To all Food Swappers;
Firstly; thank you to all of you for making the Yarra food swap happen. It is through the community that great things start from the ground up and all who participate in food gardening and the Yarra food swap are making a huge difference to the area and the environment. It’s getting bigger & better.
Secondly; a big thank you and a huge well done to all who rallied for the acceptance of community food gardens either through emails, calls, and or going to the council meeting. A great result to now have agreement from the council to proceed with more community gardens. We now have an amazing opportunity to revolutionalise the streets of Melbourne.
I am sure that you all know how much food is imported into Australia and how far much of our food travels before it reaches our plates. Currently our food is most often produced a long way from our homes and through its cultivation produces heaps of waste, heaps of co2, and uses heaps of water. Currently many kids believe that food comes from supermarkets or packets, not from trees and plants, and costs a lot of money. We can change this!
If we continue relying on others to produce our food so far away; the environment will continue to be degraded, we will not have food security and community resilience will also suffer greatly. We can change this NOW!
With food produced in the streets and public places there will be an abundance of food and food production knowledge for all. Imagine small orchards in parks, unused patches of land and in our streets that would foster community closeness, resilience and health through that basic human need that we all love; FOOD
Be a part of the “Tree for All” project;
The aim of the project is to get 50 or more food trees in to the streets and public places around Yarra in the next two months. This would be the start of a model for the whole area and for other councils. In conjunction with the council the community would; chose suitable trees and locations, cultivate beautiful trees and harvest and share an abundance of food. I also believe that we could link this project to existing trees on private land that are currently under utilised so that we stop food going to waste.
In the climates where fruit trees grow, the orchards give the land an almost magical identity: think of the orange groves of Southern California, the cherry trees of Japan, the olive trees of Greece. IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD CREATE IN MELBOURNE.
Would you like more garden? Would you like the best fruit, for free? Would you like to do something for the environment and your local community?
Be a part of the “Tree for All” project;
Together we will plant food trees in the local area utilizing the streets, parks, public land and unused land. These trees will be the property of the community. You will have the opportunity to choose, cultivate and harvest fruit and nuts in your immediate area for the best, most nutritious, freshest and most sustainable food around. I foresee locals becoming stewards or guardians of local food trees and would; chose suitable trees and locations, cultivate beautiful trees and harvest and share an abundance of food.
OUTCOMES;
All people in the area having access to the best food at our doorsteps, promoting health and vitality for all.
Yarra moving quickly towards a sustainable future and helping to become Co2 neutral, making a huge difference for the environment.
Make our streets more beautiful, attractive, productive and safe.
Reduce our dependence on imported food and reduce food miles for the entire area.
An easy and useful way of reducing the “heat bank” effect that overheats our cities and suburbs.
A way to capture carbon, clean the air, capture and use water for the common good.
Bringing people together and increase community resilience, as an example to all other councils and cities.
WHAT YOU CAN DO;
Come to a meeting to discuss the project further and methods to move forward [at the next food swap October 3rd]
Become a part of the project by becoming a guardian ready to look after food trees.
Promote the project to other like minded people and lobby the council for support.
Nominate a species or type of tree you would like to look after in your area.
Find a spot where a food tree could grow; empty street tree areas, parks, unused council land.
Donate time, money, trees, soil, compost, large garden stakes.
Thank you for you time and particularly your support for community gardens.
Please email me to confirm your support for the project as I am gathering people from the area that will be stewards or guardians for these trees to ensure that the bounty is shared by all.
Below are some links to similar projects around the world.
Anthony Nelson
0425 712 989
anthony_nelson@bigpond.com
LONDON ENGLAND http://www.fruitcity.co.uk/
MONTREAL CANADA http://spacingmontreal.ca/2008/01/14/planting-fruit-trees-on-city-streets/
KILKENNY IRELAND http://futureproofkilkenny.org/?p=374
CALIFORNIA USA http://localecology.org/localecologist/2008/01/tree-walk-eating-fruits-of-city-trees.html
NELSON NEW ZEALAND http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/features/home-and-garden/768723/Good-eating-from-the-streets
MOROCCO Orange trees in the streets http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Orangetrees.jpg