open Day and Composting Workshop! See the whole programme here, and come along to join us for a tour of our farm on Saturday 19th from 12-4pm.


19th November, 12-4pm
FoodSmiles St Albans, Hammonds End Farm, Hammonds End Lane, off Redbourn Lane, Harpenden, AL5 2AY. When you enter the farmyard, turn left after the barn on the left and find us through the wooden gate. (Please drive very slowly in the farmyard area.) Strong shoes are essential as the ground can be uneven underfoot, and please bring gardening gloves if you'd like to join in with the work.

Come along for a tour and to see what we do, or get involved with the day's seasonal tasks, which will likely include planting seedlings in our polytunnels, sowing broad beans and green manures, and chopping and mixing material for the compost heap. You'll also be welcome to ask questions about growing your own at home.  Admission is free, and tea and hot soup will be provided, along with a selection of cakes made with vegetables! 

The afternoon will include a Practical Composting Workshop from 2-3pm - if you'd like to join in and learn about composting at home, please book your place by emailing us at foodsmiles.info@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Open Day, 1st October!

The 1st October marks the CSA Network's first ever nationwide open day, celebrating CSAs across the country, raising awareness and encouraging people to get involved with their local group. Handily, it also coincides with the closing weekend of the St Albans and Harpenden Food and Drink Festival, and to mark both occasions we will be holding an Open Day at FoodSmiles - and we'd love it if you came along!

1st October, 1-5pm
FoodSmiles St Albans, Hammonds End Farm, Hammonds End Lane, off Redbourn Lane, Harpenden, AL5 2AY. When you enter the farmyard, turn left after the barn on the left and find us through the wooden gate. (Please drive very slowly in the farmyard area.)

Come along for a tour and to see what we do, or bring gardening gloves and get involved with the day's seasonal tasks, which will likely include sowing seeds for winter, planting out seedlings in a polytunnel, spreading manure and building new compost bins. There will be an opportunity to taste and compare the tomato varieties we grow here, and there will be a short talk on home composting 2-3pm. You'll also be welcome to ask questions about growing your own at home.

Admission is free (though donations are welcome and will go towards helping us to expand). 
Tea will be provided, along with a selection of cakes made with vegetables! 

Strong shoes are essential as the ground can be uneven underfoot, and please bring gardening gloves if you'd like to join in with the work.

We look forward to seeing you there!