2009 ACFCGN gathering
CARSS PARK COMMUNITY GARDEN was still a construction site, however it proved a successful venue for the 2009 Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network’s (ACFCGN) 2009 meet-up and annual general meeting, an event combined with the quarterly Sydney Community Garden Network (SCGN) gathering.
While those attending the ACFCGN meeting discussed topics such as communications, the distribution of Network funds for projects and the production of a new inventory of community gardens in Australia, a work crew continued the construction of the community gardens’ strawbale classroom and community gardeners tended the vegetables planted in a number of shared gardening beds.
Like the Randwick Community Organic Garden, the Carss Park gardeners have obtained roofing tile seconds to make sturdy edges to their garden beds. The age range of the gardeners spans the twenties to retired and there is a mix of men and women. The garden occupies the green of a disused bowling club on land owned by Kogarah City Council, which instigated the community garden project and hired sustainability educator, Faith Thomas and the author as consultants to carry out a community consultation, gather a core of gardeners together, organise a participatory site design and write a gardener’s guide and policy directions for Council on community gardening.
The SCGN meeting offered networking and news-sharing about what’s happening in community garde:
- Aaron Sorensen shared insight into the participatory design processes he uses with community gardeners in the Illawarra, south of Sydney
- Emma Daniell, education co-ordinator for Randwick Community Organic Garden, took people through the seed saving process
- Rob Allsop led a workshop on managing insect pests.
SCGN meet-ups are quarterly events in different community gardens that bring together people active or interested in community gardening, some from local government and others from other organisations to share knowledge, get to know each other and to reinforce the idea that we are all engaged in a common enterprise. The informal organisation gives a regional voice to community gardeners. Last season’s took place at Chester Hill Community Garden in western Sydney.
The Sydney Community Gardens Network and the Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network offer their thanks to the Carss Park gardeners for their hospitality and to Kogarah City Council for its cooperation.
Sydney regional community garden gathering and National Network AGM
- Celebrating our gardens…
- Celebrating our achievements…
- Meet new gardeners…
- See a new garden…
- Meet new plants…
- Meet network people from other states…
WHEN: Saturday 14 November 2009
WHERE: Carss Park Community Garden on the corner of Carlton Crescent and Carawar Avenue, Carss Park.
ENQUIRIES: Fiona Campbell + Russ Grayson: info [at] communitygarden.org.au
We meet at the brand new Carss Park Community Garden on Sydney’s southside. The garden started only this year on what once was a bowling green, and is now under construction, including the strawbale classroom. Come and meet the gardeners.
Here’s the program…
Sydney gathering…
11:15-11:30 Arrive for morning tea
11:30-12:30 Welcome and check-in. A representative from each Sydney region community garden and others from the attending states tells us about their work and their achievements over the past year.
12:30-1:00 The Carss Park Community Garden crew take us on a tour of their new community garden, still under construction.
1:00-2:00 Join our shared lunch – bring food to share and plants and seeds to swap.
WORKSHOP SERIES 1
2:00-2:15
- National network communication – website, email discussion list and newsletter (Fiona Campbell + Russ Grayson)
- Sharing our adventures in garden pest managements – Rob Allsop (previously from Glovers Community Garden)
- Clucking about chooks in community gardens – Jane Mowbray (Glovers Community Garden).
WORKSHOP SERIES 2
2:45-3:30
- Growing a productive organic garden – Rebecca Chettleburgh (Albury-Wodonga)
- Working with local government – Russ Grayson
- Saving and propagating seeds in the garden – Emma Daniel (Randwick Organic Community Garden)
- Participatory design for community gardens – Aaron Sorensen (Illawarra community and school garden garden catalyst).
National network AGM…
Program details still to come – here is the draft program….
9:45am
Those interested in the National network arrive at Carss Park Community Garden
10:00-11:15
National network meeting
3:30-4:30
Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network AGM
- presidents report
- financial report
- election of new board.