WORKSHOPS on growing your own food and food preservation are being held in Barsham.The hands-on workshops, held by Waveney Green Party councillor Graham Elliott and his wife Nicky, cover many aspects of sustainable living including growing your own food, food preservation, and harvesting energy from your plot.

WORKSHOPS on growing your own food and food preservation are being held in Barsham.

The hands-on workshops, held by Waveney Green Party councillor Graham Elliott and his wife Nicky, cover many aspects of sustainable living including growing your own food, food preservation, and harvesting energy from your plot.

To kick off the season, there is a one-day fruit tree-pruning course next Saturday, run by local tree expert Paul Jackson.

The half-day workshops will cover how to avoid having too much one month and nothing the next, and how to manage a plot without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides.

They are suitable for anyone with a garden or an allotment and follow on from last year's successful events.

Skills like bottling and drying fruit, turning surplus apples into cider without using any electricity, and making leaf mould to store beetroot and other root vegetables will also be included.

Graham and Nicky will hold the workshops on their three-acre smallholding in Old Hall, Barsham, and produce much of their own food and fuel on site.

They have spent many years developing their food growing and preservation skills.

Nicky said: “We are continually being asked to run workshops to share our skills.

“People are increasingly worried about the quality of food, and about the price of high quality if it can be found.

“Skills like bottling and drying have been all but lost in this modern age and we hope we help restore them and make them common again.”

Details of all workshops can be found at www.bikeways.org.uk or by phoning 01502 714661.