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10am - 4pm, Saturday 24 October 2009 Kensington Street Chippendale

Celebrate the opening of the Chippendale Fresh Food Cooperative this October and discover the many hidden wonders this suburb has to offer.

The 2009 program expands from 'all about living and eating sustainably' to include art and culture.

- Buy direct from Farmers
- Taste local produce
- Open air book shop
- Community gardening
- Rocket launch and grass root games
- Pat the chooks
- Relax on a haystack
- Food talks & live entertainment
- Great raffle prizes
- Artist workshops with Johnny Romeo and Eric Lobbecke
- Guided Tours of local galleries
- Official launch of the Co-Op and Fair Magazine...and much more

See latest What's On Fair Day Program. Click here

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A SERIES OF FREE COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND WORKSHOPS
PRESENTED BY CARRIAGEWORKS
At CarriageWorks we believe that creativity extends into all facets of life, including finding creative ways to save our planet.

CarriageWorks’ Kitchen Garden Project is a series of free community activities and workshops based on the notion of creative sustainability.

More info @ http://www.carriageworks.com.au/whats_on.php?event=communitygarden

Folks - a quick reminder for our working bee in the road gardens here this coming SundayIt's time to use up the $1,000 grant council gave us this month to maintain the gardens and put in some more plants

We start at 11 am.

Meet at 59 Myrtle for jobs and briefing

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First off - at 11 am we have a short talk and demonstration (ten minutes or so) at my place from Robyn Williamson, Local Seed Network Coordinator, NW Sydney Seed Savers, who will show us how to:

• Grow vegies like lettuces, beans, rocket etc from seed - once you know how to do this you'll never buy seeds again - it is SO easy and, of course CHEAP- plant some veggies she will bring which she has grown from seed

• If you live in units or have a handy light pole nearby please put up this email or make your own sign to invite your neighbours

Please bring:

• your neighbours, friends
• food scraps (including citrus, onion waste as the Aerobin compost bins do not use worms but heat to decompose)
• any spare compost, weeds
• gloves, gardening tools
• camera if you wish to put some photos on our web page or yours
• a shopping bag to take home some fruit and veggies from the Chippo Markets folk

We have two folks who are bringing some soup and other tucker; any other contributions of food for our feast after working would be great; you can leave it at my place 'till we begin the feast.

And, lastly: Please confirm by email you'll be coming on this Sunday.

Looking forward to the fun.

Thanks so much,

Kind regards

Michael michael@sustainablehouse.com.au

http://www.carriageworks.com.au/whats_on.php?event=communitygarden

The multi million dollar works underway now in Buckland street and continuing through to July right up to the top of the catchment at Darlington are to separate the sewage and stormwater into two pipe systems so they stop mixing and putting over 30 million litres of raw sewage into Blackwattle Bay beside the Fish Markets; the recent rains here produces several million litres of sewage there.

So far so good. In theory.<!--break-->

But this interesting map from New Scientist shows how things might look in 90 years or less - we can expect Chippo to become waterfront land;

http://www.newscientist.com/articleimages/mg20126971.700/1-how-to-surviv...

What happens to sewerage infrastructure like this with a small (say, 150mm) rise in sea level in the next 20 years?

My guess is with a small sea rise the stormwater and sewerage pipes will back up a fair way back into land due to the way the system has a small fall over a large inland hinterland eg Double Bay, Woolloomooloo, Chippendale, etc . . .

If you think this is fanciful then it may help to know that folks used to row by boat from Blackwattle Bay up to Peace Park and watercress used to be harvested from the creek that ran there until Buckland street was put on top of it.

We live in interesting times.

"How to set up and run a successful food co-op"

7 pm, Wednesday 22 April 2009

Book your place

Dinner and Presentation  with discussion   $30

Includes pasta and salad and one glass of wine - after that from the bar or BYO

Location

Cafe Guilia, corner Abercrombie and Meagher, Chippendale

Book and pay cash to Michael by Friday 3 April - envelope through the door, please.  No cancellations but tables or seats may be transferred. 

Tables for: 1, 2, 4 or 6 Maximum 30 people  -  numbers are strictly limited to ensure a good conversation and exchange of information

This is an information and discussion evening.  It will help us decide how to take the next steps to set up a food co-op that will be able to supply all of Chippendale's food needs, cut climate change, buy from local farmers and support local businesses.  The information may be used to help you buy food from farmers and set up your own food arrangements anywhere.

We will hear from Robert about:

• the legal framework for Food Connect and how the business has grown in three years to over 900 boxes a week and a weekly turn over > $38,000
• how to ensure the co-op cannot be bought by a chain store
• the design of the box packing system
• how equity and money and decisions are made and achieved
• some fundamental things to aim for eg the co-op is not for sale
• how Food Connect finds and sustains relationships with over 60 farmers

You'll be amazed at what Food Connect has achieved in Brisbane: www.foodconnect.com.au

US First Lady Michelle Obama is set to break the ground for an organic garden on a patch of the south lawn to grow produce for the White House kitchen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7954573.stm

THE English have their allotments; in Sydney we use the streets. In a variation on guerilla gardening, Sydneysiders are moving veggie plots from the backyard to the street verge, and converting formerly fallow public land into mini-market gardens.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/street-and-two-veg-a-green-solution-just-outside-your-door/2008/10/06/1223145261857.html