Producing the Goods

How do we sort out the goods from the bads?

How can our own actions in growing, working, making, building, selling, using, buying, visiting and enjoying make our everyday surroundings better for us and for nature?

Common Ground’s current project, Producing the Goods, champions production and consumption that reflects and sustains locality, nature and culture.

We want to exchange ideas and information on how we can all positively use locality to source, sell and sustain. We shall explore and promote the potential of locally distinctive products that, in adding to the uniqueness of the place, help in the long term viability of our relations with nature and each other.

We can choose not to buy things that are damaging to the environment and to people, we can cut down on things we don’t really need.

Common Ground’s work and this corner of our website will evolve with your help. We welcome your examples of close relationships between culture and nature, few links in the chains between producer and user, short journeys between winning, producing and using, simple creative connections between artefact and place.

We shall be exploring several avenues of interest over the next few years including food and markets, promotion, water, festivals, building materials, growing things, souvenirs. Not all are beginning now.

Because of our longstanding work on orchards and Apple Day we begin with food: If we buy foods grown close at hand we are supporting local enterprises, and reducing food miles – as well as getting fresher and probably tastier foods. If we buy food that is in season, we avoid unnecessary processing, storage and packaging and we gain more goodness.

Producing the Goods 1 (food)

Available as a 16 page illustrated pamphlet full of argument and example, single copies £1.50 from our MARKET PLACE. For discount on orders of 50 copies and above, please contact kate.ofarrell [at] commonground.org.uk).

Producing the Goods 2 (markets and market places)

Available as a 24 page illustrated pamphlet full of argument and example, single copies £1.50 from our MARKET PLACE. For discount on orders of 50 copies and above, please contact kate.ofarrell [at] commonground.org.uk).

Producing the Goods 3 (souvenirs)

We want to build a catalogue of examples, produce and events that excite, encourage, exemplify and enable sustainable consumption and production demonstrating authenticity of place and positive reinforcement of local distinctiveness. This is not intended to be encyclopaedic, but wide ranging and inspirational.

We are relying on you to help us, please send any information to broaden the examples we have begun here from city, town, suburb, village and country.

Please e-mail / send us examples to add to our case books:
e-mail: info [at ] commonground.org.uk
or write to: Common Ground, Gold Hill House, 21 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JE

Defra EAF,
the John Ellerman Foundation,
the Tedworth Charitable Trust,
the Headley Trust,
the Garfield Weston Foundation
and others.