Calendar of once-off events other than cooking classes

Learn how to grow vegetables all year round, without harmful chemicals, in whatever space you have. Learn how to select a location for a veggie garden, prepare and improve the soil, work out what to plant when, grow produce from seedlings and seeds, care for your growing plants and protect them from pests, as well as how to grow vegetables in pots and containers.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting.

Tasting plate can be adapted to non dairy / vegan, please advise on arrival.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life.

What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds.

Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

Join Anna, the Urban Nanna, for an educational session about wild mushrooms: when, where & how to find them, what to look for and how to use them. The 4 hours will be split up into 4 sessions: education; group exploring; consolidation of learning; and picnic lunch.

You will find and identify a range of wild, edible mushrooms. You will learn the basic principles and protocols of foraging, and then move on to mushroom specifics. You will examine examples of the types of mushrooms to look for on the day, and be shown the physical features you can use to correctly identify them. There will also be information on how to safely prepare and enjoy eating the mushrooms you find.

Overall, there will be around 1-2km of walking over grassy terrain involved.

Nina Trinquet will discuss whether or not reversing diabetes is possible.

Learn about all matters related to growing food, food waste, composting and the circular economy.

Just turn up.

Learn how to prune nectarines, peaches, plums, apples and quince trees and how to maintain these trees so that you will get disease-free fruit and healthy leaves in the summer. If you have sharp secateurs or loppers please bring them but, if not, you can use what they have in the tool library.

Learn how to shop for healthy and proper ingredients. Explore the importance of understanding hidden preservatives in food, the impact of excessive sugar and salt consumption, and how to identify additives on food labels. Start by walking through some shops and then convening for a more in-depth discussion. Finally, learn some techniques specific to Aegean longevity cuisine.

Taj Scicluna, The Perma Pixie, will share some herbalism insights. For example, probiotics need to be nurtured, and ingesting a variety of phytochemical can help with this. Herbs are high in phytochemical compounds that can assist the transofrmation and stabilisation of gut health.

You will learn what materials, processes and tools you need to get started plus what can and can’t go in a backyard compost.

Facilitator: Kirsteen Macleod, from the Compost Depot.

You will experience the cultural delights of 6 different countries over 8 food stops. With a mixture of sweet and savoury tastings, you will soon discover that Coburg is an ideal foodie destination for anyone who’s tired of the ‘standard’ menu items you find in most modern cafes. Each foodie stop brings its own ‘personal touch’ with business owners proud of their cultural heritage, reflected in the food they prepare, the way they serve it and the way they interact with their customers. You will also pop into a Middle-Eastern gold jewellery shop to learn the cultural significance of various pieces, learn some local history and the best local foodie tips.

8 food stops and 13 tastings.

What you will learn: make your own beer; all about full grain brewing; and the fermentation process.

What you will get: samples of different beers; and recipes to take home.

Presenter: Paul Rigby. The workshop will be a practical demonstration of full grain brewing covering ingredients (including malt, hops, yeast and water), equipment, brewing theory, and (most importantly) the brewing process (including mashing, lautering, boiling, sanitation, fermentation and packaging). Samples will be available for tasting.

On both 17th and 18th of June.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik. This is a chance to sample wines at wineries not always open to the public. You will also find food to complement the wine, as well as live music and artworks from local artists at some venues. There is no entry fee, or tasting fee, at any of the venues.

The participating wineries include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

Learn how to prune nectarines, peaches, plums, apples and quince trees and how to maintain these trees so that you will get disease-free fruit and healthy leaves in the summer. If you have sharp secateurs or loppers please bring them but, if not, you can use what they have in the tool library.

What you will learn: how to compost at home; simple to follow composting steps; and common problems and solutions.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting.

Tasting plate can be adapted to non dairy / vegan, please advise on arrival.

You will learn the growing methods for oyster mushrooms, including inoculation, sterilisation and be introduced to basic mycology. You will undertake practical sessions and learn how to start master cultures. You will also be given a tour of the mushroom farm. Take a clean 5-10L bucket with a lid and some gloves.

On both 17th and 18th of June.

Visit any or all of the family-owned wineries in Nillumbik. This is a chance to sample wines at wineries not always open to the public. You will also find food to complement the wine, as well as live music and artworks from local artists at some venues. There is no entry fee, or tasting fee, at any of the venues.

The participating wineries include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting. Then make your own milk or dark truffles with a selection of toppings.

Learn from Jenny Polacke how to taste wine and a little bit about winemaking. By the end, you will understand what you like and don’t like in a wine and be able to describe it.

You will learn what materials, processes and tools you need to get started plus what can and can’t go in a backyard compost.

Facilitator: Kirsteen Macleod, from the Compost Depot.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting.

Tasting plate can be adapted to non dairy / vegan, please advise on arrival.

Create a seed-raising mix and grow some seedlings. In this workshop, Jemma will discuss where to source inputs and seeds to have the best possible chance of growing healthy starts for your backyard garden.

Make a hands-free cross-body bag to fit your drink bottle and phone.

What you will learn: the wide range of berry fruits that can be grown in Victorian gardens; how to cultivate the plants for great yields and great flavour; berry selection; planting and fertilising; and how to prune and trellis a range of different berry fruits.

Presenter: Poppy Turbiak.

Learn the basics of spoon carving as you work on your own handmade spoon. You will work with hand tools such as a knife, hook knife and gouges to learn how to carve an eating spoon. You will also learn how to coax the eating spoon from the wood, chip by chip. By the end of this workshop, you will have your own hand-carved spoon ready to take home and use in the kitchen. Presenter: Eli Beke from Wedge and Edge Woodcraft.

What you will learn: bee behaviour; the various major items that make up a bee hive and how to construct them; and the major tasks in hive management.

What you will get: a wooden beehive frame that will have beeswax foundation inserted as part of the workshop; and a $5 discount on the book Bee AgSkills.

There will be live bees and honeycomb to look at in a secure exhibition cabinet and a discussion of bee behaviour and hive management. The major items that make up a hive and their construction will be discussed. The equipment a beekeeper needs to work bees will also be reviewed. The major topics discussed will be: establishing a hive; understanding the tasks to be carried out in Spring; how to go about robbing and extracting honey; and swarm control.

Participants will be limited to 8 to maintain an informal interactive format.

This class is for food bloggers, bakers or restaurant/cafe owners. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as the right lens, composition, exposure, lighting and software.

Winter is the best time to prune most deciduous fruit trees. Join Justin Calverley and learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. Take your gardening gloves, a hat and a pair of secateurs.

Learn how to construct garden beds and the required hand and power tools. The session will include: square and rectangular raised garden bed construction; hexagon raised garden bed construction; the tools, fixtures and fastenings required to take control of your own garden construction; a demonstration of drills, drivers, drop saws, mitre saws, circular saws, angle grinders, hammer drills and reciprocating saws; and what safety gear you need and how to equip yourself in a cost effective manner.

Presenter: Brendan, from Big Little Farm.

Emma will show you how to make beeswax wraps. All materials will be provided, though you can BYO fabric to be waxed and transformed into wraps.

15 minutes before each event (i.e. at 6.15pm), there is a food and seed swap.

2023 events

Melissa Houselander will show you how to make a wicking bed from scratch by building a wicking bed for the Panton Hill Community Garden. You will learn: about the concept of a wicking bed and how it works; what materials to use; how to layer your wicking bed; tips and tricks for growing plants in your wicking bed; and ongoing maintenance and care for your wicking bed.

A light lunch will be included.

Make your own reusable produce bag. No prior sewing skills are required.

Organised by Zero Waste Victoria.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting.

Tasting plate can be adapted to non dairy / vegan, please advise on arrival.

Learn how to identify wild mushrooms and gather them safely. Take a guided walk to search for mushrooms in their natural habitat. The Fermented Mumma will show you how to use field guides, spore prints, and other tools to identify mushrooms by their colour, shape, texture and scent. You will also learn about the different parts of a mushroom, including the cap, stem, gills and pores, and how to distinguish between edible and poisonous species.

After the foraging expedition, you will have the opportunity to taste and smell a variety of mushrooms, including some that are safe to eat and others that are not.

To finish off, the Fermented Mumma will cook up a feast of fermented mushrooms.

Organised by The Food School Yarra Valley.

What you will learn: how to identify edible weeds; and how do use them in your everyday life.

What you will get: detailed handouts; and samples in class of prepared edible weeds.

Presenter: Lauren. Learn about seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne inner north, and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses.

Every Monday for 8 weeks, starting 10th July, 10am-2.30pm.

This course is ideal for people considering a career in horticulture. No prior experience is necessary.

Working as a team with fellow participants, you will gain a broad overview and practical, hands-on experience about such topics as: introduction to plant recognition; propagation; planting; soil properties; environmentally sustainable work practices; and career pathways / further study in the horticulture industry.

You will spend some time outdoors (getting your hands dirty!) along with some time in the classroom.

Tutor: Justin Calverley.

Tuesdays 9am-3pm, 11th July to 5th September.

Learn how to read the landscape and design a productive ecosystem in partnership with nature to create natural abundance. You will also learn how to regenerate degraded landscapes and ecosystems, and apply the principles to design for a property of any size.

What you will learn: how to grow a variety of fruit and nut trees in your backyard; pruning techniques; and pest and disease management.

Presenter: Carol Henderson.

Join Anna The Urban Nanna as she shares some waste management tips in the kitchen.

A behind-the-scenes tour of the 10 step chocolate making process at Ratio Cocoa Roasters. Followed by a guided chocolate tasting.

Tasting plate can be adapted to non dairy / vegan, please advise on arrival.