FORGET Tom and Barbara — Todmorden residents are setting a trend creating their own ‘good life’ by growing and eating their own fruit, vegetables and herbs in every corner of the town.

It seems the 1970s’ BBC comedy couple were ahead of their time as the latest craze of self cultivating has taken off like never before for spring 2011.

What originally started out as four Todmorden residents growing a few potatoes, has now grown into large community planting project Incredible Edible which is taking over the UK and this season looks set to sweep the globe.

Pauline Mullarkey, Incredible Edible food inspirer who helped set up the organisation in 2008 said: “The idea behind the project is to get people to rely less on shops but instead use the land to plant fruit and vegetables, then cook with the home grown produce.

“We want to get all the community involved from children to pensioners.

"So far we have over 200 residents regularly partaking in growing everything from herbs to cabbages, kale, garlic, leeks and potatoes to strawberries and raspberries.”

In the past three years since the project came to life 500 edible gardens have been set up across the town, including sites along the canal and crops in school yards, the fire station, the health centre and resident’s own back yards.

Altogether the group have planted more than 1000 fruit and nut trees as long term sustainable food sources.

And now other branches have started springing up across the UK from other Lancashire based sites in Rossendale and Ramsbottom and several in Manchester, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire with others being established further afield in Spain, Northern Ireland and Slovenia – all following Todmorden’s lead.

Paul Scott-Bates chair of Incredible Edible Rossendale launched their group in October 2009 with his wife Joanna and Bacup business woman Souta Creagh.

“We went to an event for the Todmorden group and just loved what they were doing. We thought we want Rossendale to grow its own produce,” said Paul who grows crops for himself and neighbours from his own back garden in Falmouth Avenue, Haslingden.

“We wanted to have areas where fruit and veg can be grown for the community and eventually we want to have it sold in local shops and become self sufficient as a community.”

The group have launched several mini sites including orchards at Waterfoot Library, Haslingden Link and Edgeside Park, Waterfoot.

The main community garden at Whitaker Park, Rawtenstall will be opened on July 20 by the club’s patron, TV gardener Christine Walkden, originally from Rishton.

Todmorden’s Pauline Mullarkey added: “Our idea was that everyone can get involved and do as much or as little as they want, the main aim is to increase the amount of food grown and then consumed in the town and let people know that they can produce their own food.”

The Todmorden project has expanded to the extent that every school in the town is now involved in growing fruit and vegetables which they use to cook their school dinners.

Their latest ventures include the Walsden project where a patch of donated land is being turned into growing space with a polytunnel, ponds and beds.

A fish farm is also being built at Todmorden High School thanks to lottery funding.

Future plans include an Incredible Edible two mile walking route from the railway station, along the canal and into the town centre to serve the entire community.

Pauline added: “The town has really come to life because of the project, the dying markets are now starting to thrive again and the sense of community spirit has really improved.

“Incredible Edible really is a simple idea but it has struck a chord with people around the world.

"I think that it empowers people and shows that it is possible to grow your own food and save money and have fun in the process.”