Growing the distance

Dust the cobwebs off your garden trowel because a new nationwide initiative encouraging people to grow their own food has been launched with a goal to reach half a million people across Ireland.

In partnership with Healthy Ireland and Libraries Ireland, GIY (Grow it Yourself) announced the Grow it Forward initiative which will see 50,000 free food growing kits given away to the public.

Participants are then asked to use the kits to share the experience with ten other people, enabling half a million people across Ireland to enjoy the wide range of benefits that come from growing food at home.

Each food growing pack includes seeds for beetroot, carrots, salad leaves, peas and tomatoes, as well as a guide to help grow them and a postcard and gift tags to help share them.

Those who sign up will also receive regular emails with growing support, video clips and ideas for how to ‘grow it forward’ by passing on seeds, seedlings or produce in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

Michael Kelly, Founder of GIY said: “The pandemic has seen a record number of people turn to growing their own food and discovering the joy and pride that it brings. The process of seeing a seed turn into a seedling and eventually food you can eat is full of magic and no shortage of optimism.”

The campaign will be supported by 25 library branches in Cork county, as part of the Government’s Keep Well programme with Cork County Council’s Library Service distributing over 800 seed packs.

Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley praised the initiative as something that can be enjoyed by all age groups, while also ensuring that people, while staying apart, can still share in a common goal of growing food at home.

Budding GIYers are invited to claim a Grow it Forward pack at giy.ie/growitforward or by contacting their local library.