Food Forest at Daylesford Secondary College Notes from the meeting Tuesday July 31 2012 at 2pm DNC courtroom Attended: Eric Dando, Maz, Kate Gerritsen, Pete O’Mara, Paul Dempsey, Dave Stephens, Mara Macs, David Hall, Luke Pither, Tiffany Holt, Maureen Corbett, Patrick Jones, Zero and Islay. Apologies: Dave Cauldwell and Meg Ulman 1. Acknowledgement of Jaara country and elders. 2. Primary focus: To discuss the development of a 10-acre Food Forest at Daylesford Secondary College, (DSC) as the fifth (and largest) Daylesford community garden within a growing community food system. Background brief: Dave Stephens -Acknowledgement that there is a long history of interest at this site for communityeducative food initiatives1. -The acknowledgement that funding is available for sustainable projects and that this project would be very eligible for such funds. -The project has the potential to strengthen relationships between permaculturalists, relocalisation groups, forest ecology and biodiversity activists. -This project is for everyone in the area, but with a special interest in nurturing young people and supporting them in getting their hands dirty and understanding ecological relationships. -The project fits within the planning of the Hepburn Shire’s Energy Descent Action Plan (EDAP). 3. Brief notes on DCFG values and partners: Patrick Jones DCFGs began as a response to the improper way our food is grown and the ill effects this has on the world’s biospheres, humans and the more-than-human. We value ecologically sound, free organic food for our community, and we understand the damage caused by transporting chemicalised agriculture around the planet. The gardens are not set up as private plot arrangements that mimic private property models, but rather model ancient forms of human collaboration by sharing resources, knowledges and labour. By growing a community food system we are therefore attempting to build collective sufficiency in food resources, while we are also engaged in defending water catchments, biodiversity and other essential ecological values within our region. We believe such activity is the essence of local resilience in the face of climate change, peak oil, and corporate 1
The following information was recently sent to us by Mary Park from Newstead Community Garden: “About twenty-five years ago my partner Geoff Park taught at Daylesford Tech-High (as it was then known) and offered Horticulture as an elective at middle school level. Students helped construct a humble hothouse annexe and established a small vegetable garden. Geoff also instigated planting of the school's native 'forest'. At that time David Holmgren developed a permaculture plan for the school grounds, including the ten acres of your current project.”
intransigence. While the monetary economy exists we aim to use small amounts of it (through grants and other gifts) to transition to a fully non-monetised and relocalised gift economy. We equally value the social and educational aspects of producing food together and understand how working bees, garden tours and the free workshops we regularly hold help build community knowledges and relationships around ecological food production. This potential fifth garden, at DSC, has the opportunity to carry on the work that local primary school garden schemes have begun, give to our kids deeply and profoundly, and dramatically extend perennial food production for the broader community. DCFG is not an incorporated body. DCFG is auspiced by Daylesford Neighbourhood Centre (DNC). DCFG community partners include Hepburn Relocalisation Network (HRN), Sustainable Hepburn (SHARE), DNC, Hepburn Shire Council (HSC) and Wombat Forestcare (WF). DCFG is a non-membership based group open to everyone. 4. Secondary focus: To briefly discuss how this garden may also include an ecological housing project in collaboration with neighbouring land at St Michael’s school. Background brief: Paul Dempsey -Negotiations to take place with St Michael’s school for the use of land to develop as an eco-community housing project. -To converse with Barry Green at HSC regarding the ecological management of human waste. -To build composting toilets and food preparation/seating areas. - To build housing and buildings that compliment organic food production based on sound ecological knowledges, making the entire area a site for remodelling how we live in a post-pollution, energy descent era. 5. Questions and responses regarding items 2, 3 and 4. -How best to work within the structure of the school? Tiffany – “let it emerge organically, DCFG leads the development, the school gets involved as the resource grows.” -The proposal put forward to build a meaningful relationship with place, a place valued by students. -What’s the best way to communicate with the school? Direct with Tiffany to begin with. Teachers who may become involved are Erin Taylor and/or Liz Woodruff. -Discussion about access for volunteers, insurance, working with children checks, etc. -Discussion about what the group is and its representation as a body. General agreement to call the group the DCFG working group. 6. Primary objectives for this meeting: To form a small dedicated team with varying skills to drive the food forest project at DSC (stage 1). These skills will include liaison with DSC, forming agreements with the relevant authorities, design process, grant getting, publicity and media, co-
ordination of earthworks and plantings, exploring educational opportunities with DSC and the broader community, launching the project. Additionally work will include looking into the possibility of an eco-village in collaboration with St Michael’s school (stage 2), and if viable, forming a sub group to drive this project. -Today we formed the DCFG working group. The group includes: Eric Dando, Maz, Kate Gerritsen, Pete O’Mara, Paul Dempsey, Dave Stephens, Mara Macs, David Hall, Luke Pither, Patrick Jones and Dave Cauldwell. -We will invite Erin and/or Liz from DSC to join the working group. -We will meet for a working bee/discussion meeting/celebratory picnic at Daylesford Secondary College as the next DCFG working bee, Saturday 11th Aug. 10am-12.30pm working bee, 12.30 onwards picnic. -Meeting closed 3:23pm