Crowd Harvest: Seeds for Christmas

It's on again! 3rd Annual Crowd Harvest Melbourne, Australia. After such great success over the last 2 years, people all over Victoria have been empowered to grow their own food. Save your left over and excess seeds this Spring, and send them to someone in need. NFPs supporting, enabling and empowering those in need to adopt self sustaining food gardening practices are looking to establish Seed Banks. By a central body establishing a seed bank, people facing difficult circumstances can access the seeds and establish food gardens. Gardeners everywhere harvest more seeds than can be stored, and need to be used before they expire. In this Crowd Harvest, Australian gardeners with excess seeds are invited to send them in a Christmas card or holiday card to one or more NFPs from the list below :-) Please package seeds in individual and labelled packages so food relief recipients can easily take them home. Experienced gardeners, please send viable, open pollinating seeds. Anyone wanting to purchase seeds for the NFPs, please look for websites and/or nurseries that promote 'heirloom', 'non genetically modified', 'open pollinating', or 'organic'. Each of the NFPs listed below has a certified horticulturalist employed, and ready to look after the seeds, either to start the seeds, store the seeds or distribute to others facing crisis yet know how to start seeds :-) You can be assured the seeds will be looked after. Variety is welcome! DIVRS & Darebin Fruit Squad Urban Food Program 285 High Street Preston 3072 http://www.divrs.org.au/#divrs http://www.darebinfruitsquad.org/ Social enterprise providing food relief to long term unemployed, aged workers and refugee groups, including food growing practices. STREAT Tastes Good. Does Good. 66 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066 www.streat.com.au www.facebook.com/streat.melbourne www.twitter.com/streatmelbourne STREAT is a social enterprise designed to assist homeless youth in Melbourne. CITY HARVEST 16 Portrush Loop, Armstrong Creek Geelong 3217 www.cityharvest.com.au Social enterprise providing training for food security to long term unemployed, aged workers and refugee groups. Asylum Seekers Resource Centre Foodbank Level 1, 214 - 218 Nicholson St, Footscray VIC 3011 Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. t: 03 9326 6066 e:admin@asrc.org.au https://www.asrc.org.au/ Feeding refugees and those seeking asylum. PS. SAM FARBOD NEWHOPE IRANIAN COMMUNITY PO Box 255 Kerrimuir VIC 3129 https://www.newhope.net.au/Persian An Iranian community who fled to Australia due to religious persecution. Rowville Community Centre 40 Fulham Road, Rowville VIC 3178 Food kitchen distributing and growing fresh food for low income Australians. Alex Salmon CARRINGTON HEALTH Level 2, 43 Carrington Road Box Hill VIC 3128 Food Gardens for Low income Australians W www.carringtonhealth.org.au FOOD FOREST ASHBURTON GROUP C/O The Craig Family Centre 7 Samarinda Avenue Ashburton VIC 3147 https://foodforestashy.wordpress.com/ NEWHOPE COMMUNITY CARE Relief Care @NHCC PO Box 255 Kerrimuir VIC 3129 http://www.newhopecare.net.au/food-pantry Food Relief Centre looking to apply sustainable approaches to food resilience care. FOOD GARDEN - The Craig Family Centre 7 Samarinda Avenue Ashburton VIC 3147 http://craigfc.org.au/ Food Gardens for Low income Australians Alternatively: TINY TROWEL P.O Box 4076 Box Hill South VIC 3128 Twitter: @Tiny_Trowel Blog: http://mylittletrowel.blogspot.com.au/ Facebook Group

Green Okra Seed - Thank you, World!

Green Okra Seed Campaign Thank you!!!

Green Okra Seed call out for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre's "Harvest of Hope" gardens yielded hundreds of seed donations!  Thank you! ASRC Harvest of Hope pictured above with their carrot harvest. Individuals sent seeds from around Victoria and the Baker's Creek Heirloom Seed company sent seed all the way from the USA!!!  https://www.rareseeds.com/  Thank you so much, World!! Not only did Baker's Creek send Green Okra, but several other food seed varieties in their parcel. People worldwide are getting on board with sending food seed to those most in need. We can do this! Putting food seed into the hands of individuals and communities, builds food resilience for generations.

Crowd Harvest - Seeds for Christmas The third Crowd Harvest -Seeds for Christmas is coming.  If you are an NFP supplying food growing skills, and/or harvest to those most in need, send an email to tinytrowel7@gmail.com to request your name on the list.  You will need to include: Overview of community organisation and vision Description of who you are empowering Postal address for Christmas seeds For gardeners, start saving all that wonderful seed in readiness for the giving season.

Crowd Harvest: Winter Citrus THANK YOU!!!

Thank you, Melbourne!!! Big thanks to Allison from Burwood who donated a box of citrus fruit to the ASRC via the St. Kilda drop off point. Bless and Opa!! Big thanks to Beverley from Malvern who donated one box of Grapefruit to the Now and Not Yet Cafe Warrandyte - giving Tamil refugees a lift up! Bless and Opa! Big thanks to Kath from Research who donated two big boxes of Limes to the Now and Not Yet Cafe Warrandyte - giving Tamil refugees a lift up! Bless and Opa! Home grown fruit and veggies were dropped off at the ASRC on Sunday June 3. The refugees benefited from herbs in pots, seeds and other back yard bliss.  Bless and Opa!

THANK YOU SO MUCH MELBOURNE!!!

Anyone may continue to drop off winter citrus. Details here: STREAT Tastes Good. Does Good. 66 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066 Monday - Sunday 8.00am till 3.00pm (03) 9629 4222 www.streat.com.au STREAT is a social enterprise designed to assist homeless youth in Melbourne. Asylum Seekers Resource Centre Foodbank Level 1, 214 - 218 Nicholson Footscray VIC 3011 Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. t: 03 9326 6066 e:admin@asrc.org.au Food seeds also welcomed! Helping Hands Mission 492 Fullarton Road Airport West 3042 Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Now and Not Yet Cafe Assisting Asylum Seekers a. 148 Yarra St Warrandyte VIC 3113 t. 03 9844 0994 Monday to Sunday 8.00 am - 3.00 pm w. nowandnotyet.com.au DIVRS 285 – 287 High Street Preston VIC 3072 Ph 03 9480 8207 Monday- Thursday 9.30 am – 2:30 pm www.divrs.org.au

ASRC Harvest of Hope The Asylum Seekers Resource Centre has successfully secured land and volunteers for farming.  Currently preparing for spring, the community would like GREEN OKRA.  Can you help?  Seeds can be sent to: HARVEST OF HOPE Asylum Seekers Resource Centre Foodbank Level 1, 214 - 218 Nicholson Street, Footscray VIC 3011

Choir of Hard Knocks Dr. Jonathon Welch AM, will lead a wonderful performance at Deakin Edge Federation Square on Sunday August 5 at 3.00 pm. Professional musicians will join 'The Choir of Hard Knocks' to perform 'Street Requiem' to commemorate those homeless people who have lost their lives to the elements or crime while living on the streets. Let's fill the hall to overflowing!  TICKETS HERE

Crowd Harvest: Tomatoes for Easter

                 

Individual excess = Community abundance Anyone growing tomatoes in their own backyard inevitably produces excess - more than one family can consume. At the end of summertime, gardeners are overwhelmed with tomatoes! Melbourne food relief providers are currently met with higher demand for emergency assistance than they can manage. If you would like to help, please take any excess home grown tomatoes to one of the following NFPs at the listed opening times.  From the CBD to Collingwood, from Footscray to Rowville, there will be a place near you ready to receive your excess tomatoes. The NFPs will either distribute fresh or preserve the tomatoes as Passata, Chutney, Sundried or Dell'Olio, and then distribute through their food relief programs. Please help share the news by forwarding this email to a friend, or pressing 'like' and 'sharing' on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/147261155952738/ A Facebook Group "Tiny Trowellers" has been created. Please join the conversation at:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1283951395005787/ DIVRS & Darebin Fruit Squad Urban Food Program 285 High Street Preston 3072 Monday to Friday 9.30am - 3.00pm http://www.divrs.org.au/#divrs http://www.darebinfruitsquad.org/  ASRC Foodbank Level 1, 214 - 218 Nicholson St Footscray VIC 3011 Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. https://www.asrc.org.au/  ASRC are happy to accept most home grown produce. Food seeds are welcomed! Rowville Community Kitchen Rowville Community Centre 40 Fulham Road, Rowville VIC 3178 Monday to Friday 10.00am - 3.00pm http://rowvillecommunitykitchen.com.au/ Salvation Army, Project 614 69 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000 Monday to Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/melbourne614 STREAT 66 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066 Monday to Sunday 8.00am - 3.00pm www.streat.com.au  Food Is Free Inc. are excited to be launching a brand new Food Is Free Green Space at Western Oval! Special guest Costa Georgiadis (ABC TV's Gardening Australia/Dirtgirl/Get Grubby) Corner Ripon St Sth & Urquhart Sts Ballarat (up the road from Food Is Free Laneway) Date : Sun 25 March Time : 10.30am - noon Come & join the local celebrations! Free entry. Music, fun & speeches plus a tour of Food Is Free Laneway & Green Space. Find out more via : www.foodisfree.com.au www.facebook.com/foodisfreelanewayballarat/ GARDENING AUSTRALIA FEATURED THE DAREBIN FRUIT SQUAD IN LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE. VIDEO LINK:  http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/factsheets/fruit-squad/9580292 Martin O'Callahan at Darebin Fruit Squad has created a wonderful community asset. Many huge fruit trees grow in the city of Darebin, and are in the homes of people who can no longer manage the trees. The Darebin fruit squad volunteers harvest and collect the fruit, then distribute through their food bank to those most in need. All municipal councils need to be doing the same so that waste is reduced and put to good use.  #DarebinFruitSquad #Gardeningaustralia.  https://www.facebook.com/fruitsquad/ Copyright © 2017 Tiny Trowel, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Tiny Trowel P.O Box 4076 BOX HILL SOUTH, VICTORIA 3128 Australia

Crowd Harvest THANK YOU

Herbs were shared in abundance for Australia Day!! People potted, dried and posted herbs of many varieties and donated to the ASRC and Rowville Community Kitchen! Thank you so much! All recipients were very grateful. Many individuals took herbs home to grow their own. The two NFPs are establishing food gardens to continue to feed those in need.

SHARING VEHICLES Various modalities to share highlighted below! Chose your mode, and start something near you!

Sharing

Home Harvest Share baskets are a great way for communities to share their excess home harvests.  Baskets can be established in any workplace, sports club, church or neighbourhood house.

Sharing on the verge.  Costa shows how he composts for his veggie patch growing on the nature strip - sharing with the community.

Veggies on the Verge Verge (Nature Strip) gardens are popping up all over Middle Park, Melbourne. Check out this one in Armstrong Steet.     Thanks for sharing Poorni

Food Swap Many people heard about sharing home grown excess produce  through food swaps at the ABC open day.  People were fascinated to hear of this platform of sharing, and look forward to participating in the near future.

Grow Free on GA Sharing food via a public cart is going great guns in South Australia.  So much so, founder Andrew Barker was recently interviewed for Gardening Australia.  Check it out on the ABC soon.

I will share the Tiny Trowel story at the Urban Agriculture Forum, Ideas Harvest on Saturday Feb 23rd from 3.45pm. William Angliss Institute of TAFE 555 La Trobe Street Melbourne VIC 3000 Check the full program here: http://www.uaf.org.au/2018-program/

Crowd Harvest; Seeds for Valentine's Day Melbourne, Australia. NFPs supporting, enabling and empowering those in need to adopt self sustaining food gardening practices are looking to establish Seed Banks. By a central body establishing a seed bank, people facing difficult circumstances can access the seeds and establish food gardens. Gardeners everywhere harvest more seeds than can be stored, and need to be used before they expire. In this Crowd Harvest, Australian gardeners with excess seeds are invited to send them in a Valentine's card to one or more NFPs from the list. Please package seeds in individual and labelled packages so food relief recipients can easily take them home. Experienced gardeners, please send viable, open pollinating seeds. Anyone wanting to purchase seeds for the NFPs, please look for websites and/or nurseries that promote 'heirloom', 'non genetically modified', 'open pollinating', or 'organic'. Each of the NFPs listed below has a certified horticulturalist employed, and ready to look after the seeds, either to start the seeds, store the seeds or distribute to others facing crisis yet know how to start seeds :-) You can be assured the seeds will be looked after. Variety is welcome!   ASRC Foodbank Level 1,214 - 218 Nicholson St Footscray VIC 3011 Monday to Friday 10.00 am - 5.00 pm. https://www.asrc.org.au/   DIVRS & Darebin Fruit Squad Urban Food Program285 High Street Preston 3072 http://www.divrs.org.au/#divrs http://www.darebinfruitsquad.org/   FOOD GARDEN - The Craig Family Centre 7 Samarinda Avenue Ashburton 3147 http://craigfc.org.au/ Food Gardens for Low income Australians.   PS. SAM FARBOD NEWHOPE IRANIAN COMMUNITY PO Box 255 Kerrimuir VIC 3129 https://www.newhope.net.au/Persian An Iranian community who fled to Australia due to religious persecution. Nortec Volunteering 6 Main Street Murwillumbah NSW 2484 https://www.nortec.org.au/community-solutions/volunteering/ Helping Aussies flooded out re establish food gardens.   Alex Salmon CARRINGTON HEALTH Level 2, 43 Carrington Road Box Hill VIC 3128 Food Gardens for Low income Australians www.carringtonhealth.org.au   Rowville Community Centre 40 Fulham Road, Rowville VIC 3178 Food kitchen distributing and growing fresh food for low income Australians. http://rowvillecommunitykitchen.com.au/   STREAT 66 Cromwell Street, Collingwood, VIC 3066 Monday to Sunday 8.00am - 3.00pm  www.streat.com.au   FOOD FOREST ASHBURTON GROUP C/O The Craig Family Centre 7 Samarinda Avenue Ashburton 3147https://foodforestashy.wordpress.com/ NEWHOPE COMMUNITY CARE Relief Care @NHCC PO Box 255 Kerrimuir VIC 3129 http://www.newhopecare.net.au/food-pantry Food Relief Centre looking to apply sustainable approaches to food resilience care.

The Sustainable Living Festival is NOW ON in Melbourne. Check it out here: http://slf.org.au/