GROW, GROW, GROW your own
Fifth of the 2018 free workshop series, held Sunday 19 August 2018 at Unley Community Centre, 18 Arthur Street, Unley.
Chris Bryant and John Boland presented a fantastic workshop to over 75 people including Dr Lewis O’Brien – Kaurna elder.
Chris outlined the native edible plants in their garden: purslane in pots, macadamias, kangaroo apple, finger lime and native orange – amongst many. Kangaroo apple wood can be chopped into short lengths and tied in bundles to make homes for native bees. She had cooked wattle-seed bread prior to the workshop using wattle-seed from their garden and shared a loaf.
Several key sources of plants include the Belair nursery, Diggers and Perry’s at McLaren Flat for fruit trees. Produce available from the Central Market at Wild Foods. She recommended a tossed macadamia nut and pasta dish, as delicious.
John talked about the regeneration that they have undertaken at their 53 hectare block between Monarto Zoo and Murray Bridge: about 800 metres by 800 metres. It contains extant vegetation which is one of the few remaining pre-European sites of Monarto Mintbush. John and Chris have, over 30 years regenerated much of the property and eat many items from it including spinifex seed, old man’s beard, clematis aerostat, apple berry and ruby saltbush. They are now looking for an organisation which can manage the property in perpetuity and may gift it to Monarto Zoo.
Afterwards, there were many conversations, and the seed and sharing tables were busy.
The presentation for the workshop is via NativeFoods.
For more information on Grow Grow Grow contact peter.croft@mmc.com.au