FebFest 2021
From 18 – 28 February, we’ve got 13+ talks, events and activities for you to take part in on Zoom.
There’s one session every weeknight at 19:30, and several spread across the days at the weekend.
Registration is free, but do make sure to sign up – that’s how you get the joining link for Zoom!
The GAF Programme
Everyone who is a plotholder in Glasgow can come along to our meetings and events.
We usually have 6 core meetings a year at Garnethill Multicultural Centre (next to the Glasgow Film Theatre in the city centre), usually on the evening of the first Thursday of the month in January, March, May, July, September and November. Over this past year, these have taken place on Zoom.
We also have special events – more on these below the timetable.
| Event | Date | Time | Venue (click for map) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting 1: Starting the Season – Rearing your Own Plants | 9 Jan | 7-9pm | Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Rose St, City Centre, G3 6RE |
| Potato Day – details below | 23 Feb | 11-3pm | Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre G31 1QW |
| Meeting 2: Managing Your Allotment Site (more details) | 5 Mar | 7-9pm | Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Rose St, City Centre, G3 6RE |
| Community Learning Exchange Visit | TBA | 10-4pm | Visits to Allotments |
| Meeting 3: Bugs to Love! (more details) | cancelled | ||
| Meeting 4: Permaculture & Forest Gardening (more details) | 7-8pm | Online – click for details | |
| Meeting 5: COP26 – The Climate Change Conference (more details) | cancelled | ||
| GAF Workshop | cancelled | ||
| Annual Celebration of Allotments | 3 Oct | moved online – click here to contribute | |
| Special Guest Talk from Charles Dowding – ‘No-Dig: Allow Soil Life to Do The Work’ | 19 October | 7-8pm | Online – click for details |
| Meeting 6: AGM | 12 Nov | 7-9pm |
More detail on each event
Potato Day
Sun 23 Feb 11am-3pm Reidvale Neighbourhood Centre
The concept of Potato Day is simple – armed with a list, a pencil & some bags, choose as little as just one tuber of any number of the 50 or more varieties of the certified seed potatoes on offer or buy larger bags of single varieties. To be honest, it’s not about
volume, but about variety.
Potato Day 2020 will be on Sunday Feb 23rd.
Check out full details here, and we’ve also got a guide to the best way to reach Reidvale Centre by public transport.
With its vibrant atmosphere, Glasgow Potato Day has become the event to get everyone excited at the prospect of a new growing season!
Meeting 2: Managing Your Allotment Site
March 5th 7-8pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre
New Guidelines on Regulations and the Delegation of Management on allotments are coming into force soon. A discussion about how associations manage things now, the relationship between them and the local authority and what they’d like to see happen in the future.
A business meeting will follow 8-9pm – all welcome.
Meeting 3: Bugs to Love
Cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdown
Joanna Lindsay from Buglife will be talking about insects etc. which are helpful on the plot as pollinators, carnivores feeding on pests or have a role to play in keeping soil healthy.
Meeting 4: Permaculture & Forest Gardening
Meeting took place online
Graham Bell, author of The Permaculture Garden, who has been using permaculture principles in his garden at Coldstream for many years, will talk about his work and his observations.
Meeting 5: COP26 – The Climate Change Conference
Thu 3 Sep 7-8pm Garnethill Multicultural Centre
An outline of what’s happening during the conference. A discussion about what allotmenteers and their associations can do to contribute lessening the effects of climate change and making sure their practice helps to preserve the environment.
Cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdown
Celebration of Allotments
Timing details to follow
This event is usually held in the autumn each year on a Saturday afternoon. Instead of our typical event, which would usually involve various stalls with opportunities to buy seeds and sets ready for the next gardening season, we will host an online celebration this year. You can start getting involved already – read up on how to contribute to our gallery as the season progresses!
We typically also have Plotholders’ Question Time and the presentation of our New Plotholder Awards and Allotment Development Awards. This year, we have decided only to run the Allotment Development Awards. For details on timing and how to submit, see our awards page.