Not full notes as it was initial, and more informal and flowing chat
bountiful bristol / karrot meeting
Date: 2024-12-02
Present: Nick (Karrot), Rachel (Bountiful Bristol), Mike (Long Ashton Growers)
Bountiful Bristol
Bountiful bristol, 3 seasons of growing
bringing together local growers, and community food projects
started with connections in brislington
annabel started, with focus on redistribution on surplus = holding action
rachel also exploring with more intentional growing to share → longer term relationships
made connection with long ashton growers.
trying to avoid it becoming competitive between projects trying to do similar things. an enabler trying to build bridges/connections. amplifiying what already exists.
quality and access to green space. those with more, giving access to those with less.
piloting community garden, with local community project, growing together on allotment site.
redistribution → growing to share → growing together.
currently have lots of different communications in lots of different places.
would like project to be a lotmore self-organising, rather than lots of differnet co-ordinators. trying to co-ordinator partnerships. sometimes people don’t have the capacity, so things don’t take off.
so building more resources so people can find each other more easily.
currently co-ordinating through a whatsapp group.
some aspect of self-organisation.
nick and mike spoke about logistics/co-ordination side (e.g. moving food whilst still fresh).
mike: happy using apps/software, but geeky enough to use things.
joanna macy work. supporting people to find the connection. holding space for people coming bak into connection and care.
Technology, Karrot, Community
Experiencing the limitations of WhatsApp groups (blending of personal and project contexts, single thread communities, too many people getting notifications, etc…). Interest in having more dedicated project space to communicate.
Not imposing technology on people.
Karrot as a community in itself, opening vulnerabilities and limitations. Nice to co-evolve, learn from the ground, work with the communities.
Ideas
Meet later in December in Bristol, including perhaps with somebody from a food bank project, and explore more, working towards a co-creation of something that explains the current situation and relation with technology, and how we can move forward, involving the communities/people.
Self-organised spirit is a common thread.