How lovely are these little seed packs created by our gardeners on Friday!

They’re out in the seed library ready for neighbourhood planting … if you’re ready to start your spring garden pop past!

As we approach the end of term 2 we’re all looking forward to a break so that we can return refreshed and ready to roll for the second half of the year.

So, firstly this is a reminder that we’ll finish up this Friday 23 June and take a two week break - then see you all on Monday 10 July bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for term 3.

In this last week we’ll be working on the program for next semester.

We’ve had lots of people come and talk to us about new ideas which is just fabulous! We’ve had discussions about health, wellbeing and fitness classes, maternal/child health support, art classes, community art projects and more. So we’ll spend the week following these ideas up and seeing which ones we can get going.

And we’re also talking with our local artists from Alphington Open Studios about the dates for this year, and talking with the Music from the Wetlands committee about how we can best help out for that fabulous event (how EXCITING - it will be on again in late November, always such a wonderful day!).

We’re also super thrilled that our colleagues over in Richmond got a grant from Sustainability Victoria all about building a ‘repair’ culture. And they have invited us to be part of their workshop series. So we might have a bike repair workshop here, maybe Gordon back for Sewing Machine and Overlocker maintenance/repairs, and a session on how to repair a lamp … Sounds great hey (I’d love to know how to use a kit to rewire my lovely old standard lamp safely … ). Richmond are just in the process of working out what happens at which site!

We also have two students from The Academy of Mary Immaculate here this week, which will be just lovely. I am sure they will be very helpful in getting organised for the end of term. And also a great resource to tap into for programming ideas. Look out for them and make them feel welcome!

And finally I have included a photo from last week of the green tomato relish that our lovely preserves group made. The tomatoes came from Kalimna’s mum and dad who have a big garden - she brought in so many tomatoes that our cooks needed two sessions to get through them all. With donated glass jars and fabric and donated ingredients, our preserves group activities are not just about being productive and helping us fundraise whilst chatting and making community connections, but also about low food miles and recycling! It’s super isn’t it!

Our garden has been spruced up by a delivery of compost. And we’d like to thank the volunteers who moved it into place, spreading it out across our site. And thank Darebin Council for the delivery. This year again we are receiving the FOGO compost - which is the compost made from our green waste bins … so … it’s entirely possible that your carrot peelings and cauliflower leaves (if you put them in your green waste bin) are now right here in the garden at ACC! Isn’t that a nice thought.

We’re about to (well in the next month we hope) plant more indigenous plants 🌱 out in our front corner garden that has been looking a little sad … we will give them the chance to settle in over winter and be ready to burst into life in spring! Fingers crossed.

If you are keen on gardening we have a lovely group of garden enthusiasts here on a Friday morning from 10am who help weed, rake leaves, save seeds, plant out beds, thin seedlings … and all the things. And anyone is very welcome to come along and help us improve our outdoor spaces, help grow community food and meet nice people! We’ll reward you with a delicious morning tea at 11.30am (catered by our CWA friends) to thank you for your contribution!

This term at ACC we are delighted to have our friends from Alphington CWA helping us out with the catering for our morning teas /sort of early light lunches that are on at 11.30am each Friday during school term, outside under the pergola in the front garden.

Our gardeners, shedders and crafters come together each week after an active/creative morning, to share a cuppa and a some delicious food and a chat.

The first week of our new arrangement went swimmingly, everyone LOVED the food that was provided … AND we’re all quite excited to see what turns up next week … thanks Alphington CWA (Silvana and Miranda in particular this week).

If you are a local who enjoys gardening or crafting or making or chatting … please join us on a Friday morning from 10am for our community morning. You can come along regularly, or pop in more randomly. There’s a great bunch of lovely welcoming people here, and a super-friendly outdoor program you can join in led by Clare.

And if you are interested in joining the Alphington CWA they meet just around the corner at the Darebin Parklands Rangers Offices, in the Gleeson Room on the first Monday of the month at 7.30pm.

What a great weekend we had for the 2023 Alphington Show!

Entries for the show arrived on Friday. We had over 100 entries from people of all ages - it was lovely to see so many people keen to share and showcase their skills and talents.

Michelle and Anne from Alphington CWA were there to oversee the judging on Friday night from 5.30pm, and they brought in the experts, Nola from the broader CWA family (and an expert show judge) along with Bill and Wayne from the Preston Garden Club. We thank them all for their time and enthusiasm for our local event. And we thank everyone who entered. So much talent in our community!

On Saturday we held our annual makers market with 22 stallholders lining the street, whilst inside Devonshire tea was served by the Alphington CWA - and thoroughly enjoyed in the front garden with perfect autumn weather.

Our Show also included face painting and nature crowns, a raffle, a BBQ … and even a leaf pit for nature play!

Thanks to Nelson Alexander, Bunnings, Alphington CWA and Friends of Baucau for our raffle prizes!

Our raffle prize winners were very happy!

And pony rides. And a guess the lollies in the lolly jar (there were 207!).

Another happy winner!

Once again this year a raft of volunteers helped out to make the day a success. Thanks so much to you all! Including (but not limited to) Elaine, Anne and Serene for managing the craft and eftpos machine, Cheryl who again ran nature craft, Corrado, Jo, Ina, Heather and Anne who wrangled the BBQ and Marie-Louise, Lola and Jackson our dog show judges.

Thanks to Kalimna for organising so much of the overall logistics and once again taking amazing photos. And to Lee, Clare and Jill who worked to make the event a success.