The two-day Permablitz project aimed at building Kooweerup’s new community garden on April 12th and 13th was a huge success.  The 30-40 volunteers who came along managed to build nearly a quarter acre worth of no-dig gardens, prepare a quarter acre for a future food forest, build compost and mulch bays, plant out companion trees, attend loads of workshops, and eat, camp, work and enjoy our time together.  It was an amazing coming together or Kooweerup locals and Permablitz urbanites.  Some highlights included:

1)    The limitless material generosity of the Kooweerup locals.  Materials that were donated for the project included:

a.     4 mega-bales of wheat-straw

b.     1 and a half truck loads of compost

c.     A truckload of chicken poo

d.     Many truck loads of woodchips

e.     A truck load of horse poo

f.      Bags of gardeners lime

g.     Bags of oat, pea and lupin seeds

h.     Spectacular lunches for the blitzers

i.      Two worm-farms and worms

NOTE: When we say “a truckload” we’re talking literally of a full truck tray load. Incredible!

Vehicles that were donated for the two-days included:

• 2 bobcats to move materials
• A Truck to move materials

Special thank-yous go out to Morrie, the local organic farmer who donated straw, compost, advice and more, and to Stuie the great bobcat driver.

2)    Workshops and guest speakers galore, including:

a.     Local organic farmer Morrie talking about pest management and soil,

b.     Swinburne Uni lecturer Chris Allenson talking about soil and nutrition,

c.     Large-scale worm-farmer Carl talking about the importance of worms and how to look after them

d.     Garden designer Paul Fogarty running various organic gardening workshops

e.     Adam Grubb from ‘Eat the Suburbs’ running a practical compost making workshop

f.      Leonie, vice-principal of Kooweerup High School talking of the school’s involvement in the garden and their hopes to provide fresh, organic food in their canteen

g.     Michelle from Conservation volunteers teaching how to plant native trees,

h.     Charlie, a local volunteer and retired nursery-man running a workshop on propagating from cuttings.

3)    An inter-generational experience.  8 year olds to 80 year olds all chipped in and enjoyed the weekend.

4)    The opportunity to work with such generous local characters as Jim. Charlie, Michael, Stuie, Morrie, Rory and family, Jodie and kids, Sue, Terona, and more.

A special thankyou goes to Aileen from Kooweerup Health Services for starting and co-ordinating the project.