11am – 3pm, Reidvale Neighborhood Centre, Dennistoun, G31 1QW
Grab yourself some seed potatoes, learn a new technique, and even get the kids’ faces painted…
Potatoes, sets and seeds for sale
Potato Day is our annual event to kick-start the growing season. We’ll have over 40 varieties of seed potato, the majority of which are Scottish grown. You’ll find old favourites as well as new additions, and you can buy anything from as little as one tuber, although the day is more about variety than quantity.
There’ll also be onion and shallot sets, garlic, fertiliser, potato planter bags, as well as seeds for vegetables, herbs, flowers and green manure.
Other activities
Once again, we’ll be joined by the Glasgow Food Network & Urban Roots who’ll will be running a seed-swap table, so bring along whatever you don’t need and see if you can pick up something interesting from someone else.
The Tattie Bash, our famous annual potato-growing competition, kicks off each year at Potato Day. For the princely sum of £2, you’ll be given a pot and one seed potato tuber, returning in August to one of our weigh-ins to see who’s managed to grow the heftiest crop of tatties. All proceeds go to the charity WaterAid; from a land of plenty water we’ll be helping people in parts of the world with little access to any water, let alone anything like the clean, safe drinking water we enjoy – http://www.wateraid.org
There’ll be many other stalls, workshops, and a café too – we’ll post more details here as we get them confirmed.
Stalls for the kids
We’ll have activities for children in the youth suite – some are yet to be arranged, but we’ll definitely have a puppet-making area with the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre. We’ll also have face-painted by the wonderful Angelina of Fab Faces in Hamilton.
Request for Volunteers & Donations
The event simply wouldn’t be possible without a gang of helpers, so every bit of assistance is valuable. (If you do come along to help out, please bring your own lunch!)
We’re looking for help with a few different aspects of the day, so let us know if you’re keen to get involved, and whether you’re a first-aider.
Setting-up: 9am – 11.30am
The Reidvale Centre will be open at 9am; stay and help for as long as you’re able.
There’s a lot of lugging about of potatoes & other heavy things, so strong fit folk will be in high demand. We also need help with general setting up and putting notices up etc. for those who aren’t quite ready for the Olymics just yet.
Manning stalls & helping customers: 10.30am – 3.15pm for as long as you are able
You don’t need to know a lot about potatoes, but it helps! Most important is a willingness to help people negotiate the Potato Day process of choosing and buying, telling people where to pay, directing them to the loos, etc.
Manning the front desk: 10.30am – 3.15pm for as long as you are able
This one involves greeting folk and giving general information about the day and how it works, answering any other questions about GAF etc. It’s February, so warm clothing required!
Clearing up: 3.00 – 4.30pm
We’re due to be out of the building at 4pm.
GAF is proud of its reputation for leaving the venue clean and tidy, with minimal work for the janitors. Again, strong fit folk will be in demand.
Donation of home baking, jams chutneys etc.
All donations are very welcome! Please take baking directly, as early as possible, on the day to the café. Please label what the item is and mark clearly if it contains nuts or other allergens. Please take preserves to the stall in the 1st floor hall.
It’s always a really fun day, and it’s a great way to kick-start the season. Spread the word, let us know if you’re willing and able to help out for a bit, and hopefully we’ll see you there!