Edible Eastiside

This is SUCH a lovely business in Birmingham. Based in the more industrial side of Digbeth (Fazeley Street — by the canal), it’s a little oasis of calm in the big City. A community led project, you can rent a planter for as little as £8 a month and get a chance to grow your own fruit and veg — even if you live in an apartment.
I had a wander around yesterday and spotted everything from leeks to strawberries, herbs to potatoes… It’s a really great way to save money, get outdoors and get those fingers green — without having to trek out to the ‘burbs (not that there is anything wrong with the burbs, mind).
Social events are also run at this venue… If you head down on Digbeth «First Fridays» expect delicious food, a cheeky few drinks and the occasional film screening in the garden area. Run by passionate members of the community, there’s always a lovely chilled atmosphere and a warm welcome in store.
The business is now expanding! Expect big things from these guys come summer time and keep an eye on their social media and website for more details of these as they are confirmed.
If you’re around the area, why not pop on by and give em a visit?

As it’s right by my studio on Fazeley Street, I decided to go and see what this Edible Eastside was all about (my first thoughts were that it was my favourite greasy spoon, Eastside Café, resurrected somehow). I was shocked to find what is basically an allotment and garden in arguably the most industrial and concrete are of Brum!
While this might seem a slightly strange location it does in fact make complete sense as Digbeth/​Eastside is rapidly becoming the artistic centre of Birmingham and Edible Eastside is rooted in the artistic community. It also adds a nice bit of scenery to what is otherwise an industrial wasteland.
It’s not just limited to artists and those in the know, it is open to the public Thursday to Saturday, you can take part in courses, learn about foraging and there’s a neat little café that serves some tasty homemade grub. Why not go all in an rent a plot there for just £8 and grow your own food! There’s a gardener on site to help out if you aren’t exactly green fingered too.

Edible Eastside is a brilliant thing — situated right by the Grand Union Canal on Fazeley Street (head towards the dogs home and you’re nearly there) on the site of a former distribution depot, it is now home to what’s best described as an urban allotment.
As well as renting beds to people who want to grow their own food — they offer
many opportunities for artists to develop their practise in the context of environmentalism, food growing and urban change.
Other rather lovely stuff includes lessons to local people/​workers on how to grow and forage for food and a café that offers a mean goats cheese sarnie. They have also shown films in the space and held events as part of the Fierce festival.
This is something worth supporting — more details of the menu and how to rent a plot for a really cheap price are available on their website. And if you do pop along make sure you say a cheery hello to the chickens.

I first popped in to see what Edible Eastside was all about when it launched as part of the Fierce Festival this year.
Edible Eastside is a place where plants and food is grown and what’s unique is that it’s right in the middle of the city. It’s a project started by Urban Grain and is open to the public so everyone can learn how to grow plants and food. Apart from raising people’s awareness there are spaces for artists and designers; the idea being they can experiment in the techniques of horticulture and gardening
It’s open to the public Thursday to Sunday and you can try the produce!