Edible Hexham – local growing, great eating!
Walk and eat your way around Hexham, be inspired to grow your own and help reduce food miles. That’s the message in our new ‘Edible Hexham Trail’. The easy three kilometre (two mile) trail mixes local food history with a walk around all the Edible Hexham beds and the Community Garden. You can pick up recipes using locally grown ingredients on the way and there’s also an extension that takes you to Tyne Green and the Community Orchard. The trail is being launched at the Hexham Farmers Market this Saturday, 1th September as part of Heritage Open Days.
The Edible Hexham beds dotted around the town are managed by Transition Tynedale volunteers and everyone is invited to pick and use the various leaves, herbs and fruit that grow in them. With climate change and potential food shortages increasingly on the agenda, the Transition Tynedale team suggest that it is more important than ever to think and grow local as much as we can. The Edible Hexham beds and the Community Garden give examples of what can be grown right here, even in small spaces.
Recipes created for Transition Tynedale by Jane Torday, local food writer, take things one step further and give some great ideas for using those herbs and leaves.
Why wait, download your copy of the Trail and Recipes and get started now!
Here are some of the edible Hexham planters:
Edible Hexham came into being after a small group of TT members paid a visit to Incredible Edible Todmorden.
We met some amazingly enthusiastic people who had began working with vegetables, fruits and herbs as a way to engage a somewhat dispirited community following the closure of the last Mill some years previously. The story of what they have achieved can be found on their website, http://www.incredibe-edible-todmorden.co.uk, and we came away with the conviction that this is something which we could do in Hexham – in our own way.
We identified a few small plots in Hexham to include in the scheme and a few planters in the town centre. In May 2014, the first beds in the Wentworth car park, near the Wentworth Café and Tourist Board were planted.
Update on Progress through 2020’s Lockdown from Rosemary Theobalds:
Edible Hexham has done really well over this period, maintaining all the planters, Elizabeth has done the beds in the Wentworth, new volunteer with Jane Torday, planters on the forecourt at Hexham station. Three made by Mark with money from Northern Rail. Unfortunately the station forecourt has been dug up and a pipeline laid. Substantial fence remains and encloses two of the planters. Work started and stopped at the beginning of covid. Charity ‘Journey’ have the brief and funding for the platform and the forecourt, but Jane and Rosemary decided to cheer them up and plant them with flowers.
As always, TT wants to involve as many new people as possible, and Edible Hexham sees itself working in partnership with Hexham in Bloom, the Town Council, the Community Partnership and most importantly, the Food Bank, so that more people can enjoy cooking with fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs. We are always asking for volunteers to take responsibility for just one of these planting places so that they will be watered and cared for. Joining Transition Tynedale as a member also helps to fund the insurance and admin costs of all our ventures.
Contact us on info@transitiontynedale.org if you can help out.
Transition Tynedale 
My partner and I were passing through Hexham last Friday and were very pleased to see the edible beds near the tourist information centre. We helped ourselves to some lettuce and chard leaves. All the best for the future!
Glad you liked them Anni ! Have you seen the new planters next to Prospect House too ?
Hopefully people will see how easy it is to grow your own veg and try it themselves – good for them and good for the environment !
Sue
We were visiting from Canada and loved this idea. Who owned the plots that you used – the council? I assume you had some red tape to go through to get permission to use them. Is it all volunteers that look after the plots? I’d love to approach our City to get something similar in place so any advice or tips are welcome!!
Hi Amanda,
We are very glad you liked the plots – its an idea that is getting more popular worldwide and a great way of spreading the word that you can easily grow your own vegetables anywhere – with all the benefits for your own health and the environment. Check out http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk to find out how it all started.
Here in Hexham the plots you saw in the carpark are owned by Northumberland County Council, we had no trouble getting permission to ;improve’ them as they were very rundown 2 years ago. Elsewhere the planters have all been supplied by Edible Hexham and permission for siting has been no problem. We work closely with Hexham Town Council and Hexham in Bloom who have facilitated some areas eg the railway station, and also with businesses and charities on other areas.
We have fundraised to buy plants, compost and more planters. All work is carried out by a small group of keen volunteers.
My advice is to identify a few areas to start and then go for it! Start with a small but prominent area for maximum publicity with clear labels that let people know what you are doing . Hopefully others will love it and start their own areas or else join in with your efforts. Work with as many other local groups as possible and get publicity for them and yourselves – food is great way of communicating !
Good Luck ! Let us know how you get on !
Hello
I’d be very keen to help out with Edible Hexham if you’re in need of any volunteers? I’ve just moved to Hexham and love the project! Also, does a map of all the sites exist?
Hi Pixie,
Welcome to Hexham ! The lady in charge of EH is now Rosemary Theobalds – you can make contact through our TT email address, info@transitiontynedale.org I’m sure she will be very happy to hear from you !, Sue
I’m sorry I hadn’t taken more notice sooner. I just wanted to say I have some heritage variety seeds surplus to my requirements and thought that if there was a planter that was suitable for Tuscan black chard, new Zealand tree cabbage and various other old varieties then please do get in contact. I’m generally so busy I need a good excuse to contribute my spare time to good endeavours and this sounds like a positively grand excuse to help in any small way, especially if it means more people become aware of it! Please get in touch with me if you’re interested in obtaining some of these wonderful heritage varieties we are so in need of preserving for future generations! I look forward to hearing from you!