With more of us than ever growing our own food, Gardeners' World Magazine is calling on gardeners to celebrate and share their gluts with friends and neighbours by hosting seasonal harvest parties.
The activity is part of the magazine's Grow Yourself Healthy campaign, which aims to get Brits growing their own produce to boost the health of the nation. More Brits than ever are now growing their own, up 4% year on year (Gardeners' World survey March 2011). As the survey confirmed, growing your own food doesn’t need a large outdoor space: 55% of us now grow veg in pots and containers, and 12% simply use a windowsill.
According to Adam Pasco, editor of Gardeners' World Magazine: "Harvest Week is a great opportunity to bring friends and family together to enjoy the fruits of your labours – and what better reason to get together than to share food you have grown? Research has shown that nutrition and flavour are so much better, too, in home-grown crops compared to shop-bought. Once people who've never tried it before taste the difference, they’ll be inspired to grow their own next year – with all the health benefits that brings."
Gardeners will find all they need to get the party started on the Gardeners' World website, including recipes for party dishes full of home-grown fruit and veg, and harvest party games to keep all ages happy. Gardeners' World is also running a competition for the most original harvest party idea, with the winning party receiving a supply of cider and apple juice for the day. There will also be £300 of National Garden Gift Vouchers to be won for entrants with other original party ideas.
Inside this month's Gardeners' World Magazine, on sale now, is a guide to ensuring courgettes carry on cropping, as well what to sow and plant this month, and how to plant potatoes now for a Christmas Day harvest.
