GREEN

The Garden for Research, Experiential Education and Nutrition (GREEN) has been established as a small-scale demonstration biodynamic garden on the outskirts of Stroud. It offers integrated opportunities for independent research and experiential learning while placing particular emphasis on nutrition and the assessment of food quality.

It was set up in 2003 as a joint initiative between the Biodynamic Association, the  Good Gardeners Association and the Hiram Trust. It is managed as a fully biodynamic garden and used as an educational resource. Embedded within it is an ongoing research project.

Between 2004 and 2008 comparisons were made between three different cultivation methods – ordinary single dig, double dig and no dig techniques with a fourth bed being used as a control. Extensive mineral analyses were made each year of both the soil on each bed and the crops as they were harvested. Sensory tests were made too, along with chromatograms of both soil and vegetables. Preliminary results have been published in Star & Furrow and the journal of the Good Gardeners Association.

Since 2008 the research project has changed its emphasis. There are still three areas being compared but now more as gardening systems rather than simply digging methods. The ‘no dig’ system is being compared with ‘bio-intensive’ and with a new approach that applies a whole range of special techniques pioneered by Italian researcher  Enzo Nastati. A longer term project is the establishment of a research laboratory on site which can carry out tests using sensitive crystallization and other picture building methods.

The educational and training work of GREEN has also evolved over the years. From being almost entirely focused on school students, it is now orientated much more strongly towards the adult community of Stroud as is demonstrated by the broad range of courses being offered.

Events at GREEN from January 2010

An exciting series of workshops begins at  Upper Grange, Stroud in January 2010 around the theme of ‘nutrition’. Subjects will include; gardening, cookery, wool-craft, soap-making, and quality testing (chromatography).  Each of the seasonal workshops (four in some cases, two or three in others) while complete in themselves, build together a many faceted course on ‘nutrition’.  At the end of the year, a free one day workshop for all participants offers an opportunity for discussing and evaluating how far an holistic understanding of nutrition has been achieved.

The workshops, intended for beginners, are offered by experienced tutors. Costs are kept as low as possible so that no one is excluded on account of cost.

 Click here to download a full list of events and booking form