Bute Genesis!

Fyne Futures are delighted that Climate Challenge Fund Scotland are supporting the next evolution of Bute Produce Horticulture Training Centre.  The community of Bute will have an asset worthy of their aspirations to create skills development and employment opportunities in the context of a low carbon future.

This project will see 2 years of development work transformed into the genesis of the Bute Produce Horticulture Training Centre.  The edible teaching garden will enable people of all ages, to access green space and gain practical experience of where fresh food comes from.  The project will clearly demonstrate how to achieve carbon reductions.  People will learn the full life cycle from seed to composting.

• Seed Saving Workshops
• Grow Your Own Workshops
• Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh accredited Certificate in Practical Horticulture
• The Seasonal Larder Cooking Workshops
• Organic Garden accredited Master Composter Programme

And a host of other activities will be planned, throughout the year, all linked to demonstrating the impact of climate change on our ability to sustain ourselves, and the contribution of the modern food supply chain on the environment.  There will be a number of activities that are about understanding the bio-diversity of the garden.  There will be activities about improving bio-diversity with small actions that are easily replicated at home.  The garden will be transformed by:

• Tree Planting Event – wood as a resource
• 10 permaculture produce plots – seeding, planting, and harvesting activity throughout year
• 3 X Sowing Green Manure Events – demonstrating natural soil improvement
• Wild Flower Meadow Sowing Event – increasing bio-diversity of the garden
• Additional poly-tunnel – providing additional under cover growing and teaching space
• 15 Additional Community Growing Raised Beds

There will a special link with our school community which will support delivery of Curriculum for Excellence at all levels.  This will include working with Skills for Work classes; Excel Groups and the Interdisciplinary Learning programme.

We will offer 2 modern apprenticeships opportunities to support our existing Horticultural Team and further development of professional horticulture training on Bute.  This will add to our existing programme of supporting volunteers and offering work-based training opportunities to long term unemployed.

Bute Produce Genesis will help us develop a range of quality training materials and permanent interpretation boards that will help our community learn and grow their carbon literacy.

Finally, we would like to undertake feasibility and business planning to enable next stage of development of the Training Centre which will see realisation of permanent classroom space and teaching café infrastructure.