Workshop “traditional knowledge”: tricot (knitting)/ first lesson
R-URBAN ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 05 / DANIELA DOSSI
“What does ‘knitting’ mean ?”
This was the first question the course leader Lyne asked to the group during the first lesson of atelier tricot. On Sunday October 6th about 10 participants took part in the Atelier Tricot for beginners at Agrocite. Different yarns (wool and cotton) and needles n.4 were available as materials to be explored. During the first lesson Lyne explained the basic steps for knitting and showed the point mousse as starting technique.
Here the first outcomes:
Pictures: course leader Lyne explains the basics for knitting.
Participants learn how to knit while enjoying a nice herbal tea from the garden!
A baby scarf made by one of the participants.
The second lesson will take place on Sunday November 3rd at 15:00, if you would like to join please communicate your name to Lyne at Agrocite’ or via mail at : dossi.pld@tiscali.it
The lessons are by free donation ( the collected money will be used to buy new material for the course).
The aim of this first serie of lessons for beginners is to realize a scarf and to create together a manual for knitting with details about materials, instructions, points and techniques.
Workshop “traditionnal knowledge”: italian cuisine and dinner
R-URBAN ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE 04 / DANIELA DOSSI
On Saturday October 5th Daniela and a group of residents prepared together different sorts of gnocchi, a traditional italian first course, made from flour, eggs and potatoes.
All the ingredients have been provided by 3 local sources: the garden of Agrocite (oseille, pumpkin, little tomatoes, little onions, basil), the AMAP Fosses Jean (potatoes) and Biocoop of Bois Colombes (eggs and flour).
Gnocchi’s preparation is simple and ideal to do in a group; it allows endless possibilities in color and flavour adding cooked vegetables or spices to the dough.
The atelier ended with a nice gnocchi-dinner at Agrocite.
RECYCLAB AND VERTICAL GARDEN: PARTICIPATIVE COLLECTION OF IDEAS AND SMALL EXHIBITION
R-URBAN RECIDENCY 03 / DANIELA DOSSI + SIN COLLECTIV
The flea market organized on Saturday 21st functioned as ideal context to show the preliminary work Daniela and SIN Collective ( Michela, Silvia and Tommaso) have been doing in the last week in Colombes.
A small exhibition and an interactive wall with questions were arranged to collect ideas and start discussing with the residents on both vertical gardens and activities/workshops possibilities at Recyclab.
The ideas include so far: courses for restoring furniture, producing natural cosmetics and cleaning products; learning how to spin wool and weave baskets, making glass objects, organizing multi-languages cafe’, making jams and oriental pastry, drawing fruit and vegetables for real, etc
The outcome of this work has drawn attention on the desire and the knowledge of the community concerning the concept of vertical garden. Particularly, we tried to encouraged their imagination asking people to draw or taking time to think on some topics such us the reuse of waste materials and possible cultivation to fit in, taking advantage of their own ideas.
BREAD MAKING WITH THE HERBS OF THE GARDEN
R-URBAN DESIGN RECIDENCY 02 / DANIELA DOSSI
Last Friday September 20th , Daniela and a group of residents set up the first bread making session at Agrocite’ using the wood oven of the garden.
This is one of the first activities with the aim to explore which variety of small co-production can be initiated within Agrocite’ and R-Urban, using the resources and tools of the garden and focusing on overproductions and byproducts.
Thereby aromatic little breads were made using the overproduction of the week in the garden, in particular aromatic herbs ( mint, basel, parsley, thym, chicory), oseille and portuguese cabbage.
The little breads were then sold on the occasion of the flea market “ Vide Grenier” organized the following day at Recyclab.
The little breads were made by Catherine, Chantal, Lyne, Kamel and Daniela.
Opening of Agrocité & Recyclab
Planting and bicycle-fixing workhop
It was in enthusiasm that numerous inhabitants gathered last Saturday for a planting workshop. On the menu, tomatoes and aubergines planting… Three groups worked on three different plots to prepare the land, prop when necessary, plant and, finally, put straw to retain humidity and prevent the weeds from coming back ! A good opportunity for all to share know-how and to exchange on different planting methods…
… And on bicycles ! Our friends from Colombes à Vélo joined us all afternoon for a bicycle-fixing workshop.
The construction has started !
The construction of Agrocité has started.
The constructor LOGICABOIS, who is responsible for building the Agrocité, has launched the construction site few weeks ago. The building structure is realised in PERFC Fir and Pine wood (ie. Pan European Forest Certification).
Agrocity, will soon host a seed library, a vegetable market, a collective café, a workshop and a pedagogical unit.
Please note that visits will be organised during the construction and that the official opening is planned for early April.
Make some soup!
Saturday was an opportunity to gather ourselves around a steamy and tasty vegetable soup made with local products grown in the experimental plots of Agrolab.
We thus cooked some collard greens, the plant was donated by a neighbor gardener, some red cabbage, some leeks and some turnips. We have also added chard ribs and some leaves, very finely chopped. Finally, we added the different species of squash from the garden, and a little sorrel. All leftovers were, of course, composted!
We also had the pleasure of visiting two small sheep from the herd of the Clinamen Association, led by their shepherd, Olivier Marcouyoux. The association, whose barn is located in Saint-Denis, seeks to provide a place for animals in urban areas.
A big thank you to everyone for a lovely time on the preparation of a common dish!
DIY workshop in the greenhouse 2/2
This Saturday, it was the second workshop session DIY in the greenhouse.
After the last large cleaning workshop, we now have room for a new layout!
We worked with the stock materials (bottom plot) that we collected in the surrounding areas during the year. It is basically reclaimed wood in various forms: different types of pallets, battens, wooden furniture recovered from the street …
Thus, we have improved the high seedlings table to make it waterproof. We used a variety of glaziers (that is to say, designed to carry vertical windows) given by a neighboring company, O2 Seine Fenêtres, located avenue de Stalingrad, to build a storage for garden tools. A chair that would be discarded was repaired and modified with elements found in the stock: a drawer below the seat as small storage and a coat for children, which solidifies the broken case. Finally, a micro-stove was built of brick and mud, just in time to heat water for the mint tea!
