The Community Food Project

OK, It’s the eighth week of my Artist’s Way course but I’m on week 10 in the book (it’s a 10 week course but the book is 12 chapters long, so designed to complete over 12 weeks). For my Artist’s Date this week I chose to photographically connect with nature using my new digital camera and had intended on visiting a beautiful garden somewhere in Sussex. But at the last moment I remembered that I’d been meaning to visit The Community Food Project, a huge allotment space on the edge of Brighton that is open to volunteers on Sundays (and Thursdays). So I got into my car, blasting out an old Dubtribe CD that reflected my mood perfectly, full of joy and anticipation, and drove towards the telephone mast that towers over East Brighton in Whitehawk. What looked like an industrial wasteground soon made way for a tranquil oasis of pastoral beauty on a hill overlooking Brighton and the sea.

I took lots of macro photos of plants and a few to attempt to capture the peaceful and grounding atmosphere but you have to visit the place to experience that, even a photographic genius couldn’t record it. In return for some help on the vast allotments (which grow a large range of fruit and vegetables using organic, biodynamic and permaculture techniques) volunteers can hang out, drink tea (mine was made with fresh mint and lemon balm) and take some produce home. Yesterday people were picking strawberries and as I had brought some chopped pineapple with me we made delicious, juicy mouthfuls of strawberry, pineapple, mint and lemon balm. It was a beautiful day, nourishing for the soul and I’m sure to be back again next week with my children.

More photos on my Flickr page…