Open Gardens

Unity Farm is an experimental project of the North Coast Settlement Service, which aims to help refugees from mainly Myanmar and Ethiopia to grow food. These are some very skilled gardeners: working out what you can grow locally and how. The farm has some higher ground (worked more by the Ethiopians) and lower, wetter flats (more the Myanmar style).

Seedsavers will come in, talk gardening, swap seeds, eat yummy food – the usual sort of thing we do. Come along by RSVP’ing below and you’ll get the address (but it might take a few days).

Yaam Gumbaynggirr.gundi jagun.

This is Gumbaynggirr homeland.

The Autumn plant fair has been cancelled, but we still have lots of seed packets to label. So come in and help finish that job off, have lunch, and then the fun starts – seed distribution!

That’s where you get to score some of the great seed we have in the Seed savers vault. We’ll also swap and share; so  if you’re after something special, or have something pretty cool to share (even if just in a small quantity), then say so on the RSVP message.

Here’s an example: Nick is looking for cuttings of Brazil spinach and will bring cuttings of pepper vine (the edible species).

On the 21st of March a reminder newsletter will go out to include our joint ‘wish list/ insider crops ‘ to help the group pull together the goods. 

Venue: probably in Bellingen town, but yet to be confirmed. You won’t get confirmation of the address when you RSVP – it’ll come in a separate email a few days or a week later.

Yaam Gumbaynggirr.gundi jagun.

This is Gumbaynggirr homeland.

Our regular plant fair gig is coming up, so we’ll get together and process seeds.

If you have seeds, bring ’em in and we’ll bag ’em up. If your seeds need processing, for example, corn on the cob or lettuce on the stalk, we’ll strip, shuck, winnow, sieve…whatever needs doing. If you don’t have seeds come in and help, have a chat, and maybe learn something. And of course, if you have seed to donate but can’t make it on the day, contact Nick or Jeff (see below) for a pickup.

That’s our standard Plant Fair prep. but this year there’s a twist. If you’re a bewildered beginner to growing food then the first hour is dedicated to you. Bring in your questions and our experienced gardening team will answer them. If you are experienced, you’re either on the panel or you can hang about helping Jeff to set up for seed processing.

Make sense? The simple answer is; come along, anyone and everyone is welcome.

Our wonderful hosts will be Paul and Viv. Bring a plate to share for afternoon tea – RSVP below for details and so we know you’re coming.

Contacts for seed pickup:

Nick: phone 0474 114 773, email: mail@bellingenpermaculture.com.au

Jeff: phone 0438 655 728, email: seeds@bellingenseedsavers.com

Yaam Gumbaynggirr.gundi jagun.

This is Gumbaynggirr homeland.

Happy New Year!

Linda Woodrow has grown food at commercial scale to supply an organic greengrocer and taught urban horticulture in concrete Havana. She’s the author of ‘The Permaculture Garden’ and the solarpunk novel ‘470’, and her current adventure is to see just how much food can be grown on a small, suburban block in Coffs Harbour.

Bellingen seed savers has scored a gig with Linda, who will run a show and tell around ‘How to grow food when you’re short on space, and time’ on site, in her garden.

RSVP below: Note that spots are limited and you won’t automatically get one, but you should get an automated reply saying you’re on the hotlist (or ‘in the system’, or equivalent). If you don’t get an automated reply, then contact Nick by emailing nick@designwithnature.com.au or texting 0474 114 773. Please ignore that there are 0 places available.

Yaam Gumbaynggirr.gundi jagun.

This is Gumbaynggirr homeland.

Hello seedsavers! After another successful plant fair and a short break, we’re back into garden visits.

This one is worth the travel: it’s ABC gardening guru Mr Phil Dudman, in his town garden, at Limore. There’s a lot of food in a small space and Phil really knows his stuff.

Numbers are limited so RSVP as soon as you can. Please ignore the number of places available on this page. We are not using that to allocate places and so it is set to zero. Note that when you RSVP, you won’t get the address, but you’ll go into seedsavers organisational system from where we’ll contact you. We’ll be carpooling. In your RSVP message, please indicate if you wish to drive and have seats for others (how many?), or prefer to be a passenger, and your locality.

If you don’t get an automatic reply to the RSVP saying ‘you’re in the system’, then contact Nick directly by emailing: mail@bellingenpermaculture.com.au. or phoning/ texting 0474 114 773.

Yaam Gumbaynggirr.gundi jagun.

This is Gumbaynggirr homeland.

It’s plant fair preparation time again. Harvest your seeds and bring ’em in to our central processing facility – which this Spring will be a table on Luigi and Crystal’s deck. If you don’t have seeds, come anyway – we need your labour, and you might learn something, talk tomatoes, eat yummy food, and maybe even score excess seed. If you do have seed but can’t come, contact Nick on 0474 114 773 or Jeff on 0438 655 728.

Bring a plate to share. If your christian name is H or later in the alphabet please bring something for lunch. A-J names please bring something sweet for morning tea. This division of labour is a guideline only and not strongly policed.

We’ll also check out Luigi, Crystal and Angelo’s garden. They’ve been on this block for a few years and the orchard is older than that. Luigi grew up in rural Italy, while Crystal grew up on farms in the gold coast hinterland. They both have food-growing genes, and are trying new stuff like syntropics.

This will be our last garden visit until late November! (Nick is going on holiday and there is no backup garden visit co-ordinator).

RSVP below, give the ‘automated tool two minutes to respond and if you don’t get the address, then email Nick at:

mail@bellingenpermaculture.com.au

If you still haven’t heard anything after a couple of weekdays then ring 0474 114 773. One way or another – we’ll get you there!

It is with great sadness that we let you know of the passing of a much loved member of the Bellingen Seed Savers community.

Leela O’Callaghan passed away on Monday 1^st July at home, with her loving partner and two long-time friends. Leela was always there to help seed savers share gardening knowledge and seeds. A bright star of the gardening world, who will be greatly missed.  

You are invited to gather to remember Leela at her house and garden; 1 Walnut Close Dorrigo (park in the cul-de sac), on Thursday 11^th July at 1pm. Bring a plate to share, and please RSVP here to let us know you are coming.  

Libby had a cracking garden in Melbourne, and has a young garden on a town block in Sawtell. We’ll check it out and attempt to answer (or to use the modern lingo – ‘workshop’) the following questions:

1. What is the difference between gardening in Melbourne and Sawtell?
2. Can you show me how to use the new Seed-savers-single-tool-library-drum-mulcher? And can I borrow it for a while? (yes and yes)
3. Can you help me put up a poly tunnel and bird net? (yes)
4. Bonus surprise questions to be announced on the day!

Numbers are limited – no pets please – so get your name in by RSVPing below.

If you don’t immediately receive a response to the RSVP, then contact Nick at mail@bellingenpermaculture.com.au or on 0474 114 773.

 Bring a chair and a plate to share for lunch. Carpooling is recommended – please advise if you need or can offer a lift.

You may have admired this fairly conspicuous garden from the street, when parking your car on market day or walking around town. Lindy manages to fit fruit, vegies, ducks and quail in a modest-sized back yard. Her style is an interesting balance of controlled yet a bit wild.

Numbers are limited – no pets please – so get your name in by RSVPing below. From here, one of two things could happen:

1. You get an automated message saying that you’re in the system and will eventually get a reply (this may take a week or two) either confirming that you’re in and the address, or with the rare but unfortunate news that you missed out.
2. Or you don’t get an automated message immediately upon RSVPing. In that case, email Nick below.

Any issues, contact Nick by phone: 0474 114 773 or email: mail@bellingenpermaculture.com.au

 Bring a chair and plate to share for lunch. Carpooling is recommended – please advise if you need or can offer a lift.

Bellingen Seedsavers will be pulling together groups of ten to learn about mushrooms, starting in late March and running for as long as there is interest. There’s wild foraging – what you can eat, what you can’t (an important difference) and where to find ’em. There’s also home growing (shitake, oyster etc.) using log culture.

Our host will be Jsun Lau, a big name on the national fungiculture scene. Cost will be $40/ person for a day of wild foraging. The home growing workshops will be held Bowraville, a five hour session is $70/ person, including take-home culture material. More about that later.

For now, our third foray is on Saturday 6th April.  We’ll start in Bellingen town and should have time for a side trip out to Glennifer. Bring a plate to share for lunch and no dogs please.

RSVP and if you don’t get an automated reply then email Nick: mail@bellingenpermaculture.com.au.