What Do You Want Your Community Garden To Be?

I know, quite along winded title but it's a question I want everyone to think about? What do you want your community garden to be?

For us who regularly attend, I can say on behalf of all that it's about friendship and being able to garden effectively. It's a place that brings connection through a passion for gardening and nature.

It's truly an amazing place and with recent groups such as Early Years Care who come along and enjoy the space, it makes it an even more valuable and special place for the extended community.

As I express what the garden means to me I want you to think about what it means to you.

The most obvious thing about a garden is the planting, growth and the harvest of food and plants. However, there are other things that grow as a by product such as, friendship, learning new skills, eating well, creativity of many kinds and a sense of joy to be alive.

One of the creative things that have grown organically within the space is the idea of performing a pantomime. What the heck??? Non of us are experts in the field of performing but we are going to give it a go. See what I mean? We have nurtured a can do attitude!

For me personally, I have enjoyed the freedom to paint, create, sing a song, build teepee's, mosaic, watch other people cook, make friends and have my world enlarged.

My vision is to see the space become an out door class room for many different groups for all ages. I would love to start getting people engaged with creative activities or maybe it can be a space where people can picnic and have a rest from what ever bothers them. Community gardens are awesome and I greatly encourage others to be involved and to hopefully show how not only is it about gardening but it's so much more if you let it

We often eat well

And the creativity is shared

and we have our community groups

Extensions

Exciting things are happening at the garden at the moment as we are getting extensions, meaning more storage, seating and a space to comfortably cook stuff. As the new additions take place, I'm sure that they will create a cosy atmosphere that will give a homely feeling to the place.

Not saying that its not already a homely feel!!!

More images as the weeks go by.

Bush Tucker Launch

On Wednesday the 23rd of January we had a wonderful day as the launch of the Bush Tucker Garden was officially opened. So many people from the community came to celebrate with us and we are very thankful for all who came.

Terry, Cliff, Lindy and Anthony

There was music, colour and so much that contributed to the atmosphere.

Anthony AKA Spud doing welcome to country

The Elders who came and enjoyed the day

It was also wonderful through modern technology to have Angela as a part of the day

We also had a visit from out little friends from around the corner

The animals from Symbio was also a big hit with kids and adults.

For me, it was a great day that made me feel proud to be a part of the garden and my hope is that the garden will became an outdoor classroom for all. Here are some words from other garden members about the day.

It was really fantastic and the people who I talked to really enjoyed it and were really pleased to see good use of this open space.- Martie

Symbio was good and so was the  sport and rec girls. I was surprised so many people turned up. -  Cliff Lovelace.

I was so pleased to see the smiles on the faces of the elders; the best justification for the idea of the project. I hope they will become involved in the future - Cliff Ball

The bush tucker launch was a very emotional experience for me. It highlighted the potential for the bush tucker garden space to be a place of gathering and reconciliation. So much positive energy flowed throughout the day that it surely must be the beginning of a new and fruitful journey for the local community - Angela Dever

As a volunteer community gardener and supervisor of Access Community Group Work and Development Orders program I am very proud to be a part of this wonderful journey at Barrack Heights Community Garden. 
It allows me to explore and learn everyday with and from other gardeners and community members within the "Fair Share" ethos of permaculture. 
It is pleasing to obtain the valuable assistance of volunteers and also assist them to reduce State Debt Recovery Office debt and witness them being able to open new doors in their lives - Darren Bell

The garden was built around friendship, enthusiasm as well as sharing knowledge. A massive team effort by everyone involved.
T-ogether
E-veryone
A-chieves
M-ore 
 Terry Rankmore

Ilawarra Mercury

Advertiser

Stuffed Zucchini

One of the nicest pleasures of being involved with the community garden is the introduction of new recipes to my repertoire. 

For example, I have never before had access to humongous sized zucchini's before!! So when we picked them I'm like "what do you do with these babies???" I was then informed that one could stuff and bake them so I gave it a go.

For this particular recipe I made it up.

Ingredients

• A very big zucchini
• onion
• Tin of tuna
• rice
• tin or fresh tomatoes
• egg
• herbs
• veggie stock
• cheese

The how too

• boil rice
• fry onion
• mix tuna, rice, tomatoes, egg, onions into a bowl
• scrape seeds out of zucchini and make a nice little canoe
• pop mixed ingredients into the zucchini
• top with grated cheese
• pop onto a preheated oven 180deg
• Depending on how you like it, give it 50min or if your like me bake it until the zucchini is soft

There you go, I hope this is clear enough!!

Introducing Charlie Mgee

On Thursday night I went to the Flame Tree Community Food Coop to see Charlie Mgee, a Permaculture ukulele performer with a special guest Paul Spencer.

Paul Spencer

It was such a great atmosphere of live music, veggie soup and organic tea with honey.

Charlie Mgee sees himself as an educator for all things permaculture and writes wonderful catchy tunes so we wont forget what he's talking about. There were a few things that he sung about that really popped out at me, the first was a song about the edge. Life is far more interesting on the edge and I think I have to agree with that.

The 2nd was how we need to obtain a yield, whether you pick the  produce that you have planted, to the happy and satisfying feelings you get from gardening. It also strikes me that abundance is everywhere and we need to just be thankful and receive it. Its time to also break cycles of poverty within our communities and create more sustainable living for everyone.

The 3rd thing was about observing and I have to say it was like he gave me permission to just sit and watch. Not that I need permission as I am a person who always likes to watch, so perhaps I should just say, confirmation that what I do is awesome???

Charlie Mgee

Anyway here is one of his catchy numbers that I hope you will enjoy and just be careful, it will stay in your brain all day.