by Rachel | Oct 10, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
The Albany office has been running a ‘Food is Free’ cart since 2017 at 38 Graham Street, inspired by the Food is Free laneway in Ballarat, VIC. Over the last two years, hundreds of kilograms of fruit and vegetables have been given away from this humble little upcycled cart. The Food is Free concept started in Austin, Texas and has now spread around the world with over 350 cities participating. It’s a great way to build community and connect excess food to people who can use it.
The Green Skills Albany office has several raised garden beds and grows seasonal vegetables when volunteer labour & staff energy allows. We currently have one volunteer working in our garden and have planted summer seedlings such as zucchini and tomatoes. Upcycled wicking beds in the front yard are a great way of keeping the vegies going through summer holidays with gaps in garden watering. The garden produce on the Food is Free cart mostly comes from the office gardens and staff home vegetable gardens.
You can participate by dropping off your own homegrown produce or taking whatever you find on the cart. Please don’t leave items that can blow away, such as egg cartons, as this location is windy. The cart has been on the verge in the past but it now lives under the veranda where it is shadier.
The Green Skills Food is Free cart is available to the community whenever the gates are open, which is roughly 9-3pm weekdays (may be earlier or later depending on staffing). Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for current offerings. While you’re there, you may want to bring your coffee pods, toothbrushes or old pens for recycling in the TerraCycle program.
You might even like to set up a Food is Free space or edible verge garden at your place. Find out how here.
by Basil | Oct 8, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Bushland Survey on Currawong farm- Draft Report Available for feedback
On Monday 9th September 2019 Green Skills conducted its fourth ‘ Rapid Snapshot Bushland Assessment and Eco Planning’ survey on Currawong farm, near Boxwood HIll.
Done in conjunction with the Stefani family, the aim was to do a snap shot biodiversity assessment to assist with planning for bushland conservation and revegetation planning for this 990 hectare farm that is strategically located next to Bush Heritage’s North Monjebup reserve as well as the Corackerup Nature Reserve. This farm, which has about 269 ha of remnant bushland 27 %) is thus situated in the heart of the FItzgerald to Stirling section of Gondwana LInk ( http://www.gondwanalink.org/)
The survey team comprised Melissa Howe ( Ecologist), Basil Schur ( Green Skills) , Angela Sanders ( Bush Heritage), and Jane THompson ( co owner of Yarraweyah Farm). Also in attendance was Freya Spencer ( Gillamii and North Sirling Pallingup NRM officer), Leoni McMahon ( FGB Executive Officer and Reaghan Shalders ( FGB NRM Officer)
Green Skills has now collated the results of the day’s survey and prepare a draft a report for feedback from the landholding family and other stakeholdersThis document will prove valuable in accessing further bushland fencing and revegetation assistance for priority sites.
For further info contact Basil Schur, Green Skills Denmark office 08 98483310
Draft Survey report c
by helen | Oct 2, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
The Denmark Community Garden is operated by Green Skills in collaboration with the Denmark CRC and was opened in March 2019. The Garden is conveniently and prominently located in the heart of Denmark behind the Morgan Richardson Centre (old Denmark hospital site) which is now the Denmark Community Resource Centre. It is in easy walking distance of many residents in social housing and retirement villages and designed to be wheelchair accessible and family-friendly.
The garden is a sustainable, organic, community-based food garden which encourages its members and local South Coast residents to participate more actively in community life, connect with the earth, grow fresh garden produce, and enjoy doing all this in company with others in the community. Here community gardeners can develop and try out new horticulture and food gardening skills and help give back to Denmark by contributing to this Community Garden.
The Denmark Community Garden is inclusive and accessible, holding regular free workshops and events for learning new gardening skills. Over 80 south coast residents have actively joined in workshops and events since this community garden was launched in March 2019. Go check on the Green Denmark Community Garden’s activities and upcoming workshops at: https://greenskills.org.au/denmark-community-garden/
Greg nurturing the broad beans
Preparing a range of herbs & veggies for planting at the Denmark Community Garden
by Laura | Sep 26, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
With the start of the 2019/2020 financial year, Green Skills welcomed two new permanent members of staff: Steven Spragg and Mystine Brown.
Mystine has been a longtime Ecojobs casual, since July 2016. She is a versatile member of Ecojobs, from hand-weeding and chemical weed control to local government Natural Resource Management positions.
Mystine is also a qualified swimming teacher.
A great skill set to have on the team. Welcome Mystine!
by Basil | Sep 16, 2019 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Appreciating some magnificent contributors to our Denmark-Kwoorabup community
Here Green Skills takes the opportunity to thank and appreciate those volunteers and groups who support the Denmark Community Garden and who are consistently marvellous. This is a tribute to them and all the many quiet people who give heaps to our town and our world. Thank you
Support to establish the garden has come from Green Skills, the Denmark CRC, Kwoorabup Denmark Transition Town Network, the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, the Denmark Community Windfarm Group Sustainability Fund, Metroof, Thornton’s Hardware & Mitre 10, the Denmark Men’s Shed, contractors, other groups & volunteers
Basil
Green Skills Denmark 98483110
Michael (of RAC rescue fame), Don and Greg. Last Wednesday in the pouring rain, Michael volunteered his truck and skills to help move some big shadehouse benchtops to the DCG
The Denmark Men Shed guys – rough sense of humour but true legends. Here they are helping relocate a shadehouse.
Greg helping relocate a shadehouse.. a true Aussie stalwart !
Neal – Denmark’s garden maestro and enthusiastic teacher of horticultural knowledge
Shirle, Greg and Neal at our composting workshops.. all deeply feeling beings who have green hearts and fingers
Lucia guiding the group through her spectacularly productive garden
Lucia (centre) with her garden produce, Dawn (right),another dedicated volunteer and contributor to not just the community garden but much more.
Lucia( right) who let us loose in her wonderful home garden last weekend – and Petra ( centre) who does a fabulous job of helping drive the Denmark Community Resource Centre, and Shirley ( healer and giver)
Campbell communicating with the garlic in the DCG (Denmark Communitarian Garden)
Greg communicating with the broad beans
Neal, Gloria and other garden enthusiasts
Carl, another legendary community supporter, who never fails to lend a hand
Thanks to all the Wwoofers who give so generously to the places they volunteer, in this case the Denmark Community Garden
Kristi, in her element at the Golden Hill Waldorf School.. winning Gold at the Waste Minimisation Olympics and another unsung community heroine
Kristi in composting action
