Growing vegetables for NHS

Sarahbuxton · Apr 26, 2020

Hi, I have lost my job and now just helping local pharmacy delivering prescriptions. However I have access to a piece of land about 2 acres that I have been told to use it and grow vegetables. I would like to start a charity project where the fresh vegetables will go to NHS staff in and around Bolton area in Greater Manchester.

the land has issue with water and it becomes hard to walk when it rains. Also there is a lot of grass that needs sorting out. I was wondering ifanyone here can give me advise on where I can start. I was hoping to grow some lettuce and salads which I can pick and pack to distributed to local NHS. I know it is a long shot but I have free time and I want to make use of it doing something good for those who protect us during challenging times.

I have attached couple Of pictures for you of the land.

Still Farming · Apr 26, 2020

Looks ,wet, acid ,poor drainage land in grass?
Not easiest to get into arable conditions on a good day possibly !

Exfarmer · Apr 26, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
Hi, I have lost my job and now just helping local pharmacy delivering prescriptions. However I have access to a piece of land about 2 acres that I have been told to use it and grow vegetables. I would like to start a charity project where the fresh vegetables will go to NHS staff in and around Bolton area in Greater Manchester.

the land has issue with water and it becomes hard to walk when it rains. Also there is a lot of grass that needs sorting out. I was wondering ifanyone here can give me advise on where I can start. I was hoping to grow some lettuce and salads which I can pick and pack to distributed to local NHS. I know it is a long shot but I have free time and I want to make use of it doing something good for those who protect us during challenging times.

I have attached couple Of pictures for you of the land.

Feel desperately sorry for you, but I am afraid you are going to have a very hard job there. I would suggest you would be far better, volunteering at a local hospital

ridger · Apr 26, 2020

The NHS are doing us a good service, but they in turn surely get paid for it do can buy their own food?

Sheep · Apr 26, 2020

Are you aware of the maturation/growing period of these vegetables? You're looking at 2+ months to have something harvestable.

Best thing to do with that land it to get it grazed with livestock or cut and baled, then start with your vegetable cultivations.

RushesToo · Apr 26, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
Hi, I have lost my job and now just helping local pharmacy delivering prescriptions. However I have access to a piece of land about 2 acres that I have been told to use it and grow vegetables. I would like to start a charity project where the fresh vegetables will go to NHS staff in and around Bolton area in Greater Manchester.

the land has issue with water and it becomes hard to walk when it rains. Also there is a lot of grass that needs sorting out. I was wondering ifanyone here can give me advise on where I can start. I was hoping to grow some lettuce and salads which I can pick and pack to distributed to local NHS. I know it is a long shot but I have free time and I want to make use of it doing something good for those who protect us during challenging times.

I have attached couple Of pictures for you of the land.

Try these people and see if they can help link you up and make this work:

CoVeg (@CoVegUK) | Twitter

The latest Tweets from CoVeg (@CoVegUK). CoVeg against Covid. Growing vegetables in the community, with the community. By farmers, for everyone

twitter.com

@dontknowanything Maybe you could help point this person in the right direction?

delilah · Apr 26, 2020

Get in touch with these folks, they will point you to your nearest project who will give you some honest advice regarding the best use of that ground.

https://communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk/

glasshouse · Apr 26, 2020

Looks like ex industrial contaminated land to me

Devil's advocate · Apr 26, 2020

The OP is well meaning.

But it is an insult to those like me who have worked for 40 years growing field veg.

So many people working for nothing but without a thought for those who do the job day in day out, have paid taxes for years & are now been totally undermined.

Sarahbuxton · Apr 26, 2020

Hey guys, thank you so much for your kind support and advice. I will be in touch with coVegUk on twitter and also get in touch with communitysupprtedagriculture.

someone replied NHS gets paid to do their job. Tbh no not really,I had a family member who have died due covid 19. She had a choice not to go to work but she did because she wanted to save people like me and you. NHS staff is not being paid over time and no where near like bankers earn.
NHS nurses here in wythenshaw hospital use local food banks which have now closed. I know these people personally.

quavers · Apr 26, 2020

you should have a go , and see the work that goes into producing food , wish you well good luck

Sarahbuxton · Apr 26, 2020

ridger said:
The NHS are doing us a good service, but they in turn surely get paid for it do can buy their own food?

Nhs nurses cannot really afford to buy food. Most nurses here in Manchester used food banks before the coronavirus. And now those food banks are closed. A nurse gets paid £19k which after tax is around £1,100. Rent costs £600. Council tax is £120. Bills, hospital doesn’t provide parking so they paid £150 per month for parking. Literally it is hand to mouth situation. You call in sick for couple of day’s in any month and you fall behind the bills.

Devil's advocate · Apr 26, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
Nhs nurses cannot really afford to buy food. Most nurses here in Manchester used food banks before the coronavirus. And now those food banks are closed. A nurse gets paid £19k which after tax is around £1,100. Rent costs £600. Council tax is £120. Bills, hospital doesn’t provide parking so they paid £150 per month for parking. Literally it is hand to mouth situation. You call in sick for couple of day’s in any month and you fall behind the bills.

We all agree that the NHS is wonderful & that we are very lucky to live in UK

But I know experienced nurses in the NHS earning 60K plus

Some rates in the private sector, who will now be working for the NHS

Nursing - HCA - Agency Pay Rates | Thornbury Community Services

We offer market-leading pay rates for community nurses, HCAs and support workers. Find out how much you can earn working for TCS.

www.thornburycommunityservices.co.uk

Tesco plus others totally devalued our whole industry selling packs of veg at 19 p each at Xmas following the wettest hardest summer/autumn on record.

We should pay our taxes but don't forget we have bills to pay too.

Regards and good luck if you go ahead.

Kidds · Apr 26, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
NHS nurses here in wythenshaw hospital use local food banks which have now closed. I know these people personally.

That's a damned shame.
I had cause to use the services of Wythenshaw hospital last year and was astonished at the high quality of treatment in there. They went a long way above what I would expect.

I wish you the best of luck but a lifetime of professional fruit and veg growing tells me you a up against it on that patch of land. You would have much more chance of a crop in raised beds in your garden/yard/local car park/industrial estate etc.

HolzKopf · Apr 26, 2020

I agree with others. To grow your own veg for donation to the NHS might sound a good and philanthropic offer for now but what you are suggesting, by the time you've input labour and costs into the land, is too long term. I'm afraid to say that once this pandemic is 'over' and off the front pages, many will go back to how it was, not how it is now. Leave the veg growing to those that do it for a living and just hope that this lesson encourages the Government to reappraise the NHS and make it so that those in this line of work can afford to live without recourse to food banks.

puppet · Apr 26, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
Hi, I have lost my job and now just helping local pharmacy delivering prescriptions. However I have access to a piece of land about 2 acres that I have been told to use it and grow vegetables.

the land has issue with water and it becomes hard to walk when it rains. Also there is a lot of grass that needs sorting out. I was wondering ifanyone here can give me advise on where I can start. I was hoping to grow some lettuce and salads which I can pick and pack to distributed to local NHS.

I have attached couple Of pictures for you of the land.

This time next year Rodney...
That would be lucky to grow much by year 3 I'm afraid

e3120 · Apr 27, 2020

I do have a few doubts about the sincerity of this whole idea, but won't say any more.

What I do think is that this an excellent example of land that is less than suitable for plant-based food for direct human consumption. Assuming that the nurses' bellies won't be filled by the thought of rewilding, why not recognise it for what it is and chuck some lambs or pigs on there? There will be a crop of chops before any other harvest.

TomD · Apr 27, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
Hey guys, thank you so much for your kind support and advice. I will be in touch with coVegUk on twitter and also get in touch with communitysupprtedagriculture.

someone replied NHS gets paid to do their job. Tbh no not really,I had a family member who have died due covid 19. She had a choice not to go to work but she did because she wanted to save people like me and you. NHS staff is not being paid over time and no where near like bankers earn.
NHS nurses here in wythenshaw hospital use local food banks which have now closed. I know these people personally.

The pay on the nhs isnt that bad my wife is a nurse! I struggle to see they have the need to use food banks unless they are using them to save money to spend on luxurys rather than on food ....

essex man · Apr 27, 2020

Why not grow food to give to food banks if that is a measure of someone in food poverty?
There are a lot of worse off people than nurses in this country

glasshouse · Apr 27, 2020

Tjmancunian said:
Nhs nurses cannot really afford to buy food. Most nurses here in Manchester used food banks before the coronavirus. And now those food banks are closed. A nurse gets paid £19k which after tax is around £1,100. Rent costs £600. Council tax is £120. Bills, hospital doesn’t provide parking so they paid £150 per month for parking. Literally it is hand to mouth situation. You call in sick for couple of day’s in any month and you fall behind the bills.

That shows how stuffed tory britain is

Growing vegetables for NHS

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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