May 272015
 

Montmorency Farmers’ Market

I can confirm that Montmorency Farmers’ Market has ceased, at least for the time being. Here is a statement from Montmorency Primary School: “As you may be aware, the Montmorency Farmer’s Market is temporarily not in operation. However, there are plans for its revitalisation with a bigger, better and more invigorated market come the Spring. Watch this space …

Helen’s guide to growing garlic

garlicFollowing my plea a few weeks ago, the LFC newsletter now has its first journalist! Many of you will know Helen Simpson, from The Mushroom Shed, either from some of the food swaps or from some of the local farmers’ markets (including Eltham). And, as you will see, Helen both knows her veggie growing and can write well. Welcome Helen!

Helen’s first article is on growing garlic in your garden. As she says in her introduction: “With wintery weather underway, it can be difficult to find something cold hardy to plant in the veggie patch. But garlic loves the cold weather. In fact the more it receives, the better, as the cold is essential for large bulb formation. Garlic can be planted in Melbourne from early April to late June. Surprisingly it’s a perennial, but usually grown as an annual and harvested from late November into December. The downside of growing garlic is it takes up space in the veggie patch for around six to seven months. However its advantages include being relatively free from pests and (as long as it’s kept well-weeded and receives reasonable rainfall) pretty much fuss free.” She then goes on to discuss garlic selection, planting, pests, maintenance and harvesting & drying. Read the full article on the LFC website.

Did you know that elephant garlic is actually a variety of leek?

If you want to know what else you can be planting now, have a look at our local planting schedule.

Guy’s guide to local mushrooms

mushroomAs her company’s name implies, Helen makes her living by selling mushrooms. So that is a perfect segue for introducing my guide to local mushrooms. Whether you want to buy local mushrooms or grow your own from a kit, you are in luck, particularly if you frequent Eltham Farmers’ Market:

If you have never grown mushrooms from a kit, I highly recommend it (i.e. it is easy!).

Conversely, I have never had success growing shiitake mushrooms in logs. If you have, please tell us about it!

Your opportunity to buy a ‘soil blocker’ at a discount

soilblockerKABUU (aka Richard Lee) sells the ‘blockers’ for people to make their own blocks but he has recently sold out. So, he needs to place a bulk order to the manufacturers. As an offer to LFC newsletter recipients, KABUU is offering the soil blockers at a 10% discount if you order before 30th June. You will then receive your blocker in August, ready for the all-important spring plantings. Contact Richard by email or phone (0422 606026).

I have one of Richard’s soil blockers (the Mini 5) and use it for growing most of my seeds. One of my best purchases of 2015.

So, from growing garlic to mushrooms to seedlings to soil blockers. Three perfect segues in a row! As Sid Waddell used to say: “That was like throwing three pickled onions into a thimble!

New events

Composting and worm farming

What: Learn how to set up a worm farm and the environmental benefits. Get hints for happy worms and go into a draw to win a worm farm or a compost bin.
When: Thursday, 11th June, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Where: Thomastown Library.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Getting the most from your winter harvest

What: Tony from Mitre 10 will run a session on what you need to have a bountiful crop.
When: Tuesday 16th June, 10.30-11.30am.
Where: Diamond Valley Library.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Dione Flegg by phone (9434 3809) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Setting up and maintaining a worm farm

What: A worm farm can be one of the best ways to dispose of food scraps and at the same time produce vermi-juice (worm tea) and vermicast (worm castings) for use on the garden. Learn how to set up a worm farm and the easiest methods to manage and care for these most hard working of creatures. Discounted worm farms will be available on the day.
When: Friday, 19th June, 10.30am-12.30pm.
Where: Edendale.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Edendale website.
Further information: Edendale website.

Winter Wine Fest 2015

What: Enjoy wine and food in warm and cosy settings. Celebrate with 6 family-owned boutique Nillumbik wineries: Hildebrand Ridge Organic Winery, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Redbox Vineyard, Shaws Road Winery and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard. View/download their brochure.
When: Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June, 11am-5pm.
Where: Various Nillumbik wineries.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: 1300 660072.
Further information: 20th June and 21st June.

Change makers

What: This event aims to energise volunteer groups, create social cohesion and provide networking, peer to peer learning and ‘passion mashin’ opportunities for the environmental movement in Banyule. They are asking for rsvps by 9th June if possible.
When: Wednesday, 15th July, 6-9pm.
Where: The Streeton Room, The Centre Ivanhoe.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: trybooking.com.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

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May 202015
 

Not food, but interesting

arearequiredI usually keep the material in this newsletter strictly to matters food. But this graphic by The Land Art Generator Initiative of the total surface area required to fuel the world with solar power is just too interesting to omit. The article in which the graphic was first shown is equally interesting. It is so refreshing to read analysis rather than polemic. Thanks to the Montmorency Community Group for pointing out this material.

Here is another interesting article by the same people written at roughly the same time (2009), this time on re-forestation and Carbon Dioxide emissions.

Whilst on the subject of analysis versus polemic, some of you may have read in the news about St Andrews being the richest suburb in Victoria and the second richest in Australia. Nonsense, of course. I have been delving into ATO’s tax records: two-thirds of St Andrews’ income in the relevant year (2012/13) was due to someone (presumably one individual) declaring a once-off capital gain of $60 million. Remove that item and St Andrews’ average (mean) income is more than halved, down to the same per-person level as Panton Hill. Ditto if ATO or the journalists had used median income, as they clearly should have, rather than mean income. Actually, more wilfully misleading than polemic.

Montmorency Farmers’ Markets

All references to Montmorency Farmers’ Markets seem to have been removed from InSeason’s website. Can anyone confirm whether this market has ceased or is continuing (if so, presumably under different ownership). Please email me.

Upcoming events from previous LFC News

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Click here for the complete calendar of upcoming events.

May 132015
 

nepalThe Bumblebee Foundation and Nepal

The Bumblebee Foundation aims to create a vibrant food culture for Indigenous peoples in many parts of the world. Over the past year, they – together with Local Food Connect – have been working with Somali women in the Heidelberg area to develop their community gardening. They also work with the Sustainable Agriculture Development Program, Nepal (SADP-Nepal) – see www.sadpnepal.org.

In reaction to the recent earthquake in Nepal, they are now looking to work with other organisations in our area to raise funds for SADP-Nepal’s food security initiatives – see www.sadpnepal.org/projects. If you or your organisation can potentially help, please contact Pauline Crosbie by phone (0456 769303) or email. Or, if you would just like to make a financial donation, you can do so at www.sadpnepal.org/donation.

For updates, see www.facebook.com/BumbleBee.org.au.

No Greensborough food swap on 13th June

The June food swap has been cancelled due to renovations at Diamond Valley Library.

Reduce waste, receive some money and make some other people happy!

As many of you will know, there is now a ‘Community Market Stall’ at Eltham Farmers’ Market on the 2nd Sunday of each month. The idea is that home growers can book the stall at zero cost to sell their surplus produce to the public. Read more about the initiative on our website.

Everyone agrees that it is a good idea. The home growers who have been at the stall have nearly always sold out, and both the growers and the buyers went home happy! But, somewhat surprisingly, we are seriously short of people who have come forward to sell their stuff at future markets. This is your opportunity! If you are interested, please contact Guy Palmer (guy.palmer1@gmail.com; 0416 203067; 9444 1400) or come and have a chat with us at the Local Food Connect Information Stand at the market.

Develop your writing skills, make this newsletter better and become famous (well, sort of)!

This website would really benefit if more people contributed material. It can be anything, from a full-blown article to a few words about a particular veggie discovery. Or a new producer for the Local Food Directory. Or a new recipe for the local recipe database. Or developments at your local community garden. Or something about your local food swap. Just email us.

New events

World Environment Day – Australian animals tour

What: Come along to this talk by Mark Cairns from Endangered Species Recovery, and learn about endangered Victorian wildlife species, the value of biodiversity and actions we can all take to help protect endangered species. A number of those endangered species will be in attendance!
When: Friday, 5th June. 90 minutes duration, repeated at different locations at 9.30am, 11.15am, 1pm and 2.30pm.

Where:

  • 9.30am: Whittlesea Community Activity Centre Memorial Hall.
  • 11.15am: Lalor Library.
  • 1pm: Thomastown Library.
  • 2.30pm: Mill Park Library.

Cost: free.

Enquiries/Bookings: Whittlesea Council Sustainability Department by phone (9217 2042) or email.

Further information:

Grafting fruit trees

What: This is a North East Ranges Permaculture Group (NERP) event. Pete the Permie, heritage fruit tree specialist of Pete the Permie, heritage fruit tree specialist at Telopea Mountain Permaculture and Nursery in Monbulk, will talk about grafting. Peter will bring along a variety of fruit stock for purchase (around $27 to $35 each), and will include information about permaculture in general.
If you can, please bring some supper to share.
When: Thursday, 11th June, 7.30am-9.30pm.
Where: Eltham, TBA.
Cost: Free to Permaculture Victoria members, $10 otherwise.
Enquiries/Bookings: Richard by email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Foray into fungi

What: Explore the fascinating wold on fungi with presenter Geoff Lay from the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria. Geoff will conduct a talk inside and then we will get outside to explore some of the common fungi that’s around.
When: Saturday, 13th June, 9.30am-midday.
Where: Location given upon booking.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Whittlesea Council Sustainability Department by phone (9217 2042) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

If you know of any events that could usefully be included in the newsletter and website, email us. If you have a flyer, we can also include that. Just one request: please make sure that the details are in a form that we can copy/paste (i.e. not just a jpg).

Upcoming events from previous LFC News

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Over the next month

Click here for the complete calendar of upcoming events.

May 062015
 

New events

Get more from your veggies

What: In this cooking workshop, Marina Bistrin will show you how to make the most of what you grow, eat well while you reduce food waste and save money. This event will occur after the foodswap at the same location.
When: Saturday, 9th May, 11.30am-1pm.
Where: Diamond Valley Library.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Dione by phone (9434 3809) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Volunteer appreciation evening

What: Join Nillumbik Shire Council to celebrate your contribution to the community and meet other inspiring volunteers as part of National Volunteer Week.
When: Wednesday, 13th May, 7-9.30pm.
Where: Nillumbik Shire Council.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: By phone (9433 3766) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Diamond Valley Library Food Garden Club – Backyard chickens

What: Fleur from Book-a-Chook will show you how to choose your backyard chooks and provide all the care they need.
When: Tuesday, 19th May, 11.30am-12.30pm.
Where: Diamond Valley Library.
Cost: free.
Enquiries/Bookings: Dione by phone (9434 3809) or email.
Further information: LFC calendar entry.

Upcoming events from previous LFC News

Over the next week
Over the next month

Click here for the complete calendar of upcoming events.