Open Gardens

March 14, 2022

Lightstream in Lowanna

Our Lightstream in Lowanna visit was sadly postponed in November last year, but luckily Andrew and Judy are still keen to host us for a leisurely rural visit. We still have the rain lurking at present, but here’s hoping for a drying trend!

Judy’s suggestion is:

“I think 10.30 am would be good arrival time. Morning tea, then walk around garden, chat, go for swim about 12 and come back for lunch at 2ish. Finish at 4pm.”

Swimming is optional, of course, but their waterhole is a sight to behold!

You will need to register for the event, even if you RSVPd last year. Priority will be given to the first round responders, but we have also increased numbers from the previous invite.

Judy and Andrew are natural therapists with specialties in meditation, massage and herbalism. They have been on their MO for a couple of decades, running a successful airbnb as well as improving and adding to the initial buildings and gardens. Now they are mostly retired and throwing themselves fully into the productive gardens.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

February 13, 2022

Seed packing day in Raleigh at Chris’s house

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

It’s on again – seed packing day at Chris’s in Raleigh for this year’s Bellingen Autumn plant fair. If you have excess seeds saved with good genetic purity, please pass them on to us with your details for packing. Better yet, come along and enjoy our version of ‘hard work’ (not).

Chris and Merren (18 Hyde St. Fernmount) are happy to recieve donations of seed from those who can’t make it to our seed cleaning day. We are keen for kale, all other brassicas, lettuce and spinach/chard seed. If anyone has surplus dried, please label with date saved, the growers and the plants name, and the collection locality. Seed can be left at their front door any time.

If you have potted plants, cuttings, tubers or other forms of non-seed plant material to donate for the plant fair, it is best if you can drop them off at our stall at the plant fair before 9 am. If you are not attending the plant fair or won’t be arriving until late, Chris and Merren in Fernmount have kindly offered to collect non-seed plant material on the Thursday and Friday prior to the plant fair. Please leave the material out the front of 18 Hyde St in Fernmount.

Limited places available.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

January 20, 2022

Terry’s garden in South West Rocks

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

There’s a big day planned for early February; we’re trekking down to Terry in South West Rocks and getting two for the price of one, with a visit to Kimbo’s garden as well!

Terry has been joining us now for a couple of years and now it’s our turn to see what he’s been up to down South

Terry says:

Previously, I had been living in Belongil near Byron for two and a half years.

During that time, I had joined Byron Permaculture group with Geoff Lawton where we would meet once a month, this would include group presentations, guest speakers, garden visits, farm visits and volunteer community projects.

I loved all that kinda stuff !

Turn the page to the Covid thing …. And, I have an elderly mother living on her own with little support, so I moved back and started doing up a separate flat, so I could continue the transition and support.

South West Rocks has a beautiful environment tho, lacks culture, diversity, difference and has a high aged demographic.

“How am I going to survive here ? I thought after 8 years away ? Answer rebuild community connections and activate new groups and align with like minds to create life.

Thank you Bellingen seed savers for throwing me a lifeline ! You are an amazing group and this stuff is soooo important for health and community.

I decided to start a garden, it was straight white sand, full sun and wind exposed with little to no organic matter, zero water holding capacity.

The other factor was not knowing how long I’d stay and what can I do to enrich life: mine, my mother’s and others’ ?

Answer, start a garden.

Join Seed Savers.

Start Forest Ecology Alliance.

Start Voices of South West Rocks Community.

So, 20 months later its coming together, What I have tried to combine in the garden are visual aesthetics, bush foods, native legume species, fast carbon pathways, Bokashi, wildlife corridor habitat boxes, native animal refuge areas, endemic native plant species for biodiversity, water features, herbs, and fruit and vegetables.

Where I would like your help is in water site reuse and management and designing the new garden area ?

What I can help with is what I found successful in helping establish things in difficult areas.

We also plan to visit Kimbo’s garden he has been operating a double block 1000 sq mts super productive village garden that supplies many locals with greens on a daily basis, which is a hub for locals to call in and chat tell stories, swap things and purchase fresh locally grown produce.

Kim has been doing this off his own drive for probably 8 -12 years and it started just by wanting to grow a few things in his back yard.

What he has managed to do is miraculous, it’s so productive ! It’s a work of art right in the centre of town ! And it’s a gathering spot.Right on the spot where we would watch the local fishermen mend their nets when we were kids. Kim likes to keep things low key and simple and is humble about what he does, tho the value of this unique aspect is priceless. It’s identity, it’s culture, it’s food, it’s recipes, it’s remembrances, it’s health.

What I hope may come from this get together is bringing the best to all areas along our coast and connecting people who wish to share a love for growing things and along the way build a tribe and enrich a community.

Oh, Im also having lots of fun bringing colour and doing some beach shack Reno’s to this area as we most are experiencing coastal development growth it’s important to add visual options and embed growing knowledge I feel.

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So the plan is; meet up at Terry’s 10am and travel to Kimbo’s patch by 10.30am, back to Terry’s for lunch and afterwards a look at/kayak on the lake in the arvo. Should be an action packed day!

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

November 26, 2021

Garden visit to Sue’s garden in Bellingen

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

Sue says:

As for a bit about myself and what my hopes are for the garden….

Well, I have been in Bellingen just 3 years. Born in Qld, but spent most of my adult life in Tassie. When my kids left home, and the State, I decided I would too and went to live and work in the remote NT for 6 years. Now here.

I am still working part time as a Community Palliative Care Social Worker, but contemplating transition into a life not in paid work quite soon. I have a life long interest, indeed passion for meditation, and for growing things.

My current garden has been determined a lot by existing trees and landscape shapings, including some grassed areas, though I am keen to reduce the grass to just a couple of areas. I want it to be beautiful as well as sustainably productive and able to feed me (and others), the birds and the bees. I am still working out how to garden in this climate.

I am inspired by permaculture and ideas of food forests. Though mine will never quite be that, and it is a work in progress, with much yet to do in my vision, I love being in it, and also welcome thoughts and ideas of the BSS group.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

November 7, 2021

Lightstream in Lowana

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

We’re invited for a morning tour of their netted chook/orchard and vegie tunnels, with lunch to follow.

They also have an amazing waterhole at the bottom of property, so for those who have time to linger, a spot of natural bushwalking and a quick dip might also be on the cards – bring your cozzie!

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

October 11, 2021

Garden visit to Northbank community gardens

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

Northbank Community Gardens is having a big rejuvenation and we’re going along for a stickybeak at what’s going on. If you’re on our facebook page, Bellingen Seedsavers Chatter, you may have seen Alison’s poll on what the Bellingen community might like to get from this fabulous local resource. Anyone interested in learning and participating in the growing of abundant goodness should fill out the questionnaire ASAP.

We will meet up for lunch at the gardens on the day, then Alison will be there to show us the reinvigorated goings on.

Numbers are limited because of you-know-why (the C word), so please RSVP to keep the group manageable.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

August 8, 2021

Seed packing at Karin’s Dreamtime garden

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

This event is postponed.

Once the lockdown is over we will reschedule the seed cleaning event.

Do not go to attend even if you have RSVP’d or know the address.

July 1, 2021

Garden visit to Michelle’s garden in Valla Beach

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

This event has been postponed due o CoViD 19 restrictions.

Michelle is a dedicated and resourceful backyard grower, with a talent for marrying productivity and aesthetics in her compact suburban block.

Places will be limited, but this visit is a must for coastal members looking for inspiration on how to get the most from their modest sized gardens.

Vegies, fruit trees and flowers. All with an amazing view, need I say more?

Please bring any seeds you have saved for sharing.

Clearly this visit is at the whim of CoViD 19 restrictions and may not go ahead as planned.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

June 6, 2021

Winter solstice at David Pepper’s food forest in Gleniffer

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

Our next meeting is the Winter Solstice at David Pepper’s in Gleniffer.

Our genial host always loves to share his rambling productive gardens and we will celebrate together the lengthening of the days, after the sudden drop into winter we’re having now.

We’ll kick off around midday, come when you can, dress up or dress down and expect to share in good food and good cheer

Please bring any seeds you have saved for sharing.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

April 12, 2021

Garden visit to Nick’s garden in Repton

NewsletterDon Open Gardens

Tucked away in tranquil Repton, Nick and family are welcoming us again to see the progress he is making on his second productive patch. Nick is well versed in Permaculture and Hydrology Design, applying the concepts to his evolving garden.

It will be good to all catch up again after the recent deluge and swap soggy stories.

Please bring any seeds you have saved for sharing.

If you RSVP for this event, an email (containing directions) will be sent to the email address you provide on the RSVP form. If you do not receive an email, please check your junk mail folder.

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