Like an oak tree, a national movement or campaign is only as strong as its roots, and the grassroots community garden movement has demonstrated that it is going from strength to strength in Ireland. As shown last Saturday, 29th Sept, in Wolfe Tone Park, local Dublin Community Growers confirmed their commitment to local efforts in its well-organised Harvest Festival 2012. Featured at the event were local community growers who brought their produce and spoke passionately of their experiences in developing and expanding their community gardens. These gardens bring together local residents in a common commitment to grow, weed and tend in common garden areas, whether for flowers or fruits and veg. Many urban concrete wastelands have been transformed into luscious gardens which are both appealing to the eye and the taste buds! I tasted some of the produce and it was delicious (especially the flavourful tomatoes and apples)!Various talks and activities occurred throughout the day, including talks on water conservation, green home initiatives and experiences gleaned from community gardens around the Dublin area. Workshops on beekeeping, composting, foraging and water conservation were also held as was a demonstration on juice pressing where children and adults made their own apple juice from apples that were collected from trees all over the city.VOICE was present at our table promoting our big event, ‘Feeding the 5,000’, on the 24th November in Wolfe Tone Park, where we plan on feeding 5,000 people free with food that would have been thrown away due to visual imperfections, damaged packaging or simple aesthetics. This event will highlight the travesty of food waste and launch our food waste prevention campaign. We were well received and gathered over 60 signatures on our Pledge to Reduce Food Waste. Individuals who were not able to attend this wonderful event can sign our pledge on-line.For more information on the Dublin Community Growers or for a listing of community gardens in the Dublin area, check out their website, http://dublincommunitygrowers.ie/For more information on ‘Feeding the 5,000’ event on the 24th November at Wolfe Tone Park, check out our website, http://feeding5kdublin.org/. (In conjunction with our sponsors: VOICE, EPA’s Stop Food Waste, Bia Foodbank and Food Glorious Food.