North London Bike Power Workshop

A great collaboration between Transition Crouch End, Green Lens Studio and Magnificent Revolution led to the North London Bike Power Workshop being held on Saturday 11^th June, part of Haringey Sustainability Month . The event was well attended with fourteen people engaged in learning all about generating electricity through pedal power. There was an interesting assortment of reasons for attending and possible end uses for applying this knowledge. These included a teacher and a university lecturer wanting to involve their students in experiments with pedal power; desires to use this technology to enable an off-grid lifestyle or to power a theatre production, and as an awareness raising tool for demonstrating the considerable effort needed to produce energy.

The workshop begun with an explanation of the physics involved in electrical energy to explain what is required in order to achieve successful power generation. We then split into three groups to start putting theory into practice. There were three practical exercises demonstrating different end uses of the generated power and each group had the opportunity to try out each example. The three methods being:

· Generating power to charge a battery

· Generating DC electricity to directly power appliances

· Passing generated current through an inverter to produce AC power

The workshop also provided useful information on designing the generation system to be appropriate to what you want from it. It also considered the problems with batteries, the pros and cons of DC and AC power, as well as giving essential safety advice.

The day was packed with activity and knowledge sharing but was much enjoyed by all. Much praise goes to Adam and Simon from Magnificent Revolution for putting together and delivering such a fun and accessible workshop. Thanks also to Yev of Green Lens Studio for providing such a delightful venue and of course Gillian of Transition Crouch End for organising and promoting the event. 

If there is anyone out there interested in attending a future Bike Power Workshop please get in touch via transitioncrouchend@gmail.com and as soon as sufficient numbers show an interest, we shall arrange another workshop.

Try out an electric bike with Muswell Hill Sustainability Group - Tue 14th June

Muswell Hill Sustainability Group invite you to an evening of sustainable transport
Tue 14th June, any time between 6.30 and 9.00pm
CUFOS, top of The Avenue (behind Alexandra Palace), Muswell Hill N10 2QE (www.cufos.org.uk)


The MHSG Low Carbon Buying Group is now launching the electric bikes disount with Spencer Ivy - see here for info. The bikes will be available to trial around Alexandra Park at this event. You can also bring your bike along for a free Dr.Bike MOT and find out about safe cycling, car clubs, electric vehicles and charging points.

Please RSVP if you would like to attend or are interested in the electric bikes offer.Kate Allardyce
En10ergy and Muswell Hill Low Carbon Zone
07798 835738

Real Farm Festival, Church Farm, Ardeley 17-19 June 2011

Real farming, what’s the big idea?

If everyone in Britain is going to enjoy safe, healthy, natural food, often referred to as Real
Food, we need a national Real Farming movement. ‘We all farm every time we eat’ says Tim Waygood, farmer and entrepreneur. We Britons need to take responsibility for our food and how it is farmed.

We need to abandon factory farming and the GM industrial agriculture advocated by British and American governments, corporates and banks, and invest in healthy, ecologically sound ways of farming that produce the food that people want to eat at an affordable price.

On Saturday 18th June, Real Farm Festival invites people to take part in a series of conversations on the science, philosophy and practicalities of farming for real food. We welcome speakers from the Soil Association, Organic Research Centre, Campaign for Real Farming, Self Knowledge Global Responsibility, Pesticide Action Network, FARM:shop, Agrarian Renaissance, and Ecological Land Co-operative.

The IAASTD, United Nations and HRH Prince of Wales have all this year advocated “agroecology” as a practical way of feeding the world’s growing population, but British government scientists refuse to acknowledge that it can be done.

British people need to get clued up on farming if they are to hold the government to account, to demand research is directed towards ecological farming and to implement change at the grassroots level regardless of political will.

Questions we’ll be putting to the presenters at the Real Farm Festival include: How bad is GM? What are the alternatives? What is polyculture? What will it take for Britain to become ecologically farmed?

Real farming needs a new focus for agricultural science, new appropriate technology and potentially different economic structures to ensure farms nourish people and planet, before profit. People are invited to come down to Real Farm Festival and contribute to the big ideas.

Church Farm is a mixed, high welfare 175-acre farm run predominantly by young people (80% female) who care about the future of real food. Get a taste of how ecological farming is possible, have a go at farming, take part in various workshops (such as the Biodynamic Stirring Party, Wild Cultures - art of fermentation, Peg Looming) enjoy and take part in lots of live music, performance and games, eat great food fresh off the farm, and really get stuck in to some big ideas.

All tickets and info are on the website, www.realfarmfestival.com

Strawberry time

A local resident grazing on Priory Common N8, where we're going to plant a low maintenance orchard on a plain grassy patch. Let's fill haringey with edible and useful plants. Come to www.EdibleLandscapesLondon.org.uk to learn how.

More street markets in Haringey?

I think this is great news and something that network should be supporting. Street markets are an important part of a sustainable local economy, even if they are not "farmers' markets". At the very least they don't involve a whole lot of chiller cabinets without doors!

It's funny how little study there is of the impact of street markets - try finding something about it online, and all you find is neo-liberal economics about the efficiency of "the markets", meaning financial markets. Time for some proper action-oriented research on real markets.

Urban bees in Hong Kong

Re-posted from Harringay Online - beautiful three minute film. http://www.harringayonline.com/video/city-beekeeping-in-hong-kong

Transition Crouch End Steering Group Minutes 16th May 2011

                    

Steering Group Meeting, 16^th May 2011, 8.00pm at The Maynard Pub

Present:  Steering Gp: Rebecca, Andy, Gillian (chair), Tilly (minutes)
 Visitors: Amanda, Brad, Kristen, Pamela, Jacki, Fred, Kate
and  Anna O’Brian from Transition Network

Minutes from last meeting (14-03-11) agreed. Bike Power Workshop (Gillian)
This is going ahead:Saturday 11^th June 10.00-5.00pm at Green Lens Studio, 4a Atterbury Rd, N4 1SF
cost: £40.00. To book a place call 07931840771
There may be funding for one of our group to go, contact Gillian.

Agenda Items

1) Meadow Orchard Project- MOP (Kate Allerdyce)

Kate reminded us of all the different activities now happening at the Meadow Orchard. The regular day for anyone who wants to go along to volunteer is Saturdays, 11.00am onward.

Saturday 9^th July is MOP Open Day with talks, workshops, activites

Tuesday 19^th July is the MOP AGM, details to follow

2) CSA Community Supported Agriculture Project- Church Farm  (Gillian)

Current collection point for the Farm veg boxes is 6.00-7.00pm at Haberdashery cafe,Middle Lane.
Gillian is arranging for  another collection option, which will be starting soon at Hornsey Vale Community centre (HVCC). The plan is to have an outside area at the front  of the Centre, where the boxes can be stored securely for later collection. Further details from Gillian.
Camping sessions are also offered at the Farm- details form Rebecca.

3) Green on the Screen (Fred, Rebecca, Tilly)

The last screening on 4^th May was another success,with over 40 people attending.
Gillian suggested we should do a write up after each film and post it on the TCE website.
GOTS Planning meeting: Weds 25^th May evening; further details from Rebecca/Tilly/Fred.

4) Hornsey Vale Community Centre  HVCC (Tilly, Gillian)

Transition Garden:The new Spring Newsletter for HVCC is out now and features a picture of our Transition Kitchen garden at the Centre. We plan to start on stage two of our garden, ie building a first raised bed over the summer and autumn.

HVCC May Gala 2.00-5.00pm 30^th May: Last year we helped run the cafe at this event. For the last two years we have had a Transition Crouch End stand at the gala- and also volunteered help with the event. We need to decide if we can have a stand this year, if there are enough of us able to participate. Contact Gillian if you can be involved.

September Reuse/ Recycle/ Tabletop Sale event  Date to be confirmed.We will run this event jointly with HVCC. From a Transition perspective we can plan on how to use the day to raise awareness about reusing, recycling materials etc. Tilly hopes to approach Hornsey Girls School to see if they would like to take part.
Contact Tilly if you would like to help.

Apple Day 15^th October  This will be our third Apple day- our biggest public event. Agreed that the sooner we start planning for this day, the better we can make it. 

5) Haringey 40/20 Event (Kate Allerdyce)

Initiated by Friends of the Earth, Haringey Council will hold an event on
 Saturday 11^th June, Sixth Form Centre, White Hart Lane
Many agencies are involved and the Council welcome input from all groups.

6) North London NLETS (Andy)

Andy gave a quick introduction to NLETS the local trading scheme, which covers Highbury, Islington, Enfield and Barnet. This scheme has been running for 10 years and promotes the Transition principle of keeping value within the local economy. The trading unit is called a Pledge. Pledges are used instead of money and can be used to buy goods and services. There are now a wide range of services on offer, including woodwork,opticians, gardening, solicitors and complementary therapies.
Trading days take place 4 times per year.
Details from Andy

7) Transition Crouch End Communications Update (Gillian)

Our website www.transitioncrouchend.org.uk is currently directed at the TCE Blogspot, administered and updated by Gillian, who also puts information on our Facebook page and Twitter (@transitionce) .
We are working with Ed Crompton who is helping us develop the website.
Gillian mentioned the transition gmail as another way we communicate with each other, details from Gillian.
Gillian also thought  it would be a good idea if we had a TCE monthly newsletter.
However, it was aknowledged that maintaining the Blogspot, Facebook and Twitter is already an essential but demanding, time consuming job for Gillian. Jacki kindly agreed to get involved and offer help with this area.

For general information on the Transition Movement go to www.transitionculture.org or www.transitionnetwork.org

8) Crouch Hill Development (Amanda)

Amanda mentioned her residents group are being consulted about the proposed development due to take place at Crouch Hill, in the area where it intersects with the Parkland Walk. Ashmount school will move to this location. Community and foodgrowing projects are also being discussed for this site, so it may be appropriate for TCE to get involved.
Further details from Amanda.

9) Foodcycle (Rebecca)

Rebecca is doing some work with Foodcycle. They run a cafe every Friday lunchtime, 12.00-2.30pm at the Mind Centre at Ferme park rd, near junction with Lancaster Rd, Parkland Walk bridge.

Next Steering Group Meeting: 8.00pm, Monday 13^th June, Maynard Pub, Park Rd, N8.