Ireland: A green piece of paradise in heart of Cork city
St Stephen’s Sustainable Food Lab in Cork city is a self-funded, member-led urban agriculture project that has sprung up on a once derelict site.
By Andrew Desmond
Echo Live
Sept 10, 2020
Excerpt:
Yes, we are very fortunate to have the community garden nearby, off Tower Street/Evergreen Street/Barrack Street, but only a few years ago this space was a derelict basketball court, and would still be in a sad state but for an active group of neighbours.
These people, when given permission from Cork City Council, rolled up their sleeves and turned a grey concrete yard into a verdant, colourful vegetable and herb garden with a wild flower pollinator bed to attract butterflies and bees. Every neighbourhood has some neglected space waiting to be magically transformed like this.
SFL took charge of the space in 2017 and we use recycled materials in all our projects, and with no water supply we collect rainwater for watering plants.
We have a score of active members and take no funding commercial or public. This now vibrant communal space is designed to encourage and support innovative, creative and sustainable projects with healthy food at its core.
We have a ‘one harvest for all’ policy where the produce is shared by all the members.
