Apr 182013
 

Local food-related events

Fresh produce and artisan market –at Two Beans and a Farm Restaurant – Carome Homestead – 10 Hathfelde Boulevarde, Mernda Sat 20th April 9-1pm 97170978. Showcasing locally grown and made produce and artisan arts and crafts.

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Apr 112013
 

Local food-related events

EDIBLE PLANT & EXOTIC FRUIT TREE SALE ,Minalinka Farm, Diamond Creek area – Autumn Fundraiser. All registration fees donated to Thrive Community Garden . Weird & Wonderful sub-tropical fruits  – Sweet & Tasty, at Wholesale Prices! Saturday 20 April 2013, 9am-4pm Cost: $8 entry (includes self-guided tour , talk and tea/coffee/ lemongrass/peppermint tea).

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Apr 042013
 

Local food-related events

This Saturday is St Andrews market 40th birthday celebrations. Congratulations to all involved! There will be lots happening with music, workshops, face painting and the like from 9-4.

Liz Buijs from Diamond Creek Living & Learning centre ( DCL&L), is open to having the front garden transformed to a food garden – it’s about 1.5 metres by 3 metres. This project may provide opportunities for education in growing food and/or design for students (esp. permaculture) or even a small community garden. Contact Liz at 119 Cowin Street, Diamond Creek 3089 or Ph: 9433 3761| (Monday to Thursday).

Community Kitchens. We have been investigating the idea of CKs. The concept is one of a small group of people who get together regularly to socialise and cook affordable and nutritious meals. The group then sit down to share the meal or divide it up to take home. The CKs are owned and driven by the participants. Are you interested in joining a community kitchen? If so, please let LFC know. It would be a great way to brush up on some cooking skills, cook seasonally, try new recipes and cook for the family. For those who want to learn more see: http://www.communitykitchens.org.au/

Other food activities/information:

Great opportunity for non-GMO labels in Australia. Australia now has a company that can analyse, monitor and certify non-GM food. It is called GMO-ID Australia and they also list non-GM suppliers.
Another way to support non-GM products is to join the True Food Network.
There is incredible energy and excitement in the fair food and farming sector. Last week in Melbourne was the EcoCityFood Unconference. 150 people networked, held workshops, ate, chatted and had an impressive amount of knowledge and experience on food and the opportunities available. “Together we can create a fair, delicious, resilient, thriving, satisfying food system that feeds people well while looking after farmers, animals and the land. All it takes is to join in!”

Verge Permaculture in Calgary, Canada, are offering an amazing and free, six day online course teaching the wisdoms of Joel Salatin, an expert in organic farming. Visit www.vergepermaculture.ca to find out about the e-course.

Organic Dairy Farmers of Australia have set up a new manufacturing plant in western Victoria. It will create 100 jobs and produce commercial quantities of organic butter and cream.
International Composting Awareness Week Australia is May 6-11. Maybe those running local Food Swaps could link in a talk or workshop about composting?