New Year catch-up news #1: Skate Park path & plantings

It took a couple of sessions to put down the compacted sawdust path at the Skate Park...

George & Jobbo at work

Jobbo, Scotty & Geoffrey

... but it was completed just before Xmas and looks magnificent - big thanks to everybody who helped!

The path has now been augmented with some further plantings... perennials and most of the orchard are in, and some citrus trees will be added soon. This year will be about getting more people involved and holding some fun workshops. This garden is open to everyone, individuals and community groups alike to make their own!

Note: If anyone is able to whipper-snip directly behind the garden (on the south & west sides) during January/February, that would help ward off any roundup spraying by the council, while we're still working on getting those border areas matted and mulched.

Skate Park working bee 10am – 12 midday Wednesday December 11

There's an upcoming working bee at the Skate Park on Wednesday December 11 to put down a compacted sawdust path, and to install some weed matting around the baby wattle hedge plants. This will reduce the need for slashing those areas behind the fruit trees. We’ll get underway around 10am. We need about 10 people, but all welcome! Please bring shovels, old tent pegs and wheelbarrows.

This regular visitor (below) has been at us for a few weeks to get onto this, so let's make them happy!

Reminder: the next Albert Street working bee is Saturday December 14... 

A forest garden

After several months of planning, with many enthusiastic people giving their time and skills, we today signed an agreement with Daylesford Secondary College (DSC) to begin work on a 5-acre food forest at the school in 2013. This will be the fifth community garden in Daylesford established within 2 years, and a significant contributer to the growing community food system we are developing locally. Part community garden, part educative resource, the DSC Food Forest will be a first of its kind in Australia. It will have an emphasis on growing ethical, local food in an ecologically restorative way and will teach students and the wider community how to climate change proof our food supply while attend to greenhouse gases by growing locally, perennially and organically.

Drawing by Patrick Jones (click for bigger)

The design group included DSC student Ruby Scott, DSC parent Alison Wilken, local permaculturalists Luke Pither, Patrick Jones, Paul Dempsey and Chris Wood, and consultation by permaculture co-originator David Holmgren and relocalisation activist Su Dennett. The generous and inspired school representatives have been teachers Liz Woodroofe, Karen Ruff, Eirinn Taylor and principal Tiffany Holt. Many others have given their time, support and knowledges to this project thus far, including the school's council, the Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre, numerous community gardeners and those who first sowed this seed.

All of us involved have thought it important to continue the great work the local primary schools have been doing to educate our kids in sustainable and ethical food production and really expand this knowledge at the secondary schooling level, where teenagers are often prey to corporate food predators.

We'll start looking for broader community support, volunteers and funding opportunities for the project in the new year. In the meantime our community can celebrate knowing that this project will begin to become a biophysical reality in 2013.

November working bee (Albert Street)

A tremendous win for community, local government and transitioning communities

Last night at the not so ordinary council meeting representatives of DCFG spoke against the contentious sale of two public sites (Rea Lands Park and 33 Albert St), and for these two spaces to be long term homes for community food production.

Representatives of DCFG presented questions for council. Here's Brett Adamson delivering his.

The outcome was unanimous from councillors to support the Rea Lands Park site as a community food forest pledging to work with us and cover our insurance, and, despite a deferment on making a decision for the site at 33 Albert St (next to the library), it looks like all councillors are principally in agreement not to sell the land and allow the continuation of community food being grown there too.

This support from council is just what we've been looking for. Thank you to councillors, supportive council officers and the community for all your parts in working towards an inclusive, healthy, peak oil resilient future. Last night was truly a joyous occasion and DCFG now really feel supported by our local government.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

Albert Street Community Garden to be sold off?

Tonight is an 'ordinary council meeting' to discuss the potential sale of the Albert Street community garden land, and to discuss the proposed Rea Lands Park community garden.

Many in the community have been working tirelessly to convince council to fully support local action to take responsibility for our food resources, and make these resources accessible, organic and free.

Brett, Pia and Fyfe did more work at the Albert Street garden last week and here is Zephyr adding his bit of carpentry know-how to their work.


Many of us believe that just because council is in debt, this doesn't justify the sale of community assets, assets that will be important for transitioning back to a local food economy. Most of the debt derives from paying bureaucrat's salaries.

Too many bureaucrats spoil the broth!