Fairfield Farm Project

Over the years various groups have tried tirelessly to save the farmhouse in Elder Park. It is a building steeped in history, the oldest house in Govan and could become a vital part in bringing the community back into the Park.

Once again a number of people and organisations in the area have got together to drive it forward. To make sure we have the best chance in our bids for funds, we have to leave the funding bodies in no doubt of…….

• Demand – that the people of Govan want to use it

• Sustainability – that after it is built it can “stand on its own 2 feet”

• Driven - by the people of Govan

• Benefit – that there will be more benefits than just to look good

• Consulted – that we continue to consult as many residents as possible for their views

We had an open day on 21^st September 2010 in the Library from 1pm until 7pm. We had 70 people attend and give us their views on the ideas. You can give you views anytime as we are on facebook or you can call into the LUV Gallery or hand your ideas into any housing association offices in Govan. If you want to be involved we would welcome new members on to the Focus Group who are working towards becoming a charitable Trust.

SOME IDEAS

Phase 1

Farmhouse – base for a community managed Hub or Wellbing Centre that will be a meeting place for people, promote healthy living and bring more activity into the park.

Gardeners Space - Linthouse, Elderpark, Govan Urban Planter (LEGUP) has transformed the disused courtyard in the last few months to a haven of fruit and vegetables and want their work to flourish throughout Govan.

Café and toilets – 2 important things that bring people to the park and make them stay for a while. One of the most asked for items in any consultation. The café space will double for healthy eating and cookery courses.

A small museum about the history of the Farmhouse, Park and Mrs Elder that will encourage and inform people of Govan about their heritage.

A flexible space for community use.

Phase 2

Further down the line we are considering the possibility of a new small building that could house a not for profit nursery based on healthy eating/outdoor life/ wellbeing for new mums. Local people will work in the nursery providing good quality training and employment.

A training working kitchen will also be incorporated that would work in tandem with the nursery, providing healthy food for children and run numerous cookery courses.

More recently initial discussions have taken place with a School of Herbal Medicine who are looking to become much more community based. This would present further opportunity for combining the work of LEGUP and expand on the current work being carried out with local schools.

Construction

It is much more complicated to renovate a listed building but we are investigating the possibility of self build by local people. There is also an opportunity to re-use of materials from any demolitions in the Southern General Hospital. To help bring down running costs and to embrace sustainability we will make sure we maximize green credential within the project.

Management

The Focus group is in the process of becoming a Trust, Co-operative or similar body to manage the development process and run the Farmhouse when it is renovated. The principles are that the management will be mainly local people and the running of the project will be mainly local people volunteering some of their time.

The possibilities are endless but we need you to be positive and help drive it and show that residents surrounding the park want to see it happen.

Ian Sharp moved to Govan in November 2009. After enquiring about the plans to create a market garden in Elder Park, he was invited to a meeting at Linthouse Housing Association. He created a group called LEGUP (Linthouse, Elderpark, Govan Urban Planters)

This is his diary

Thursday 11/03/10

Received a call from John McBride at Linthouse Housing Association inviting me to a meeting to discuss the Market Garden.

Evening

Had a look online to see what I could find regarding the project, and realized that Linthouse Housing Association had put a great deal of effort into trying to save the farmhouse building and find a proper use for the site.

Friday 12/03/10

Meeting at Linthouse offices to discuss how to proceed. John McBride outlined the proposal, which was to create a Market Garden in the grounds of the old Fairfield Farm Building. He said that the initial plans had been shelved due to lack of funding, and that this meeting was to establish how to move on.

Council Representative Henry Adomako had arranged soil and some planters to help us get started. James from the Coach House Trust arranged to clear some dangerous sections of the site.

Chris Hill of Govan High School, and the staff from Little Branches Nursery said they would definitely use the facilities, and Tam from the Galgael said some of his guys wanted to get involved.

I volunteered to reduce my work commitments to give me some free time to work on the project. John accepted my offer to try and get things moving, and gave me a set of keys.

I traveled to Milton and visited Ann Dazovic at the Lambhill stables project, met some great people, got some good ideas.

Evening

Did some research online, I found many possible sources of funding, but can't access them unless we set up a community group with a constitution.

Sunday 14/03/10

On site looking at the planters. I felt they would be too high for the kids, particularly those from the Nursery. Thought about building some decking around them, but felt this would be expensive and as there's no power on site, it would be difficult. Decided to build platform around planters using old tyres filled with type 1.

Evening

I Found Martin on land share site, he lives in Govan and wants to grow veg. Contacted him by e-mail.

Also placed adverts online asking for free tools and equipment.

Monday 15/03/10

I went to see Jewson's Manager John Fleming to ask if they would give us type1 and perhaps some timber to build frame for greenhouse.

He was in a meeting, but will call me.

I Went to see Martin Plant Hire about borrowing some wheelbarrows to fill the planters, Pat Lawlor said no problem.

Then Went to the scrap yard to ask about getting old tyres they said leave it with us and we'll see if he can help.

Evening

I Received e-mail from Martin on Landshare site, he's very interested.

Also Placed adverts online giving a brief description of the plan, to raise awareness among other Glaswegians involved in similar projects.

Tuesday 16/03/10

I Shifted the planters into position.

Met Martin on site to show him the plans. Arranged to meet him on Sunday to fill the planters.

Took Mick down to see site with a view to installing greenhouse, he said he'd draw up some plans.

Received call from John at Jewson's, I explained what we were trying to do and he said they would help with materials.

Noticed that the housing association was replacing our bins with wheelie bins.

Wednesday 17/03/10

Received call offering the full 50 tires I requested. Will take delivery on Friday.

Nipped home on my lunch break, went to Howden's and spoke to Stevie and Robert, they offered to try to help by giving us old off cuts of timber. Thanks.

Then popped in to see Gordon Anderson at Govan Housing Association. told him we would take all the old bins. He said he'd check that was o.k. and get back to me.

Received call from John at Jewson's asking me to go over to see him. When I arrived he asked what we needed. I said that besides the type1 and timber, we could use some tools to get started. He said he'd see what he could do.

Saturday 20/03/10

Went to Martin Plant Hire to pick up wheelbarrows, someone had moved them. Pat couldn't find them. He tried the other branches but had no luck. He promised to help next time we needed anything.

Drove down to Ayrshire to collect my wheelbarrow and my brother in law lent me another.

Went to EK for vegetable growing training course with Mathew. He offered to come down to look at the site.

Sunday 21/03/10

Martin didn't show but Steven and Mick helped me fill the planters. Thanks guys.

Monday 22/003/10

Arranged to meet Ian from the garage at site after work to collect tires.

Tyres arrived, kids stole padlock as I was shifting them. Note to self, lock the gates while working.

Tuesday 23/03/10

Visited Sheila at Coach House Trust for to see their project and ask for any advice about how we should proceed. Sheila showed me round and suggested a few ideas. Great Place.

Old Housing Assoc bins arrived. Thanks Gordon.

Wednesday 24/03/10

Received call from John Fleming from Jewsons. He will give us all we asked for, thanks John.

Delivery arranged for Friday.

Nipped home from work at lunchtime, e-mailed all the schools in Govan to make them aware about the free compost bins Waste Aware were providing. I tried to order them, but was told the schools had to call up themselves.

Needed to find secure place to keep tools that Jewson's will give us. Couldn't get a hold of John. On way home from work called in to see Liz at Pierce Institute and Pat Cassidy Elder Park Workspace. They both offered storage space, thanks guys.

Met with Tam from Galgeal, he introduced me to Dougie who wants to be part of the garden project.

Friday 26/03/10

Received delivery of Jewson's materials. Thanks again John.

Saturday 27/03/10

I went down to the site and positioned the tiyes around planters and filled with type 1.

Sunday 28/03/10

On site again, created some extra planters using the tyres and filled with soil.

Monday 29/03/10

Met with Mathew, showed him site. He gave some great advice. Thanks.

John McBride arrived to show someone round, he told me about Bellahouston park having some spare planters.

Came home and called Thales and BAE about getting some old pallets to build extra planters.

Evening

Back down to site to shift type1, got soaked to the skin, hope the weather improves.

Wednesday 31/03/10

Tom Hanrattay from Thales called he has 15 pallets. we collect Friday morning.

Called Tam at Galgael to see if they could pick up the pallets. Tam said their truck would be up in Argyle, but said he'd ask Fiona to help out.

Thursday 01/04/10

Meeting at Linthouse Housing John not present, get well soon John.

Helen Kyle chaired the meeting.

We discussed setting up a community group, and Katie from GSWRA said she'd arrange the drawing up of a constitution.

I asked for residents to be notified about the project, suggested we arrange a meeting to invite any interested residents.

Everyone agreed, we arranged meeting for Thursday 15th at 6pm.

Work day scheduled for following Saturday to get site clear and safe for visitors.

Went to Bellahouston Park to enquire about planters, but was told they had used them all.

Friday 02/04/10

Met with Fiona went to Thales collected pallets. Dougie arrived to help. Fiona and Dougie said they would be happy to help as much as they could to get things going. Thanks guys.

Saturday 03/04/10

Spotted free greenhouse frame in the snips, called to arrange collection.

Monday 05/04/10

Thought about using plastic perspex to create murals to brighten up the site, placed ads online, Freeshare, Gumtree etc.

Dougie did security assessment of the site. He discovered many ways to easily climb in.

Tuesday 06/04/10

Received an e-mail from John Gordon regarding information about some possible funding from Action Earth, thanks John.

Evening

E-mailed Police to ask if they could arrange a meeting on site to advise us on security. Received a reply and called to discuss. They no longer offer this service except in circumstances where lots of money is at stake.

Received e-mail from someone on Freeshare website about the plastic sheets we need to fill greenhouse frame. Arranged to collect on Saturday.

Wednesday 07/04/10

Received e-mail from Peter Lavelle at Glasgow wood Recycling. He said they would be happy to help. Thanks Peter.

Evening

Joined Justfortheloveofit website, found 29 new contacts from Vegan Chefs to Environmental Activists, all within 1 mile of Elder Park. Sent each an e-mail about the project in case they would be interested.

Sunday 08/04/10

Discovered that we have some funding, but it must be spent on growing kits from NVA as these are mobile units which can be moved from site to site. The Fairfield Farm site is one of 4 projects across Glasgow that are part sponsored by NVA.

Spoke with Jon Clarke at NVA regarding Sage kits. Kits will take 4/6 weeks to make once they are ordered. He said he'd e-mail details of the kits along with the price list.

Gillian called to say they were working on flyers to advertise project and invite local people to a meeting at the LUV Gallery. Thanks Gillian.

Friday 09/04/10

Hooked up with Fiona, went to collect greenhouse frame. We also popped into see boss at Autoglass who agreed to give us crates to covert into planters.

Received e-mail containing details of NVA kits price list and a request to meet me and John on site. Thanks Jon. Responded with my availability for the meeting.

Saturday 10/04/10

Picked up Dougie, went to Bishopbriggs picked up plastic sheets, and dropped them off at site.

Monday 12/04/10

Visited Bellahouton park to see Gavin Jackson, he wasn't in. Spoke with Tam the foreman there, he told me DRS are responsible for the building.

Arranged with Tam to have his Elder Park Maintenance Team drop off grass cuttings etc once we have our composting area ready.

Called DRS for clarification on who is responsible for maintenance of the farm building. Contact wasn't there, so I left a message.

Called BAE to ask if they would help with the project. Spoke with Charles who asked me to e-mail a list of what we may need.

Contacted Henry to ask if he had a contact at Land Services who could help us with plastic bottles for the greenhouse. He e-mailed back with the details. Thanks Henry.

Tuesday 13/04/10

Herris fencing arrived.

Evening

Received copy of EKDEV Trust constitution to use as a template for our group. Thanks Mathew.

Wednesday 16/04/10

Received e-mail from Recycling Manager at Land and Environmental Services giving me a contact for the plastic bottles we need for the greenhouse.

Thursday 15/04/10

Evening

Met Helen and Gillian at the LUV Gallery to prepare for the meeting. A number of local people arrived wanting to know more about the plans. I gave an overview of the project, what had happened so far, and what we wanted to do next.

I proposed that the site was not really big enough for many people to grow all their vegetables in the way that they do in allotments. I suggested that we use the site as a centre for people to come and learn and exchange ideas about food growing, offering tips and training and using it as a base for branching out throughout the local area. I explained that as a member of EKDEV Trust I was involved in a schools project in East Kilbride and that we could mimic that in the Govan area, helping them to build their own growing facilities.

We discussed the planned work day and everyone who attended said they were interested in getting involved and left their contact details.

Friday 16/04/10

Katie called to say that she had managed to arrange a clear up team to help with the site.

Met with GSWRA community team, they did a great job of clearing the site of all remaining waste, thanks guys.

Saturday 17/04/10

Gordon and Robert get to grips with the greenhouse frame

The first work day went very well. There was a great turnout. Gordon McKay brought a number of helpers from The Friends of Elder Park. Fiona and Dougie brought volunteers from the Galgael and a number of other locals arrived to lend a hand.

It was great to see so many people on site, all enthusiastically getting stuck in.

At the end of the day we had an informal meeting to plan what we wanted to do next.

A few people wanted to work out who would lead the group and be on the committee, I felt we should wait as some people were not present, and they may disagree with our choices.

In the end it was decided that we would informally elect four committee members and leave room for others to join. Myself, Dougie, Fiona and Scott were nominated.

Everyone agreed to return on Saturday’s to continue what we had started.

Sunday 18/04/10

Met with Bill Pritchard from Govan Preservation Society. He gave me a copy of their constitution and some good advice about how to create a community group. Thanks Bill.

Monday 19/04/10

Met with Jon Clark Director of NVA. We had a look at the site and discussed what should be done.

We discussed the NVA list of products. I explained that I’d rather have water butts and storage as opposed to planters as I felt we could make planters easily from recycled materials.

Bill Pritchard called to say that he had arranged for us to use the boardroom at Elder Park Workspace for our committee meeting. Thanks Bill.

Friday 23/04/10

First meeting of the committee Dougie couldn’t attend as he was unwell.

I showed Scott and Fiona the constitutions that I had obtained from other similar groups but they felt that having a written constitution was wrong as it was bureaucratic and we should work out with the system.

I explained the situation regarding the NVA growing kits and suggested that we choose what we wanted from the list. Fiona felt that we should not use any of the kit offered by NVA as they would be getting exposure for their company. We talked about the possibility of other sites to give us more growing capacity, and Scott suggested we utilize the guerilla gardening technique of planting veg on roundabouts and other available spaces. I expressed my hope that we could perhaps become a Social Enterprise Company thus providing jobs for local people such as those who had completed their training with the Galgael and Katie’s GSWRA clear up team. Fiona and Scott felt that this would not be healthy as money would be involved, and that we should ensure that we remain a charity. I pointed out that the Galgael are a charity, but they do have a written constitution and the do create paid employment, but I was outvoted 2 to 1. We agreed to disagree and set to work on making a list of materials and jobs for Saturday.

Saturday 24/04/10

Work day. Another great turnout and the sun was shining. We started work on creating the fruit garden. Fiona brought some plants to get us started. Thanks Fiona

Update July 11

• And here we are again- The days pass so fast
• We have assembled teams to cover shifts to keep the garden open during the week, we have grown great banks of tatties, the beans are in full bloom, the peas have kept us nourished, as have the lettuce and magnificent red cabbage leaves and the kale which we have been handing out to guests

Photography

• David McGrowan came in to photograph the garden as have other interested parties and Dave's photos have been uploaded with other current images to the Facebook site but we have also uploaded some new images here for those who without Facebook account - the current problem being to collate images on various members usb sticks and obscure hard drives and upload them
• Daniel Sambo also came into photgraph the garden - in the dark - he takes photos of garden at night with images and lights.  They are pretty effective and take much longer than you would imagine to create- Daniel should be advertising his exhibition in August on the LEGUP Facebook groupsite

Keith

• We had a great day on the 17th July
  Kelly Ann Leeann Lesley Jimbo Scott and family, Jimmy Caesar Decklan, Chantelle and Eddie amongst many came down to celebrate Keith's glory and we planted three apple trees in what is now the orchard
• Evergreen Pete had kindly dumped a load of clay/topsoil next to the Y-Wam and Parks had kindly left us the contents to the duck pond without water - green sludge - yum which we barrowed round and using the fabulour bits of wood left by Pete created what Guy calls Doomster Hill which has been planted with veg and flowers and already starting to grow.  We put Ding on the hill Dang and Do dance with the willows - from which we hope to get a crop of useful material for weaving later in the year
• We also got a rather sad pear tree some dying and dead jasmin, a clematis and some honeysuckle - and are wondering where to put it all
• We planted up along the railings on Govan road and are hoping the parks will let the beans peas and sweet peas grow - it should look quite pre

• Alison David and Scott planted out a tattie garden in the external garden along with sunflowers which are huge and about to flower - although it could do with - some tending right now - but we have been quite busy fighting weeds and growing seeds internally - sorry guys though will try to get to it asap
• We have been adopted by Dobbies - a new garden center open in Braehead - who have kindly given us some plants and compost and tools - thanks folk

• We approached a few local stores to support our tombola to raise some funds planned for the Green Zone Day on 13th August
• We also have an event this Saturday down at the garden along with other groups in Govan should be fun - I believe we will be offering baked potatoes fresh from the garden so be there or be square :o

December 2012

The Farm Building was damaged early 2012 by vandals who started a petrol fire after all the hard work volunteers put into the project with their own money and hard work to try to repair the roof

Fianlly the council insurers gave the go ahead for a temporary roof to protect the stone work

There are stones in the building which seem to come from earlier times perhaps a temple ?

Anyway a temporary roof on the west wing is in place and windows and access bricked up to stop varmints

Sadly no further news on protecting the rest of the building

Many community members look forward to shower room and toilets for the footballers in the park and a community kitchen in the West Wing using the central part for a community workshop area and a barn floor upstairs for recreational use - one day maybe Govan folk will be able to say they repaired that ancient building

September and August update 2012

Apologies for the silence but we really have been busy and not had much time for the pc let alone updating and editing images etc  When we remember we take a picture usually too late to get the real before and after effect - perhaps that is a good thing

So really this is just a brief note to work with the pictures in the gallery

OK so we have been working very hard this summer shifting tons of earth and manure and more earth and cleaned up and weeded in the rain well some sunny days too.  Tommy, Sean, Donna, Isaac, Rich and Alexi, Stewart, Stephen, Andrew, Sandra, Dylan, Gareth, Jaden, Lucy, Scott,
John, Edward, Joseph, Connor, and many others have done a hard days stint or few to get things done and Ida has been working her green fingers to the bone - yes that winter crop is growing bigger

Govan High came in and painted a wall with gorgeous vigour and colour,
and some of our members have been artistic in their own way, painting
slates and we have a couple of new mosaics and Carol made us some
gorgeous new flags which look great

Galgael came in early doors and fixed guttening to the roof of the
beautiful greenhouse and the shelter which was built using the perspex kindly recycled / donated by DeCaux for which we are extremely grateful - we have been inundated with offers to buy the stuff but honestly we have only started - the outer skin is there but we have plans for an inner skin and hopefully underfloor heating system using a compost tower - watch this space.  so now we have somewhere to sit in the rain, and work out of the rain and to entertain, and of course to grow our tomatoes and such and collect rainwater

Of course the wee varmints who scurry in and out of the gates and over the walls and fences think it is a howl to run off the water but we are hopefully resolving that - the trouble is that young people are attracted to the old building which is very dangerous with a whole floor ready to collapse, not to mention the burned roof - so until we get that fixed we are forced to try to keep young people from coming in when there are no members to keep an eye out - we have worked with community police on the question with some success - they have been brilliant in supporting out project and very very helpful and already some ideas are giving way to even better ones - again watch this space -

Meanwhile we have Gary  who is enthusiastic about almost everything - just the kind of fellow we need working here and so strong !!!  He is dying to get the wind turbine going, and we are wondering about making some more to make some security lighting or other - well actually the ideas are pouring in thick and fast - again watch this space.  Meanwhile Gary has already fixed two lawn mowers - he really knows his stuff - and is a veritable Godsend

The vandals have been quite destructive at times but we are keeping strong and think we are reaching the end of this tunnel - When the building is complete we look forward to security lights meanwhile neightbours have been our friend and hang cheerfully out of the windows and doorways to keep an eye on the place

The local community police have been hvery supportive, keeping in close
contact with us, logging reports and speaking with the young team on
our behalf - I believe they also look forward to the day the building is restored

With police support we have tried a few avenues of communication,
including a barbecue.  Gillian came in and saved the day cooking up a
storm and they whole event was brilliantly beneficial bringing with it
parents who are keen to help out - which lead to a meeging with a local
football team of skilled workers who are keen to restore the building by next srping - yaay

Meanwhile, we are using vandal grease kindly donated from Elderpark
Boat Club  - they are so good to us - and things are looking up
Gary and Stewart and Andrew have all worked really hard greasing the
joint!!

Gary has fixed a pipe to the gutten which has begun to dry out the
building and We are currently negociating loan of skip and scaffolding
to safely bring down the rotten and burnt parts of the roof and inner
walls and flooring

The team plan to run a car wash to get donations for the materials
required for the building and it looks like Scottish Water are on board

Tne current plan is to keep things simple - toilets and showers in the
east wing - the roof timbers may be good enough to keep here - then a
simple workspace area where folk can hammer and saw and fiddle around
with engines and bikes for the  middle part with a good solid floor up top for any kickboxing, yoga dancing and of course the kitchen in the west wing with perhaps an enclosed cafe area under the porches - Sean is still building the outdoor kitchen - which has been torn down by vandals too often to hurt now

We planted a chamomile lawn which looks to have taken, it will be a while before the plants spread out but next summer it should be a nice place to relax - and Ian and Salim and Tommy worked hard on that !!

We have not had much food to offer the community sadly, but still have
managed to give some away to the community, and look forward to some
mpore crops this winter.  We hope next years crops will enjoy the lathering of manure from Pollock Park Byre.  Perhaps some members will take over a patch and keep it up but the general feeling in the garden is that we like working together generally - Jani has promised to care for the bees next year

The apple tres had quite a lot of fruit but a single apple remains and as for the rest there has been not much in the way of fruit  but we have taken cuttings and hope to do better next year

Meeting the community and getting to know the young people and the many people who have come in and given a hand has been the bountiful fruit we have been given this year as has been the wildlife.  We have had a couple of gold finches in the garden, plenty of seagulls, a couple of magpies, the wren has a family, as have the mice and the robin vanished for a while but seems to be back and has brought a wife with him

Ladybirds butterflies and bees have also been a source of joy for young and old, if the wasps perhaps did not bring so much joy I am still wondering if they are an enemy of slugs - there do not seem to be so many this year.  The bees have loved the lemon catnip by te container and we have loved watching them

And it has been a wonderful year for borage and nasturtiums which have
been appreeciated by many

To sum it up we have not had much to offer the community this year but
the community have been very giving to us for which we are extremely  thankful

So a big thank you to the community as we near harvest festival and may
your years be bountiful

Update  August 11

• It has been a great year in general and we have accomplished quite a lot, especially making friends in the community.  Summer has been great fun, even if the corn hasn't grown very big... yet.  

• The bees are enjoying the flowers as are we : sweetpeas, marigolds, and lobelia
• The community is taking an interest in our work. 
• Beds and planters are coming up all over

• Dougi built an awesome fire pit, so now we can cook chappatis on a shovel and hot coals – the real McCoy. Chappatti, an lettuce wrap, ye canna wak it. ( Except for watching youngsters come into the garden hating beans or lettuce, taste our fresh veg and change their minds, joyfully carrying heavy pots of compost and seed home with them, to grow their own carrots, beetroot, beans, radish, tomatoes and sunflowers on the close balcony!! )

All in all, everything in the garden is Fan-Dabby-Dosy

New Members

A number of new members have joined us including Archie, Lyn, Stewart, Kevin, Kirsty, Michelle, and Miriam and we have enjoyed working with them

Helen Archie and Michelle bring sugar biscuits tea and donuts - we like them very very much !!! :)

Meeting the neighbours

• We have all enjoyed being in the garden working and / or meeting our neighbours... the plants, the mice, the robins, wrens, magpies, foxes, bees, hoverflies, and other visiting friends- nice to be able to offer a cuppa.
• A number of events and open days have brought new friends into the garden, many have expressed surprise and delight.  And why not? The garden really does look great.  The beans are fresh and sweet, the lettuce, cabbage, kale, delish, as have been the tatties, onions and peas.  We have been also trying out the nasturtium flowers and leaves, although not all visitors are convinced they are for eating!!

Plantworks

• Scott and Alison have been consistently delivering healthy plants to grow on in the garden.  Ian, Carol and Moira have also provided seedlings and plants, and everyone has tried to grow seeds wherever we can. 
• We are adding to our herb bank – all to teach us what Good King Henry looks like and to know the difference between Tansy and Ragwort!!
• Many pots, seeds and plants have gone out into the community, and more and more beds keep appearing inside and outside the garden. 
• Dougi planted a bunch of hanging baskets up on request from the community in return for donations, and they look fabulous.  Baskets and plants were donated by Ian, Dobby's Garden Center, and Davey from the Govan Boat Club
• Moira created a few beds in the orchard alongside the Y-Wam, Billy and Sivan created a fine tyre boat, with broad bean and sweetcorn, planters and other crates have given us onions, lettuce, cabbage and garlic.  Billy's crate continues to flourish.
• After the tatties were pulled, Carol and Ian added beans and harris fencing to the tattie bank and it looks so cute, especially with Carol's wee border.  She gets a double flower star for brilliantly finding another use for the rubbish we collect in the garden and surrounding area every week.  Wonder if a tin can border would look nice too?
• Moira, Stewart and Guy have had various levels of success in planting out seedlings.  Most are fine but the leeks, calabrese and brocoli planted into the black planters vanish overnight.  It seems the birds are keen vegetarians, so Archie and Moira put in canes and covered with fencing and all looks to be well
• Billy declared outright war on all slugs and snails, some viewers may like to look away!  Milk and beer traps appear to be surpassed by a simple beer can ( another great potential for recyclling waste ) but some are wondering if spreading old milk and soup on beds and sacrificing the odd plant for the sake of others hasn't been more effective.  Time will tell

The Gates

• Miriam painted the front gates and planted out some pretty boxes
• Stewart and Moira planted dying jasmine on the Govan Road railings - the plants are springing back to life.  They have also planted beans, marigolds, peas and sunflowers alongside Govan Road railings and  clematis on the farmhouse park rails

Orchard

• The apple trees Ding, Dang and Doo seem to be quite happy in the orchard.  The dying pear tree from Dobby's was planted into one of the giant tyres and is coming back to life.  There are a number of what we thought were Japanese Cherries in the garden, but it may be that these are actually real cherries needing some attention to bring them back to fruit.
• Jasmine, honeysuckle and lovage have been planted alongside Guys fabulous Y-Wam, to attract pollinators. 

Companion Planting

• The tomatoes in the greenhouses and beds are beginning to fruit but in comparison to last year, the sweet corn is still sweet and very small. But there are some cobs.  We are interested to see if a combination of plants as companions work - there does seem to be evidence that sweetcorn like pumpkins, not sure about beans yet, not enough combinations and possibly not enough manure in the ground. 
• The beans in last year's tattie bank - Blue Lake and Scarlett Emperor have been a stunning feature for a while now and are producing very well.  They seem very happy with the nasturtium, leeks, tomatoes and sunflower companions and there is of course the odd potato too.  Will be interesting to see how the other companions work out cropwise, but the tomatoes here seem to be further on than the greenhouse ones.
• Jerusalem Artichokes planted in last year's sweet corner are huge, as are the companion sunflowers, African marigolds and leeks
• Moira planted fennel into a couple of crates of carrot and leeks way back in May. Billy planted a neighbouring crate of parsnips and carrots a few weeks later.  Billy's crate looks terrific, despite very controlled watering.  But the other two crates are very poor.
• We took out the fennel and a week later, things are beginning to grow
• We plan to plant the fennel on it's own into a very large tyre - we got a few from Quick Shift in Clydebrae St - they are enormous!

Greenhouses

• We lost our last polytunnel in May westerlies - the loosened skin whipped around wildly in the wind smashing the frame and the plants

• Still not quite finished, the bottle greenhouse has still been useful after Ian used one of the polytunnel skins to cover it.  Billy built a door and the tomatoes and Gillian's chilly plant from last year seem to be doing well.  The rain - anyone noticed the rain??!! - collects in puddles on the roof and drips through small leaks in the skin to keep the floor wet which seems to help keep the plants moist. 
• Archie and Moira recently planted up all the tomatoes into larger containers and we have tried cutting up small plastic bottles as funnels to take the water directly down to the root, which will allow visitors to give plants a drink in the middle of a hot day - there have been a few!! - without spoiling the leaves.
• We finally had funds to buy more cane so may be able to complete the greenhouse soon.  Whether a second row of bottles will be needed to protect plants efficiently in winter is a consideration. 
• Some visitors say too much water splits the fruit / delays fruiting – will we ever have enough sun to find out – forecasters offer hope of a traditional Scottish long Indian summer
• Miriam and Moira used the second polytunnel skin over some harris fencing to create another greenhouse down by the copper beech, and we were able to finally move small vulnerable plants inside.  However there was too much shade, making little warmth for plants, and the seedlings all seemed to mysteriously vanish.  So team moved the new greenhouse up to the middle garden
• Team are building a fabulous new greenhouse along the wall with strengthened roof in case someone climbs over and tries to stand on it!!  Billy and Mike sourced some great wood with Scot's and Richard's help, Mike John and the team have cleared away scree and roots digging through the concrete and tarmac with pick, axe, mattock, spade, and bags of determination.  They are now putting up the posts, digging post holes and concreting them in – and it is looking very good so far.
• JCDecaux kindly donated a large amount of polycarbonate from old bus shelters, which will be perfect both for the greenhouse various other areas currently roofed with puddling dripping tarps - our visitors are very hardy thankfully and don't always leave in a downpour!! 

Water

• Oddly enough despite the rain water shortage has been a problem - we haven't got running water as yet.  Hopefully once the Fairfield Farm roof is finished we shall have running water, toilets, and also rooves to harvest rainwater.  The various greenhouse, lean to and kitchen dining areas will also provide rainwater when properly roofed. 
• Meanwhile, thanks to Fiona and Dougie we now have some fine containers to hold clean water...  since when it has rained quite a bit. Of course it has!!

Compost

• There has been a serious lack of quality compost, which has curtailed plans to plant up into larger pots at times. We have used our own compost for larger containers and tyres this year, and it is not bad if a little woody. Pete the tree surgeon delivers vast quantities of chipped bark and garden clippings from time to time and the occasional tip of clay masquarading as topsoil has been donated, which has been diligently mixed with manure from Pollock Park; a grand load of compost from Royston Fruit Market and dung from Dumbreck stables ( gratis James and the LHA van ); last years weeds, and some 90 odd barrows of duckpond muck. 
• A recent infusion of a ton and half from Scottish Water has been a welcome boon, allowing us to finally pot up plants into larger containers, some of which are earmarked for a possible new project down at Govan Town Hall.  By the way for anyone out there. Scottish Water will deliver loads of 20 tonnes plus, so gardens or allotments could team together and ask for a delivery to be shared out.
• We have looked at Woodlands odd £2,500 composter - looks like a tent bag with wheels at either end but the compost looks fantastic - and apparently the thing works very fast turning compost into quality soil in about 6 weeks or less - expensive though!!