Community Frolics

I know a lot of people who like to buy organic produce because they believe if its organic it tastes better but there is nothing more satisfying than growing your vegetables yourself and well when I look at the produce in organic produce shops its the prices that make me sick. But in this blog I would like to share a jewel from my neighbourhood.

Eight years ago I moved into the Unley area and in discovering my new suburb and thus new friends I discovered the beautiful haven of the Fern Avenue Community Garden. Fernie as the gardeners affectionately call it. The garden is located a short walk from my home in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide.

I won't boast that I'm a fabulous green thumb and everything I plant is magnificent but that is not the case but I do love to get into the dirt and the camaraderie of my fellow gardeners. The garden has an open door policy, if the gates are open anybody is welcome to come in for a wander and look around and the gardeners can answer any questions they have.

I've been involved in the garden since 2001 when I moved into the area. I love getting into the garden and and getting dirty but I enjoying socialising with other gardeners more. I am a very lazy sod when it coming to the labour intense part of gardening.I love to garden during working bees and when other people are about but when there by myself I realised it's because I don't like the solitude. I like being busy and outdoors and watching the parrots flutter about and all the natural environs but when there by myself I find it too quiet.

On the property over the past decade the double block that the garden sits on has become a place of education in what can be done to sustain our planet. Composting, organic gardening, native garden planting and natural alternatives for weed and vermin problems are all displayed at the garden. We also each year there is a major project under way with the inclusion of a straw bale house, composting toilet, a children’s sensory garden, pathways and raised garden beds suitable for the elderly and those with disabilities and the much loved wood fire oven. The next project slated is the outdoor area that can be used when we have our open days, workshops and social gatherings for gardeners and their families.

Alternative3 (who leases the land) is a program for the unemployed, disadvantaged and at risk in the community. Ten years after the agreement has been signed this is very pliable and disadvantaged really means if you have no backyard to grow in but live in the council area you are eligible but when there is a waiting list those who are disabled or unemployed get priority. Much like public housing system if you think about it like that.

So how does it work, there are 35 plots spread over the block and several raised beds and no dig gardens so gardeners with mobility issues can also be involved with each gardener receiving a plot of 10 square metres to do with what they please. Anybody is welcome into the garden young or old, singles and families. There are a few rules that we have to follow but generally everything is very laid back.

Any produce is for personal use only and with signing the agreement forms necessary it is agreed to that each year 10% of their crops are donated to the Unley council for community harvest. Community Harvest is a council initiative where 10% of produce from the garden is picked and donated to Unley council for projects like Meals on Wheels and other council run projects.

In the time I have frequented the garden there has been lots of development of the property making it a jewel of learning about sustainable living. On the property of the past decade the double block that the garden sits on has become a place of education blending it's history of being a functional orchard with the ways of the future, educating the general public in what can be done to sustain our planet. Composting, organic gardening and natural alternatives to for weed and vermin control are all displayed at the garden.

Each year there is a major project underway with the inclusion of a straw bale building, composting toilet, a children's sensory garden, wheelchair accessible pathways and raised no dig gardens suitable for the elderly and those with disabilities and last years project the much loved wood fire oven. 2009/2010 brings the next major project is an outdoor entertainment area that can be used when we host open days, workshops and social gatherings for

To keep the garden running to council requirements there is a committee of elected gardeners who oversee the running of garden and any issue that may arise and a working bee is held each month alternating Saturdays and Sundays though the year so each gardener gets the opportunity to be involved. Each month, a different gardener takes the supervisory role. It's not as daunting as it sounds just delegating a task to each gardener and providing the all important milk and cake for morning tea. During the wet weekends or the yukky summer heat it can be hard to get out of bed but sometime you just have to make sacrifices for your hobby.

The fernie tribe is a wonderful multi talented group, one of our gardeners has a awesome hobby of cheese making, others preserve olives or make jams and dehydrated fruit from our on site trees. What do I bring to the garden, well my strength is the planning of events, our latest being to celebrate the Spring Equinox when we had a Middle Eastern feast. All the gardeners pitch in bringing food suitable to the theme and a bottle of wine I settled on the theme as several of our our resident gardeners have taken vacations to Turkey and it's surrounding countries.

Prior to becoming a garden it was a factory site and orchard for the Fullarton Jam Factory. Many of the fruit trees are the original trees with the persimmon tree dated at over 100 years old. At present the tree is standing bare of leaves but when it's branches are decorated with dull orange fruit awaiting consumption is quite the sight to see.

Annually the garden is opened to the public for our Open Day which will be held in November. This will be the first year in five years that we have only had one day when previously we have had to mass opening to the public when we have participated in the Open Garden scheme program. Our garden put something a little different into the South Australian program over the past 3 years.

If you have ever been to a garden that is involved in the OG scheme you will know that they are commonly about the pretty flowers but at Fern Avenue gardens role has been a educational one. The role is one that we embrace with pride especially as the planet's gardeners are desperately grappling for answers involving climate change, drought and how to change their habits and still have an exquisite garden. I have no idea why this is since their are several others dotted around Adelaide's suburbia but we are the token attraction of functional garden rather than one that is ornamental.

Gardening and enduring our changing weather patterns is an interesting thing, different people deal with it in a variety of different ways. Water restrictions have been difficult on all households and we are no different there are no exemptions for the garden even though we are council owned we need to fit into restrictions just like our neighbours. It is a choice the executive council has made of behalf of the 35 garden plot holders, it was not a popular decision for some but as the saying goes if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

If there is anybody who is reading my blog is interested in gardening but only has a small or no backyard investigate community gardens in your area most are run by the local council/shire and if there isn't one in your area get proactive and approach the powers that be to establish one.

Not to rant about it but community gardens are going to be the way of greening our suburbs as development progresses. Making a difference to the environment isn't that difficult to achieve when we embrace a community spirit and work together. It only takes one seed to start a garden and veggies you grow yourself fresh from the earth just taste better.