Calendar of local events

Enter via O’Grady Street.

Not held in January.

This is a hands-on cooking experience teaching you how to make dumplings from scratch. Sit and eat together at the end with a glass of sparkling wine. The ingredients for the various dumplings will include a wide range of spices, seasonings, vegetables, meats and seafood.

Working bee, market stall and socialising.

Read about the community garden.

This workshop will introduce you to growing better quality, nutrient rich produce at home even if you only have a tiny growing space. It will include: selecting your crops; transforming your soil by focusing on the soil food web; an introduction to soil minerals & going beyond NPK; creating nutrient rich composts; fertilising your plants for maximum nutrition; and harvesting and preparing produce to maintain nutrients. Presenter: Donna Livermore.

What you will learn: how CERES produces certified organic microgreens; how to grow pea shoots, radish, and sunflower sprouts at home; and how to plan for a continuous supply of these (enough for all your salad needs).

Presenter: Daniel O’Farrell. Organised by CERES.

In all the months except January, the swap is held on the first Sunday of the month. In January, it is held on the second Sunday.

Usually, but not always, at The Monty Hub, 1-3 Mountainview Road, Montmorency, 3094 (check on their Facebook page).

The food swap is sometimes followed by a talk.

This is a three session workshop on Sundays, 2nd, 9th and 16th October, each 10am-1pm.

Prepare seasonal dishes using fresh spring produce. They will show you how to make the most of every part of the vegetables when cooking seasonally, thus reducing waste.

Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

Click here to read about the garden.

Children will be able to sow veggie seeds and plant seedlings – and take home their plants. They can also learn about composting and get hands-on with worms! For kids who enjoy getting arty fun, there will be a junior art area with Jodi Wiley.

Read about the community garden.

Next to the Northcote train station.

There is some sharing of food and drink after the working bee so feel free to take a plate of food to share.

Click here to read about the garden.

Be treated to expert advice on raising seedlings and Spring planting, together with the nitty-gritty of producing garden-enhancing compost.

Read about the community garden.

Click here to read about the garden.

Each Sunday night, a different local club, business, or church group provides and serves a meal to people in the Mitcham community.

This is a hands-on cooking experience with an expert cooking instructor. Explore the fundamentals of cooking ingredients, spices and flavour profile, then enjoy with complimentary wine or beer. Depending on the month, the menu will include dishes from Japan, Korea, Vietnam or India.

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.

These meet ups happen during school terms only.

You have to become a member, but membership is free and you can join at any time.

You will learn: how to make dough by hand; stretching techniques; how to use a pizza paddle; and pizza classico (classic style pizza in the oven) and pizze fritte (fried pizza). You will make both savoury and sweet pizzas, and you will get to cook and eat the pizzas.

The Community Grocer aims to improve access for people living on a low-income to fresh, affordable food. They do this by running weekly fruit and vegetable markets across Melbourne. Everyone is welcome.

Meet with like-minded gardeners in their sustainable garden to swap ideas, plants, listen to lectures and watch demonstrations on all things gardening.

Click here to read about the garden.

The cook provides a home style, two course meal.

What you will learn:

• How to create, mix and match different types of pasta and sauces.
• How to incorporate Australian ingredients into classic Italian dishes.

What you will get:

• A three-course meal with a complementary glass of wine, plus finger food before the meal.
• A full set of recipes for all dishes.

Learn to customise your own mixes, explore new flavour combinations, and relax with fellow hot chocolate enthusiasts. Tastings and biscuits provided.

First Tuesday of every month except for January.

2022 Speakers and topics
Feb: Ben Waite & Barbara Marshall on summer pruning & espalier.
Mar: Robert Dobson on streptocarpus and hosta.
Apr: Jane Tonkin on bulbs.
May: John Harris on Eltham copper butterfly.
Jun: Ravi Sommerhalder on sharpening garden tools.
Jul: Chris Scrase on fuchsias.
Aug: Dusty on rock walls in landscaing & AGM.
Sep: Paul Kirkpatrick on tools for sale.
Oct: Penny Woodward on pest repellent plants, herbs & other organic solutions.
Nov: Flowering plant and veggie seedling swap night.
Dec: Jennifer Sheridan on Christmas wreaths.

2021 Speakers and topics
May: opening your garden/fruit trees and espalier.
Jun: pest repellent herbs and other organic solutions- Penny Woodward.
Jul: garden craft e.g. stone painting – labels, animals.
Aug: AGM and fuchsias – Chris Scrase.
Sep: tomatoes – Penny Woodward.
Oct: inspiring gardens visited.
Nov: seeds, in house/hands on.
Dec: a plant delicious Christmas.

2020 Speakers and topics
4 Feb: Fiona Williams on irises and scented pelagonia.
3 Mar: Robert Boyle on landscape design.
7 Apr: Al & Hazelk Veevers on patterns in nature.
5 May: Travel gardens.
2 Jun: Angelo Eliades on pruning fruit trees – espalier.
7 Jul: Sandi Kogtevs on making scarecrows.
4 Aug: Chris Scrase on fuchsias; AGM.
1 Sep: Penny Woodward on tomatoes.
6 Oct: Sarah Watson on clematis and flowering climbers.
3 Nov: Hands on – sowing, maintenance, potting on.
1 Dec: Helen Lovel on neutrog and biological fertilisers.

2019 Speakers and topics
5 Feb: John Ferris on edible landscapes.
5 Mar: Kathleen Tants on wees and weed control.
2 Apr: Brendan Curtis on zoo horticulture.
7 May: Paul Gale-Baker on wicking beds.
4 Jun: Caleb Armstrong on pharmaceutical herbs.
2 Jul: Lyndall Shaw on proteas and flower arranging.
6 Aug: Barbara Marshal on colour theory and colour combinations in planting; AGM.
3 Sep: Kevin Ritchie on unusual hanging baskets.
1 Oct: Norm Gerraty on growing begonias.
5 Nov: Sandra Verdam on bee-related hands-on activity.
3 Dec: Garden Club on a succulent Christmas.

2018 Speakers and topics
6 Feb: Lydia Heap on re-creating Indigenous Panton Hill; Julie Temple on growing yam daisies.
6 Mar: Michael Tanner on soils – pH and restoration.
3 Apr: Paul Kirkpatrick on potagers – plus specialised tools.
1 May: Robyn Harris on African violets – care and propagation.
5 Jun: John and Joy Quinn on bulbs.
3 Jul: Titch – Flemings on bare-rooted trees.
7 Aug: Steven Wells on therapeutic gardens; AGM.
4 Sep: Hazel and Al Veevers on birds in the native garden.
2 Oct: Cade on beer – from hop seeds to drink.
6 Nov: Pat Anderson facilitating a tomato veggie herb swap.
4 Dec: Mitre 10 Diamond Creek on new garden products.

2017 Speakers and topics
7 Feb: Rachel Bishop on worm farming; Chloe Thomson on the organic products that OCP have on the market.
7 Mar: Bob Yeoman on growing dahlias from seed.
4 Apr: Ryan Young on habitat gardening.
2 May: Attila Kapitany on succulents.
6 Jun: Vaughn Greenhill on landscape design – working with nature.
4 Jul: Pete the Permie on berry fruits.
1 Aug: Jan Morris on protective garden accessories.
5 Sep: Maria Ciavarella on thrifty gardening.
3 Oct: David Redfern on natives grown at Cranbourne – suited to our local area.
7 Nov: Arja Toivanen on taking cuttings (hands-on propagation workshop).
5 Dec: Mark Ludlow on bonsai; Christmas party.

2016 Speakers and topics
2 Feb: Lydia Heap on frolicking frogs.
1 Mar: Ryan Young on healthy soils.
5 Apr: Sue Evans on healing herbs of the 1st Fleet.
3 May: Ian Culbard on permaculture design and practice.
7 Jun: Cheryl on miniature landscaping with succulents.
5 Jul: speaker from the Clivea Society on clivea clues.
2 Aug: short talks from local speakers; AGM and 11th anniversary.
6 Sep: Bill Aitchison on acacias for the home garden.
4 Oct: Maria Ciavarella on gardening on a shoestring.
1 Nov: pelargonium and geranium show’n’share.
6 Dec: Melissa Thomas on garden art; Christmas party.

2015 Speakers and topics
3 Feb: Peter Miller on mounting plants on boards.
3 Mar: Ken Walker on native & exotic bees.
7 Apr: Sue Aldred on native plants: why & how.
5 May: Maurice Kellet on bromeliads.
2 Jun: Loretta Childs on an iconic local garden.
7 Jul: Local speakers on learning From gardening mistakes.
4 Aug: Greg Bolderson on underground treasures / rare bulbs.
1 Sep: Geoff Crowhurst on a search for old roses around Victoria’s cemeteries.
6 Oct: Doris Pozzi on Nature’s supermarket.
3 Nov: Richard Lee on growing & using Asian greens.
1 Dec: Fun night with trivia games, DVDs & Christmas party.

Feel free to drop by to have a look at the garden, to find out more and to meet the garden volunteer coordinator, Trevor.

Click here to read about the garden.

A drop-in gardening session, facilitated by the DIVRS Urban Food Program, which everyone is welcome to attend. There is always plenty of weeding, watering, planting and harvesting to do!

Click here to read about the garden.

This is a three session workshop on Wednesdays, 5th, 12th and 19th October, each 10am-1pm.

Prepare seasonal dishes using fresh spring produce. They will show you how to make the most of every part of the vegetables when cooking seasonally, thus reducing waste.

Presenter: Scott Hitchins.

No garden of your own? Would you like be able to share some fresh produce? Go along and join Span’s gardening team. Wheelchair accessible, fun and supportive. You just need your skills, or want to develop skills.

Click here to read about the garden.

Learn how to set up, maintain and use a worm farm at home.