Why I’m excited about this year’s BS3 Jammin’

Cooking is about curiosity, not perfection. As BS3 Jammin’s Community Harvest returns this September, Cags Diep explains why the best recipes often come from experimentation, community and making the most of local produce – and how you can help by donating, volunteering or supporting this year’s event.

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that great cooking isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about being willing to experiment.

I’ve never been particularly scared of failure in the kitchen. If something doesn’t work, I treat it as part of the learning process. Every mistake teaches you something, and sometimes the most important skill is learning how to rescue a recipe that hasn’t quite gone to plan (which for me happens a lot as I’m not the best when it comes to following recipes!) A lot of that comes down to tasting, adjusting and trying again.

I know many people don’t have the time or confidence to experiment like that at home, which is one of the reasons I love running the Community Harvest at St Paul’s Church on 19 and 20 September, BS3 Jammin’.

The weekend is all about celebrating locally grown food and showing just how creative you can be with it. Our volunteer chefs will be transforming donated fruit and vegetables into all sorts of delicious creations, sharing ideas and helping anyone who wants to get involved. Whether you’re an experienced cook or a complete beginner, it’s a chance to learn, experiment and have fun.

Last year was incredible. We created more than 30 different dishes and collected nearly 800kg of donated produce. A lot of the things made, you’re able to sample and there was also plenty to take home, with donations supporting the BS3 Community Food Bank.

Alongside the cooking, we ran a Pay As You Feel BS3 Jammin’ Greengrocers, giving people the chance to take home locally grown food while discovering the amazing variety of produce being grown across Bristol. It’s easy to forget what’s available right on our doorstep until you see tables piled high with freshly harvested fruit and vegetables.

We also held a cooking competition judged by 91 Ways founder and then High Sheriff, Kalpna Woolf. The only rule was that every entry had to feature at least one locally grown ingredient. The joint winners were Polly, with her damson and courgette chutney, and Justine, with her Malaysian Vegetable Puffs. The creativity on display perfectly captured the spirit of the event.

In many ways, the Community Harvest is simply a giant cooking party. We transform St Paul’s Church into one big kitchen filled with food, conversation, creativity and community spirit.

Because let’s be honest, the best parties always happen in the kitchen.

Help us make it happen

This event is powered almost entirely by volunteers and generosity. I run it on a very small budget and, unfortunately, we didn’t receive the funding I was hoping for this year.

BS3 Jammin’ has always been a bit of a make do and mend operation. This year’s banners are actually last year’s banners with new dates stickered over the top because if I can save a few pounds, I will! Every penny saved goes back into making the event happen.

I’m currently looking for local businesses or individuals who might be able to help with financial support or donations of items we need for the event. If you know somebody who might be interested, I’d love to hear from them.

If you’d like to make a donation yourself, I’d be incredibly grateful. My aim is to keep the event free and accessible to everyone, and every contribution helps make that possible.

As always, all funds raised during the event itself will go directly to support the BS3 Community Food Bank.

We’re also looking for volunteers to help make the weekend happen. Whether it’s helping with the Friday set up, getting stuck into jobs during the event, or lending a hand with the Sunday pack down and clean up, every bit of help makes a difference.

A final ask

If you have an abundance of fruit, vegetables, herbs or other produce growing in your garden, allotment or community growing space, please get in touch.

Whether it’s a handful of tomatoes or a mountain of plums that nobody knows what to do with, we’ll find a good use for it.

Thank you for supporting BS3 Jammin’. Every year I’m blown away by the generosity, enthusiasm and community spirit that people bring to this event, and I can’t wait to see what we create together in September.

Love, Cags x 

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