April warm working bee (before the rain)

Another warm April working bee took place on the 8th, the second Saturday of the month.

Patrick arrived early with Artist as Family's ute, tools and gifted straw.

Flo, who is living and working at Melliodora utilised his verbi-voco-visual skills to make up new signs

Luna reminded us of childhood a generation and more back.

Everyone had a role to play 

Jeremy screened the compost to add to the leek and broadbean bed preparations.

Meg fine weeded with Woody and young new friend.

A mellow weekend cohort rocked up and gave gifts through the labour of their hands

Fe had the right idea, with smiles, hats and plenty of community garden experience.

Patrick jigged around the beds evenly distributing the finely screened compost.

Little garden nymphs also danced and explored the possibilities of the garden.

Lowique rests her back after a vigorous weeding session.

Just some of the bikes that transported workers to the bee.

Zero got among the soilers – Jono, Liv, Caroline and crew. His dog grasp of English is better than most think.

Woody cut points on stakes so they could be driven into the ground.

Alison harvested potatoes

Jeremy planted out the leeks

Patrick planted the broadbeans and staked them.

Flo set his signs above the compost piles

Nice job Flo!

Ah, the possibility of autonomous engagement. That's what we love about our community gardens. No membership, no gates, no rules, just the unpoliced ethic of take and return and let the gifts flow through the community.

It's so satisfying to grow communally and to learn, side by side.

Signage is always useful to let other gardeners know what's gone on before things become self evident.

Well, there we have it, another bloody beautiful bee.

After we divvied up and took home the bounty there were grapes, spuds and sun chokes left to offer up to the needs of others. All in a morning's work.

Last bee for 2016

The last working bee of the year began with tree work. The apples outside the library are under an ongoing restoration regime led by this guy, Ian Clarke.

Ian is passing on his extensive fruit tree knowledges to anyone interested. Patrick has apprenticed himself to Ian. Today's work was painting wooly aphids with methylated spirits.

Tracey rejuvenated the worm farm,

while Nick and

Lindy turned and reset the compost bays. What a big job!

Lorne and Fiona hit the weeds.

Maya and Django tackled the strawberry patch.

Alison also dug some weeds.

Rosie and Evie bonded.

Tim and Fiona did some planting.

Rosie showed Patrick the aged manure she gifted the gardens, courtesy of her lovely goats.

It had a rich humus smell.

Woody transported the weeds to the compost area. Good job Woody wheelbarrow.

Dora staked the tomato seedlings that she planted last month.

Asher dug the ground and found much to wonder at.

Kirsten, Alison and Meg posed for their band pic — The Dirt Chicks.

Patrick and Woody rode home with the working bee tools and the happy soil bacteria surging through their bodies.

Thank you everyone for coming and singing love into our public food garden. Hope you all have a peaceful and productive month. We look forward to seeing you at the January Bee on Jan 14 2017.

Summer's here and the time is ripe... for a cycle, a song and a pickle!

Two Fridays ago (January 30) saw the first Daylesford Critical Mass bike ride for some time... people met around 6.30 at the Albert Street garden before doing a couple of circuits of Vincent Street between the roundabouts...

The bike ride was followed by a gathering of gardeners, families and friends to picnic in the garden and enjoy the wonderful accordion, mandolin and guitar playing and singing of Salvatore Rossano and Haley Egan... a peaceful and convivial summer evening...

Meanwhile in the garden, vegetables continue to grow, and none more plentifully and vigorously than the splendid zucchini (and we all know the old joke about not leaving car doors open in summer)...

The zucchinis have not gone unnoticed by garden visitors, or the ever-observant Lena who has been in touch with the following:

Here is a great zucchini recipe from Sicily that can absorb some of the glut of these gems in harvest season, if you like pickles I can almost guarantee you’ll love these:

Pickled Zucchini

Wash and slice young zucchini fine (3-4mm thick)

Place in colander, salt at 1/2 cup per 2kg, or to taste. Toss the slices until all coated.

Leave to drain for 10-12 hours – a lot of the water will drain off.

Rinse briefly under cold water, squeeze out the water.

In a saucepan prepare a brine of 1/3 white wine vinegar and 2/3 cold water 

(enough to just cover the zucchini).

Boil up slowly, keep simmering for 3 min.

Very important not to exceed three minutes, this timing is really important 

(they will be mushy if over boiled).

Drain again, squeeze out the water. Place on or wrap in clean tea towels, for 10 hours, 

to absorb more moisture.

Add slices to a bowl, mix with chilli, garlic, chopped mint and olive oil (to taste).

Pack into clean jars, topping up with extra oil. Store in the fridge. 

The pickle will keep for several months. Enjoy!

And here's a pic of Lena and Patrick, sampling a drop of Patrick's full-bodied home-made red, crafted from the Library garden grapes, literally!

Also this week's issue of The Local carried a free ad for the garden... thanks Donna and Kyle... if you missed the ad here it is again.  

NEXT WORKING BEE 10AM THIS COMING SATURDAY 14 FEB