PERMACULTURE NORTHERN BEACHES - WHAT’S ON IN JULY and AUGUST
This month we are celebrating the UN 2015 International Year of Soils. We are doing this in a number of ways and hope that also in some way you can join in. The aim is to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions. Soils constitute the foundation of vegetation and agriculture. Forests need soil to grow. We need soil for food, feed, fibre, fuel and much more. Healthy soil makes for healthy people, animals and plants. Soil provides the foundation for all life on land. It gives us food, clean water, clean air, medicine, fibre and fuel, it’s also a climate regulator and buffer.
Enter our competition, catch a movie on soil, join in on a permabee (working bee); and come along on August 5 to a special event in conjunction with Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre hosted by Costa Georgiadis compere of 'Gardening Australia', along with Graeme Sait one of Australia's leading experts in organic soil and ecologist Pete Rutherford, at Dee Why RSL at 7pm.At the same time learn a lot more about the fragile ecosystem we live in.
Elle Sheather
for PNB Committee, PNB Coordinator
SOIL TALENT CONTEST
Soil is under threat. Today almost one third of the planet’s surface is classified as desert and a quarter of all agricultural soils have been lost. The remaining topsoil is depleted and could vanish within 60 years. The good news is that we can restore our soils and, at the same time, solve other global challenges. The key lies in rebuilding topsoil to bring life back to the land. Permaculture can do this and we need to spread the word!
Permaculture Northern Beaches is hosting a Soil Talent Quest, with the winners to be announced at our Balcony and Small Space Gardening Information night with Indira Naidoo on August 27th at 7:15pm at the Nelson Heather Community Centre, 5 Jacksons Rd. Warriewood (off Pittwater Rd.)
To enter the competition all you need to do is either:
- Post a soil related photo OR
- In 100 words or less tell us what the International Year of Soil means to you.
The winners will be the three posts with the most likes on our Permaculture Northern Beaches Facebook page.
- First Prize: Can o’worms - Worm farm
- Second Prize: Five bags of organic soil and/ or compost
- Third Prize: Nui organic gift pack - sustainably grown products from the Pacific
Entries open July 4 and close midnight August 26.
PERMABEE - CREATING A WICKING BED IN A COMMUNAL SPACE
SUNDAY JULY 12, 11am
MANLY VALE
Wicking beds water plants from below rather than above. They use very little water, are easily maintained and do not take up a lot of space. Join the permabee (garden working party) on July 12 to create one in a communal garden at a block of flats in Manly Vale. Barbeque lunch is also included. Please notify Caroline if you will be attending at: caroline.aguesse@hotmail.com Tel:0414800277
FILM 'SYMPHONY OF THE SOIL'
SATURDAY JULY 18, 3pm
85 Allambie Rd. Allambie Heights at HUMPH HALL
"Drawing from ancient knowledge and cutting edge science, 'Symphony of Soil' is an artistic exploration of the miraculous substance soil. By understanding the elaborate relationships and mutuality between soil,water, the atmosphere, plants and animals we come to appreciate the complex and dynamic nature of this precious resource."
http://humphhall.org/index.php/upcoming-events/soil/
Bookings essential: Wayne Richmond 99398802
COMING UP IN AUGUST:
COSTA AND I ARE SERIOUS ABOUT SOIL,
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 5, 7-9pm
Dee Why RSL, 932 Pittwater Rd. Dee Why
Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre, in conjunction with PNB, invite you to a community night to learn what you can do personally to move CO2 - carbon dioxide - from the air, back into the soil in your garden and to plants. This is also a vital message for all farmers. Costa Georgiadias landscape architect and compere of "Gardening Australia' will introduce Graeme Sait one of Australia's leading experts on organic soils and also our own Peter Rutherford from PNB and senior ecologist at Kimbriki. There will also be lucky door prizes and a PNB information stand. Already over 200 people have booked (maximum capacity is 400) so bookings are essential: www.ecohouseandgarden.com.au Tel:94863512 (Mon-Fri)
Don't miss this one!
BALCONY AND SMALL SPACE GARDENING INFORMATION NIGHT WITH INDIRA NAIDOO
August 27th at 7:15pm at the Nelson Heather Community Centre, 5 Jacksons Rd. Warriewood (off Pittwater Rd.)
Indira Naidoo is a popular broadcaster and author of 'The Edible Balcony'. She has great ideas for anyone trying to maximise their available space for growing food, especially for those with balconies and small gardens. Indira's first best selling book was published in 2011, about growing food in small places, has been launched in London, Hong Kong and New York and she lectures internationally on food sustainability issues. See www.permaculturenorthernbeaches.org.au for further information.
INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE COURSE
AUGUST 29-30 @ KIMBRIKI ECOHOUSE AND GARDEN, INGLESIDE
Feel inspired, want to know more about permaculture and sustainable living in a practical way? This two day course is for you. You will receive an Introduction to Permaculture certificate following at the end of two days of learning from permaculture teachers and one another in the EcoHouse and Eco Garden. A great demonstration site which also includes sustainable buildings, native bees hive and aquaponics. 09:30am-4:30pm both days. Inquiries and bookings:
info@permaculturenorthernbeaches.com.au
Tel:0417241371
PLEASE NOTE:
PNB monthly public meetings will return to the fourth Thursday of the month from August 27 with renowned author and journalist Indira Naidoo speaking on Small Space Gardening. We will be at a new venue the Nelson Heather Community Centre, 5 Jacksons Rd. Warriewood (off Pittwater Rd.) from 7:15pm. For July only we have our special year of the soil schedule!
For any inquiries to PNB please contact this email address. All events can be found on the PNB website: permaculturenorthernbeaches.org.au
“It’s all about the Soil!”