Week 1

Carl, James, Scott and I began fresher’s week by moving into what we hope will by the end of this academic year, be Keele’s first sustainable student bungalow in Barnes.  Over the first few days there’s been a lively atmosphere in the bungalow as friends have been round most days enjoying catching up after the summer break and working together to create the raised beds (to avoid digging into the electricity cables beneath) in the garden for planting vegetables.  We’ve spent much time discussing plans for the LiveGreen: Keele project and along with a few deliveries of soil, gravel and wooden planks - a few days working in the garden has paid off with the raised beds that are now near complete.

Events of the week include Jack being delivered to work in a wheel barrow, having Gym Class Heroes offer some help with the garden (yet to be given) and Luke’s granddad paying a visit to offer sound engineering advice for irrigation systems in the garden. 

The wooden planks have some history having been used previously to build the ‘Forth Bridge’ in East Scotland, and now also making history in helping to erect bases for the beds which will soon become our vegetable patches.  We are hoping to, during the winter months; grow beetroots, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, lettuce and such like, fuelling us through the cold winter ahead. 

Meanwhile, Luke our new project assistant has got hold of a washing line, so that we can save some cash and energy through using the dryers less.  We’re looking into a water drainage system off the roof into a water butt, which could be used to irrigate the vegetable patches with.  This would prove useful, decreasing water usage and keeping the vegetables in constant supply.

Luke, Faye, Manny, Ben, Mark, Anais, Connor and Danny to name but a few have been helping out with the ground work in the garden and this has been invaluable in getting the project steaming ahead - many challenges and plenty more ideas - all in all a great first week!

Author: Jack Mills Davidson