Calendar of once-off events other than cooking classes

Learn all about hot composts – what they are, how they work, what goes in them and how to look after them – all while you make a hot compost!

Organised by Friends of Regent Community Garden. Click here to read about the garden.

The team from the Basin Backyard will discuss beekeeping, the health benefits of honey and all other bee-related information.

Kat, from the Central Ringwood Community Centre, will talks about the benefits of a community garden and how the different activities that take place there can engage and inspire you.

Duncan Cocking, from Leaf, Root and Fruit, will discuss: the patterns that he sees in nature and how you can begin observing them too; the seasons of Melbourne; phenology; timing of planting and succession planting; and growing Christmas tomatoes.

The presentation will start at 7pm but there will be sandwiches and a food swap at 6.45pm.

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.

Tully Gibbons, an Aboriginal Educator at the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Heritage Aboriginal Corporation, will discuss Wurundjeri bushfoods and the ecology of indigenous plant life.

Celebrate the start of International Compost Awareness Week. Take part in interactive activities and games as a family and learn what makes the perfect compost recipe as well as why compost critters are so important.

Many immigrants to Australia find it challenging to cook their recipes because the crops they treasure at home aren’t easily available here. Farm Raiser would like to help and try to grow some of these crops.

They are therefore launching a new project to diversify the crops that they are growing. They have already introduced taro, cassava, 5 types of sweet potato, oca/NZ yam, yam beans and chinese yam to their fields, but they want even more variety.

You are invited to the farm for a tour and morning tea where you can discuss what crops you miss from your home country. The Farm Raiser team encourages you to bring seeds, seedlings and cuttings of plants, as well as growing instructions, recipes and stories from home. They will then propagate the plants in their nursery and plant them out in a dedicated space which you will be able to visit.

You will finish the day with a short working bee to prepare the space for the new crops.

Feel free to take a plate to share for morning tea.

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.

These monthly sessions will cover planting, harvesting and all the jobs required in the garden each month.

Organised by Sustainable Macleod in conjunction with Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

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.

Kat Lavers will discuss: basic plant biology and what makes grafting work; how to graft safely and successfully; and simple grafting tools for home gardeners.

Savour the abundant chestnuts, gourmet food, Devonshire tea, coffee, artisan beer and mulled wine. Explore the diverse range of stalls, including: roasted chestnuts; poffertjes; homemade cakes; sausage sizzle; local restaurants; mulled wine; coffee, tea and chai; local handmade crafts; and local produce.

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.

Jane Coleman, from Earth and Soul Permaculture, will explain permaculture including what zones are plus the concepts and resources that you need to start your permaculture experience.

You will learn what spores are exactly and what their prints mean before moving on to tools and techniques for efficient and environmentally-conscious mushroom hunting and correct foraging etiquette. Then you will learn how to identify wild mushrooms, the common species that you’re likely to come across, which edible mushrooms you can use in cooking, and medicinal species, as well as hallucinogenic species and the downright dangerous. Finally, you will learn about ways to cook mushrooms, preservation techniques and tincture preparation, before ending with a tasting of some wild mushrooms.

Presenter: Jess (Fraulein Fungi).

Learn how to set up, utilise and maintain various food waste recycling systems.

14 sessions over a period of a 14 weeks.

The topics to be covered will include: permaculture; fruit production; soil preparation; beekeeping; composting, worm farming and fertilisers; vegetable growing; propagation; seed collection; pest & disease management; bushfoods & berries; chooks; and community gardens.

Presenter: Justin Calverley.

Angelo Eliades will discuss what to plant for a winter crop, the tasks that we carry out in winter, how to protect some crops from frosts and how to deal with waterlogging from rains.

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, restaurant/cafe owners or anybody who loves food and wants it to look good. It will focus on taking great images of food using your own, or easily obtainable, equipment. It will cover such aspects as: choosing the right lens; choosing the right background, props and accessories; lighting; and software.

Sample tea from Indonesia, Morocco and Turkey with the Islamic Museum of Australia.

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.

Maria Ciavarella, from My Green Garden, will discuss how, when and which seeds to save and store. You will gather seeds from some of Maria’s vegetable stock and take some of these home.

Learn everything from the inner workings of a beehive to the healing properties of raw honey. You will learn how to maintain a healthy hive, discover the wonders of swarms and how to keep them in check. Weather permitting, they will also open a hive and have a hands-on demonstration.

Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

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.

Presenter: Button. Organised by The Mushroomery.

This workshop is tailored for individuals at an advanced beginner to intermediate level in drawing and beginner level in coloured pencils.

Delve into the rich palette of persimmon. Work on various angles of presenting persimmon fruit for drawing, and investigate tools which will allow you to draw the specimen correctly and not rely on photographic material. Explore unique perspectives and angles to depict leaves and fruit, enhancing your drawing skills.

Tutor: Miffy Gilbert. Organised by Park Orchards Community House.

Learn how to set up a worm farm and the easiest methods to manage and care for these most hard-working of creatures.

This workshop will cover both the theory and practice of worm farming in a household setting. It will be useful for those wishing to recycle household food waste in order to produce worm products for use in the improvement of soil in gardens and pot plants.

Discounted worm farms will be available for sale on the day.

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.

This workshop will cover all aspects of successfully keeping backyard chickens, including the benefits of keeping chooks, children & chooks, what breeds will suit you, chickens’ food & basic medical needs, chicken housing and how to keep them safe from foxes.

Pat will discuss edible weeds and how to use them. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

These monthly sessions will cover planting, harvesting and all the jobs required in the garden each month.

Organised by Sustainable Macleod in conjunction with Watsonia Neighbourhood House.

You will learn about: the history and biology of a colony of European honey bees; protective clothing and occupational health and safety; hive components and assembly; bee biology and seasonal management; legislation; diseases and pests of bees; extracting honey; inspecting hive for disease; purchasing hives; and other products from the hive.

Presenter: Ashton Edgley.

What tools and infrastructure do you need to run a flourishing food garden, and how to get it for free? Kat Lavers, from The Plummery, will talk about garden tools and infrastructure including alternatives to pots, stakes, shade cloth, nets, buckets, ties and what to look out for in hard rubbish, skips and op shops. She will also cover which tools are actually worth investing a few dollars in and how to look after them.

The presentation will start at 7pm but there will be sandwiches and a food swap at 6.45pm.

10 Thursday sessions, starting 6th June, 9am-4pm, plus 2 Saturday sessions.

The topics to be covered will include: theory and principles of permaculture; creating integrated ecosystems; animals in permaculture; drought-proofing landscapes; soil rehabilitation and soil erosion control; managing bushfire risk; nutrient dense food production; water harvesting and management; ecological building and passive solar design; energy conservation techniques; recycling and sustainable waste management; and building personal and local community resilience.

Organised by Arrabri Community House.

Learn about the seasonal edible weeds that thrive in Melbourne’s inner north and gain knowledge about the plants’ culinary, medicinal and ecological uses. This session will also include a demonstration, and sampling, of prepared edible weeds.

Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

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.

So you want to create your own edible oasis, but you just don’t know where to start? This workshop will focus on: defining what you really want from your garden; understanding your garden through site analysis; developing a base plan; plant choice and how and where to grow them; and incorporating animals into the garden design.

Presenter: Donna Livermore.

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.

On both 15th and 16th 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 usually include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Swipers Gully Vineyard, Watson’s Creek Wines, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.

On both 15th and 16th 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 usually include: Buttermans Track, Easthill Estate, Hildebrand Ridge Organic Vineyard, Kings of Kangaroo Ground, Nillumbik Estate, Panton Hill Vineyard & Winery, Punch Wines, Shaws Road Winery, Swipers Gully Vineyard, Watson’s Creek Wines, Wedgetail Estate and Yarrambat Estate Vineyard.