From: rls900@netspy.anu.edu.au (Richard Siggs)
Newsgroups: aus.conserve
Subject: Re: Community Vegie Garden - info required
Date: 13 Jan 1993 00:57:45 GMT
Organization: Australian National University
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: 150.203.4.31

In article <726901942.AA03019@csource.oz.au>, Ken.Hayes@f369.n633.z3.fidonet.org (Ken Hayes) writes:
|> Would anyone who has experience in starting up a local comm veg garden please
|> leave any ideas, difficulties, suggestions etc here pliz. We're trying to start
|> one up in Footscray, Melbourne, Victoria. My address is 32 Pilgrim St,
|> Footscray Victoria Australia 3011. Also, has anyone any Permaculture contacts,
|> book titles etc. Menny thanx.  Ken Hayes - Co-ordinator of the community
|> group.
|> 
|>  * Origin: City Limits -Education,Australia 6 Lines (3:633/369)

Hello Ken & other aus.conserve readers,

	As one of the founding members of Friends Of the Earth - Snowy Mountains
(FOE Snow), I can relate a few of the experiences we've had in establishing a
Community Garden in Cooma, NSW...

	The land we're using is in the township of Cooma, with frontage to the
Cooma Creek, giving us year round water by a pump (& bi-annual flooding as well!)
& has been 'donated' to the cause by a sympathetic local family for at least 3 more years. The land is 1 acre in size, split into 2 lots with 1/2 acre of established (5 year old) fruit trees and the other 1/2 acre is a clear field.

	When we became aware of the opportunity, we made an initial Permaculture
design, featuring a large Mandala garden in the clear 1/2 acre & utilising the
orchard area for intensive cultivation utilising the vertical space & shade offered by the established fruit trees. A Mandala garden can come in many shapes,
but ours is a circular garden bed (about 10m in radius), with regular paths and
keyhole garden beds & 4 ponds. There's an excellent small book authored by
Robin Francis on Mandala Gardens, I can post details if wanted..

	Most of the problems we've encountered have been with getting people
motivated and aware of the Garden's existance. We've organised 'open days' where
signs have been posted & seeds, garden tools & assistance provided so that people
could roll up & get involved with minimal confusion. Additionally, from the
beginning we've been busy with the local media (2 local newspapers & local radio)
to get as many people as possible aware of the Gardens. The media have been VERY
helpful, with regular articles and announcements & so far no 'bad press'. We are
trying to get the garden to a stage where it has a momentum of its own, with people freely coming and going. However, I don't expect this to happen for at least a couple more years & the effort required in establishing the garden has been great, with many people and items to organise, not to mention the actual planting, watering and tending that any garden requires & so far it has required the time & effort of 1 person about 3 - 4 days/week since we got the land in March.

	One unexpected source of interested people has come from the local TAFE, which has begun teaching introductory courses in Permaculture & will soon host a full PC Design course. We've organised to have the Community Gardens featured in
the courses, so that the course participants can get quick & local 'dirty hands'. This has been fundamental in keeping the Garden going by providing the labour needed to establish the Mandala Garden, plant & tend to seedlings and keep weeds under control.

	So far all is going slowly forward, however, we're yet to see how the
garden progresses over the tough Snowy Mountains winter & whether the all important local enthusiasm continues, but it's a damn good way to get constructively involved in your local community, that's for sure!

	
-- 
Richard.Siggs@cscgpo.anu.edu.au
Australian National University, Computer Services Centre
"Hey, I'm just glad you guys pay me to do this!"