Winter chill biting Community Garden

July News

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  The results of the working bee..

  Keep Australia Beautiful NSW - Sustainable Cities Awards Program, 

• Community Garden Working Bee, 

• Rainwater Harvesting, 

• Community Small Grants up to $5000. 

  First yes that was an icy blast this week, the community gardens being on one of the lower points around town certainly felt the icy grip with a snap freeze hitting the last couple of days, any potatoes that thought they may poke up their new shoots quickly got reminded about how the cold affects any exposed vulnerable shoots, and that's pretty much the same thing experienced by mountain climbers on Everest, yep frozen and now blackened. Needless to say the decision to not prune the roses may also have been a wise one for fear of another snap freeze and the last thing we want is to lose any precious new buds. That task has been put off for a couple of weeks atleast.  Anyway on with the news .......

  Keep Australia Beautiful NSW - Sustainable Cities Awards program 

  At weeks end groups and councils from across Sydney/NSW will come together to share stories/passions and their successes at the presentation dinner for the Sustainable Cities Awards Program at Mamre Homestead, Camden Community Garden will be in attendance with green thumbs crossed, this years president Steve Cooper was in attendance last year and has embraced the experience of being involved in this great program, this program is a great chance for all involved in any of the categories to be recognised amongst their peers and across NSW for their contributions, regardless of the winners on the night there are winners already, wether its the community groups or the individuals involved, many connections have have been made, friendships built, skills gained and community built. Follow the link for more info Sustainable Cities Awards.
  
  
  
  

  Working Bee.

  

  The old bar and rainwater tank on right.

  As much as i don't like to use the "W" word thats what we had on the weekend, and crikey didn't loads get done, a massive turnout with 22 gardeners signing on for the day, a few newbies turned up as well as the regulars, so thanks to all involved, gardens were cleared, lawns cut, the potting up area got a huge makeover, this laneway had been used to hold accumulated soil from the old barn and nearby earthworks and was something of a snake farm/hide for all things great and small, with the aid of a Dingo, (no we didn't scare the critters out), i mean the petrol powered kind pictured below, we cleared the area, thankfully no sightings were made.
  
  
    Of not the restored barn was christened, although it probably wasn't truly enjoyed as way too much work was done on the day, it hosted the days free lunch put on by the committee, it went down a treat, thanks to Ray for his BBQ skills and is never ending enthusiasm to get stuck into anything, to everyone else "two thumbs up" as my daughter would say, you guys did a stellar job. The next "Garden Bee is the 3rd Sunday in August and its hoped before a very special gathering, but more on that later on, watch the sidebar on the right for important dates.
  

  Rainwater Harvesting.

  So its certainly no grand scale, but the Community Gardens has made the first step towards supplementing its water usage, currently the gardens taps into town water but now the garden also harvests some water from the old barn. It is hoped that with continued development in the area further harvesting options will be investigated, i can say that the suggestion has certainly been raised.
  
  

  Community Small Grants.

  These close on the 9th of August, for information you can view the funding guidelines and download an application form from community small grants program..