Member News 2021

July14th.

Next Working bee

Next working bee is Sunday 18 July 2-3.30

A special plea to our members!!

We have several quick tasks that require a small team of helpers – please come even if you can only be there for 20-30 minutes. We need to move the hay bale to stop animals getting in and this requires a few people. Other tasks are moving large items out the shed and preparing a planting hole for the walnut tree in the park.

Grant opportunity

Kingborough Community Grants are now open and we’d like to apply for funding (up to $3000) to enhance the garden and the members’ enjoyment of it. Do you have some ideas? Please send them via return email.

We need a new Committee member

Committee member Cawley has recently resigned, leaving a vacancy. Would you like to join our committee? We meet on the second Tuesday evening of each month at 7.30pm and usually complete business by 9pm. It’s a great way to be involved in decisions about the management and future of the garden.

Fruit tree management

David Coleman has established a fruit tree management team. Armed with a bunch of sparkling new tools and lots of knowledge to share, David is leading a small group to manage our perimeter trees to greater fruitfulness and health. If you would like to participate please send a message by return email.

June 10th.

Next working bee

Sunday 13 June 2-3.30pm Everybody is welcome! Please come along and join in!

David will be showing fruit tree pruning and care with members of the Fruit Tree Care group and he will welcome anyone who would like to join in. We have good quality new tools to use!!

Other jobs include bed repair and general clean-up and removal of spent crops. Compost turning too.

We will not cancel unless the weather is really very wet. We will have shared afternoon tea at 3.30pm.

Thank you Kingborough Council

Regarding bed repair, we have a $1000 grant from Kingborough Council for purchase of timber and fixings, all we need now are some willing workers to help Christophe with this very necessary task. Work continues at the bee on Sunday, so please help if you can.

What to sow now

From Peter Cundall’s gardening guide:

PLANT: Asparagus crowns, early potatoes, rhubarb divisions, globe artichoke suckers, chives, shallots and garlic cloves.

SOW: Long-keeping, salad and spring onions, broadbeans and English spinach. In containers under glass or indoors sow seed of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli to raise seedlings for August planting.

Broad Beans and Green Manure

We will have seeds of both broad beans and green manure available at the working bee if you would like to plant a good cover crop in your plot for winter.

For more about what to grow now see our website: https://taroona.tas.au/neighbourhood-garden/planting-calendar/

TPS Students donation - update

In April the TPS students donated money to TNG for trees. In consultation with the TPS student parliament, a plan was made to plant a walnut tree, mulberry tree, grape vines, kiwifruit and passionfruit. Feijoas are also a possibility. We have consulted with Kingborough Council’s Landscape Architect and Property Manager and have permission to plant a walnut tree in the park area between the tennis court and the garden. A mulberry is considered not suitable owing to birds spreading fruit stains far and wide, and we agree this is a potential nuisance. We are in process of buying a walnut tree, table grape vines and Kiwi fruit vine. Passionfruit is not readily available at the moment so we will reconsider other possibilities in Spring.

Send enquiries to tng@taroona.tas.au if you need more information on any of the above.

May 13th.

The Mowers Lament

We have received this plea from a member of our dedicated mowing team.

Just to ease our little task,

Would it be too much to ask,

To mend your broken beds*,

To keep your plants within their bounds,

To fix your netting to the base,

And please roll up your hose.

We have several members who diligently keep the grass mown around the garden. This can take hours each month, please consider these wonderful volunteers. * plot renovation is in our plans, but the other issues are definitely the responsibility of plot holders!

Hints: Pegs for securing netting can be purchased for a very small price at discount stores. Every hose has a fixture or place for it to be neatly rolled up or hung after use.

A big thank you to the mowing team, and to all our other volunteer workers who keep the garden looking good.

Safety in the garden

NO BARE FEET in the garden! This applies to everyone of any age. Always wear footwear. Covered shoes or gumboots are recommended. With plot renovation in progress, there is an increased risk from lost nails and splinters, and bees and wasps on flowers in the grass are also a hazard.

Next working bee

Sunday May 16, 2-4. Shared afternoon tea at 4pm.

Children’s garden activities

We welcome suggestions for activities for children at working bees. Any ideas? Send to return email please.

Return of pots

If you have the green seedling trays used for last years Seeds of Hope, could you return them to the greenhouse please. We also need the small 7cm pots and forestry tubes. Please leave in the bucket outside the greenhouse.

Fruit Fly traps

Biosecurity Tasmania has selected TNG as a site for fruit fly traps for their monitoring program. Traps have been installed on apple trees on the lower perimeter. Please do not touch or move them. Biosecurity officers will check them regularly to see if any of the target species have been caught. While we hope none are detected, we are proud to be taking part in the monitoring program. If you would like more information, please respond to this email and we will send you some.

Taroona Primary School tree donation

Children at TPS raised money at a ‘Tree Dress Day’ and very generously donated $150 for purchase of trees at TNG. A group of us hosted TPS Parliament representatives at the garden last month and discussed ideas for the expenditure of the money (and we can add some of our own funds too!)

In consultation with the children it was agreed that a male kiwi fruit vine (we have currently a lonely female kiwifruit on the side fence) and black passionfruit would be bought for the top entrance area, and a table grape vine would replace the currently non-fruiting variety on the fence behind the herb garden.

The children liked the idea of having a mulberry and walnut tree too. As these are both large trees, we need to explore some further options for growing them.

Here is a photograph of the TPS representatives meeting members in the garden.

TPS Parliament reps and TNG members meet to talk trees, April 28, 2021

April 15th.

Next working bee

Sunday 18 April, 2-4pm

Shared afternoon tea at 4pm, weather permitting.

Please come along and help with some urgent tasks.

Spend half an hour or so digging out and wheelbarrowing away some soil from the next plots to be renovated.
Start work on next reconstruction – ie cutting and fixing timber sides, lining, replacing soil.
Running the mower over accumulated green waste for compost making.

Plot reconstruction

Calling for a few volunteers to join Christophe in reconstruction of plots, both on Sunday and on other days (to be organized). There is demolition and building work, and also the removal and replacement of soil from plot edges to allow the placement and assembly of new sides and ends.

The first prototype of a renovated plot can be seen near the bottom gate (Plot 50). Thank you to Christophe and his helpers for a magnificent result! Renovation of one plot takes about 10 person/hours, much of that in removing soil. Volunteers welcome! Please reply to tng@taroona.tas.au

Wanted – return of seedling trays and pots

Planning for a Spring open day is underway, but we need the return of the green seedling trays and suitable pots. We need ONLY the specified pots. Please do not leave them in the greenhouse, but place in the yellow or red bucket by the worm farm.

Fruit tree carers wanted

Marian is building a team to manage the perimeter fruit trees through all seasons. If you would like to join the team, and learn about fruit tree management at the same time, please respond to this email and we will put you in touch.

Covid Safe and Check In Tas App

TNG now has a Check in Tas App QR code. If you are coming to an event at the garden after 1 May (including a working bee) you will need to check in using the code. We will display posters at each gate.

Special donation from Taroona Primary School students

TPS students held a ‘TREE DRESS DAY’ and then made a generous donation to TNG for purchase of trees. To celebrate this donation in suitable manner, and to decide on the best way to use it, we have invited student representatives and their teacher to TNG for afternoon tea and a discussion of ideas.

Trees and Tea: April 28 at 1.15pm.

Please send in your ideas (by return email) and come along on 28^th if you can.

Don’t forget

…to get your sheep poo and compost for your plot if you haven’t already.

…to bring your deposits for the worm farm. Cover with a scoop of dry matter from the bin beside the farm.

Worm farm handy hint: One of our members has the brilliant idea of lining her ‘yuk bucket’ (ie worm farm scraps) with shredded paper. Tip out the yuk, paper lands on top, covering the deposit. Job Done!! You could even line your bucket at the farm from the bin.

If you have autumn leaves to dispose of, bag them and bring to the garden and leave beside the worm farm. They make a great carbon addition to the farm.

April 11th.

Calling for Fruit Tree Carers

We’d love your help to care for our fruit trees, and are calling for members to join a new team.

We are gradually reserving more of the perimeter area to allow better access to the trees and to keep them in better health and more productive. We will also buy some better tools to enable more efficient work.

There will be a new an annual plan, but to get the ball rolling, we need to prune the stone fruit trees (Apricots, peaches, cherries, plums and almonds) as soon as possible. Other fruit trees can cope with pruning in cooler weather.

We also need to pick up fallen fruit and dispose of them and mulch.

Who do we need?

Anyone willing to give it a go: It doesn’t matter if you haven’t pruned fruit trees before- I will provide guidance and printed notes for you to keep. Children willing to pick up fruit very welcome.

What will you need?

Tools such as secateurs, loppers, pruning saws- if you have them.

Comfortable clothes safe to work in.

When will we do it?

A weekend session on either April 24 or 25 and a mid week session on Thursday 22, to suit different people. (The next rain free days according to BOM).

If you can help, please let us know know which days and times(morning or afternoon) would suit you.

Please send all enquiries and offers to email: tng@taroona.tas.au

March 25th.

AGM results

The new committee and office bearers elected (unopposed) at our AGM on Monday evening are:

President: Michael Lynch

Secretary: Deirdre Brown

Treasurer: Christophe Marcant

Committee members: Margaret James, David Coleman, Judy Keen, Peter Lutz, Cawley Farrell, Nel Smit.

We thank Margaret James for her dedication and work as President for the last few years. She will remain on the committee so her knowledge and experience of managing the garden will not be lost to us. Thank you also to retiring members of the committee, Tina Curtis, Bridget Green and Cate Chapman, each of whom has put in hours of work to develop and maintain the garden and the members’ interests.

You can read the outgoing president’s annual report here.

Fruit Fly monitoring

TNG has been approached by Biosecurity Tasmania to host fruit fly traps. If we are chosen to participate you may see 1-3 traps on trees and officers visiting to monitor them. More information here.

Rebuilding of plots

We are embarking on a project to fix the crumbling structure of many of our plots. Eventually we hope to make all plots of similar size (about 1.5 x 4 m) which means some plots will be reduced in area a little, and smaller ones substantially enlarged. Christophe and David are leading the project and will construct 3 prototypes for consideration, beginning with plots 47, 48 and 50. Plot holders will be given plenty of advance notice when it is their turn. If you are able to assist with the rebuild, we’d love to hear from you.

Sheep manure and compost

There is a bag of sheep manure for each plot. Please get yours from the bay and spread it on your plot. We are also taking delivery of a load of compost soon, and each plot owner can take a barrow load for replenishing their plot.

Worm Farm

Worm Farm is now fully operational and can take your deposits. Please obey the instructions on the sign on the farm about what should and should not be added. It is also helpful if whole fruits and vegetables can be cut up, so that they will be broken down more quickly. Please cover deposits with the dry material in the bin beside the farm and replace the hessian over the top. If you are gathering up autumn leaves in your home garden, we’d love to have them added to the worm farm.

Spare Produce

Don’t forget about our “Free Food Shelves” if you have spare produce. If you cant get to the garden to harvest, please drop a line to this email address and a committee member will harvest your produce and put it on the shelves. It is a shame to see good vegetables going to waste and over-maturing or rotting in plots. The shelves will also take spare fruit and vegetables from home gardens.

March 11th.

Next working bee - This Sunday 14 March, 2-4pm

with our usual shared afternoon tea at 4pm. All welcome

Annual General Meeting - Monday March 22 at 7pm at St Lukes Hall*

We hope that all members will attend. The formal part of the meeting will be kept to a minimum and will be followed by a presentation on birds in our local garden from Mick Brown, and that will be followed by supper. There are lucky door prizes too!

The formal business of the meeting is:

Outgoing President’s report
financial report
motion to accept last years minutes
vote to accept the new constitution.
Election of executive and committee for 2021. We can accept nominations from the floor at the AGM, but it would be nice to hear from anyone beforehand (return email or fill in a form at the working bee) if you would like to put your hand up for any positions

Sheep manure**

We have taken delivery of a large number of bags of sheep manure. They are stacked near the compost bays. There is one bag for each plot holder. Please get your bag now and spread it on your plot. If you still have produce growing, take a bag and stow it in the corner of your plot until you are ready to rejuvenate the soil for winter vegetables. The remaining bags will be used on the perimeter fruit trees, so you will need to grab yours soon or you may miss out. There will also be a delivery of compost/soil soon for further plot replenishment, and we’ll let you know in an email when it arrives.

Please harvest your produce

Unfortunately rats are about so harvest your pumpkins and corn before they do! If you have spare produce, don’t forget the free food shelves. If you cant get to the garden to get your produce, don’t let it go to waste. Send us a short email and someone on the committee will pick it for you and put it on the shelves for others.

Thank you….

…. to the Taroona Community Association, which donated a $50 Bunnings voucher to TNG. We have decided to use it to purchase mulch mats for some of our fruit trees.

…. to all our members, we have almost 100% payment of subscriptions!

* Behind St Lukes Church. Pedestrians can take the pathway from Channel Highway, just opposite Seaview intersection, or enter from Coolamon road by walking through the laneway between the units. This is also the entrance to the carpark - plenty of parking spaces.

**Our sheep manure was bagged for us by the Fahan Rowing team and is their fundraiser. We can send you contact details if you wish to order some for your home garden.

February 11th.

Next working bee, first for 2021 – 2-4pm Sunday 14 February

Shared afternoon tea at 4pm. Hope to see you there.

Annual General Meeting 22 March, 7 pm

All members are invited to our Annual General Meeting on Monday 22 March, 7 pm at the hall at the back of St Lukes Anglican Church. Ample parking off Coolamon Rd.

Business of the AGM:

Short annual report from President

Motion to formally adopt the new constitution (Read constitution here)

Election of committee for 2021

Nominations for the committee are called for. Our constitution specifies 4-12 committee members. Nominees self-nominate in writing or by voice at AGM, but please respond before if you would like to nominate for the committee.

The formal part of meeting will be kept to a minimum, and will be followed by a short illustrated presentation by Mick Brown “Birds and Taroona Gardens”.

Lucky Door Prizes and supper provided.

Fruit tree adopters

Our ‘list’ of fruit tree adopters is outdated. If you are still looking after a tree(s) could you respond to this email with information about your adopted tree. If you would like to adopt a tree, please volunteer. We will rebuild the list and a member will take over as coordinator to help adopters with decisions, materials and activities to maintain flourishing and fruiting.

Worm Farm

The worm farm is open for business again after resting over Christmas, so please bring your kitchen scraps and spread the word to your neighbours too. To keep it healthy we need to add more ‘carbon’, and plan to organize a bin of ‘brown materials’ beside the worm farm to be sprinkled over each deposit. Can you supply any shredded paper, sawdust, dry leaves or coffee grounds? We can organize pick-up on request.

Waiting List

Our waiting list is growing. If you no longer wish to work your plot, please let us know so we can re-assign it.

Top Corner

The top corner beside the Entrance Pagoda is in need of a plan for beautification. We welcome ideas from members. Send in your ideas – in writing, drawing, photo……

Contact for anything in this newsletter is to the committee at tng.member.news@gmail.com, or in person to a committee member at a working bee or anytime in the garden.

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January 24th.

Happy New Year to all of our members

In this news: Worm farm reopened now, Subs are due – how to pay, next working bees, AGM and committee membership

The Worm Farm has reopened

Thank you to everyone who respected the need for our community worm farm to rest over the Christmas period. It is now working away nicely and ready to take more deposits. Please follow the instructions on the sign about what is acceptable for our worms, and place anything not recommended into the general waste wheelie bin nearby.

Grab some worm castings from the lower space for your plot. There will be a few stray worms in it and you can either pick them out and put them back in the top, or just leave them. Don’t use the castings around seedlings or seeds because the birds can detect a worm from a distance and will scratch them out. You can also tap some leachate to add to your plot, dilution about 1:10 is recommended.

Membership fees for 2021 now due.

See this page for details of how much and how to pay

Working bees

The next working bee is scheduled for Sunday 14 February, 2-4pm. We can follow the work with our traditional afternoon tea when we share food and friendship.

The March working bee is on Sunday March 13^th.

AGM

Our AGM will be in March. We do not have a date yet because we will need to find suitable premises to hold it. All executive and committee positions are open so please consider nominating. Details will be available during February.

Committee meetings have been scheduled in the past for the second Tuesday of the month, with the working bee on the following Sunday. This could change depending on the new committee.