Dreaming into Winter

+ winter dates for the Queer Group

Session Updates

Hello gardeners! Hope you’ve been warm and/or invigorated by the chill this autumn. We’ve had some of both in the past two months: with a visit to Gorgie Farm, physical + emotional movement around the fire with 5 Rhythms, more staining our hands pink with pickling, and the regular winter garden maintenance. Here’s a million photos of what we’ve been up to. If you’re in a rush, dates for the winter are at the bottom :)

5 Rhythms at the Salisbury Centre (thank you for the photos Jiayi :3 )

Thank you to Morgan and Jordan from Queer Yoga for facilitating this dreamy session of movement over sunset!

Reading + discussing "all about love" by bell hooks at Gracemount

We talked about all about love by bell hooks, and what we think about love, unhealthy relationships and ways of loving yourself and others, in the company of the beautiful autumn nasturtiums.

Some of the fabrics we've naturally dyed as a group! And our latest pickling experiments...

Last but not least! we did some vinegar pickling and lactofermentation with beetroot and garlic, and tried two new natural dyes: black sunflower seed for purple (which you can see in the top left of the photo above…!) and hammered nettles on soy milk-soaked fabric for green. We were having way too much fun with the rubber mallets to take good process photos but: if you’d like to join our natural dye gathering, read on for the final event of the year - and celebration of all our natural dyeing in 2025 :)

Want a pickling session you can make it to? Intrigued by some nature, climate or queer-related craft, recipe or horticultural skill? Get in touch and we’ll see what skills and resources we have! We’re always excited to run new kinds of sessions :3 Comment here or email us at queergroup@transitionedinburghsouth.org.uk.

Winter dates for the Queer Group:

DECEMBER:

• ✨Queer Flag Natural Dye Project sewing + celebration.✨ Sunday 14th December, 11am-3pm, at Gracemount Walled Garden. Expect a cosy wintery lunch/end of year celebration, and sewing our natural-dyed pride flag together :) I’ll bring cake - Jim

JANUARY:

• Queer Herbal Crafting: Vinegar Infusions. Saturday 11th January, 11am-3pm, location TBD.

• TBD. Saturday 24th January, 11am-3pm.

FEBRUARY:

• Signs of Spring: Ink and natural pigment making. Saturday 11th February, 11am-3pm, location TBD.

• TBD. Saturday 28th February, 11am-3pm, location TBD.

Thank you for reading! Hope to see you in the garden this winter :)