Soil and the Salt Wind

Community-led food growing initiatives in Hastings and St Leonards transform urban and rural spaces into hubs of resilience and biodiversity. Allotmenteers like Helgi Johansson navigate environmental challenges through soil improvement and creative fermentation of surplus crops. In St Matthew’s Gardens, residents manage a former private Victorian space to foster community connection and wildlife, while Anna’s Small Meadow Farm demonstrates the potential of permaculture to restore rare acid grasslands and preserve traditional orchard varieties. Meanwhile, the Future Growth project at Mulberry Academy integrates regenerative agriculture into the school curriculum, using waste-based "lasagna beds" to teach students essential skills, improve mental health, and enhance local food security. These diverse projects collectively illustrate how localized, regenerative growing practices address environmental fragility, promote social well-being, and build sustainable, closed-loop systems within urban environments.