Living Food Garden at Kombu

Growing Agribusiness on the Mid North Coast Flyer

An Australian Government  initiative – Mid North Coast Keep Australia Working Advisory Committee

Please find attached the media release Film Fest Press Release 21.5.10.Ex2 for the inaugural Coffs Coast Local Food Film Festival (http://www.coffscoastlocalfoodfilmfestival.org.au/), organised by members of the Bellingen Local Food Network / Bellingen Community Gardens Association, in partnership with the Nambucca Valley Local Food Network, on behalf of the Coffs Coast Local Food Alliance.

The Festival will open in Sawtell on Thursday 3rd June and conclude in Bellingen on Sunday 20th June. It is being generously supported by local and regional businesses and institutions, as well as the NSW Environmental Trust. Net proceeds will go to supporting local film-makers wishing to document aspects of our local and community food systems, and to community food initiatives.

The Festival features an outstanding collection of local and international feature-length documentaries and short films. Featured speakers are permaculturalist and eco-designer Morag Gamble, Director of Seed International and founder of the Crystal Waters College; and Andrew Goulstone, Manager of the Fisheries Management Unit with Industries & Investment NSW, based in Coffs Harbour.

The highlight of the Festival will be the screening of the End of the Line, the UK documentary which was recently released in Australia and has generated sustained national media coverage. It portrays the parlous state of the world’s ecosystems due to the continuing destructive practices of industrialised over-fishing.

We would be very grateful if you could pass this information on through your various networks.

Thank you in anticipation of your kind assistance.

Warm wishes

Nick Rose

BCGA / LFA

Please pass along your networks especially to anyone you know in the local African community. Several volunteers of the “unofficial” informal 100% voluntary permablitz Bellingen group are in discussion about how best to establish African gardens across the Coffs Coast. At the 2009 International Permaculture Convergence in Malawi it was decided that Permaculture International should focus on Africa. So lets all do all we can to establish gardens to grow traditional African food locally!!

Joe Walker

permablitz Bellingen

Regional contact

www.permablitz.net

M: 0438 516351

Diggin’ It Community Day Coffs Coast Innovation Farm

Every Monday: Pick up next to the Olympic Pool in Coff Street, Coffs Harbour (opposite the CHESS Employment office) @ 9am. Back in town: 2.30pm

The innovation farm is a unique community garden, located in Bonville, open to the public on Mondays. (excluding Public Holidays)

The Innovation Farm is welcoming volunteers to come and experience the joys of organic farming for one day a week. The farm is open to anyone with an interest in organic farming:

• Learn to grow and harvest organic veggies with support from a trained horticulturist

• Improve physical and emotional wellbeing

• Meet new people and support others

• Improve work skills or just get out in the sunshine

What you will need on the day:

• Solid work boots or shoes

• Work clothes – you’re guaranteed to get dirty!

• Your own water bottle and any snacks

• A hat

• Enthusiasm!!!

We will provide:

• A sausage sizzle for lunch

• Tea and coffee

• Sunscreen

• Transport from Coffs Harbour

CHESS employment & support services

If you are with a Job Services Australia agency or involved in any community welfare group speak to your case manager about coming out for the day. If you would like to volunteer to mentor less fortunate members of the community or are not sure how to find your way here call Cath, Jim or Linda at the Farm House on 6699 3694

· Sunday, 23 May 2010

· Sunday, 20 June 2010

Both of these classes will focus on keeping ‘raw’ during the winter months and each class will feature different recipes. It would be appreciated if you could spread the word to your friends that might enjoy the day. Bookings can be made online at www.itsuptoyou.com.au and you can also download a flier at http://www.itsuptoyou.com.au/classes/raw-food-cuisine-classes/

We hope to either see you there, or some of your friends.

All the very best

Linda

Linda Wells

Director

It’s Up To You

PO Box 421

Nambucca Heads NSW 2448

Australia

Web: www.itsuptoyou.com.au

Freecall: 1300 486 446

Eat Right at Work – Eat Right at Home – Eat Right at School – Raw Food Cuisine Classes – Raw Food Retreat

It’s Up To You

linda@itsuptoyou.com.au

Telephone: 02 6569 6633

Freecall: 1300 486 446

FLIER raw food classes Dec 09

One issue of key importance that has arisen is the issue of where Our Harvest might be physically located. At a minimum it will need a decent size storage shed , and the shed (with an office attached) will need to be situated on an appropriate piece of land. The intention is that produce from a network of local farms would be delivered to the shed, where it will be sorted and packed into boxes by CSA workers, and then taken out to distribution points throughout the region. We don’t need a lot of land – perhaps 1/2 an acre or maybe less. It should not be flood-prone or subject to bush-fire risks, it will ideally have access from a bitumen road, and it would be better for it not to be on Waterfall Way in terms of complications with the RTA. Ideally we would like to find a site quite close to the town centre of Bellingen, in order for people to be able to visit the CSA easily as well as for ease in terms of serving as the key distribution centre of the CSA. The intention would be to come to some sort of leasing arrangement with the landowner – perhaps a five-year lease, ideally perhaps on a graduated rent to reflect the community, not-for-profit nature of the enterprise and the fact that capacity to pay will increase over time.

If you have any thoughts about this issue we’d be most grateful – contact Kevin Doye – kevin@ourharvest.org.au