DEMAND for allotments in the Calstock area has prompted an appeal for land from a group hoping to revive market gardening in the Tamar Valley. Tamar Food Chain has just received a £350 grant to kick-start the project which is all about promoting local food, drawing on the horticultural heritage of the area and addressing an increasing concern over food quality and food miles. The immediate aim is to provide community allotments and orchards, offer advice and support and develop an educational role, working with local schools. Tamar Food Chain was one of 14 groups in the South West to share £14,000 of funding from the Co-op's Social Enterprise Development Fund. Group member Jonathan Selman said an initial leaflet drop in Calstock indicated that about 25 people were already very interested in garden plots: 'This is great news — we will be arranging a meeting to get further views and ideas on this, probably in the New Year. 'To meet the immediate demand we are very interested in finding out about potential sites for allotments and orchards. If anyone knows of any please let us know.' Mr Selman said the strength of the project was the very rich horticultural heritage of the area. 'There were once many varieties of apples, cherries and strawberries grown here and market gardening is part of the identity, history and culture of the area. 'In the 1960s there were co-operatives in the Tamar Valley with up to 600 members of local growers. 'The past is very relevant today in terms of food miles and fresh food being back on the agenda.' The lower Tamar Valley with its mild climate and shelter developed as a centre for market gardening from at least the middle of the 18th century and expanded rapidly after the collapse of the mining industry. With the advent of the railway, strawberries and fresh flowers were sent to Covent Garden, but by the 1950s the horticultural industry had all but ceased with land reverting to agriculture and woodland. Some of the remains of the industry — walled gardens, old orchards and packing sheds — still remain in place and daffodils can be seen in abundance in the valley. Tamar Food Chain is working with the local woodland charity Moor Trees regarding the establishment of a community tree nursery to grow trees from locally collected seed, including broadleaf and local orchard varieties. A longer term aim of the project is to develop a commercial growers' network with a view to increasing the demand and availability of local food, establishing new markets and outlets. Anyone who has land available for purchase or lease or wants to get involved in the project should contact Tamar Food Chain by e-mail: [email protected]">[email protected] or write to 2 Poplar Cottages, Baptist St, Calstock, PL18 9RS