Merri-bek calendar of events
View calendars for specific Council areas:
All areas Banyule Boroondara City of Yarra Darebin Manningham Maroondah Merri-bek Nillumbik Whitehorse Whittlesea Yarra Ranges
On Wednesdays, starting 24th April, 9.30am-1.30pm.
The course will cover such topics as: growing in pots, raised beds, wicking beds and no-dig gardens; site analysis and design considerations; re-generating soil health and fertility; seasonal planning and crop rotation; companion planting and beneficial insects; upcycling waste through composting and worm farms; propagating plants from seed and cuttings; saving seed; and natural pest and weed management.
Presenter: Melissa Houselander. Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.
This is a free, rescued and donated groceries market.
Really Really Free Market (RRFM) is a food rescue collective based on the principles of mutual aid, which gathers and re-distributes as much food as possible to the wider community. It aims to shed light on both food waste and alternative models of distributing resources. RRFM is an open organisation that encourages anyone with capacity to join in and help with the collection and distribution on food.
Currently, food rescue runs are on Tuesdays – meet at the rear garden of Catalyst Social Centre at sunset.
Food Not Bombs Melbourne is part of a worldwide movement that cooks and distributes vegan food to anyone and everyone, without restriction. It gathers leftover fruit and vegetables from Queen Victoria Market and elsewhere, gives some to worthy causes, then cooks up the rest and serves it on the streets of Melbourne. They would welcome more people to help them cook the meals (you can cook what you like or help someone else cook). The cooking starts 2 hours before the serving times.
Everyone welcome. Help them continue to transform their garden into an edible, beautiful and educational sanctuary for all who pass through their gates.
Click here to read about the garden.
They provide a safe, welcoming space where food is eaten and friendships are made.
Learn how to brew your own kombucha. Plus, receive your own kombucha SCOBY starter kit to create your own brew.
No need to come every week or stay the whole time or even do any gardening, you can just come along, say hello and sit about and enjoy the view and have a cuppa. Everyone welcome.
Click here to read about the garden.
On Fridays, midday-2pm. For those aged 18-25.
Each week, you will cook and share a vegetarian meal with others using donated surplus food. In so doing, you will learn different recipes and cooking skills, including: cook healthy plant-based meals on a budget; grocery shop; plan meals; and gain knowledge on general nutrition, food safety, and storage. You will also get a bag of free, fresh groceries each week.
Organised by Open Table.
You will learn how to prepare traditional dishes that you would expect to eat in the kitchen of a Greek family home. You will prepare all the meals together and then enjoy your feast.
Presenter: Kelly Michelakis.
Learn the traditional craft of carving your own kitchen utensils using specialised carving knives and your hands. From a piece of sustainably sourced native timber, carve spoons, butter spreaders, spatulas or spurtles from a piece of wood. You will learn: an age-old craft; the sense of meditation and slowness to be found in whittling life’s essential objects; sourcing sustainable materials; the basics of traditional tool use; and how to safely turn a log into your favourite wooden utensil.
Presenter: Alma Arriaga.
Just outside the CERES grocery.
This walk will take place twice on the day, at 10.30am and at 1.30pm.
What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries?
Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.
This walk will take place twice on the day, at 10.30am and at 1.30pm.
What if many of the weeds in our garden were just as edible as the vegetables we tend beside them? What if some of these free, all-too-easy-to-grow uninvited guests were so nutritionally dense that they are just about the healthiest things you could possibly eat? What if many of them also had medical traditions dating back centuries?
Well it’s all true! And if you know what to choose, they also taste great. Join Adam Grubb, co-author of The Weed Forager’s Handbook, for a walk foraging for edible weeds.
They do a lot of gathering and eating, and a bit of gardening! All welcome.
Click here to read about the garden.
Working bee, market stall and socialising.
You will learn the basics of making your own sauerkraut, fermented seasonal vegetables and kombucha plus how to use fermented products in day-to-day life. You will take home your own jars of vegetables to ferment at home plus a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast).
Presenter: Lauren Mueller.
Click here to read about the garden.
Click here to read about the garden.
SEEDs is a communal garden, that grows natural networks, skills, mutual opportunities, friendships, organic food and community for all who are involved in it. Join them to give a hand and help their garden grow – weeding, planting, mulching, harvesting, turning compost, etc. Or just hang out with their beautiful community for a cup of tea.
Click here to read about the garden.
The cook provides a home style, two course meal.
This is a free, rescued and donated groceries market.
Really Really Free Market (RRFM) is a food rescue collective based on the principles of mutual aid, which gathers and re-distributes as much food as possible to the wider community. It aims to shed light on both food waste and alternative models of distributing resources. RRFM is an open organisation that encourages anyone with capacity to join in and help with the collection and distribution on food.
Currently, food rescue runs are on Tuesdays – meet at the rear garden of Catalyst Social Centre at sunset.
On Wednesdays, starting 1st May, 4-5.30pm. For children aged 8-13.
Each week will focus on different aspects of running a kitchen, like mise en place (French for “put in place”), safety and food hygiene, playing to our strengths (and the strengths of our team), how to work in a brigade, food storage, flavour profiles & ingredients and cleaning up. You will prep and cook a different meal each week, including lasagna, pie, cake and a roast dinner.
Presenter: Cook Murph from Suntop Plaza. Organised by NECCHi.
Food Not Bombs Melbourne is part of a worldwide movement that cooks and distributes vegan food to anyone and everyone, without restriction. It gathers leftover fruit and vegetables from Queen Victoria Market and elsewhere, gives some to worthy causes, then cooks up the rest and serves it on the streets of Melbourne. They would welcome more people to help them cook the meals (you can cook what you like or help someone else cook). The cooking starts 2 hours before the serving times.
On Thursdays, starting 2nd May, 9.30am-1.30pm.
The objective is for you to develop skills, social connection, and self-confidence to seek further study or work in hospitality. You will prepare, eat and gain an overview of different styles and types of cooking. You will also learn how to cook for a large group.
Organised by Brunswick Neighbourhood House.
15 sessions over a period of 17 weeks.
This course is designed as a taster for those who are unsure as to whether accredited training is for them, or whether horticulture and/or permaculture is the right pathway, or who are simply not able to commit to a full course at this stage. The three units offered (recognise plants; assist with soil or growing media sampling and testing; and plant and maintain permaculture crops) have been selected from the Certificate II in Horticulture and Certificate II in Permaculture.
Presenter: Abigail Jabines.
For children of all ages. Harvest and eat produce, water the plants, make art with flowers, dig in the soil or see how many ladybugs you can find.
Everyone welcome. Help them continue to transform their garden into an edible, beautiful and educational sanctuary for all who pass through their gates.
Click here to read about the garden.
They provide a safe, welcoming space where food is eaten and friendships are made.
No need to come every week or stay the whole time or even do any gardening, you can just come along, say hello and sit about and enjoy the view and have a cuppa. Everyone welcome.
Click here to read about the garden.
On Fridays, midday-2pm. For those aged 18-25.
Each week, you will cook and share a vegetarian meal with others using donated surplus food. In so doing, you will learn different recipes and cooking skills, including: cook healthy plant-based meals on a budget; grocery shop; plan meals; and gain knowledge on general nutrition, food safety, and storage. You will also get a bag of free, fresh groceries each week.
Organised by Open Table.
Take a tour of the grounds of CERES where you will learn how to identify bush foods. Then participate in hands on demonstration of how to incorporate bush foods into simple, tasty and nutritious meals, desserts and snacks.
Presenter: Belinda Kennedy.
Just outside the CERES grocery.
This is a self-guided wine tasting experience, where you choose the order in which you visit the various venues. The ticket includes complementary tastings, a $10 food voucher, a $25 voucher for wine orders and a tasting glass.
The participating venues and winemakers:
- Bar Spontana with Fin Wines.
- Amelia Shaw with Musical Folk Wines.
- Co-Conspirator’s Brewing Co with Unico Zelo.
- Hotel Railway with Bobar Wines.
- Inner North Brewing Co with Wilkie Wines.
- Joey Smalls with Yugen Wines.
- The Penny Black with La Kooki Wines.
- Tino with Russel & Suitor Wines.
- Welcome to Brunswick with Glenhope Vineyard.
Working bee, market stall and socialising.
You will learn about foods that can help you to build and protect your gut microbiome and clear brain fog. You will also learn how to incorporate brain powering foods easily into your daily diet.
All the recipes centre on nutritionally dense vegetables and are both gluten- and dairy-free. The sample menu includes: vegan cream cheese; oat + mesquite crackers; beet sauerkraut; chickpea salad with orange tahini; coconut + turmeric pie; and miso puffed balls.
Presenter: Melanie Leeson, from Mettle + Grace.
In this hands-on introductory workshop, you will learn: the secrets to successfully growing oyster mushrooms at home; inoculation, sterilisation and basic mycology; and how to start master cultures.
Presenter: Buttons Mira from The Mushroomery.
This workshop is for those interested in living a permaculture lifestyle in relation to plants and how to use them in the kitchen and garden. You will learn how to utilise plants for food, medicine, fodder and fibre, whilst also providing habitat and systemic stability.
Presenter: Taj Scicluna.
Click here to read about the garden.
SEEDs is a communal garden, that grows natural networks, skills, mutual opportunities, friendships, organic food and community for all who are involved in it. Join them to give a hand and help their garden grow – weeding, planting, mulching, harvesting, turning compost, etc. Or just hang out with their beautiful community for a cup of tea.
Click here to read about the garden.
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