Xmas...time to reflect

Two topics on which to reflect over the Christmas break (and a few tasks - cf newsletter)

0.Water rosters (if away, exchange with a friend or post on the Otford local) -

24: Pauline T
25: Sarah M
26: Natasha
27: Andrea
28: Adriana
29: Samantha
30: Madeleine
31: James
1: Eleanor
2: Lorraine
3: Nicola
4: Phil
5: Esther
6: Donna


1. Here is the design of our future garden, as resulting from our proposal and the workshop with Elemental Permaculture.
We need to put a ring on it....and the best way to do so is prioritise our work, zone by zone.
Knowing that we have a remaining grant including mulch, compost tumblers, another including a greenhouse, and a few funds, access to seeds.
We'll discuss this on Sunday 23 December from 2.30pm. Expected outcome: a list of tasks and a corresponding list of date to achieve the design.
THIS SUNDAY WE LL ALSO PLANT SALADS and BEANS.

2. Our use of the clubhouse and tennis court as we are about to finalise the agreement with Otford Tennis Club, Wollongong Tennis Administration and Wollongong City Council.
A proposal below. Please comment replying by email.
Weekly activities

• Morning Yoga (before the 7.57 am train)
• Mums and Bub Yoga
• Thursday morning parents group
• Evening Art and Craft Workshop
• Garden maintenance (no direct use of the clubhouse and court, but use of the toilet)

By-weekly activities:

• Garden working bee (sunday 3pm)
• 'French classes' - clubhouse - evening
• Drumming circle (time and noise consideration)
• Tight ropes and acrobalance (from June 2013) - tennis court
• 
  

Trimester activities

• Pecha-Kucha
• Brewer club meeting
• Committee meeting

Semester activities

• Festive gardening celebrations

 Merry Xmas ans happy new year.

What a great community party it was

...memories and a few pictures speak better than words (although i dont have all the one of the evening and night).

You can see and download the pictures here.

The fundraiser was a great success and we can now think about proper gears for our garden. We also had an Annual General Meeting to elect a committee, so you also have people to help organise all this:

• President - Electronical communication - Gaetane
• Vice-president - Garden coordination - Adam
• Secretary - Parents group - Bron
• Treasurer - Brew club - Andwoo
• Grants - Lachlan
• Garden - James
• Infrastructure - Marc

and we had a few new members, happy visitors and mery kids cropping their first 'home grown Sebago potatoes!

So a huge thanks to all the volunteers, cooks...and:
the musicians: Bhanglassi, John and Wolf, DJ Robbo
Emma Khourey and Circus WOW
Warren Windsports. A Garden for Life, The Jack of Harts and Jude, Glenbernie Orchards, Plat du Jour, Karen McDougall Yoga, Andrea and Yoga Unite Me, Kellie Bollard Permaculture Books !

So to prepare our green future, get involve this coming saturday in our FREE PERMACULTURE WORKSHOP.

We'll have to drink a few bubble to celebrate this success, a Council grant (SI SI - yes yes) and a new great partnership with the Otford Tennis Club (Thanks Pauline) and the License from the Council !!!!

Garden party raffle: Call to local businesses

Hi local businesses interested in sustainability and community engagement,

The Otford Community and Garden Association organises a garden party on the 24th of November 2011. We'll have a circus workshop, a kid movie, 3 different liveband, a DJ and a gardening workshop.

We would like to raise money to undertake the following activities:

• Installing sustainable structure for permaculture beds 
• Installing a greenhouse
• Creating signage around the garden to educate on foods plants, native plants and permaculture principles
• Developing workshop activities on sustainability, healthy food
• Having a great, safe and engaging community space for Otford and its surrounds.

If you want to get involve, you can donate a prize in the raffle, as the following businesses have already done, or you can also directly support us (great raffles prizes)

• A Garden for life
• Warren adventure
• The vege box
• Karen McDougall Yoga
• Soil co.
• Otford Farm
• Plat du Jour
• Kellie Bollard Books

You can also forward the poster or the information about this event to some of your partner (media release available).

Feel free to contact us.

Otford Association is getting ready to party

On the Saturday 24 November 2012, the association will hold its Annual General Meeting. It means that you, member, will have an opportunity to learn how the association and its (your) budget is managed. We'll also discuss the future and agree on the best strategy. But who wants to spend a summery saturday afternoon sitting down discussing about organisation and budget?....not that many of us. So to make sure you have an opportunity to have your say, but also that we all have a great community time, we have decided to organise a very fun fundraising day, the Otford (End of the Year Fundraising Garden) Party: curry night, live music, kid movie, circus, gardening.
To make this day a successful day, we explain below how you can contribute, just by giving a bit of your time, skills or strength!
This newsletter also gives more details on the next garden working bees, the Pechakucha night and the next brewer club meeting.

Pecha Kucha: sat 27 oct - 6pm

Participants have to prepare an oral presentation on a topic they like, with 20 slides. The challenge is to keep it short and fun, so no more than 20 seconds by slides and slides content which add to the speach (not repeat it). Please bring your presentation (.ppt) on a USB stick or send it here before the 26 at lunch time. The event is open to the public but won't be very interesting to kids. The event will be followed by BYO drinks and BBQ.

 Brewers club

The first batch came back from the 'beershed'. A new batch will be launched on Saturday 3 November. Guys are currently going to a beershed in Kirawee. If any of you has everything to welcome the next batch, email asap here.
It would be great to start thinking about growing hops. It could be even easier with the new night light on the garden.

Arm strength NEEDED

Friday 19, from 7pm, we need arm power to carry wood from 59 station road to the tennis court (via vehicle).
BEFORE Sunday 28 we need a trailer or a ute to go and pick up soil/horse poo
On the Sunday 28 & Sunday 4 November we need PEOPLE to to build our vertical frame for Melon and to build the new herbs beds on the terraces.
Who can help fixing the fences?

Help us to raise money

On the Saturday 24 November, we'll raise money for the association. We have a few people to make delicious curries and dahl. We'll serve sweet crêpes. Who is happy to bake cakes? Which local business is happy to give a price for the raffle. Contact us now here.

Who is interested in 'Landcare' activities?

The creek needs cleaning (removing branches, moving sand to ensure a better flow). We would need gumboots, gloves and a trailer. We could also apply for a Landcare grant. Who is interested?

Blossoming activities around our garden!

Not only are we very lucky to see potatoes enjoying their mulch and sunny winter, but we have a lot of ideas growing blossoming:

A parents groups is now meeting every Thursday morning. We meet around the garden but we also do walks (Sea Cliff bridge was a really nice one) and will find many other activities. Today we cropped the overgrowing salads/Kale/spinach to add to our pic nic. Kids had great fun harvesting. Once they knew they could pick up mainly 'small' leaves of the Spinach and Kale, they had hips of fun selecting and checking. One thing is certain, these kids will know where salad comes from and how to harvest greens.

A group of guy met at a local 'beer shed' and started a batch of beer. I understood that the plan is to make beer, in deed, drink it, in deed...but also to learn the process and experiment it  in order to be able to do a real 'Otford beer' soon.

We also caught up last Sunday to prepare some seedlings to be planted in a few weeks. Seeds of cucumber, beans, cherry tomatoes were a few of the wonderfull that our seed saver Greg gave us. James did a great job putting this together and the seeds are nox germinating in Greg's wonderfull greenhouse.

Spring has definitely started and it's really productive at the Otford Community Garden Association. Make sure your neighbours know about it !

***The potatoes and the worm are happy. As they need a bit of maintenance, put your hands up for your 'MAINTENANCE ROASTER'.
I (Gaetane)'m doing this week (10 to 16th). I'll water every two days and i'll feed the worm (lifting the lid, lifting the carpet, putting food scrap on the far end side) and water the garden.
Would be great to have a list of people to do this till December, as our potatoes look gorgeous but will need more love with this hot summer approaching.
Look at the pictures (click here): they are doing great.

***Cherry tomatoes, beans and cucumber have been planted and are now growing to seedlings size in Greg's greenhouse.
Dont miss our next 'Working bee - catch up' on the Sunday 30th of September (most likely from 3pm) We'll also have a little BBQ and drinks on the afternoon.

***Don't forget to register your interest for the bus tour of Community Gardens (Sunday 7th of Oct).

*** A local Playgroup has started and meets up every thursdays (pictures to come). We'll have a salad together this week.

*** A local brewers club is starting as well.

*** We'll have a fun night on the Saturday 27 of October (Patcha Kutcha) so save the date.

What a great preparation to summer !-)

Potatoes on their ways

Winter news

A worm farm and a cold frame are now on their way ! Worm juice and new plants soon to come.
The potatoes are loving the winter as well as the salads. 
We'll probably have a big salad at the next bureau meeting, this friday.

Don't miss the next working bee on the Sunday 2d of September 2012.

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Save the dates

Dear members,

Potatoes are enjoying the garden:

Here is a summary of our forthcoming activities (administrative, garden and others) and the dates to save in  your agenda. The most important one is probably the Sunday 25th of November 2012. We'll not only hold the General Meeting to decide of our future, but we'll have another great fun community day, probably involving more music and a fun night and a photo competition.

SAVE THE DATES
I also draw your attention on 4 important dates on the calendar below (on top of the weekly working bees):

• Next Sunday 29th of July, we'll set up a cold frame, worm farm and prepare some seedlings to plant soon.
  
• On the 9th of September, we'll have a bus tour to visit other community and kitchen garden in the Illawarra. Details to be confirmed soon, but register your interest (by answering yes to the calendar invite you ll soon receive).
• On the Monday 1st of October (public and school holiday) we'll organise (if council approves) a fundraising day at Bald Hill with cakes and crepes.
• On the 27th of October, we'll hold a PechaKucha night(20 slides in 10 mins about any subject, give you an opportunity to communicate experiences, ideas and things you are passionate about).

http://otfordgardenproject.blogspot.com.au/p/events.html

GET INVOLVED

Please answer this survey (link here) to express your ideas and opinions on the future of the association. We'll use the results to draft the 'Manifesto' to be approved at our general meeting. 

But before then, feel free to come to the monthly bureau meetings, to suggest idea, comments, react, propose and help (watering the plant, drawing plant signs names, discussing the plants to put on the terrace, leaflets in letter box.....from little things big things grow). 

 MEMBERSHIP

For those who didn't join already, you can join the association now, more information here.

Next working bee: Sunday 29 July 2012

Our next working bee will be on the Sunday 29 of July 2012

The next working bee will take place on the Sunday 29th of July 2012, at the garden, from 11am onwards.
New members are more than welcome and can download their membership form here.

The program for that day

Actions
Learning about 'Worm farms' and 'Cold frame'
Building a mini worm farm and a mini cold frame
Kids will also plant their own seedlings.

BRING: finished toilet roll, gardening tools, BYO foods and drinks for the BBQ.

Fun
BBQ
Recipe ideas for our potato crop (bring a recipe)

Discussion
Preparing our big fundraising events (summer 2012-2013);
Calendar of garden management between working bees.

For those who want to be more involved in the Association

All skills, ideas and activities are welcome. We'll meet up every second Thursday, of the month at 7pm at the club house.

Hi everybody,

We had a wonderfull day today, and all the members who left their emails will have received two links with the photo albums (gaetane and lucy, if you want to add your pictures, send them to the usual blog email and ill add them up).

Thanks so much to the musicians (John, Phil, Chris and Willow (from Chokoh)), to the cooks, and to our great team who prepared the potato patch yesterday (James, Chris, Lucie, Adam, Madeleine, Phil, Dan, Brownyn, Andrew), and thanks Dan for the sound system. Thank Kerin as well who got some tennis racket and balls for the kids to play around. Sorry if i forgot anyone.

I've got 16 membership forms with me and i know some people took some with them. Drop an email to otford.garden AT gmail.com when your transfer is done. This week would be great.
The wonderfull news is that we'll be able to pay for the insurance and extra costs.

In the idea box: playgroup, yoga, photo competition, more gardening, brewery....and in deed caring and loving for our potatoes and possibly some more tennis players.

Next working bee/meeting is on the Sunday 29 of July (morning). We still have one patch to plant, a bit of weeding and caring. We could also paint the inside of the house: so look around if you have some paint which would go onto laminate walls (we'll keep the Robin William Poster in deed ??).

Gaetane and Andrew (for the OCGA).

A few good news our way. Dont forget to tell your neighbour.

1. We created an Incorporated association: The Otford Community and Garden Association.

A membership application  will be available at the inauguration or you can require one here.

So we now have a bank account and an insurance.

2. We are putting together a party for the Sunday 1st of July 2012, from 10 am to 5pm at the tennis court.
The program can be seen here.
We'll have free french pancakes, BYO BBQ, PLANT A POTATO SPUD and 2 music bands.
At 2.00 pm we'll have John and Wolf.
At 3.30 pm we'll have Chris (from  http://bhanglassi.com/ )& Shaun (from http://soundcloud.com/chokoh-1)

We'll prepare the potato beds on Saturday 30 June 2012, from 10 am till 4pm. Anyone can join.

This has been possible with the support of SoilCo and Otford Farm.

Meeting 3: An association to be created and the preparation of the 'inauguration'

It was a very sunny day and we all discussed with great enthusiasm about the future of our activity. Everybody was quite motivated to start the potato patch and to create an event.

We also agreed on the creation of an association in order to an organised entity and to be able to puchase an insurance, so that our activities would be covered. This would also allow us to receive and manage possible. grants

The 'event' objective is to gather more people and possibly the one who didnt get the information, mostly exchange via internet. The idea is also to explain what the 'purpose' of the association is by actually 'transforming it into action': gardening, getting together and creating a place in Otford where we can have good time together. 

We had an other small meeting on the following Wednesday and we agreed on the final administrative details. So we filled out the form to have an association. The current committee is composed of Gaetane, Andrew, Adam and Lucy. James and Phil will also help.

So the 'inauguration' party is on the 1st of July and we'll start working on the potato patch on the 30th.

See more in 'events'.

Cheers.

Meeting 2: Getting there 29 April 2012

Ideas, food and plantings! 

Meeting notes
Coming events
What do we need?
Membership

Narelle, Nick, Rachel, James, Andrea, Marc, Greg, Lorraine, Esther, Chris, Suri, Yoshi, Andrew and me(Gaetane) came around. 

Adam, Madeleine, Allison, Richard, Sarah, Chris, Pauline couldn't make it today.

Meeting notes

We met at the tennis club house/court (ideal for kids riding their bike and playing) as Pauline has nicely agreed to let us start this project on this land. It is a wonderful opportunity as this area is central, easily accessible by locals (from Stanwell t/p to Helensburgh). It also corresponds to the preferences expressed by most of the participants in the survey: safe for kids, existing shed, possibility to install rainwater tanks, existing toilets, water access. (if you didn't fill the survey, feel free and send an email to otford.garden@gmail.com).

Allison is also in the process of investigating for a possible access to crown land near the cricket pitch. It would offer a bigger space for specific projects. It would require a DA via crown land and an annual fee. 

We discussed the results of the survey, also published here. A majority of people want to combine the garden activity with a local social activity: a safe place where people can together to grow food and get to know each other. A majority seems happy to have a 'shared garden' (versus individual plots). The choice of what to plants where would be done according to permaculture;/organic principles and the willing to grow food. The use of heirlooms and seeds from the seed savers network appear to please everybody. Fortunately we have permaculture experts and seed savers in the team. Share crops appears also to correspond to everybody's expectations.

Narelle is leading the 'kitchen garden at the school' project and it appears that many people are happy to collaborate in this project. It will involve working bees and great opportunity to learn more about gardening. It would also be a great help for the kitchen garden project, where  future generation can learn that wool doesn't grow on tree and other key things about food and sustainability.

Everybody also appears very happy to make this area live as a real 'community hubs'. Some people could be less involved in gardening but would look after having a club house where we could always refresh and have a good tchat.

Grants deadlines appears to be tights and past for 2012 (for some of them). However, we may start with local donations and will organise a fundraising events (movie-music-local stalls) when the sun and warm temperatures are back. Any professional of 'grants application' will be warmly welcomed.

We also had a good discussion about the location and design of our first 'potato patch' which is discussed below. 

We also planted an Illawarra Plum tree (Gae+Andwoo 's gift) and a Chili tree (Greg's gift and he said they were not too hot) as a way to mark the start.

Coming events

The next working bee is on the WE of the 26/27 of May 2012. The plan is:

• Preparing the bed for potatoes - planting potatoes : IF WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED.
• Introducing the auspicing organisation (if it works).
• Electing a bureau (President - Treasurer - Secretary - Fundraiser coordinators).
• Membership forms.
• Organising a local July event to collect materials (team, communication, date).
• Organising an August verge gardening day (team, communication, date).
• Organising a bus tour of other Community Garden (team, communication, date).
• Organising a spring big fundraiser events.
• Keeping the working bees happening to have a good crop of potatoes next spring.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES : otford.garden@gmail.com

What do we need?

In the short term, to prepare the potato bed(s) (no dig) we need:

• Beds surroundings (3m*4m) in wood or corrugated iron. The height would have to be a minimum of 60cm and hopefully more. The higher the more protected from running kids and...animals.
• Cardboard
• Soil: 2 tonnes
• Manure: 2 trailers
• Mulch: good idea to collect neighbors' compost for that date (if we have the beds surroundings confirmed)
• Compost
• Corresponding tools (BYO): trailer, wheelbarrow, shovels, gloves, building tools, spades, possibly netting... 

ANY IDEAS, CONTACT, FRIENDS TO HELP US TO GET THIS FOR NEXT MONTH: write to otford.garden@gmail.com

ANY BUSINESS OFFERING HELP WILL HAVE HIS LOGO ADVERTISED ON THIS BLOG AND WILL BE MENTIONED IN THE FACEBOOK OTFORD LOCAL. 

In the longer term:

For the garden, it would be great to have donated gardening tools (see list above) which could be kept safe in the tennis club house as long as we organise a clear area to keep the tools. Those could constitute your member contribution.

For the club house, it would be great to fix the broken window, the hot water system, to decorate and make it a clever shared space (space for tennis gears, space for garden gears, foldable chairs, a few towels for when it rains, a sunshade to be stored, a confy area to do stretching and chill out while other work hard :-) ).

Membership

The current idea is to agree on a 'membership rule' and a 'membership form' for the next meeting. The minimum requested would be contact details (from the area covering Stanwell Park/tops/Otford/Helensburgh) and a donation to contribute to the work (in kind or in $). The list of what we need is a work in progress, see above.

It is also important to keep in mind that we have the chance to be welcomed in the tennis court area. In this context our work has to contribute to keep this place welcoming, nicer, safer and cleaner.  

Let's get started

To access the survey, click here.

As you know, a few of us (Adam, Allison, Andrew, Gaetane, Madeleine, Richard, Sarah) catched up last saturday 17 march 2012, at the Otford Tennis Court.

We also went to meet with the people of Thirroul Community Garden on their possible site in Thirroul. They started their project 18 months ago and we learnt a lot from them: patience, enthusiasm, frequent and fun meeting, way to start with little, good questions to ask ourselves....

We decided to meet up monthly (next one on the Sunday 29th of April 2012, 10 am), to set up a blog, organise a bus tour of other gardens, to contact sites managers, to gather more ideas, to design a fundraising events, to apply for grants, to do some verge gardening...

Regarding the collaboration with Otford Public School, we'r still happy to think and design a collaboration. 

But more than anything we decided to working on defining our 'dreamt community garden'.

If you are living in Otford, Helensburgh, Stanwell tops, Stanwell park, and you are interested in being involved in this project in Otford, please take 10 minutes to fill this survey before the 26th of April 2012.

To access the survey, click here.