The Diva Field May 2020
The Diva Field May 2020
THE VEGETABLE DIVA LAUNCHES DELIVERY BOXES
Over the past few weeks the UK has seen a large increase in gardening. If you own outdoor space and have time to kill it’s very likely that you’ve turned your thumb green and got stuck into planting flowers, veg, or simply weeding your lawn.
Here at the Vegetable Diva we’re no stranger to growing things. We source all our produce from our own Diva Field and Diva Orchard in the small village of Burrington, Somerset, where we’ve developed a bio-dynamic ‘no-dig’ growing method. We’re extremely proud of the way we grow our veg as, through a combination of mulching and natural fertilising, we’re able to create plots of undisturbed soil bursting with beneficial organisms and microbes. The method also prevents weeds from growing and keeps the soil loose, meaning we can easily pull out the organic veg by hand. Of course, this also means we don’t need to dig into the soil with sharp blades, preventing the soil from damage and preserving its delicate condition.
This April, we’ve been hard at work tending to the field so we can help produce fresh veg to feed Bristol’s vulnerable people with the Bristol Food Union. It’s also a refreshing and stress relieving way to spend isolation.
So, what’s been going on at the Diva Field? I hear you ask.
Well, we’re rapidly planting up the fields with a myriad of plantlets such as beetroot, lettuce, cabbage and leeks. We’ve also been sowing carrots, herbs and agretti.
Fortunately, the weather has taken a turn for the better since the continuous rain throughout January to March, and as a result all these plantlets have been growing well. We’ve managed to grow successful harvests of spinach, kale, sprouting broccoli, lettuce, broad beans, currants, and some herbs. But there are also plenty more plantlets showing promise for the near future.
Although the weather has been delightful and the vegetable plantlets are flourishing, maintaining an orchard and field is no easy feat - especially when only one person can work on the field at a time. That’s why we’re currently on the lookout for volunteers who wish to join us and use their spare time to help improve our field and help grow tasty, organic veg.
To get involved and find out how it could work, please email info@thevegetablediva.com
Yours,
The Vegetable Diva.
THE VEGETABLE DIVA LAUNCHES DELIVERY BOXES
THE VEGETABLE DIVA LAUNCHES DELIVERY BOXES
We know not everyone can leave their house to get fresh fruit and veg for their families. That’s why we’re pairing with The French Garden to create veg boxes that can be safely collected by those who can, and delivered to those who can’t.
COVID 19 PROTOCOL
We will maintain a 2m distance for all those collecting with allocated collection times to ensure there is never any more than 5 people waiting and request a charge of £2.95 for delivery. ALL COLLECTION WILL BE OUTSIDE
The boxes are filled with fresh fruit & vegetables
CLICK HERE TO ORDER ONLINE https://thevegetablediva.com/delivery-boxes/
In addition to this we’re also offering a selection of artisan breads & pastries along with two person ready meals such as root vegetable tagine, Italian 3 bean stew, mung dahl curry, vegetarian chilli kandal chickpea curry and freshly made soups.
Climate change strike Bristol
Thousands are expected to attend in Bristol tomorrow, does this support show that the majority of the population of Bristol care about climate change and want to reverse it?
Why then has their been no particular change in consumer habits by the overall majority. From observation regarding food the general appetite for pre-packaged food from mass produced food outlets does not appear to be decreasing, appetite for meal deals heavily packaged in single use plastic stored in energy hungry refrigerators are still popular, people are drawn to the price the three items and the convenience, the price to the earth does not seem to appear to be considered or the salary of the people who have produced and grown the food.
How can we make the biggest change in our battle against climate change; Diet, lifestyle, stop consuming, stop flying, stop patronising unsustainable business, stop buying plastic, become vegan the options are endless where do we start?. Do we rely on the government and national infrastructure to implement these changes will our individual efforts actually make a difference?.
There are many changes which I could comment on for the purpose of this blog I will stick to topics which I feel comfortable with.
The culture in the UK does not currently facilitate an eco-friendly lifestyle . It is a huge effort and sometimes very costly venture to be eco-friendly. Appalling public transport which is expensive, unreliable and does not service large areas of the country. This is coupled with the fact that rural areas have no pavements, public transport or cycle paths which are safe to use so there is no choice but to use a car.
This has other repercussions; the lack of footfall has ensured that there are no shops on the high streets which ensures that buying goods from the supermarket in a large retail park is the only option, goodbye green grocer, butcher and local baker and sustainable local producer who showcased their good here. High rents has ensured that our streets are full of large chain stores and food delivery services and internet shopping have further ensured the closure of independent businesses.
The national rail system is a shambles our rail journey to tour Cornwall was three times more expensive than taking the car. Health and safety restrictions has killed the street food trade.
There is a culture now of people ordering one coffee to their home! by delivery companies I frequently why is their no legislation against this, why is take-away packaging still acceptable ?
I question the difference made by sustainability teams in large corporate companies it appears to be a greenwashing check box exercise. For example the free lunch check box for the employees poses no stipulations on what the budget should be. At the Vegetable Diva budgets of £2.50 pp are presented to us for lunch this begs the question are these companies gaining sustainability goals by enslaving others further down the food chain?
Universities and educational establishments around the country are focussed on profit rather than providing sustainable nutritious unpackaged food. The days of the subsidised canteens are gone canteens now appear to be full of laptops and plastic or bio-plastic wrapped toasties and sandwiches without a single piece of cutlery or crockery in site they can be found in the graveyard gathering dust in the redundant kitchen in the basement.
Food from the major supermarkets are heavily packaged despite concern for the planet their popularity does not appear to be decreasing. We at the Vegetable diva launched an instagram challenge buy no packaged food for a week and show us the evidence and win a free lunch sadly nobody participated.
It begs the question do we just want to join the party tomorrow or are we going to walk the walk rather than talk the talk, I have met a lot of customers who are walking the walk I would just like there to be more of them, lets hope tomorrows speeches from this formidable young activist will provide the necessary motivation.
Go Greta we think you are a legend!
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter, or add me on LinkedIn to stay in the loop with The Vegetable Diva and our cutting-edge community of Bristolian vegetable lovers.
Yours,
Sonya - The Vegetable Diva.
Next Steps for The Vegetable Diva
Next steps for The Vegetable Diva
The Vegetable Diva was born as a way of creating a vegetarian emporium and community in the heart of Bristol. To that effect, it has been a complete success. From Tiffin deliveries and Christmas parties, to the regular customers who come to the café every morning with their reusable cup for a coffee and a pastry, I’m proud to say we’ve successfully built a community of vegetarian enthusiasts with a passion for sustainability.
The community I’ve built is exploding from all angles - in the best way possible. The No-Dig Diva field is set to become a registered charity; we’ve taken on more catered events than ever before; my own expertise is in high demand as a panelist for events and conferences; the cafe is starting to be used for bespoke masterclass events; and our social media is gaining more and more momentum.
So why change things when it’s going so well? I hear you ask.
I feel it’s time to capitalise on this success by driving my energy into focusing on specific elements of our success, in particular food blogging - sharing inventive recipes that i’ve created through a lifetime of cultural exposure, nutritional development, and a lot of eating. But to do this isn’t without a sacrifice; for The Vegetable Diva, the sacrifice is the café itself.
From Friday 21st February 2020 The Vegetable Diva café will officially close its doors for the last time. At least, in its current capacity.
It’s time for The Vegetable Diva to start a new decade with a new focus, and although I’ve loved cooking at the café, the reality is that for my mission to soar, the café can’t continue. One thing we truly loved at the café was the change in behaviour from container-less customers who were inspired to start bringing containers with them to be filled with our delicious food. I feel that we can make a bigger impact on package and plastic reduction if this message is disseminated through our procurement contracts.
Going forward, I’ll be sharing my recipes on this very website, with social media holding our vegetarian community together. This will allow me to spend more time on the No-Dig Diva field and more time promoting biodiversity/package free procurement at catering events, and even make appearances on TV and radio. So please stay in touch!
Follow me on Instagram and Twitter, or add me on LinkedIn to stay in the loop with The Vegetable Diva and our cutting-edge community of Bristolian vegetable lovers.
Yours,
Sonya - The Vegetable Diva.
Valentine's Day Supper
Love Your Planet Valentine's Day Supper
Love Your Planet Valentine's Day Supper
Exclusive Valentines vegan love your planet & bio-diversity supper club
An evening which celebrates love for biodiversity and the environment.
Vegan menu
Complimentary Diva Fields cocktail or mocktail
Starter:
Main:
All GF & Vegan
Served in a Injera Dosa (Rice flour crepe)
Potato masala
Beetroot Poriyal
Niramish (Shredded savoy cabbage, heritage carrot & onion marinated in Diva garam masala)
Lentils Thokku (Lentils seasoned with south Indian diva masala mix)
Aromatically spiced mushrooms tossed with garlic and greens in ground sesame oil
Shredded root Gujarati Salad
Desserts: Vegan
Blood orange sorbet with coconut biscotti.
£30 per person
Location: The Vegetable Diva Cafe - Unit 1 East, Building 4 Invicta, Millennium Promenade Bristol BS1 5SY UK.
Friday 14th February 7pm booking essential. Purchase tickets online using the link below.
Christmas Menu
The Vegetable Diva plant based Christmas Menu 2019
Our festive vegetarian Christmas menu is written and we are now welcoming reservations for December.
The Vegetable Diva would love to host your Christmas party or gathering, whether it is with colleagues, friends or simply marking the occasion. The Christmas menu is seasonal and the majority of the produce come from our bio-dynamic Diva Fields.
We can welcome you at the Bristol Harbourside cafe for parties of up to 10, come and cater for you at your office or we have event space in Temple Meads where we can cater for up to 30.
Of course, it is the time of year where things are rather more decadent, hearty and warming; perfect winter dishes for feasting over with loved ones.
The Festive Menu will be available Monday – Friday
Large parties welcome – please email us with your enquiry
Reservations
reservations can be made by emailing us at orders@thevegetablediva.com or calling 0117 929 8471
