Jul 262013
 

Local food-related events

Food swap change

Edendale Foodswap will be early again this month, 9.30am-10.30am, to allow participants from the pruning workshop to take part, and vice versa enable regular food swappers to book into the Pruning workshop run by Edendale. Preserves, citrus, brassicas and seedlings may be some of the produce to share this month.

Ivanhoe Community Garden

Open Day, Sat July 27, 1 – 4pm. Everyone welcome 10A Tate Street Ivanhoe. Herb displays, massages, campfire, kids art & craft, talk by Peter the Beekeeper, and more…e-mail: Stacey Morland on Ivanhoe.foodgarden@gmail.com https://ivanhoecommunitygarden.wordpress.com Tel: Paul and Stacey Morland 9440 9247

Fruit tree pruning workshops

Sat July 27, 10am-12 noon. And again Sun July 28 10am-12 noon. At 4 Adamson Street Heidelberg. Robert will demonstrate pruning of eight-year-old fruit trees and brambles. Bring secateurs so that you can have a go too. It’s free, but limit 10 so please reply to this email or phone 9455 2581.

ALSO Sat July 27 @ Edendale, 10 -12noon. Reminder to those booked!!

ALSO Eltham South SGA POD, Sun July 28, 2pm. Ryan Young will prune our fruit trees, and you are welcome to come and see what he is doing. Ryan is a passionate foodie, garden designer, professional gardener and SGA presenter. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the benefits of the different types of trees in different home gardens – such as fruit production and length of season, shade, how quickly they establish, pest resistance, size etc. RSVP for location to Meredith & Bruce, Ph 94398750, meredith@baag.com.au

Other food activities/information

Milk in bottles…

Read more about this new dairy in Fitzroy here.

A travel story from a local foodie

We are renting a small house on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound north of Seattle. Compared to where we were last year, this is not as rural but it is also a farming community. From the local farm map I can count 11 farms raising goats, some make cheeses and some rent out goats as lawn mowers! 6 places have alpacas and sell wool. I went to a farmers market on Saturday and rejoiced in the abundance of fresh local vegetables and fruits. Strawberries, raspberries, nectarines are in season. Salad vegs as well as peas and beans abound. It was lovely. The rental where we are at comes complete with a veggie garden where we can pick our own rocket, spinach, lettuce, silverbeets for our meals. We pick strawberries for breakfast every morning. My assessment of the island is that the spirit of growing your own is alive. The farmers market and local organic shop take care of those who don’t have gardens and suppliment those who need to fill in the gap. I have had so much fun so far. Duang.

Jul 192013
 

Local food-related events

Local food boxes

Bolton Street Deli is now a dropoff point for Village Food Connections' local produce boxes.

Workshops etc

Fruit tree pruning workshops at Edendale, July 20 (Fully booked) and July 27.
Edendale Swap, July 27, will start early again at 9:30-10am,  to allow home growers to also take part in the Pruning workshop. For bookings, see above.

Local Food Connect Annual General Meeting

This will be on August 11, at Edendale, 10am to 1pm. Bring a friend and some lunch to share-local produce would be special! You are all invited (and it will be fun!). Come along with ideas for Harvest month activities and re-energising Food Swaps.  The AGM is early this year so all membership subs are due before August 11. Please see the website for details.

Other food activities/information

Should we ban "Shop Local"? Here is an interesting point of view.

Fair Food Week, August 19-25. Local Food Connect is now a member of Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance!

Jul 122013
 

Local food-related events

Veggie growing workshops

Sun 14 & 28 July, Sun 4 Aug, 2pm – 5:30pm. Ivanhoe Garden Club. $25 covers 3 sessions.
Phone Susan on 9459 2147 for more information.

Local Food Connect Annual General Meeting

Advanced notice of the Local Food Connect AGM!
This will be on August 11, at Edendale, 10am to 1pm. Bring some lunch to share. You are all invited (and it will be fun!). Come along with ideas for Harvest month activities and join a working group if you like.

Other food activities/information

The Ethical Enterprise Award 2013

An initiative of Moral Fairground, this award recognises and celebrates the achievements of Australia’s most inspirational enterprise, a business or organisation, regardless of size, which has had a positive social and economic impact through its innovative ethical practices. For more information, see www.moralfairground.com.au

Organic farming potential

At this site they write that organic farming has the potential to contribute to sustainable food security by improving nutrition intake and sustaining livelihoods in rural areas, while simultaneously reducing vulnerability to climate change and enhancing biodiversity. What do you think?

Mushroom farming

Those of you who would love to grow mushrooms may like this story from Milkwood. They make it sound easy. Has anyone done a course from CERES?

Jul 052013
 

Local food-related events

Food waste

Another good article on Food Waste from Cultivating Community .

A few weeks ago (May 24) I mentioned the Compost Mate system that is carried out in the City of Yarra. Some of you followed my suggestion and contacted Michelle at NSC’s Waste Department, indicating your interest in such a project. I think we (the local food community) will have to run it ourselves. If you want to indicate your interest again, maybe a working group can be formed. Why not come along to the AGM on August 11 at Edendale and see if something can be started. I know already of collection of coffee grounds from cafes in Diamond Creek and Greensborough that could be used as a start.

Hurstbridge growers

The foodswap in Hurstbridge would love you to bring along any surplus food for swapping. They are also looking for people to help set up the swap sometimes. The winter months are slow, but there is still citrus fruit around, passionfruit, and a variety of brassicas. Please contact info@localfoodcontact.org.au if you can help.

Eltham gardeners

With permission of the owners, we are going to plant out a box in Main Street Eltham with herbs and vegetables for all to share – yes, maybe a mini Incredible Edible Todmorden!!  We need some locals or people who regular go to Eltham to share keeping an eye on the planter box, water now and then, share the harvest, replant to keep the produce going. If you are interested, please let us know. The renovation and first planting will be in early September. You never know, we might start a trend!