Bushfire Food Gardening Recovery

Gardeners everywhere may be wondering what to do in the face of devastating fire throughout the Australian landscape. Some ideas include; Start food and flower seeds at home - in 4 - 6 weeks when people are recovering from the shock, they may accept seedlings into fire ravaged areas. Save seeds - as many as possible - to send to garden groups when they come together and are ready to revegetate. Prepare to volunteer in a few months time when food gardens and community gardens are ready to replant. Take cuttings from fruit trees, and propagate at home - ready to donate to fire areas in 6 to 12 months time. :-) At home now, put out bird baths and wildfeed for birds flying in looking for food. Insect hotels can also be placed in back yards, assisting bees and other insects. 
Stay safe everyone.

Crowd Harvest; Seeds to Renew

STAGE ONE - Post bushfire renewal
Victoria, Australia.
Community Gardens near to areas affected by Bushfires are in a position to grow food and flower seeds now, ready to move to community gardens and schools (as central points) in bushfire affected areas in 3 - 6 weeks time. If you run a community garden and wish to be placed on the list for this effort, please contact.
By central bodies 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, Victorian gardeners with excess seeds are invited to send them with a message of hope and support to one or more Community Gardens or NFPs from the list below :-) . More addresses will be added over the next few weeks, so please pace out contributions, sending small packages to each area.
Please package 'in date' seeds in individual and labelled packages. Experienced gardeners, please send viable, open pollinating seeds. Please consider the season and what seeds will take immediately.
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 on site, and ready to look after the seeds, either to start the seeds, store the seeds or distribute to others facing crisis :-) You can be assured the seeds will be looked after.
Variety is welcome!
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tinytrowel/

Yinnar Community Garden
C/O P.O Box 10
Boolarra VIC 3870
Australia
https://www.mirboodistrictfoundation.org.au/index.php/9-news/128-yinnar-community-garden
Supporting Mallacoota and surrounds
Happy to accept herb plants during Autumn during opening hours if you are a local to the YCG.

The Sustainable Activity Centre
17 Yarralumla Drive
Wodonga VIC 3690
Australia
https://www.facebook.com/SustainableActivityCentre/?rf=150259389011532
Supporting communities closer to Alpine areas, Corryong and surrounds, and into NSW regions.
The SAC here, are capable of receiving bulk packages and able to then repackage into smaller packs ready to redistribute to the three areas named.

Baw Baw Sustainability Network

PO Box 161

Yarragon, 3823

https://www.bbsn.org.au/

Supporting areas In Gippsland.

Thank you one and all. Please remember, small packages and save seeds for all of January ready for the next community ready to receive seeds. Crowd Harvests will roll out in stages. When communities are ready, seedlings and small plants will be needed, and experienced gardeners may wish to graft fruit trees ready for a 6 - 12 month timeline.

Australia has strict quarantine laws on all biological resources. Please do not send seed from overseas unless absolutely sure of the legislation requirements: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/plant-products/seeds-for-sowing?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi8SkjPuW5wIVTQwrCh2dmg25EAAYASAAEgKovvD_BwE

NB: This Crowd Harvest is around food seeds, and flowers for pollination of food seeds. Anyone wanting to assist with flora and fauna renewal needs to contact or join Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/
or
Habitat sanctuaries
https://www.facebook.com/habitatsanctuaries.org/

Australia Day celebrations are a great time to express the generous Australian spirit towards asylum seekers and those in need.

During the summer time, herbs are flourishing!
Many home gardeners find their herb plants outgrow their pots/land in the summer time, and usually split the plant to share with their family and friends. Split plants donated to those facing food insecurity can make them feel the generous spirit of Australia Day.
Such a gift would provide an ongoing, self sustaining way for people to enhance their own nourishment. Sophie from Gardening Australia shows how it can be done with ease in this engaging video: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s4570418.htm

Small pots are the best way to present your wonderful gift, with a label to identify the plant.
The ASRC, Newhope Care and Rowville Community Kitchen have clients who could use some home grown herbs in pots. People receive great joy when gifted with herbs! Strawberry and pepper plants are also greatly appreciated.
Dried herbs, freshly cut herbs, and bay leaves are all welcomed. You might be cutting back your rosemary - the ASRC would love all the off cuts :-)
Just pop in and say Hi from Jan 11 to Jan 28 during their opening times and help celebrate Australia Day. Remember, all NFPs are closed on Monday Jan 27 - a public holiday!

Asylum Seekers Resource Centre Foodbank
Level 1, 218 Nicholson S
Footscray VIC 3011
Open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 3 pm.
Closed on public holidays. Closed on Weekends.
https://www.asrc.org.au/get-involved/donate-food-and-goods/
Pots and soil would also be appreciated at this venue to enable asylum seekers to plant out the herbs.

Rowville Community Centre
40 Fulham Road,
Rowville VIC 3178
Open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4 pm.
Closed on public holidays. Closed on Weekends.
http://www.knox.vic.gov.au/rcc
Food bank and kitchen distributing and growing fresh food and plants for low income Australians.

NewHope Community Care
3 Springfield Rd (Carpark at cnr Middleborough Rd)
Blackburn North VIC 3130
Open Monday to Friday 10 am to 4pm
Open Sunday 10 am to 2pm
Closed on public holidays.
W: http://www.newhopecare.net.au/community-care
Food bank distributor caring for Iranian refugees and other low income members of the community.