Introductions - who are we?

[Duncan]

Hi all,

My name is Duncan Wallace and I recently commenced work as the Education Officer for the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM).

I have expertise in the law and economics of co-operative enterprises, and am interested in democratising the economy generally. Our food systems are of course core to our collective being so I follow moves to democratise our food systems as closely as I can. I can help where people need information or support in setting up or running co-operatives. Don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Best,
Duncan

[Charlie_Showers]

Hi Jen, love diago’s podcasts too, the knowledge we’ve gleaned from some of his interviews has really helped shape our business, really recommend them to any regen/permie farmer…

[isabel]

Hello all,
I am Isabel and am currently studying politics and media in Melbourne, with a focus on environmental politics and sustainability. At the moment, I am working with Open Food Network in their communications team, so will be popping up here and there in the forum
Cheers!

[Jen]

It’s been so wonderful to see the number of forum users creeping up and up! There’s now about 750 of us here - it would be lovely to hear from a few more folks with an introduction. It’s been great to see how even just a short intro post has spurred new relationships and in some cases led to further sharing of knowledge and resources down the track.

[b.b.enterprises]

Jen

• And all Foodies. Humanitarians, People of faith AND KIND PEOPLE. *

i am a foodie. have been for 40 years. taking kids of the streets in the
early days IN THE 80S; helping them to set up restaurants in the Tafe
system that guided them also to learn how to grow in harmony with the
earth to find their own harmony and balance.
*I presently work with Africa developing food co-operatives. that will,
i hope ,bing relief to starving EXTREMELY IMPOVERISHED peoples. and help
them eventually to thrive. *

I wonder if you could help me circulate this message, I invite you to.

• Now in my 60s, HAVING DEVELOPED MANY HOLISTIC FOOD GARDENS \ and having
  cooked my way around the world with paying for shipments to help others, to
  do the same. in unity, - collaboration, and sharing resources. *

i consider i can guide people how to grow holistically and as such have
been guiding indigenous peoples in Africa /else where to remember how they
harvest their food, and grew it holistically as to not only nurture their
own bodies but nurture the skin of the land
INDIGENOUS ELDERS from the Simpson desert , have guided my understandings
as i now set up social networks and enterprise around the globe in this
food security,

The thing is to day i received an email from a dear friend, A yogi in
Nepal. DETAILS are below.and this is real crises. and he needs help NOW.

i wonder if i could if you could all find in your hearts to connect with
others … any of your food network or organisations, and contact him
directly connect with him directly to see if you could all stand with
him and work out some ways to help these starving people

Nepal is completely forgotten, many others are too, but at the moment,
could we help him, and then perhaps others, and if anyone can see a way to
unite with me to do this, then please do contact me back.?

*i have asked him to send his request though, with bank details. he can
give directly to anyone who may wish to help. and i encourage this very
much, *

but i just thought with a huge network likes this, with people who do care
about food the quality of food, how it is grown, where it is grown, that
you may also wish to care about others who need it,. I HAVE ALSO COPIED IN
OTHERS WHO WORK IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY . - around the globe and humanitarian
supporters, but you know, it is the same humanitarians that are doing this
work, and they are tired, they need help… !

There are many who are working for peace , also in this email. but again,
peace comes with full bellies.!

I know that the good yogi has much bigger plans to help his people
establish their own food enterprises and even other enterprises. , but at
the moment they just need* food to live. *
as you can see it is not much, he asks for, but if many gave this
amount, to him, then he could help more, and then this seed, for humanity
could grow and tools to help them empower them can happen as well.

I have had Yogi visit with me, in Australia he is a blessed and good and
holy man, who serves his people in selfless ways,

*i have also copied the good yogi into this email so you can respond to him
directly, … in HOPE. *Dr. Chintamani Yogi
https://plus.google.com/u/0/118228169185092154604?prsrc=4

mail2cmyogi@yahoo.com http://yahoo.com

Namaste.\

Dr. Chintamani Yogi | Children of the Earth
http://www.coeworld.org/people/dr-chintamani-yogi
Chintamani Yogi
*Two years back *we had a terrible earthquake and now our country is
suffering by disastorous flood!! Many districts of eastern Terai area is
completely washed out… many children, women hsve died… so we r also
trying to support them. We have chosen a small village Maina Kanderi of
Saptari district where 300 Family r now roofless, landless and helpless. So
our focus is now to give them food at first. 400 People r given food
everyday , so we need 50,000 Nrs (500 USD). Let thrm have food… no
flood!!!

Thk u sooo much.
Love\prayers
CM Yogi

BUMBLEBEE FOUNDATION Ltd.
*B**UMBLEBEE FACTORY. TM *

https://paulinecrosbie4.wixsite.com/mysite
https://paulinecrosbie4.wixsite.com/mysite
https://paulinecrosbie4.wixsite.com/mysite-1
TEL. 03 97512635.
MOBILE 0419 754 724
SKYPE. Pauline.Crosbie
Po Box 263 Olinda 3767
[image: Picture]
https://www.facebook.com/BumbleBee.org.au/

CONNECTING THE DOTS

There is hope for a tree that has been cut down; it can come back to life
and sprout. Even though its roots grow old, and its stump dies in the
ground, with water it will sprout like a young plant.

*Global Renewal Projects and Cottage Industries *

[Russell]

He has quite the system at his property … I found out about him through Curtis Stone who I have followed to implement his urban farming principles, Regards Russell

[dallesh]

Yep, that’s how I found out about him as well, Curtis stuff is very inspiring.

[AytonFarm]

Hi Everyone
We are Rod and Kathy O’Connell of Ayton Farm (www.aytonfarm.com.au), 385 acres near Rathdowney in S E Qld.
We are a boutique, family owned farm producing pastured and organic fed meat chickens and eggs and pasture fed beef. We are “beyond organic” and use ethical, holistic and regenerative farming practices in a Joel Salatin (www.polyfacefarms.com) inspired model. We have owned the farm 10 years, but only commenced the chicken and egg elements after doing the Joel Salatin workshops at Taranaki Farm in Victoria in April 2015, so we are very new.

Our current challenge is preparing a Material Change of Use application to the council and getting a boutique meat processing facility/chicken abattoir approved as we currently have a 560km round trip to an abattoir. I have put a post into the Processing section seeking information to help with that

It is also a challenge for us to achieve more in direct marketing as we need to sell produce very close to retail price to make the farm viable and achieve our strategic aims in terms of regenerating the landscape, gainfully employing a small community on the farm, showing our family a viable potential path back into agriculture etc

Thanks to the organisers of this forum, I find it very hard to extract useful information from the likes of Facebook, so think this concept is excellent.

[Russell]

I hope it all goes well with the council applications. Perhaps incorporate a teaching / farmstay to the application as well to generate more direct marketing opportunities. Regards Russell

[leilaja]

Hi All,

I’ve been around the fair food movement for a while, but my current work with The Community Grocer has finally prompted me to get on the OFN. Community Grocer are a Not-For-Profit organisation running weekly markets in Melbourne to improve fresh food access through building community. We are currently looking into sourcing our fruit, veg and eggs directly from farmers. This means both building relationships with growers, as well as changing our storage/transport operations. If you are a small scale-wholesale grower in Victoria interested in supplying us or someone who has experience in this style of food-hubbing I would love to hear from you.
Email me at wyndham@thecommunitygrocer.com.au.
Cheers

[AytonFarm]

Thanks Russell - that is a good suggestion. We will do so. Regards Rod

[rajan2106]

Adelaide

I’m too from Adelaiade! I’m not able to find Best Chinese restaurants in Adelaide can you help me in finding some?

[JenRae]

Hello…wow…such a great thread and to read everyone’s introduction.
I’m Jen Rae. I’m an artist-researcher and the Creative Lead on Fair Share Fare based in Melbourne. I am also work at Deakin University as the Masters of Creative Arts course director. I’ve been working at the intersection of art and climate change communication for about 15 years in Canada and now Australia. Most of my work over the past couple of years has delved further into issues around food sovereignty, disaster preparedness and indigenous food futures (I am Indigenous Canadian). I’m working on several projects at Arts House this year that may be of interested to some of you: Survival Skills in Desperate Times, The 3 Meals to Anarchy or Revolution Supper Club and Refuge (a 24-hour disaster rehearsal).

Looking forward to meeting more of you in real life and here in these forums.
Jen

[Russell]

Hey Jen

You seem to have an interesting vocation.

I think there is a lot to say about a statement on the site “greater disparities between the rich and poor, food security is of increasing global concern.”
I see you are focusing on storage and disaster scenarios do you canvas other issues such as genetic patenting, decreased crop diversity etc.
Regards Russell

[eolvc]

Hi
I am Bobby Singh.I am a foodie and I like vegetarian food.Professionally I am a cleaner in Melbourne.I do not cook but want to cook all type of food.i hope I will learn about Food and food system.

[hophammer]

Hi

My name is Chris Hain and I live in Bendigo. I run the Bendigo Community Farmers market and the Castlemaine Farmers Market and I also sit on the committee for the VFMA and also represent Victoria on the AFMA Committee. I am committed to ensuring a strong connection between our farmers and producers and the communities in Central Victoria so that we can all eat well and ensure that the people that bring the food to us at the Markets can make a viable and sustainable living for their families and for future generations.

[Aiesha]

Hello I’m Aiesha Grierson,

What a great forum! This year I’ve taken the plunge into market gardening, left my office job to learn as much as I can about growing organic vegetables efficiently. Right now I’m farming with David at Raw Eatables Organic Farm out in Rockbank. I’m into bio-intensive, small scale, minimal till and biodynamic growing.

I’m keen to connect with people supporting Emergency Food Access. I’ve recently come back from a farming trip in North America, feel inspired by some of the programs I’ve seen and would like to support food access, starting with my local community in Moreland. If anyone is working within the area of emergency food access, I’d love to hear about the work your doing.

[megan.hunt]

Hi,

I’m Megan Hunt and love this forum… already it is mind blowing the amount of amazing people, work and ventures that have been mentioned on this forum. Food is truly an amazing, diverse and growing industry!

I work in community health, with a formal connection to local government here in Wodonga (and Albury) and North East Victoria. I coordinate a local food network that includes representation from government bodies, producers, farmers markets, food relief agencies, neighbourhood houses, tourism, environmental groups, land management authority and more.
While I guess my experience and time in working in food systems is fairly short, I find my upbringing has really held me in good steed for my role.
I am a Kiwi, from Christchurch, where my family were 4th generation orchardists. We grew so many varieties of apples, pears, stone fruit, berries and more. I was even lucky to have earned a massive $3.50 through thinning season and in working at our family farm gate as my first paid job as a teenager.
I think forward to now, and my role in supporting our local and regional food system and I bring an understanding of my past to the role. My family ended up selling our orchard when I was 16 due to the real takeover of supermarkets driving my family out of an income.

Moving forward and thinking about the future here, there is a lot of possibility in our region to grow more local food, establish more point of sale opportunities and push a focus on local values and connections around all things food in our community.

Health as a sector is a part of the picture and certainly can play a role as a sector in supporting, advocating and linking in with government.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this forum, learn more about food and connect!

Megan

[FarmGate]

Hi, I’m Alasdair Moodie,

My partner Karen Vincent and I own and operate FarmGate Online. We sell only locally grown organic and conventional produce dealing directly with growers as much as possible.

Our primary distribution network is through a series of ‘FarmGates’ set up in schools and community centres. A crucial part of our model is participating locations receiving a percentage of the sale as a contribution to their fundraising program. A healthy alternative to the chocolate drive…

We are also in the process of establishing a wholesale portal to supply school canteens, food co-operatives, aged care facilities and other businesses who wish to support local producers.

We also work with local councils and health agencies in the outer south-east of Melbourne to identify ways to get the program into more schools and community facilities getting fresh local produce onto families tables while supporting small to medium growers.

One thing that we have become aware of is the difficulty many producers face in finding economically viable local distribution and transportation. We have started working on a logistics tool aimed at producers that would support sharing shipping runs and backloads to provide a way to address this challenge.

Happy to chat about any of the points above with members of the forum!

All the best,

Alasdair

[Russell]

I think its a great concept… I see on your site that you started by selling potatoes online I would be interested to know how you manage your delivery costs.
Regards Russell