Harvest Reflections Farm Tour

If you’re curious to learn more about Lauriston Agroecology Farm - come along to our farm tour on Saturday 4th October.

Lauriston Farm is once again growing food for the surrounding neighbourhoods - a role it had for generations, then completely lost.

Here, as elsewhere, in a short time, locally grown fresh food has gone from an everyday item to a rarity - unaffordable or out of reach to many people.

Lauriston Farm is one small part of the story of what's happened with the food and farming system in Scotland and beyond.

When farming became 'big business' the methods changed, breaking all the rules of the living world. Agribusiness has become one of the world's most polluting industries, destroys soil health, damages local ecosystems and indigenous ways of living, and contributes to climate change. But farming doesn't have to be like that - as indigenous people around the world continue to show us.

Here at Lauriston Farm, we use agroecology - which means, of course, no pesticides, artificial fertilisers or other agrotoxins. It also means bringing back community ownership of the food system, bringing back people to the land, bringing back landwork skills where they have been lost. Coming back into right relationship with the living world. Farm work as care work.

On this tour, we will share what this looks like in practice here at at Lauriston Farm, at this moment in time.

We will gather in the farmyard at the back of Toby Carvery car park - Lauriston Farm Road, Edinburgh EH4 5EX from 11.15am. Please arrive promptly so we can set off on time.

The farm tour will take in the:

• Allotments
• Market Garden
• Areas that we're enhancing for biodiversity

+ then all return to the Community Kitchen for soup, bread and chat.

Who is This For?

We welcome all curious visitors, including total newcomers with no previous knowledge about farming, as well as farmers and growers and anyone interested in a career or volunteering in this type of work. The tour is aimed at adults or interested young people (younger children also welcome if it would be their idea of a good time!)

Accessibility Notes

This is a walking tour across the farm, lasting around 1.5hrs, potentially also suitable for hardy all-terrain/off-road wheelchairs or mobility scooters, but not standard wheelchairs. The ground is rough, and will be wet and muddy in parts.

More About Tickets

Tickets are on a sliding scale with 'solidarity' options (see below)

Solidarity - offer if you can (+50%) £9

Standard Ticket £6

Discount - take if you need (-50%) £3

+ if the ticket cost is a barrier please get in touch with info@lauristonfarm.org as we have some limited free places available.

About Solidarity Pricing

We have a solidarity pricing model for our community engagement work.

We encourage those who can to pay a little more, and those who can’t are encouraged to pay a discounted rate. We hope to foster more justice, equity and diversity in our food system by charging on a sliding scale.

What Price Should I Pay Within the Solidarity Model?

We suggest you consider paying the solidarity contribution rate if you agree with one or more of the below:

• I am able to meet all of my basic needs and have some disposable income
• I have access to savings and/or inherited money
• My rent/mortgage payments are less than 30% of my monthly income
• I am able to, and would like to, stand in solidarity with others
• I am able to stand in solidarity with the work of Lauriston Farm to build community, promote biodiversity and support local provision of nutritious food

We suggest you consider paying the discounted rate if you agree with one or more of the below:

• I frequently stress about meeting basic needs and don’t always achieve them
• I have no, or very limited, expendable income
• I do unpaid care work or support children/other dependents on one income
• I do not qualify for state funds due to my immigration status
• I have to work part time/I am on a low income i.e. working less than 16 hours a wk

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