The Central Coast will host its very first Edible Garden Trail on November 19-20, with more than 35 garden hosts and their families volunteering their time and opening their gardens to visitors.
Ticket holders will be able to view a broad range of gardens growing healthy, chemical-free food put together by hosts who hold a wealth of wisdom and knowledge gained from collective years of practical experience.
One of the gardens on show will be the Earth Driven Collective at Empire Bay.
“I grow all of the seedlings in my nursery and greenhouse and love watching the cycle,” owner Lorrae Clugston said.
“In terms of a specific process with planting, I don’t have one.
“I literally just chuck it in wherever and see what I learn from it.
“Has it flourished? Why? What parts of the plant can be eaten? Is it medicinal? How can I cook/work with it? Can I save the seed?
“My garden is an ever-evolving part of my mental health growth and I’m excited to keep learning through Mother Nature and Permaculture.”
Kelly Feetam from Little Feet Gourmet – a market garden at Ourimbah – said their growing style is traditional, no-till, organic market gardening with no chemical sprays or synthetic fertilisers.
“We grow from seed, companion plant using herbs and have started introducing flowers to encourage beneficial insects,” she said.
“We’ve had a number of challenges including a major flood events, damaging hail and drought but you pick yourself back up and keep moving forward, learning every day.”
Barbara Roach, co-creator of the Gwandalan and Summerland Point Community Garden, said the point of the garden was is to teach people to feed themselves organically.
“This includes trying to get children interested in food growing,” she said.
“Very little of our community garden is new; most of it is from used items that we have picked up here and there.
“I designed the garden and structures in it around the sun and shade areas.”
Also on view on the day will be Charlotte’s Coastal Patch at Copacabana.
“We have planted the street verge and welcome anyone passing by to help themselves to herbs and chillies,” Charlotte Morgan said.
“We feel passionately that verges should be planted and encouraged in every community.
“Having a veggie patch out the front is very social; walkers always stop for a chat and are interested to know what’s happening in the garden.”
At the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail there will be something for everyone from tiny balcony potted gardens to shared street gardens, abundant backyard plots and larger gardens incorporating food forests, wheelchair accessible gardens and gardens incorporating Indigenous foods and cultural practices.
Presented by Permaculture Central Coast, the trail will showcase permaculture principles in action.
Permaculture is centred around the ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share and has been derived from Indigenous knowledge and practices.
Visitors will be encouraged to learn how to: eliminate harmful practices from their garden; improve the biodiversity of life above and below the ground in their garden; start growing and eating nutrient dense food that is seasonal and as fresh as it gets; and source their food locally and seasonally via a printed Local Food Guide produced for the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail.
The guide is a comprehensive list of local farmers, co-ops, produce swaps and roadside stalls who are using organic and regenerative practices, including when and where their products are available.
Tickets for the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail are available through Humanitix.
Ticket holders will have access to 34 private gardens.
A number of community gardens and public spaces will also be opening on the day and welcoming visitors free of charge.
For more information, keep an eye on the Central Coast Edible Garden Trail Facebook page.
Source:
Media release, Oct 27
Central Coast Edible Garden Trail