Permaculture Out West

Archive for the ‘Food’ Category

http://feralfruitmelbourne.wordpress.com/

Feral fruit trees are fruit trees growing in or overhanging public spaces that are accessible to the urban hunter-gatherer. This website seeks to promote localized food gathering in cities where food is being obtained from increasingly distant sources. The current system of food delivery into urban centres poses unnecessary strain upon both the economy and the environment due to transportation costs. Feral fruit tree harvesting transforms our current food distribution system into a more sustainable alternative and promotes a consciousness of the ecology within our urban environments. Urban hunter-gatherers can also enjoy the benefit of fresh fruit that is often organic and not to mention free.

The following fruits and vegetables are at their best and cheapest this month.

Fruits: Apples, Banana, Grapefruit, Grapes, Kiwifruit, Watermelon, Figs, Lemons, Persimmons

Vegetables: Beanshoots, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Spring onions, Turnips

One of the inspirational things I discovered during my PDC course were food forests. Around the world, humans have been molding their environment, sometimes destructively, but sometimes constructively.

Here are 2 youtube videos that may interest you. One is about a 300 year old food forest in Vietnam, and the other, a 2000 year old food forest in Morocco.

300 year old food forest in Vietnam

2000 year old food forest in Morocco

Due to a mixup with dates, venue and availability, POW won’t be running a seed saving workshop this weekend. We’ll be contacting people who registered for the course with the new date early next week. Of course, we’ll be posting the date here on this website, so you still have the opportunity to enrol.

Apologies for the deferral and any inconvenience it may have caused.

In coming decades the world faces the risk of major regional food crises leading to conflicts and mass refugee movements. This is driven primarily by emerging scarcities of all the primary resources – land, water, oil, fertilizer and R&D – required to produce food, at a time of changing climate. The lecture will outline key factors in emerging global food insecurity and proposes some solutions.

Julian Cribb is an author, journalist, editor and science communicator and principal of Julian Cribb & Associates who provide specialist consultancy in the communication of science, agriculture, mining, energy and the environment. His career includes appointments as newspaper editor, scientific editor for The Australian, public affairs director for CSIRO, member of numerous boards and advisory panels, and president of national professional bodies for agricultural journalism and science communication. His published work includes over 8000 articles, 2500 media releases and eight books. He has received 32 awards for journalism.

“I have known Julian for about 7 years and during that period I have benefited greatly from his experience and wisdom in the area of science communication. Julian has had a significant impact on my thinking and the thinking of many others within the CGIAR. Because of Julian’s collaboration with us, we have developed a new and effective communications effort. Julian is a clear thinker with a very analytical mind. He combines these characteristics with much experience in the area of science communications and a high level of motivation.”

– Dr Per Pinstrup-Andersen, former Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington DC

“Mr Cribb has been a significant force in promoting science throughout the community for two decades…he is the author of numerous papers and books and has mentored a great many science communicators.”

– Hon. Peter McGauran, former Minister for AFF

Location: Elisabeth Murdoch Theatre (Building 134), grid reference F20, Parkville Campus.

Date: 28th April, 5.30 – 6.30pm

Click here to register

Although up to 70% of processed food contains ingredients derived from GM, labelling loopholes mean almost none of it is labelled.

The Federal Government is reviewing the Food Labelling Standards. Details here:

*             http://www.madge.org.au/foodlabelling.php

*             http://www.madge.org.au/GM-labelling-review-2009.html

The Panel received over 6,000 submissions in the first round. Now as part of the consultation process, they will be holding a meeting in Melbourne on Thursday 29th April.

You can register to attend either the morning or afternoon sessions by following this link:

http://www.foodlabellingreview.gov.au/internet/foodlabelling/publishing.nsf/Content/foodlabelreview_reg_melb

The morning sessions will begin at approx 8.30 am and run for 3 hours.The venue for the meeting and the exact times have not been announced, but will be on the MADGE website and facebook as soon as they are.

You may prefer to join us outside from 8 am onwards where we will ask : “Why are we eating in the dark ?” Bring a blindfold and a food product that MAY contain a GM ingredient. We want to know for sure!

Watching TV tonight? Lateline on ABC at 10.30am is about GM crops, food and patenting – http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/gene-wars/. If you miss this in the evening, it can be watched online on the ABC as well. The ABC is also running a series on food security entitled ‘Hunger Pains: feeding the big Australia’ well worth a look http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/hunger-pains/

Happy Eating

Love

Madge http://www.madge.org.au

Growers and Eaters Forum

Monday 19^th April 2010

South Gippsland

Presented by Slow Food Melbourne

and community partners

with special guest Carbon for Life founder, Dr Christine Jones

TIME: 9am-5pm

LOCATION: Masonic Hall, Korumburra

COST: $25 Full/$15 Concession – delicious lunch & refreshments incl.

“Eating is an agricultural act.”

– Wendell Berry, farmer, philosopher and writer

Please join us at the 2^nd Growers and Eaters forum as we come together to discuss what the connection between farming and eating means for the vitality of our communities.

The purpose of the Eaters and Growers forum is to explore what makes for a truly local food system, to celebrate the farmers who grow our food and to inspire a deeper understanding for those who eat it!  In this one-day forum, we will have the opportunity to:

• · hear about Community Supported Agriculture and other alternative models for food production and distribution that not only feed people good food, but strengthen and enliven local communities.
• · explore convivial spaces and community food projects such as community kitchens, farmers markets, community gardens and school gardens.
• · learn about why our lives and livelihoods are dependent on healthy, living soils and hear from people who are changing how we grow, cook and distribute food in Australia.
• · delve into some big questions about food – Are we legislating against a diverse agricultural future?   What does it mean to eat locally?  How can we create food systems that are Good, Clean and Fair?

Speakers and other details coming soon…

Places are limited.  Hope to see you there!

For more details contact Peta Christensen 0411899618 peta@cultivatingcommunity.org.au or

Kelly Donati 0402 081 832 kdonati@internode.on.net

The Heritage Fruit Society is holding an Apple tasting festival at Pettys Orchard on the 28th March. Over 100 apple varieties to taste, kids activities and competitions, orchard tours, apple folklore and, of course, food! Organic vegetarian fare, rare breeds BBQ, organic drinks, refreshing apple cider.

There’ll be talks from:

• David Holmgren (co-originator of the Permaculture concept) on Heritage, Local food systems and what it means in a global world
• Vasili Kanidiadis (Vasili’s Garden) on apple tree care
• Susan MacKinnon (executive producer of “Honey Bee Blues” on SBS) on the demise of the honey bee and what this means for food production
• Peter Allen (Heritage Fruits Society) on trellis systems

Cost: Adults $10, children $2, Family $20

Location: Easily accessed by the Yarra cycle trail. Corner of Monckton & Homestead Roads, Templestowe.

Melways grid ref: 22 A12

Click here for the Heritage Fruits Society website

Click here for map.

Got too many lemons? Over run with parsley but no sweet basil in sight? If only you could swap all those olives for tomatoes! Well now you can!

As part of this year’s Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, CERES Urban Orchard, Yarra Neighbourhood Orchard and Cultivating Communtiy are hosting what we’ve called “The World’s Biggest Eva Vegie Swap” with the hope that vegie gardeners from across this wide, brown city will bring along an abundance of gorgeous backyard produce and show Melbourne town what vegie swapping is all about!

This phenomena has been sweeping Victoria, Australia and the world as folks realise the galaxy of potential that’s in our backyards and how easy and fun it is to get together and swap food – So bring along your vegies, herbs, seeds, seedlings, cuttings, preserves, recipes etc and see how it’s done – you might even get one going in your community!

When and where? Saturday 13th March City Square, corner Collins & Swanston Street 10am – 2pm

Fruit Skills for a low energy future include preserving the bounty of summer for winter time feasts. Apricot tree laden with fruit? Plums on the tree down the lane? Come along and find out how to preserve the abundance of summer fruits.

The workshop costs $20 per person for POW members and $25 for non POW members, including take home notes and a jar of yummy fruit BYO a freshly laundered apron

Location & Date: 7th March 2010 at 10am Maidstone Community Centre Gibb Street Maidstone