Been: Saturday 10 January 2015

Our January working bee morning was preceded by a couple of days and nights of consistent and very welcome rain. The garden, already looking splendid with rostered watering in action since early December (thanks to Peter O… Lena… Lindy, Andrew & kids… Peter & Chris... Karen & Leo… Mara… Dave… Jacinta & family… & Jo!) is especially verdant and bursting with growth ... as these pics show.

While different plants throughout the garden are at various stages of their cycles (as at any time of the year) summer through autumn is a particularly bountiful season… A walk-through summary of current flora includes coriander, comfrey, varieties of lettuce, leeks, chives, basil, parsley, apples, strawberries, rosemary, spinach, lemon balm, beetroot, kale, broccoli, chives, tomatoes, pumpkin, mustard greens, cauliflower, corn, beans, snow peas, thyme, potatoes, vietnamese mint, zuchini, eggplant, capsicum .... & more.

A glance at 'the wash-up' pics in the December bee post below gives you an immediate measure of the dramatic growth over the last 4 weeks!

Saturday's modest session was more a talking bee than a working bee. First on-site was homecomer Patrick with young Woody – back from their 8000+km bike trek – joining him were Peter O, Peter & Chris J, Tony, & Ian. Meg & our favourite canine Zero, Jeremy & Tia with Jasper & Arden also came by.

Pete J, Pete O, Patrick, Chris

Pete, Pete   . . . . . . . .   Chris, Tony

As well as ongoing planting and maintenance details, talk concerned a felt need to encourage the community in recognising and using the garden as an open resource: a green space to enjoy, with free food available for responsible sharing. Therefore it's been decided to place a prominent sign, easily seen by Albert Street passersby, inviting people to not just harvest produce, but to see the garden as a small oasis for social warming. Watch this space!

It was also decided to revitalise our online presence and networking, particularly our Facebook page.

December Bee: on the record... another busy day in the garden

While the monthly working bees have previously been a kind of regular housekeeping, the last few have built on an increasing amount of work done between sessions. Particularly busy in the last few weeks have been Dave, Sam, Peter and Chris, and on arrival this Saturday morning, everywhere to be seen was evidence of their ongoing tending.

This month Bullarto farmer Rob Botheras generously donated a large bale of lucerne mulch. During the morning this was distributed, along with plenty of mature compost from the compost bays, right through the garden. Donated and bought seedlings were planted; the compost bays turned; beds were weeded as needed; and around midday Pete and Sam made a new bed at the front of the garden.

Sam & Ayumi roll the lucerne in

Dave

Pete and Sam

Dante (in pink), Pete, Yael, Ayumi

Matt and Pete

Dante, Akira and Pete (O)

Chris

Pete, Pete, Sam, Dora 

Pete and Sam

Sam, Marion, Maureen

Today's gardeners were Dave, Sam, Ayumi, Peter & Chris(tine), Pete(r O), Ian (who took the photos) Matt & Yael with Dante & Akira, Dora, Maureen & Marion (visiting from France). Sam & Marion were still at work mid-afternoon.

The wash-up!

The new front bed

The garden one week later...

Appreciative visitors

Rea Lands Berries and Currants: fruit ripening... and nearly ready for plucking... And coming up... Albert Street December Bee Sat 13

The berries and currants along the Rea Lands wall are laden with fruit that is progressively ripening... 

Sampling freely available for all passing people... and birds!

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A L S O

Albert Street Working Bee coming up Saturday 13 December

10.30am

Below: snapshot from 2013's December Bee

Skate Park mulching bee: 5pm Wednesday 12 November... THAT'S TOMORROW!

There will be a special community garden working bee at the DCFG Skate Park on Wednesday 12th Nov at 5pm. It will be great to be down there together and it's also a chance to get the lowdown on the Daylesford Community Fair coming up on Sunday 30th November 12-3pm.

Luke Pither from the Daylesford Community Food Gardeners will be giving a workshop and we're expecting it be a one hour event, the more folk the merrier. Luke is an amazing font of knowledge and garden wisdom!  BYO barrows, spades, rake hoes or rakes. We will weed, and spread the mulch, and hopefully there will also be some sawdust so we can refresh the paths. Everyone is welcome. Bring some picnic food to share so the kids can munch and we can sit down together afterwards.

You will notice a brand new seat at the park, that was installed on November 6, to go with the arch. Special thanks again to Karen and Dave at Overwrought, and Hepburn Shire Council, Rural Access and the awesomely generous support of the Daylesford Community Op Shop.

November 8 bee: A full morning's work in the hot sun

This month's small gathering continued the great ongoing work that has been done since the last bee by Christine and Pete, Sam & Ayumi, Dave, Sebastian and others… we salute you!

Saturday's dedicated workers were Tony, Jo, Sam & Saaci (& bantams!), with visits from Bridie, & Ian.

Sam, Bridie, Tony, Jo

Saaci & Twistie

Today: the lawns were mowed, the garden edgings tidied, compost and mulch from the bins was spread throughout the garden (and the residue in the bins was sorted, turned and reorganised), seedlings from various beds, including potatoes and broccoli, were transplanted into better positions, there was weeding and tidying, and the worm farm was watered and juice collector repositioned to enable easier usage.

Nearly breaktime!

The very earnest work of bug collecting was undertaken by our feathered friends – thanks to Saaci and Sams's silky bantams!

Bugcatcher No.1

Postscript: The indefatigable Sam was noticed around 5pm, still at work in the garden... good on you Sam!

NEXT BEE: SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER