Without land, growing your own food becomes just a slightly impossible.... so Google... Google.. ah... community gardens :-)
Permaculture gardens are dotted around Melbourne. A local high school gave over an acre of land to local permaculture peeps who open the place to the public twice a week.
Attending morning sessions of the permie garden became my social life, as my teenage son became old enough to have a job and entered the hospitably industry - without a car!
How did that happen? Well you see, he had taken a loan to purchase a car, was enticed by the roar of it's V8 engine, and bought the blinking thing without conferring with me! Australian law precludes 18 year olds from driving a V8, yet the unscrupulous seller went ahead without an explanation to the young man.
Really, there is dirt at the bottom of the barrel.
So, loaning my car to my son every Thurs to Sun night removed my evening social life completely.
Morning activities ???? - Google.. ah community gardens.
Working the community garden meant that I learnt about soil, worm farming, chickens and seedlings. Wonderfully, I made some friends. Both Mary and Martha worked the garden - if you know what I mean ;-)
After working in the garden, on occasion, volunteers were able to take home some of the harvest. A great way to fill the young man's belly :-)
Naturally, after learning to propagate pomegranates, I donated a seedling to the garden as a thank you. Through food swaps, a gentleman was passing out a banana tree, so I volunteered to take it to the community garden. The place has around 40 fruit trees, 12 vegetable beds, vast berry shrubs and many wicking beds. Quite an abundance.
Although my son is now an independent young man, I still feed him!
Often :-) Now, however, I feed him (and his friends) from my home potted garden and raised bed.
