The build-anywhere veg patch for busy families. Comes with on-hand support from a friendly local expert grower. Available at a click.
by Laura Molloy in Giffnock, Scotland, United Kingdom
If we achieved £15,000 we would build the booking platform's minimum viable product. Being digitally enabled is essential for future business sustainability and this is where the majority of stretch funding will go once the necessary operational working capital is in place to get the business off the ground.
At last, making growing veg at home easy.
Goody Foody Gardens is a brand new service that makes it easy for busy families who would love to grow their own food, but don’t know where to start or have the time to learn.
At the click of a button, you can book a convenient date and time to get started. A 'build-anywhere' starter kit will be delivered to your home with everything you need to grow vegetables in your garden including a wooden raised bed, soil, plug plants and seeds, and accessories.
Uniquely you will also receive a visit from a local friendly local grower (this is the secret ingredient that really makes it all happen!) They will arrive at the appointed time, to help you and your family build it. No prior knowledge is needed and a further two follow up visits will ensure your vegetables have the best chance of success as you experienced grower builds up your knowledge and confidence.
Goody Foody Gardens provides meaningful and flexible employment for people with a passion for growing vegetables. They come form all walks of life including older amateurs from the local allotments and horticulture students. The one thing they all have in common is that they love growing veg and want to share their passion and knowledge with families and teach them new skills.
How it started
As a working mother to a brood of 3, I share the same concerns as most parents; plastic food packaging, too much screen time, not outdoors enough, a healthy diet. That's why, while on maternity leave, I decided to grow my own vegetables in the garden, but I had no knowledge, no time to do the research and learn, and I gave up when I returned to work. In the words of my sons; it was an epic fail.
Since then, the social interest in growing your own veg has continued to rise and as a business woman, that has inspired me to think about what or who could have helped me, and how I could bring that together for others. Goody Foody Gardens was the result. To test the idea and process, we ran a pilot study with families and local experienced growers in 2019. This allowed us to refine the process, understand what worked and didn't work for the families and what was needed by the growers to ensue the raised beds could be built and maintained to achieve optimum results. The pilot was a resounding success!
What our families say about their Goody Foody Garden
Comments from our fabulous families since the pilot study are;
"We were one of her trial families and loved it. We actually managed to grow vegetables - an accomplishment considering my poor track record with keeping even a houseplant alive!"
"it’s honestly brilliant! Matthew loved getting to pull up the veg, and took his watering duties very seriously! Was great for getting him to taste new stuff too."
"I wanted to grow my own veg for years but literally had no idea where to start and as a mum of three young kids I couldn't face having another thing to have to put the research time into...Goody Foody Gardens did that for me! The patch was started for us and the follow up gardener visits have been invaluable for giving me the tools and advice to keep it going! I would never have had the knowledge or motivation otherwise. My kids absolutely love looking after their patch, picking strawberries or snacking on salad leaves while playing in the garden! I love that we can pick our own vegetables for dinner, cutting down on plastic, becoming more sustainable and setting a good example for our kids to carry on too!
Can I have a Goody Foody Garden?
We can deliver Goody Foody Gardens to the following areas in Spring 2020:
East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Southside Glasgow, South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire.
We will add areas as we train our gardeners, so sign up for updates on the website.
The raised beds can be constructed on any surface including soil, lawn, slabs, and chips. The beds are lined to stop the soil draining out. We do not recommend placing the beds on decking or wood as this will rot.
Pick a sunny spot, at least 2m x 1m, which is not overshadowed by trees. This could be at the front or back. We suggest avoiding busy play areas such as goals, trampolines and swings.
Goody Foody Gardens' starter kits will be delivered to the front of your property as close to the day of your booking as possible, so a safe spot with easy access from the road is required. We cannot leave materials on a public street or accept any liability for items after they have been delivered.
Materials such as the soil and wooden bed can be heavy for our Goody Foody Gardeners, so the location you have chosen for your vegetable bed must be easily accessible from where the materials have been delivered to. Flights of stairs are not suitable.
Why we need to Crowdfund
The money will help us do two things:
1. Train the first intake of local passionate growers to install our starter kits and share their knowledge with the families.
2. To purchase the materials for our first 100 customers.
Why Goody Foody Gardens deserves your support
Starting a Goody Foody Garden will build up the knowledge and confidence of parents and support them to keep it going into the future.
It will provide meaningful employment for those with a passion for growing and a channel for them to impart all that wonderful knowledge onto others.
Children learn where food comes from and get to experience from seed to plate. They can enjoy getting mucky and learn new skills away from screens.
Help us launch in Spring 2020!
Want to pre-order or become a Goody Foody Gardener?
Go to https://goodyfoodygardens.co.uk/
This project offers rewards in return for your donation.