Hi everyone,
We had a wonderful potluck lunch on Sunday, and did some great garden work. As you can see from the photos, we got busy in the front yard and nature strip of Ilana and Anton’s place. Coburgablitz #2. Doesn’t it look great! It’s such an inspiring vision seeing people growing their own food, especially in their front yards and nature strips, and all the better when the community comes together to help out. Not only does this continue the necessary transition toward relocalising food production, but it is quite a visual statement of communities working together and “doing things differently.” A vision of a post-carbon future if ever there were one. Imagine walking around Coburg in five or ten years and seeing every front yard and nature strip producing good, local, healthy organic food! Let’s keep the ball rolling.
Thanks to Ilana and Anton for being such great hosts, and thanks to everyone who came by. We all put together a delicious array of vegetarian food. Very nice to see a number of new faces too. Welcome to you all. Some photos below (thanks Ilana and Helen) followed by some ‘minutes’.
Here are a few main points from the group discussion:
We agreed that a preserving day at Peppertree place would be a good goal (which was in the pipeline from earlier discussions). Angie from Local Organics has agreed to help co-organise the event, and we’ve tentatively started making plans. Hopefully Peppertree Place are keen to work with us on this, which is probably a safe assumption. Angie thought that her suppliers of fruit and veges have some big harvests coming through in early April, so tentatively we it looks like the preserving day might be in the first couple of weeks of April. More details as their arrive…
Angie also suggested that there could be space for Transition Coburg to work with Local Organics to set up a delivery hub in Coburg. Hopefully we can get that sorted in coming weeks.
I also mentioned that I’d spoken with a fellow who was prepared to give us a tutorial on making cider. I’ve sent an email off and I will also let you know more details as their arrive… I seem to recall him saying early April was the best time, due to the apple harvests, so we could have a couple of events around that time.
Sallyrose mentioned the possibility of having a more consistent ‘stall’ or ‘tent’ or something at Peppertree Place (again, permission depending) and also being involved in the Sydney Road festival coming up. Sounds good. Keep us in the loop Sallyrose re developments on this front.
We also thought a film afternoon or two would be a good idea as a means of trying to engage the broader community about various transition related issues. Anna might be happy to drive those events?
There is also potential to try to engage the broader community at the Coburg Market, which is expected to get up and running shortly. E.g. hand out flyers and perhaps run workshops of various sorts.
Aaron raised the issue of a Transition Coburg ‘forum.’ I think he was going to do some research about the best means of facilitating discussion, but people mentioned the risk of having too many websites and things getting lost and creating unnecessary administrative work. The temporary plan was to try using the Facebook page (on side bar) or this website as a discussion forum for those interested. This might be an issue we have to return and see how progress is going.
Have I forgotten anything?
Finally, on February 24 there is an “open day” for the West Brunswick Community Garden, which should be very worthwhile. There is a Facebook page here and I’ve also posted the blurb below (thanks Grace):
Visit the West Brunswick Community Garden, explore the food forest, meet the gardeners and get involved.
To celebrate being part of Melbourne’s Sustainable Living Festival we’re organising some extra special activities for everyone to participate in including:
* tours of the garden and food forest,
* yarn-bombing the garden fence to brighten it up,
* tasting some interesting apples courtesy of the amazing people at the Heritage Fruit Society,
* food swap your surplus stuff,
* hopefully some music to keep us all humming!
This is our monthly working bee so we’ll also be getting on with some work too including building raised garden beds and general maintenance of the garden and food forest.
The West Brunswick Community Garden is great example of community food growing in urban public space. The garden and adjacent food forest (with over 25 mature productive trees) are being rejuvenated with support from City of Moreland Council and the hard work and enthusiasm of local residents.
See how the projects are going, learn what’s planned and see how you can get involved and lend a hand! Make friends, get tips about gardening and growing food. If previous sessions are any indication, everyone will have a good time, we’ll get lots done and leave feeling tired and satisfied and knowing more of our neighbours.
Sound appealing? Come along! Your community garden needs you!
The Community Garden is at Dunstan Reserve.