Seedlings & Plants

The Mushroom Shed
Products:
Mushrooms, mushroom kits. Also herb and veggie seedlings.
Local outlets:
Bundoora Park Farmers’ Market
Township/suburb:
Montmorency
Municipality:
Banyule
Notes (in their own words):

The Mushroom Shed is a local grower of swiss brown and white mushrooms and also provide ‘grow your own’ kits for people who want to grow their own mushrooms at home. They also do a wide range of herb and veggie seedlings, in pots/punnets – concentrating on heritage and unusual varieties, with over 40 varieties of heritage tomato seedlings available in Spring. You can see Mark and Helen at farmers’ markets both locally and in other Melbourne suburbs. As a small producer, they sell only direct to the customer via farmers’ markets (no wholesale), giving the customer ultimate freshness and an opportunity to talk directly with the grower.

The Veggie Empire
Products:
Vegetable seedlings and seasonal vegetables
Edendale Farm (seedlings only)
Township/suburb:
Greensborough
Municipality:
Banyule, Nillumbik
Notes (in their own words):

The Veggie Empire grow fruit, vegetables and herbs at Beales Road Farm. They sell both seedlings and vegetables to the public. They also provide vegetables and herbs to the food relief program at Greenhills Neighbourhood House in Greensborough.

Beales Road Farm is a small regenerative urban farm in suburban Greensborough that operates under a landshare arrangement with local man Hayden Mclean, who generously shares his land with the team. The farm is closed to the public but keep an eye on social media for special events and offers.

The farm team comprises NDIS-funded team members Josh and Scott, plus supporting horticulturalists and other volunteers.

The farm includes a small propagation nursery where the team grow seedlings for planting out on the farm and for sale. This includes a shaded hard stand work area and a poly tunnel. The Veggie Empire would like to thank Local Food Connect, Nelson Alexander Real Estate, Somerset Organics and Yarra Valley Water, all of whom provided support for this development.

In 2021, Ann Stanley visited The Veggie Empire. Read her writeup of the visit.