It all started with a phone call from an unknown French man called Nils.

It turned out he was friends with a guy that I (Stephen Molyneux) went to Uni with. They were in London filming a documentary and wanted to meet us at Utrophia.

The documentary they were filming was all about Permaculture, Peak oil, Guerilla Gardening, Climate Change, Transition Towns, Local Economy, Globalisation, Economic Collapse etc etc...

We spoke for hours and were truly inspired as all of these initiatives ran directly parallel with what Utrophia had been practicing artically (a strange version of practically) for some time (re-addressing public space / working with community / keeping things local / reusing materials etc).

This led to some extensive research and to kick of an initiative of urban food growing I started a vegetable patch outside the Utrophia Project Space.

With soil donated by our kind landlord Aengus Mclister as well as some amazing top soil from Sophie Harrison Knibbs, I proceeded to plant from seed and seedlings (both bought and donated by Soph) and then see what would happen. With help from Gavin Housley and Evie Manning the garden started to flourish.

In one small plot we have successfully grown, pumpkin, tomatoes, broad beans, courgettes, rosemary, rocket, beetroot, sweet peas, sweetcorn, aubergine, cale and peppers.

All of the food waste generated by the studios is composted and actually stored on the garden and I think the holes in the bottom of the bin (for worms to get in) is allowing some of the liquid fertilizer to seep into the soil and make the soil even more productive.

Next step is to reclaim our yard and install loads of varying sizes of container boxes on wheels so that if and when we have to move from this space we'll be able to take our boxes elsewhere or donate them to suitable parents. We want to see if it's possible to be a completely self sustaining project space with food first on the list then energy solutions straight after that...

Next step from there on in is the roof...