Hi all,

It has been a while and it has been good to be more in the garden than on the computer !-) but first and foremost let me wish you a very Happy New Year full of gardening achievements and discoveries as well as great community time.

We have harvested almsot 12 kg of potatoes, a lot of kale and there is a lot of beans, a few tomatillos and possibly cucumber and melons to come.
We have also received (but not picked up) a composter from Wollongong Council. 
A few of us more involved (through the management committee) have less time but more ideas !-) and one of them is to make the garden much more shared accessible to the rest of the community, members or not members in deed.

Please put down the following dates of working bees and the AGM (coupled with a shared Mexican locally cooked and eaten lunch). Also, please note that we will try to get our local seed savers and permaculturalists to give us a few talks/tours to help us improve yields in the garden and in our backyards.
On the community side of things, the Council has promised to consider upgrading the fences and the playground, but it may take a while.

• Sunday 18 January, 4.30pm - 6pm, working bee: grass cutting, kale removing, beans planting....
• Sunday 2 February, 4.30pm - 6pm, working bee + Garden your with Narelle Harp from 'A Garden for life' Permaculture and garden design.
• Sunday 16 February, 4.30pm - 6pm, working bee
• Sunday 23 February, 12pm to 4pm: AGM (rsvp here) and MEXICAN FIESTA (you want to be part of the organisation, please email us now here)
• Sunday 9 March 4.30pm - 6pm, working bee
• Sunday 23 March 4.30pm - 6pm, working bee

At the AGM we will decide of the future of the Community and Garden Association and about how to best manage it so we have a great outcome for the community and it's feasible with our busy schedules. We believe a community garden in a place like Otford is a wonderful way to learn, produce and share together and to bolster this great area. It's in Otford but it's opened to people from Stanwell Tops, Stanwell Park, Helensburgh, Coalcliff, Darkes forest...

See you very soon.

Watering rosters

Instructions: turn on the main water tap, plug the hose, open the tap, water each beds between 5 and 10 min depending on the heat of the previous days.
You are two for each week, happy to forward you details of your teammate. Twice a week should be enough if you give it a good go.
You can also write on the chalkboard to say you have done it if you think its relevant and its not your week.(Please leave chalk under BBQ area)

14 oct - 20 oct: Gae + Kate
21 oct - 27 oct: Giles + Phil
28 Oct - 3 nov: Bron + Kerry
4 nov - 10 nov: Paul R + Chris W
11 nov - 17 nov: El + Adam
18 nov - 24 nov: James + Andrew
25 nov - 1 december: Narelle + Lachlan


Each time you go to the garden: bring food scrap to put in the worm tower and grass clipping or other compost matter to put in the compost bay.

If you want to help and your name is not here, it's because we don't have an updated copy of your membership form or it didnt make it to the final desk. Email here to confirm.

Community lunch and spring celebrations

The next event organised by the Otford Community and Garden Association will be a community 'déjeuner au jardin' or 'mad-hatter' lunch.

We have set ourselves the challenge to cook a big Paella and an even bigger apple crumble. We'll try to source most of the ingredients locally or at least to be able to know their story.

We invite you to bring some ingredients from your garden to make a few salads.

To add to the fun of the day, there will be a bread making competition (a recipe will be provided, watch this space), an art workshop and the inauguration of the garden with the spring plantings.

More information HERE.

Conditions:
Price: $5 for non OCGA member ($18 for family - more than 3) - $10 per member ($20 per family - more than 3)
Booking online here or email here, you'll receive the bank account details to be

Winter rosters

Hi

We have planted everything, and we are waiting for the Kale and the Potatoes to grow. There is no need to water, but weeding can be handy, as well as making sure all items are kept in safe order and needed weeding is done. In addition, it can be good to check the stage of growth and the possible need for early cropping/protection...

Members are asked to have a 'garden week'. I list below a possible roster and will try to update it depending on your feedback and new members. I only put on the roster people who sign up to be active member or who clearly expressed the interest and will soon fill their form. If you are not on the list and if you want to help, email here and/or contact the person on the roaster.

July - 1 to 7: Gaetane
July - 8 to 14: James
July - 15 to 21: Adam
July - 22 to 28: Lachlan
July - 29 to 4: Paul & Pauline
August - 5 to 11: Phil & Karen
August - 12 to 18: Bron
August - 19 to 25: Sarah

Sunday 1 September: Back to usual WORKING BEE.

Saturday 21 Septmeber: SPRING PARTY

Cheers

Building with kids - phase 2

Amazing, it all came to life with the great support from A Garden For Life, The Art Box 2508 and Nurture in nature !-)

Building phase one - done

Plant sale, last days to order

Hi all,

We are ordering a bunch of trees for our Permaculture garden. Meanwhile, we are happy to order more for you. They'll be available at the second workshop at the latest (Saturday 25 May in Otford).
We can also add DWARF MANDARIN.
Most should be suitable for pots.
They are coming from a good nursery in NSW and are suitable for this area.
Order at otford.garden@gmail.com by Friday 3 May 2013

Species			Pot size (mm)	Supplier*	OCAGA fundraising sale price $
Citrus	Cumquat	Nagami cumquat	165	Old Farm	26.50
	Lemon	Eureka	165	Old Farm
		Meyer	165	Old Farm
		Dwarf Meyer	165	Old Farm
	Limes	Tahitian	165	Old Farm
		Dwarf Tahitian	165	Old Farm
	Mandarins	Clementine	165	Old Farm
		Emperor	165	Old Farm
		Silverhill	165	Old Farm
		Imperial	165	Old Farm
	Orange	Leng Navel	165	Old Farm
		Seedless Valencia	165	Old Farm
		Washington Navel	165	Old Farm
Tree	Lilli Pilli	Small leaf lilli pilli	200	Old Farm	11