What do you enjoy most about gardening, and how do the types of plants and produce you grow contribute to that passion? How could this enthusiasm and experience enhance events like Edible Garden Trail?
Growing food is such an easy way for me to get into flow. I’m a very busy person but time means nothing when I give myself the gift of prepping a bed or sowing a tray of seeds. There’s something special about harvesting your own fresh produce for a meal with family and friends. Cooking with home grown veggies and eggs or sharing a hand of bananas with local kids are simple pleasures but so very meaningful. The Illawarra Edible Garden Trail is a great opportunity to connect with others over a shared passion.
Can you describe how your garden highlights the importance of food security and advocates for greater access to fresh produce?
My garden is bigger than most backyard veggie patches with over 100 fruit trees and about 80 sqms of annual beds but the scale allows us to show a range of techniques and growing spaces including different microclimates and guilds. Demonstrating what’s possible in our local area and supporting others to get a start is my way of advocating for greater access to fresh food. We also run a veggie box program for 45 local families, provide a weekly donation of fruit and veg to Otford Public School and teach productive gardening there on Mondays.
What are the main lessons about gardening and sustainability that you hope visitors will learn from your garden?
Permaculture offers a wealth of knowledge about productive gardening and sustainability generally. My favourite principles are to observe and interact and to use small and slow solutions. Paying attention and taking time are two important lessons in gardening and in life. Every element that we have created in the garden over the last five years is the result of a gradual, step-wise process and there’s still plenty more to learn. I’m keen to share stories of the challenges that we’ve faced along the way so that visitors know that it’s all doable with a relaxed attitude and a bit of help from your friends.
