Community Foundation NI: Acorn Farm NI's 'I Can Grow' Programme.

Overview

The Acorn Farm Programme aims to create a sustainable urban food system which reduces green house gas emissions and is resilient to the effects of climate change and increases bio diversity.

Additionally, the programme aims to improve local awareness of the connection between climate change and food choice. Participation in this round of the ‘I Can Grow Programme' is available to a maximum of 200 families/households residing in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area on a first come first served basis.

However, successful applicants to the programme will be drawn from across the council area. To get involved, complete the online form (details below).

Essential Criteria

Families or households must 

• Reside in the Derry City and Strabane District Council Area
• Have a minimum space of 1m x 1m to accommodate a raised bed planter
• Attend an introductory session facilitated by the project horticulturist from Conservation Volunteers
• Commit to involvement in two growing seasons and agree to send confirmation upon receipt of I Can Grow materials to arlene.douglas@tcv.org.uk
• Demonstrate in a few sentences why they want to be part of the ‘I Can Grow Programme' and how they plan to use the learning in the future. This can be answered in the application form 
• Agree to return the baseline survey and commit to completing important seasonal surveys

Desirable Criteria

One of the aims of the programme is to encourage as many people as possible from your family and friendship circles to get involved.

Participant Information

The ‘I Can Grow Programme’ is a hands on practical growing programme based in your home garden or space. You will learn how to plant and grow local varieties of vegetables and soft fruits in soil from seedlings, how to pick food when it is ready and increase awareness of carbon food miles and the importance of choosing locally sourced produce.

The 2025 ‘I Can Grow Programme’ will span two growing seasons 2025 and 2026 and a commitment to this period of time is essential.

Each successful family, or household will be invited to attend an introductory meeting with the Conservation Volunteers at Brook Park in Derry~Londonderry and a local venue in Strabane Town. Participants are required to attend an introductory session, agree to stay involved for a two year period and agree to send a confirmation email to Arlene Douglas at arlene.douglas@tcv.org.uk upon receipt of I Can Grow materials which will be delivered to your home address.

As part of the commitment to the project’s aims you, your family and friends will be involved in contributing to wider research on how food choice impacts negatively on climate change. They will send you questionnaires or polls at key points in the year.

Participants will receive: a raised 1m x 1m planter, plants grown from seedlings (lettuce, raddish, peas, potatoes, onions, leeks, carrots) compost, and hands on training from the project horticulturist.

The Acorn Farm Project is a partnership project delivered by The Conservation Volunteers, Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, Derry Healthy Communities, and Derry City and Strabane District Council with funding from the UK Government and Derry City and Strabane District Council, £6.2 m and The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund £2m.