What sort of woman makes a livelihood out of creating places where people can grow food in the city, teaching Permaculture and small-scale organics and working as a Community Food Systems Officer with Cultivating Community, where she co-manages a number of community gardens?

An extraordinary woman, that’s for sure. And here’s your chance to meet her when you join Hannah Moloney at Transition Sydney’s Café Conversation

WHERE

Le Chifley Bistrot a Vin
Shop 4-5 Chifley Arcade
6 Castlereagh Street Sydney (between Martin Place and Hunter Street – nearer to Hunter Street)

WHEN

Thursday 23rd June 2011
Arrive 6:30 for 7:oopm  to 9:00pm dinner and conversation

Food and beverages can be bought at

the counter of Le Chifley Bistrot a Vin

Arrive 6:30 for 7:oopm  to 9:00pm dinner and conversation

Food and beverages can be bought at the counter of Le Chifley Bistrot a Vin

Hannah’s story

Currently, Hannah is a Community Food Systems Officer with Cultivating Community in Melbourne where she works with culturally diverse groups in a number of community food gardens… but not for long. Hannah has just been selected by Action Aid to document food projects in Tanzania from where she will blog what she finds so the world can learn of what people are doing to create a secure food system for their families and communities.

Asked about herself, Hannah replied…

“I grew up on an inner city herb nursery in Brisbane where my dad had the nursery in our backyard.

“For the past ten years I have worked with school and community gardens to create and improve food security and paint a picture of what urban food systems look like. I’m what you call a ‘city farmer’… I don’t have a large home garden… I have raised beds made from old packing crates that sit on concrete.

“Now, I’m an ever-curious Permaculturalist and over the past three years I have taught Permaculture and small-scale organics independently and through Polytechnic and Permaculture organizations.

“The community gardens I co-manage for Cultivating Community in Melbourne have a real multicultural membership and the gardens form a bridge from their country to Australia. While they’re growing food they’re also growing community connections.

“As a Tasmanian, I’ve been one of the key drivers of the Tasmanian Community Garden Network and co-initiated the state-wide Growing Communities Conference in 2007 and played a supportive role in other conferences. While working with Eat Well Tasmania I co-developed a state-wide community/school garden resource kit which included a written garden manual and an educational DVD. I’m also on the executive team of the Australian City Farm & Community Gardens Network which does, education, advocacy, networking and consulting for community food systems.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are in Australia or Africa — we are the same people in that we need equitable, sustainable, just and nutritious food systems now and for future generations to thrive.

“I am so deeply committed to working with people and food — it is my life’s work and passion to help create a food system that improves soil, produces nutritious food and nourishes people. This is the stuff I know, love and live for”.