Hello & welcome to Just Ground’s first monthly newsletter!
Thanks for joining us. We look forward to keeping you updated on what we’re up to as we work with local communities to make food growing a means of healing, connection and justice.
It’s been a massive few weeks (months) as we get our heads around running a not-for-profit organisation and dive into some exciting projects.
We (co-directors Indi & Phoebe) have been backed up by an amaazing board of savvy and hard-working folks, who also happen to bake a fine slice and take a classic selfie. Shout-out to our co-founder Sultana, along with powerhouses Lisa, Em & Kate.
ACE courses
Our free Adult Community Education course, Food Growing 101, is starting this week at Christie Downs Community House and the Bee Hub at Willawilla/ Brownhill Creek. (We still have a spot or two left at each location so get in touch asap if you’d like to enrol).
We’re very excited to be partnering with The Bee Hub, an organisation doing great work in biodiversity conservation and raising awareness about the importance of pollinators.
To get the site ready for our food growing class, we held a working bee and invited our past students to come and help fill some raised garden beds and create sheet mulched pathways. Thanks to those who attended and to all the kids for making it a true community effort.
Willawilla Karra Kuu community & student gathering
In April this year, our previous incarnation Patch of Plenty took part in a special event together with Kaurna Elder Aunty Lynette Crocker, Narungga artist Brad Darkson and Kaurna, Narungga and Kokatha cultural fire practitioner Quahli Newchurch.
Willawilla Karra Kuu is a culturally significant river red gum at Brownhill Creek estimated to be over 450 years old. A restoration project involving Elders, artists and the Brownhill Creek Association began in 2018 to protect and regenerate the ancient shelter tree. Part of this work was the planting and eventual harvest of ngampa (yam daisies) at the base of the tree.
We wanted our ACE students to gain an understanding of what it means to grow food on Kaurna land, where food has always been grown. We approached Brad about bringing our classes to visit Willawilla Karra Kuu.
The result was a true community event, where many of those who had been involved in the restoration project over the years, and their families, were invited to gather together. We heard from Aunty Lynette, Brad, Quahli, Ron Bellchambers from the Brownhill Creek Association and Steven Hoepfner who was also involved in the project.
Students were invited to contribute to caring for this place by removing weeds and sowing ngampa seeds. Quahli also brought some ngampa tubers for the kids to plant and water in.
After the event, students shared that they had a new understanding of colonisation from being on Country listening to Aunty Lynette, Quahli & Brad. They said it was a privilege to be a part of this event, and inspiring to hear about all the different people involved in the project to restore health to Willawilla Karra Kuu.
Many thanks to Brad for bringing everyone together, and to all those involved for so generously sharing their time and knowledge, and welcoming our students to be present.
Sowing Justice
Our first community food growing project is getting off the ground (or rather, in the ground), with a new partnership with Seaford Wetlands Community Garden.
Sowing Justice will advance local food sovereignty in the Onkaparinga area and help create a more sustainable, connected and people-centred food system.
We'll be growing fresh, organic vegetables using no-till techniques on about 1000sqm at Seaford Wetlands’ market garden site, and making this produce available below cost to those who would ordinarily struggle to access it. The food distribution will be embedded in community events that bring people together around growing and sharing food.
Seaford Wetlands Community garden is a really peaceful space with so much bird life and lots of people walking past through the recreation park. It also has a big community orchard, biodiversity plantings and a very dedicated volunteer group. We’re really looking forward to helping make the space even more productive and beautiful.
First step: weeding!
Fruit tree pruning
We have welcomed our friend and very skilled food grower Kat onto our pruning team and are now servicing the southern Fleurieu and Adelaide Hills, as well as our usual southern suburbs stomping ground.
Our fruit tree pruning services help raise money for the organisation and support our food growing work — plus they get us out of the office and keep our skills sharp! Lately we have been loving our new tiny electric chainsaw, which makes big renovation prunes a breeze and also makes us much faster at chopping up branches for removal.
Late winter/ early spring is a great time to prune citrus, and the last chance for winter pruning of deciduous trees. Get in touch if we can help you with yours.