By Green councillor Kevin Pressland.
Ellington Park Productive Border: we need more of these in Thanet!
The wildlife area created in Ellington Park, Ramsgate, is proving hugely popular, and has now expanded into a ‘productive border’ encompassing edible produce too.
The productive border is in its infancy as yet, but it already includes perennial produce like strawberries, blackcurrants, raspberries and rhubarb which will develop in productivity year on year, as well as annual crops like Swiss chard, rainbow chard (spinach-like, with a lovely crisp central midrib, great for stir fries with varying coloured leaves), salad leaves like mizuna, giant mustard leaf, lettuce and radishes, Russian spinach (which looks like a large fat hen plant), squash, pak choi and herbs like angelica.
Dawn Huckle, a key volunteer at the park, said “It has been great to see people young and old taking the produce to enjoy at home. We really appreciate how considerate people have been in taking moderate amounts so as many people as possible can share the produce. We have had some great feedback and some people have talked enthusiastically about the varying food dishes they have been making!”
District Councillor and horticulturalist Kevin Pressland believes that if we could expand this idea throughout Thanet, it would have a multitude of positive benefits. Kevin explains: “The ‘National Food Strategy’ produced for the Government by Henry Dimbleby in 2020-21 was the first independent extensive review of the entire food system for 75 years. It was great that the Government asked for this report, but it highlighted many shortfalls in the current and previous Governments’ approach.
The Government responded by promising to implement 3 things, one being ‘Use some revenue to help get fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income families’. I only wished they had honoured that commitment and taken the National Food Strategy’s recommendations more seriously. But if we can use small pieces of land like this one for food growing across Thanet, it will help make this a reality.”
Central Harbour Green Councillor Tricia Austin said: ‘This initiative is very welcome and it’s great to see it going so well. We’re delighted with all the improvements that volunteers have achieved in Ellington Park – as recognised by their recent Ramsgate Society ‘Winner of Winners’ award!
“It’s been particularly good to watch the development of the wildflower meadow, which contributes to biodiversity, as do other wildlife habitats like the pond. The food-growing initiative is a really positive development that I’m sure can be replicated elsewhere in Ramsgate. Well done to everyone involved.”
Another volunteer, Petra Dungate, added: “I harvested chard and rhubarb this summer. Fresh veg and fruit is the best and I am so delighted it is not sprayed. Absolutely delicious and nutritious, we need more projects like this. I made sure I took only enough for 1 meal each time. I look forward to harvesting fruit once the soft fruit grow more next year.”
This article also appeared in The Isle of Thanet News.