Big thanks to the volunteers and Nola for her amazing photos from the day!

The food forest has flushed green after a harsh summer that stripped the ground bare. The survivors: those born hardy or who retreated to the shadows of apple trees.

It was clear that we hadn’t quite gotten the balance right in terms of perennial plants, I blame the nasturtiums, they make everything seem so lush in spring but when it gets hot they are gone over night abandoning their companions to bake and burn. The same thing can happen in winter when a icy wind dislodges the last of the orange leaves and herbaceous plants tick their faces under the soil until next spring, it ends up looking like a forest of twigs and dirt, not ideal. That elusive perfect blend not only of the 7 layers of a food forest but of evergreen, deciduous, semi-deciduous, herbaceous and annual, a continuous dance of seasonal succession.

But thanks to a surprise donation from some nuns (I just love the randomness of that sentence, thanks ladies!) we were able to have a “take two” with our planting plan. And what a turn out! Despite our number limit, facebook invites are always a game of chance – is a yes a yes? what does maybe mean? This time Yes Yes Yes. Overwhelming at first, but once we got into our groove everyone worked together so well and we got so much done. We cheekily extended our boundary into an overgrown tree planter that the council’s gardening henchmen had neglected, it was a nest of grass and my hat goes off to the brave souls who bravely hacked back the jungle.

The most exciting part of the day was seeing our special flip top signs oiled and installed. Tom and Pat are the superstars who made my sign designs a reality.
Next food swap/permabee will be 2-3pm on Saturday 27th June! I hope to see you there to finish putting up the signs and adding the laminated “treasure hunt” style plant descriptions! It’s going to be so much fun! Check out the Flemington Food Swap facebook for information. (No facebook? Just comment on this post and I’ll add you to the mailing list) We will be having a potluck afternoon tea/food swap afternoon tea afterwards at 3pm! Hope to see you there!

The food forest a month earlier in need of some drought tolerant plants!

Drought tolerant plants are concentrated around the edges whilst moisture loving plants are sheltered in the "natural swale" of the land near the fence which is supplemented by drip irrigation. — Drought tolerant plants are concentrated around the edges whilst moisture loving plants are sheltered in the “natural swale” of the land near the fence which is supplemented by drip irrigation.

Hardy indigenous bush tucker that was once eaten by Victorian Aborigines and is accustomed to our harsh, dry summers.

Signs are made from off-cuts from Tom's renovation! Can't get much more sustainable than that! — Signs are made from off-cuts from Tom’s renovation! Can’t get much more sustainable than that!

shop discount beach wedding dresses UK at instyledress.co.uk — shop discount beach wedding dresses UK at prombee.co.uk

Taming the jungle! It is important to control grass at the edges especially fences and under trees where it is hard to remove once the garden grows up.

two piece prom gown UK — Running grass gone! Looking so much more spacious!

This was a beautiful, fun and productive day. Activities like Permabees are a fantastic low stress way to build a sustainable community. I’ve tried organising other social community building events like picnics and food swaps, but when the main attendees were my friends and my family I realised two important facts: strangers are shy and won’t show up to “social” events without a “pack of friends” as a buffer, I’m shy and organising these things stresses me out too! You just can’t force these things. And after repackaging the food swap as a permabee, it made it clear if you make it attractive they will come and if it involves and activity rather than talking you’ll have 30 people there without even trying and it will be a blast! We’re already planning our July Food Swap as a documentary night. I’ve learnt my lesson.Below is a little brainstorm about the highs and lows of building a community, the things that make it worthwhile and the pitfalls to avoid. Maybe you can help me add to the list! At the end of the day if it’s stressful and isn’t fun for you, the organiser, then it’s time to rethink the path you have taken or perhaps you just need to find more people to support to make the going easier. A highlight of the last Food Swap Permabee was that one of my uni classmates showed up who I hadn’t seen for about five years! We hadn’t actually spoken much at uni, but we soon found out we had SO much in common and it was exciting to discuss possible joint ventures and remember that Architecture can be holistic if you can shake yourself free of all that convention spouted as truths.

Attractive

Activities and workshops where you can meet like minded people without social pressure.
Sharing knowledge, learning a new skill.
Swapping tools and food
Supporting each other, banding together for or against an important cause
Making hard tasks easier by delegating and utilising individuals’ strengths
Building friendships, combating the loneliness of the city and the isolation one can feel when fighting the sustainable cause. Connection.
Being re-energised by other people’s passionate and determination
Having fun, celebrating and eating amazing food other people have brought along
Mentally and physically healthy alternative to sitting alone on the computer or watching TV.

Unattractive

Awkward social situations
Burning out because everyone relies on you (or a small group of you) to take charge and organise everything
No one showing up to your events
Stress of organising events where a lot of people come
Insurance and oh&s associated with community events
Pressure to come up with ideas
Pressure to instigate other people’s ideas
Lack of privacy when you have one of those yuk days when you don’t want anyone to recognise you and you run into about 5 acquaintances on the journey. (don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean)

barbara-planting-australian-edibles-native-raspberry-pigsface-saltbushg

Dylan installing drip irrigation along the fence. We wanted to minimised irrigation so we have concentrated plants that need moisture like berries along the fence leaving outlying areas for drought tolerant herbs, shrubs and bush tucker.

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finding community in the inner city

A little huddle of four we strode towards Coronet Park, seedlings swinging and lunchboxes bursting with baked treats. We had thrust out a net of fliers with hopes of finding like minded people: wishing for change, weary of waste… a community. Our resilient leader Carly strode with confidence, my heart had a slight flutter, the fear of disappointment. Flemington isn’t Northcote, would anyone show up?

The park seemed very big as we set out our assortment of winter veg and nibbled on Carly’s delicious Bengali bhaja. In the distance, a boy and his dad cocked their heads mid kick and wandered over. Their bags opened to reveal hundreds of juicy limes that their 10 year old tree had produced. If these were the kinds of wonders people brought to a food swap I was definitely in for the long haul! A quite little trio of three generations approached shyly. The grandmother, with not a word of English, but a huge contagious smile pointed to the swap items, to us to her, to her daughter all the while merrily chattering in Mandarin, to which we spoke not a word. She scuttled off and returned with a lunchbox of sweet and yummy red bean sweet cake and lovingly craddling the enormous Pak Choy she chose in return.

And then suddenly people were coming from all directions

All ages, all genders, all nationalities; carrying books, picnic food, veggies, herbs and clothes to swap. we found ourselves looking at each other and grinning in shock, it was overwhelming and heartwarming. Everyone seemed as thrilled about it as us, promising to return to the next swap with more friends, proffering invites to pot lucks, and clothing exchanges, parties and community working bees. At the end of the day everyone felt like they left richer than when they arrived, it was more than I imagined it could be and look forward to many more Swaps in the future. It will grow, people will share more than what can be held in the hand, knowledge, talents and strength!