The third Edible Wales workshop hosted in Glyncoch Community Centre took place on 19 November 2014, and again the space was vibrant, creative and social. Aron made good on his promise to bring along lino print-making equipment, complete with fiendishly sharp knives and scoops. At the end of the afternoon, all those who arrived with ten fingers and thumbs, left with the same number, which we felt was a considerable achievement.
The idea is to help food producers and sellers in Rhondda Cynon Taf - a region perhaps not readily associated with food in the public imagination - to develop local branding through a new, co-produced logo, which will be made freely available under a Creative Commons license. In addition to Grey Trees, we were joined by grower Sophie Durham and Chris Collins from The Green Valleys Centre in Abercynon. All the Edible Wales participants got behind the project with gusto, and the richness and variety of designs was inspiring. A few key themes emerged, including steep steps, slate roofs, valley shapes, rivers and ... love-spoons.
This week, the workshop involved video diaries, which were conducted by Aberystwyth University's Sophie Bennett. These diaries will form part of the qualitative research for an academic report and paper documenting the Edible Wales experience.
Meanwhile, the group are wondering what the final logo will look like, once designer Aron Evans of A&O Studios has worked his magic, pulling all the ideas and themes together into something that food producers in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region will want to put on their packaging.
Meanwhile, the group are wondering what the final logo will look like, once designer Aron Evans of A&O Studios has worked his magic, pulling all the ideas and themes together into something that food producers in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region will want to put on their packaging.
As with the previous two workshops in Glyncoch, tea and cakes featured strongly. Many thanks to Home-Baked Delights for the amazing scones, cookies and chocolate cake, particularly the gluten-free alternatives!
Thanks from me (Richard Marggraf Turley), Sophie Bennett and Rob Bowen to the food producers, students, members of the local community, and partners Nancy Evans of Artis Community, and Aron Evans, for making this project such a productive and fun opportunity. We've still got the design of the logo to finalize, and follow-up evaluation to complete, so even though the workshop phase of Edible Wales is now finished, we will be staying in touch and reporting back on subsequent developments in the coming months. Watch out for the grand unveiling of the logo!