This week we replaced one of our compost bins - to keep our compost hub chugging along.

We bought a new Aerobin from Bunnings - but accidentally only picked up part 1 of 2 packages required for the bin when we dropped in before the holidays. Corrado realised parts were missing as he started putting it together … luckily the LOVELY Bunnings folk saved the day … two staff came by to drop the extra box to us within an hour of our call - how nice!

We love our little compost hub that enables neighbours to drop off scraps throughout the week. Along with our own kitchen scraps and the green garden waste from our raised beds, every few months we fill a bin.

Clare turns them on Friday for a few minutes. We keep a bag of straw/organic matter next to the bins and ask all contributors to add a handful as they go (so we’re balancing the ‘brown’ carbon and the ‘green’ nitrogen). Once the bin is full and well mixed we leave it for a month (and start filling the other bin).

And then … in the blink of an eye it seems, we have such great compost! It’s amazing how quickly it all happens with the right processes in place.

If you’d like to learn more about composting at home you can come along on Fridays and chat to Clare. She’s a wealth of knowledge. And if you live nearby and don’t have access to a compost bin you are welcome to contribute to ours!

Our garden has been spruced up by a delivery of compost. And we’d like to thank the volunteers who moved it into place, spreading it out across our site. And thank Darebin Council for the delivery. This year again we are receiving the FOGO compost - which is the compost made from our green waste bins … so … it’s entirely possible that your carrot peelings and cauliflower leaves (if you put them in your green waste bin) are now right here in the garden at ACC! Isn’t that a nice thought.

We’re about to (well in the next month we hope) plant more indigenous plants 🌱 out in our front corner garden that has been looking a little sad … we will give them the chance to settle in over winter and be ready to burst into life in spring! Fingers crossed.

If you are keen on gardening we have a lovely group of garden enthusiasts here on a Friday morning from 10am who help weed, rake leaves, save seeds, plant out beds, thin seedlings … and all the things. And anyone is very welcome to come along and help us improve our outdoor spaces, help grow community food and meet nice people! We’ll reward you with a delicious morning tea at 11.30am (catered by our CWA friends) to thank you for your contribution!

This term at ACC we are delighted to have our friends from Alphington CWA helping us out with the catering for our morning teas /sort of early light lunches that are on at 11.30am each Friday during school term, outside under the pergola in the front garden.

Our gardeners, shedders and crafters come together each week after an active/creative morning, to share a cuppa and a some delicious food and a chat.

The first week of our new arrangement went swimmingly, everyone LOVED the food that was provided … AND we’re all quite excited to see what turns up next week … thanks Alphington CWA (Silvana and Miranda in particular this week).

If you are a local who enjoys gardening or crafting or making or chatting … please join us on a Friday morning from 10am for our community morning. You can come along regularly, or pop in more randomly. There’s a great bunch of lovely welcoming people here, and a super-friendly outdoor program you can join in led by Clare.

And if you are interested in joining the Alphington CWA they meet just around the corner at the Darebin Parklands Rangers Offices, in the Gleeson Room on the first Monday of the month at 7.30pm.

Preston Garden Club is holding a Garden Gala at Darebin North West Uniting Church Hall - 330a Murray Road, Preston, on Saturday 22 April from 11am - 3pm.

There will be plants, preserves, Drewitt’s bulbs, bonsai and herbs and garden tools for sale, along with a sausage sizzle, CWA devonshire tea, garden talks and demonstrations, a raffle and more … Sounds super hey!

Lovely to have Yarra Mayor Claudia Nguyen here for morning tea today. And Clare sent her home with some coriander seeds to plant.