Urban ag forum workshops

Collingwood Children’s Farm have organised a series of three live workshops to be held on the farm over the course of the day:

Discovery walk with Glenn Clapton (11:30am): a sensory discovery walk introducing indigenous and native medicinal and edible plants. Learn how insects, birds, marsupials and other wildlife, fungi and plants and waterways are all interdependent and why these ecosystems are essential to growing food and supporting agriculture and urban agriculture. Learn about the work the Narrap Rangers do caring for Country and restoring these essential ecosystems on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung country.

Market garden tour with Simeon Ash and Rachel Freeman (1:00pm): tour their new market garden. Learn growing tips to take home to your own patch of sun plus growing principles for productivity, garden design and discuss some concepts of regenerative agriculture. Explore ideas such as: seedlings versus direct seeded crops; weed management; irrigation set-ups;and crop timing and rotations for Melbourne based city gardens.

Novel crops with Chris Williams (2:30pm): learn about a range of perennial or unusual edibles, including sweet potatoes, New Zealand yams, taro, bitter melon and water chestnuts. Chris will explain how to propagate and grow these species successfully in Melbourne. Participants will receive sweet potato cuttings to prepare for growing next spring.