February – rich pickings for the thinking farmer
February is a busy time for most farmers and gardeners but if you can get somebody to cover your zucchini harvest, water your microgreens and bottle your kombucha then this month there is some seriously inspiring fruit to fill your metaphorical apple picking bag!
Here’s a taster…..
Saturday Feb 3rd CERES Joe’s Market Garden Tour
Recently featured in Gardening Australia’s TV & Magazine Emily and Monique from Joe’s Market Garden, Melbourne’s last urban market garden and home to the most intimate and earthy farmgate stall you’ll ever buy a bunch of basil from, are showing off their 2.5 acre heritage market garden during the peak of the season (they might even rope you in to picking some wild amaranth!). $10.00 – 10.30am Edna Grove, Coburg (Farmgate starts at 9am).
Then a week later in Richmond on Saturday, Feb 10th, Cultivating Community, together with Milkwood Permaculture, are delighted to present a Conversation with Michael Abelman – city farming pioneer, author, educator and tireless advocate for sustainable agriculture.
Michael, whose book on Fairview Gardens provided inspiration for CERES Organic Farm, will share insights from his latest publication, Street Farm, an inspirational account of residents from Vancouver’s notorious Low Track neighbourhood joining together to create an urban farm. 10am, 19 Belgium Ave, Richmond. Pay what you feel (proceeds to Cultivating Community food projects – includes a community garden tour)
And if that doesn’t do the trick on the following Sunday 18th Feb at CERES Future Farmers is an event for farmers wanting to get into farming hearing from farmers who have already got into farming on a myriad of different pathways .
A complete evening with food, music and drink featuring a keynote from Carolyn Suggate from the innovative Organic & Regenerative Investment Co-op and a young farmer’s panel discussion with Paul Miragliotta from Days Walk Farm, Madelaine Scott from Madelaine’s Eggs and CERES own Em Connors from Joe’s Market Garden, all talking about their experiences of getting started, finding land, the hurdles they’ve faced on the way and what it’s taken to find their feet (oh, and did I say that I’m emceeing this?).
Plenty of food, music and drinks available. Sunday 18th February 6-9pm CERES, Brunswick East, Free event (new lot of tickets available here). Part of the Sustainable Living Festival 2018
The 2018 Urban Agriculture Forum
And to round it out on the last Friday and Saturday of February is a two day smorgasbord of urban agriculture featuring keynote speakers Dr Lenore Newman, Canada Research Chair in Food Security and the Environment, Dark Emu, Black Seeds author Bruce Pascoe, permaculture co-originator, David Holmgren, Ben Shewry, Attica restaurant founder and the man with Australia’s most biodynamic beard, ABC Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiadis. Fri and Sat 23rd & 24th of February, William Angliss Institute, Melbourne, from $108 – (be quick only the pricier tickets left by the look)
The last week of Tito…
This coming week is the last chance to jump on board the Tito Jackson (it’s a long story) train and join our annual tribute to the bacterial world that feeds us, sustains our bodies and keeps our biogeochemical world turning right.
The Tito Jackson’s Month of Bacterial Celebration works like this:
Step 1. Place your order – (before 11am Sunday 4th Feb )
Step 2. Enter the promo code TITO2018 at checkout
Step 3. Order for 4 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS* (TJMoBC ends March 2nd)
Step 4. Look after your bacterial community and reassess your goals as a dominant life form.
Do these things and we’ll reward you with a big jar of Belyhealth Kraut or Kimchi made down in Jan Juc.
*And look, if you don’t do the four in row thing do not fret – if you receive four deliveries between January 8th and March 2nd just call us on 8673 6288 and we’ll make sure you get the kraut or kimchi with your next order.
Have a great week.
Chris
