CropDrop is a brand new initiative in which Somer Valley is taking an active part in getting surplus vegetables and fruit to those who might most appreciate the produce.

Supported by B&NES, the Sustainable Food Partnership and Transition Bath, this voluntary effort is coordinating the re-distribution of fruit and vegetables from allotments via volunteer drivers to charity projects that provide food.

The aim is to link allotments and food projects within the same area to help strengthen communities, support local food growing and tackle food insecurity.The project covers the B&NES area and a number of allotments in Bath and Somer Valley have begun donating to food projects.

In Radstock, the Food Club has received a wonderful array of produce from the Bath Mind Greenlinks project at Ammerdown including tomatoes, chillis, potatoes, squashes, apples and some very interesting trumpet courgettes!

In the most recent connection, Westfield allotments were able to share a late bumper harvest of produce with the Swallow Café in Radstock which will go into soups and meals for the local community.

CropDrop was also delighted to include Radstock Food Club as one of the 'kind kale connections'. Two hundred yards of kale were harvested and generously donated from the Woolley Grange Hotel market garden and shared with nine food-providing projects across Bath & NE Somerset - helped by three volunteer kale carriers - all in one day.

All the produce has been very well received and builds on a growing interest in good, local food.

Although the time for excess produce is slowing down, CropDrop volunteers are keen to hear of anyone else who has produce they would like to share with local food projects or from any food sharing projects that could be supported. Please contact [email protected].

They have also just launched their new web site which you can find by clicking HERE: the Crop Drop site