Artlink Collaborates 2012

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THE DIGGERS AT WHYTE PLACE

THE DIGGERS ATWHYTE PLACE 2012

AUGUSTIntroduction to bee keeping with David Wright from Edinburgh & Midlothian Bee Keeping Association

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Hello!Please find enclosed a breakdown of our activity fromJanuary to December 2012

Its mid-December now and the growing season is winding its way down now

for the current year. We started off mid-February with a good potting shed

clear out and planning ahead for the coming growing season. Although we

did carry on a weekly get together throughout late 2011 into 2012. This gave

us a chance to plan such trips to private and public gardens in and around

Edinburgh such as Doctor Neils gardens in Duddingston, Pillars of Hercules

organic farm and shop in Falkland and a trip over to Hopetoun House with a

guided tour by their Rangers staff. The mild winter was such that we didnt

have to alter any of our trips out and about

JanuaryDr Neils Garden

guided walk


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Gardening ActivityBuilding on 2011 we installed a new growing area outsideKatarinas window with the specific aim of growing climberssuch as beans, tomatoes and peas.

We also developed a new growing area along the drying green specically to

plant up autumn and summer fruiting bushes. The hope was that these fruiters

would be a yearly producer of berries that all residents could pick and use as

they wish. February was primarily given over to creating these areas. Digging

over the areas, building raised beds and working into existing beds in the area

gave us great motivation to plan ahead and work out how we could liven up

the areas. We managed to get some locals to bring on some plants for us on

their window sills such as hardy tomatoes and peas so that when growing

conditions started we could be ahead with the intention of harvesting some

earlier produce.

JuneTying pea plants

Marchsewing seeds

FebruaryPreparing the

ground for

sewing seeds


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AugustWatering the raspberries, blackberries, & goji berries

Every year that passes offers local residents the opportunity to feed on the

previous years endeavours and carry on the same or learn from experience

on what grows best where. Again we rotated crops with one bed given over

to onions; white and red, leeks and chives bordered by some at leaf parsley

which gave a crop all year round. Whyte place really is an ideal space for a

garden. It gets very little harsh weather and is protected by the severe cold

frosts because of its proximity to the sea. The second bed had spinach, carrots

and an array of lettuces such as lambs, mustard leaf and the third had fennel,

beetroot and parsnips.

SeptemberSarah harvesting carrots

Our new fourth bed had all the brassicas such as cabbages and broccoli.

As mentioned earlier we planted about 50 fruit bushed such as raspberries,

blackberries, goji berries, gooseberries and blueberries. The drying green/herb

garden has a wonderful array of herbs and plants such as parsley, thyme, sage,

chives, marjoram tarragon and also the yearly plants such as nasturtiums and

Jerusalem artichokes.

.

Augustbeautiful beets


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FebruaryGardening visit to

Kailzie Gardens

Peebles.

MarchDrinking tea from

Hedgrows with ourexpert Chris Maceeld


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JULYChris harvesting produce

Gardening activity

Again this year expert Chris Maceeld from Bridgend community allotments

was on hand on Fridays to offer us that expert advice and guidance.

Spring kicked off with some glorious weather and ended with a cold snap.

But nothing was to prepare us for the summer months and the wet weather

that engulfed the nation. The plants loved it but it was hard to plan our days

activity. There are some hardy individuals on the project and I am glad to say

it didnt dampen our spirits. August and September were great bumper cropsfor us especially our peas, beans and leafy produce. We bagged up all our

produce on a Friday ready to hand out to folk that wanted it or use it in our

cooking lunches. The Diggers at Whyte place remains a great weekly opportunity

for people to catch up and get involved. Folk have made friendships and share

weekly goings on which such a valuable resource for all the participants involved.


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Octobergreen tomato

chutney cooking

Other activity

CookingFrom veggie plot to cooking pot...Using produce from the garden weve been cooking up a storm so far this year

with recipes form Veggie curry and handmade rosemary & atbreads, soups,

nasturtium & walnut pesto, green tomato chutney, and delicious berry jam!


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Fishing2012 seen the establishment of our angling club.This has proved to be one of our most popular activities this year with local

residents getting involved but also wider link living residents coming along and

getting into it as well. We try and have a once a month outing to places suchon the River Almond with Cramond Angling club, River Tweed, Markle shery

in East Linton and next months trip to Yellowcraigs in East Lothian. We intend

to run a y tying date in the coming weeks with Douglas C. Hall from West

Lothian Angling association.

AugustFishing with Crammond Anging Club.

AugustSuccess for George!

Other activity

SeptemberFly Trying with Douglas Hall from

West Lothian Angling Association


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Bee Hive MakingBeehive making and beekeeping

We have started our beehive making down at Chippendale school of furniture

with the intention of placing them in an Edinburgh and Midlothian beekeeping

association apiary next year. Our intention is also to set up an introduction to

beekeeping course with the organisation next year.

JULYBee HIve design sketch by Vic MacRea

SeptemberChiselling bee hive handles

& making dove tail joints


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Visual Arts Group

JUNEDesigning Franks artwork

for screen printing.

JulyFranks screen printed

Elvis collage

Book Group and Writing GroupOur book group has been running steadily over the year withlots of great literary discussion and poetic banter.

Again this is a monthly group with a consistent number of participants offering

their views on the chosen book, poetry or theatre outing. We have also invited

published Scottish writers to a Q&A session about their writing. This has been

really inspiring to hear about their writing rst hand. and has sparked really

interesting discussions and debates about the themes, ideas and narratives

behind the novel or short story with the writer in person.

They explore a wide range of skills and talents whether its bespoke embroidery,

graphic design and screen printing, drawing, painting, video and animation

production. Individuals are given the opportunity to develop their skillsand learn new and interesting techniques that suits their pace and ability.

There are a keen number of gallery goers who are regulars on our tours to new

and interesting exhibitions such as Lesley Hunter, FBD Caddell, Picasso,

Van Gogh and Kandinsky.

The Visual art group have been meeting up on a weeklybasis and with artist Kathryn Elkin have been developingnew and existing ideas.

NovemberVisual Arts group sketching

& writing in Crammond

Documents

Artlink Collaborates 2012