Oct 012024
 

Thanks to the people who have contributed to this week’s newsletter: Chris Chapple, Chris Kent, Connie Cao, Julia Laidlaw, Kayte Kitchen, Teresa Day and Simone Gardiner.

Bundoora’s soon-to-be Urban Agriculture Centre and Community Hub (by Chris Chapple)

Bundoora is about to be the site of an Urban Agriculture Centre and Community Hub. This is a Local Food Connect project in conjunction with Bundoora Secondary College and Banyule City Council.

Local Food Connect is contributing $250,000 to the project with the support of a $200,000 grant from the Victorian State Government’s Living Local program.

Bundoora Secondary College is developing into a specialist Food and Fibre Industry Pathway provider, exposing secondary students to related pathways through practical, immersive experiences.

The schools’ existing resources that support agricultural, horticultural and animal husbandry studies are about to get a substantial boost with the imminent handover of a new Science and Agriculture building.

The new building opens onto a large area that was formerly tennis courts. Local Food Connect’s role is to turn this area into a learning and growing experience and to open up these resources to community activity.

The photo right is of the old tennis courts, soon to be transformed, with the nearly completed science & agriculture building behind them. Pictured left to right are Ann Stanley (Local Food Connections), Ann Hague (Local Food Connect), Chez Orchard (Young Farmers Connect), Joel Orchard (Young Farmers Connect), Brian Daniells (Bundoora Secondary College) and Nick Rose (Sustain: the Australian Food Network).

The new building is expected to be completed during October which will enable work on the growing space to commence in earnest. During November, LFC will be offering tours of the facility for interested members of the community. The tour options are 3pm on Wednesdays 13th or 20th and 10am on Saturdays 16th or 23rd November. Make a booking.

Looking forward, the Urban Agriculture Centre will be formally opened on 22nd February 2025 in conjunction with the school’s celebration of its new building.

To stay in touch with this project, join their email list.

Radicle Roots Community Garden

Radicle Roots is a new community garden in Coburg, at 193 Urquhart Street, near the Merri creek. It is open to everyone to grow and harvest as they wish.

The garden was created by the Guerilla Gardening Naarm Collective, which aims to respond to the escalating cost-of-living and climate crises by creating localised food systems that do not rely on industry or the state. Inequalities plague existing food systems; they actively create obstacles to accessing fresh healthy food. It aims to be a grassroots alternative to these systems and to promote the power of community collaboration and solidarity in meeting our needs. The collective intends to discard ideas of land ownership and instead practice ideas of collective care for, and equal access to, land, embodying the concept of ‘the commons’.

Listen to this two part 2024 interview on 3CR: part 1 and part 2.

You can donate to the garden. All funds raised go towards covering material and maintenance costs for the garden and no funds are used to pay any members of the collective.

They have working bees at 10am every Saturday in spring and summer and at 11am in autumn and winter. They always welcome new people going along.

Read their page in our Local Food Directory. Contact them by email. Also, see their website and Instagram page.

There are now pages on our website for 13 different community gardens in Merri-bek.

The Your Asian Veggie Patch book is now available for purchase

Thanks to everyone who entered our little competition last week to win some free copies of Connie Cao’s book, Your Asian Veggie Patch. We had 15 entries and Connie is currently cogitating on who should be the 3 winners.

In the meantime, you can now buy your own copy of the book online from (as they say) all good retailers, with the price varying between $21 and $40.

Here’s the blurb: “Your Asian Veggie Patch is a comprehensive, beginner-friendly guide to growing and cooking Asian vegetables, herbs and fruits at home. Permaculture gardener Connie Cao guides you though a curated selection of more than 40 cool-season and warm-season annuals and perennials (from amaranth greens, bok choy and daikon to loofah, pandan and yuzu), meaning it’s easy to find produce that will thrive in your garden and climate. Then, make the most of your abundant harvest with 50 fresh home-style recipes inspired by Connie’s Chinese heritage: think edamame and pickled mustard greens, stir-fried Shanghai rice cakes, pork and chive dumplings, Chinese pumpkin cakes and winter melon tea.”

Amaranth greens (by Connie Cao)

[To celebrate her upcoming book, Asian veggie patch, Connie has provided some material for this newsletter about some of her favourite Asian veggies that you can grow during the summer. This week’s subject is amaranth greens. You can read her previous veggies on our website.

If you’re looking for a leafy green to grow through summer, try amaranth greens, a popular Asian veggie which comes from the same genus as the amaranth flower and the grain amaranth. The plant originates from South and Central America but is commonly eaten in Southeast Asia and Southern China.

While its native habitat is the tropics, it grows quickly and easily as a warm season annual here in Melbourne. I like to treat it as a ‘cut and come again’ green and it makes a great summer substitute for spinach. In my backyard, I like to direct sow my amaranth greens around early November. They germinate quickly and are fast growing plants that will give you a harvest in no time. If you let it flower and set seed, it will re-grow each year in the same spot.

Amaranth greens come in various colours, with the red varieties creating a beautiful, beetroot red soup when cooked.

Watch this video on Instagram.

Two great photos

These two great photos are of Mooroolbark Community Garden, presumably taken by drone. Is there anyone out there who has a drone who would be willing to take some photos of some of our other local community gardens?

  

FareShare and SecondBite have merged

Two of the major food justice organisations in Melbourne, namely FareShare (which makes meals to give away) and SecondBite (which rescues food from supermarkets to give away) have merged. Read the official announcement. It is not immediately clear what, if any, impact this will make on the ground.

The Greensborough Food Swap is no more

After many years, The Greensborough Food Swap is now no more. As the organiser, Kayte Kitchen, told me: “We have decided to finish up the Greensborough Food Swap. We had a lovely little core of 4 but we just couldn’t keep people that visited for some reason.” Thanks to Kayte for keeping it going in recent years.

Some more new articles from Angelo Eliades

Zucchini growing guide.

Planting nut trees to transform neglected spaces.

Read more of Angelo’s articles about food growing.

Thinking about setting up a repair cafe?

If so, you might like to have a look at this guide from Sustainability Victoria (pdf).

Critter of the week from my garden – oleander aphid

The photo is of a bunch of oleander aphids (Aphis nerii) on a mandevilla plant in my garden. Mandevillas, like oleanders, are in the dogbane (Apocynaceae) family, and it is plants in this family upon which the aphids mainly feed.

Oleander aphids are very unusual in that there are neither males nor eggs. Rather, the females give birth to miniature, replica clones of themselves. In technical language, this means that they are both parthenogenetic (i.e. have offspring which are genetic clones of the mother) and viviparous (i.e. give birth to live offspring). Whilst many aphid species are partly parthenogenetic, with several parthenogenetic generations between each period of sexual reproduction, oleander aphids are unusual in being fully parthenogenetic.

Most oleander aphids are wingless but under certain conditions (e.g. overcrowding and/or dying plants) winged versions appear and migrate to other plants.

Read about my previous insects (or other critters) of the week on our website.

If you have any interesting photos of critters in your garden, email them to me.

The Melbourne ‘Local Food Connections’ community radio show

On next Sunday’s show (15th September, 10-10.30am) on 3CR (855 AM), Ann and Amy will interview someone from Oakhill Food Justice Farm. Listen by tuning into either the station (855 AM) or its livestream.

Podcasts of all previous episodes are available on their website.

Which link was clicked most times in the last newsletter?

The most popular link in the last newsletter was the Seeds of Plenty online see shop.

The most popular event link in the last newsletter was the upcoming DIVRS’s Urban Food Program 10th birthday celebration at Alphington Food Hub on 19th October.

b33e661f-c100-4ebe-9ffa-847952e0da4e.jpgJoke (or pun) of the week

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. (submitted by Steven Wright)

Read more food-related jokes on our website.

 

Regular activities over the coming week

Farmers’ and other food markets
Food swaps
Community gardens

Not local but interesting

Knox Community Gardens 40th anniversary open day; Saturday, 5th October, 10am-4pm; free; Boronia.

There will be seedling sales, cake & other food sales, live music, workshops and community stalls.

Shedfest; Saturday, 12th October and Sunday, 13th October, 11am-5pm; $35; various around Yarra Valley.

Now in its 21st year. Visit 14 of the smaller wineries in the Yarra Valley, with your ticket providing access to tastings at all 14. 2 wineries – Helen’s Hill Estate and Yileena Park – will be participating for the first time. Meals will be available for purchase at all of the wineries and there will also be live music, petting zoos, classic car displays and lawn games.

Various events by Cultivating Community at Burwood Brickworks Shopping Centre.

Not face-to-face but interesting – Sustainable Gardening Australia

Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA) have organised a series of one hour, online classes during October and November with the overall theme of reducing your carbon footprint by growing carbon-intensive products (like herbs, teas and cut flowers) and by boost carbon sequestration in your garden (e.g. by planting native grasses and incorporating carbon-efficient greens). You can book individual sessions for $30 each (see the details below) or all 4 for $110.

Upcoming face-to-face events – not cooking

Backyard biochar workshop; Saturday, 26th October, 10am-midday; free; Richmond.

Learn how to make and activate biochar for your garden big or small, whether you have a balcony or a market garden. Reduce the need for manual watering, cut out chemical fertilisers that are harmful to soil life and increase plant health, growth, yields, nutrient density and flavour of your produce. Take home some of your very own biochar. Teacher: Kath Jones. Organised by Richmond Neighbourhood Centre.

Paddock to plate mushrooms at home; Saturday, 26th October, 10.30am-2pm; $250 ($71 per hour); Alphington.

You will learn about DIY mushroom cultivation, making your own zero waste oyster mushroom grow kit to take home. You will then step into the kitchen to learn how to cook the mushrooms to perfection. To finish off, you will share a meal of lions mane steak and wild garlic & mushroom risotto. Finally, you will have a chance to purchase fresh mushrooms and other Sporadical products such as walnut & mushroom pate, OMG confit and OM XO sauce. Presenter: Julia Laidlaw from Sporadical City Mushrooms.

Farm Raiser tour and working bee; Saturday, 2nd November, 10am-2pm; free; Bellfield.

Join farmers Charlotte and Eve for a tour of the Farm Raiser urban farm and a working bee. They will show you around the farm, explain their systems and answer your questions, then you will get your hands dirty with some fun farm tasks. Then have some lunch.

Composting and mini market; Saturday, 2nd November, 10.30am-12.30pm; free; Montrose.

Pat will discuss composting, the different types and the ways that we can use it. Following the talk, the Montrose Community Cupboard will have a mini market. Those attending the talk will enter the market first.

Introduction to food photography; Sunday, 10th November, 1.30-4.30pm; $119 ($40 per hour); Warrandyte.

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.

Bundoora Urban Agriculture Centre and Community Hub pre-launch site tour; 4 occurrences on Wednesday 13th November at 3pm, Saturday 16th November at 10am, Wednesday 20th November at 3pm, and Saturday 23rd November at 10am; free; Bundoora.

Tour the site of the developing Bundoora Urban Agriculture Centre and Community Hub which is due to open in February 2025. Organised by Local Food Connect.

Composting workshop and garden tour (Bellfield); Saturday, 16th November, 10-midday; free; Bellfield.

Learn about all the tips and tricks to make great compost. Find out more about different containers, worm farming and bokashi buckets. Then take a tour of the Bellfield Community Garden to see firsthand how your garden can benefit from compost. Organised by Bellfield Community Garden.

Low-waste celebrations with The Urban Nanna; Thursday, 21st November, 6.30-8pm; free; Preston.

Anna The Urban Nanna will discuss ways to reduce waste, including: food preparation and recipe ideas; sourcing and making eco-friendly gifts; decorating ideas using upcycled or natural materials; alternatives to gift wrapping paper; and managing waste at events.

What is the future of urban agriculture in Naarm?; Thursday, 21st November, 6.30-8pm; free; Fitzroy North.

A panel will discuss the challenges and possible solutions shaping the future of urban agriculture in our city.

Good & bad bugs, pests, snails & slugs and how to control them; Saturday, 23rd November, 10-midday; free; Bellfield.

Meet some common pests and diseases, as well as some of the creatures that prey on them. Hear about some simple steps that you can take to protect your crops and learn a natural, sustainable and cost-effective approach to pest and disease management in the home garden. Presenter: Kat Lavers. Organised by Bellfield Community Garden.

Beeswax wraps; Saturday, 23rd November, 10am-midday; $80 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will: make washable and reusable ready-to-use beeswax wraps; and learn skills that are transferable to the home environment. Presenter: Emma Grace.

Beginners backyard beekeeping; Sunday, 24th November, 10am-3pm; $220 ($44 per hour); CERES.

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.

In-depth mushroom cultivation workshop; Sunday, 24th November, 10am-4pm; $161 ($27 per hour); Alphington.

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: Buttons. Organised by The Mushroomery.

In October
In November

Upcoming face-to-face events – cooking

Japanese home cooking class – crystal soft candy (2 sessions); on Tuesdays 8th and 15th October, both 7-8.30pm; free; Greensborough.

In the first session, make kohakutou, a traditional Japanese confection resembling edible crystals In the second session, showcase it with Japanese teas. Organised by Greenhills Neighbourhood House.

Japanese menu – healthy cooking (2 sessions); on Wednesdays 9th and 16th October, both 9.30am-2.30pm; $50 ($5 per hour); Kilsyth.

Begin with a miso starter then make a variety of sushi rolls, then finish off with a dessert. Organised by Japara Living & Learning Centre.

Cake decorating (9 sessions); on Thursdays, starting 10th October, 12.30-2.30pm; $100 ($6 per hour); Mill Park.

Learn how to decorate cakes for those special occasions (weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, christenings, etc). Learn the art of butter icing cake decorating. Organised by Mill Park Community House.

Handmade gnocchi masterclass and lunch; Saturday, 26th October, 11am-2pm; $153 ($51 per hour); Brunswick.

Learn how to make gnocchi from scratch using traditional Italian techniques, shaping your own gnocchi under guidance. Then eat gnocchi Napoli paired with a glass of Italian wine.

Fermenting at home; Sunday, 24th November, 10am-1pm; $120 ($40 per hour); CERES.

You will learn the basics of making your own sauerkraut, fermented seasonal vegetables and kombucha plus how to use fermented products in day-to-day life. You will take home your own jars of vegetables to ferment at home plus a kombucha SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). Presenter: Lauren Mueller.

In October
In November

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