Sydney City Farm

UPDATE FROM EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Andrew provided an update on activities since the last meeting, key points were:

1. Contact has been made with Sydney City Council to discuss alternative sites to commence the Farm while the Callan Park community consultation process continues.
2. Executive Committee is in the process of arranging a meeting with Jamie Parker, Mayor of Leichhardt, to discuss alternative sites in the Leichhardt Council area.
3. Andrew and Liesje recently attended the Callan Park mental health workshop organised by Leichhardt Council.  Key take away was that there are many views on mental health and on how to utilise the Callan Park site.

Andrew made the point that the Sydney City Farm Executive Committee was still committed to Callan Park, however, given the length of time to run on the community consultation process other sites would be considered as an addition the the eventual Callan Park site.

UPDATE FROM THE SUBGROUPS

Seedling  group
Sky ran through the draft proposal prepared by Rhys.

Suggestions/comments provided by the Group:

• Emphasise “edible” seedlings
• Explore use of glasshouse in Balmain
• Include photos of backyard seedlings on SCF webpage
• Approach Leichhardt Council on growing seedlings on public space
• Change wording from virtual farm to networked farm
• Donation concept supported
• Liaise with local nurseriesplus

Action
• Rhys to contact Victoria, Maureen, Chris, Peter and Dave to join the Group.
• Rhys to email Chris regarding promotion/website ideas

Proposal writing group
Dave provided an update on the proposal writing group.

Suggestion/comments provided by the Group:
• Grant should include funding for admin/marketing person
• Executive Committee to consider grant sign off process
• This group aims to support other subgroups

Action
• Andrew to attend the next subgroup meeting
• Group to prepare submission for council grant closing 10th August
• Dave to contact Douglas and Jeanette to join the Group.

Training Manual Group
Celia provided an update of the training manual group.

Suggestions/comments from the group
• Reference website for content
• Consider the 30 second radio grab
• Link into Sydney Food Fairness Alliance conference

Action
Liesje to email Linnet for review of proposal

Alternative Site Group
Andrew provided an update of the alternative site group

Suggestion / comments from the group
• Consider 68 William St as a Site

Action
Executive Committee to arrange meeting with Verity Firth to discuss alternative sites

Next Meeting: Saturday 15th August, 11-1pm, Cane Room, Callan Park.

At our last meeting in June, attendees participated in two brainstorming sessions; we heard a presentation on the organic farm, CERES, in Melbourne; and an outline of the vision for Sydney City Farm at Callan Park, and the progress on it to date. The brainstorming sessions were about: promotional activity to generate interest and communicate with current and potential supporters of the farm; and content for a training manual for council meeting attendees.
The promotional activity brainstorm group resulted in proposals for:

• Growing of seedlings in our own homes/gardens, for sale or as give-aways with a flyer about the farm. Action points included: looking into the possibility of a free market stall at one or more local markets; contacting the inner west permaculture group, who are currently doing a similar thing; the seedling group looking into the timing of a good promotional event, and work backwards with a time frame. SEEDLING WORKING GROUP: Rhys, Joss, Kate, Chris, Sheridan with David and Tim helping.

• More regular newspaper advertisements. This is a sensitive area due to not wanting to step on the toes of other interested groups. It is an ongoing activity with committee members.

• Sending attendees to meetings of other Callan Park interest groups. It was suggested that a list of such meetings could be sent around, so that people know what is on when and where. The training manual (see below) would also be helpful for these attendees.

• Looking into raising the Google ranking for the website. This is an ongoing work item for the committee currently. Call for interested and skilled people to help with this and other IT things.

• Working with schools: send an annual seed pack with information on the Sydney City Farm and how to grow the seeds, to be sent home with kids attending and for presenting to parents and citizens (P & C) meetings. Also assistance with school kitchen gardens, eg a consultant-like service, to encourage growing and familiarity/support for the farm.

• Presenting to other community groups, such as P & C meetings, schools, the Inner West permaculture group, other Callan Park interest groups etc.

• Reinstating the old plant nursery on site. This would be closely tied to the seedling project. Action point: to call the contact Caroline and Tim made on the day of the meeting and ask permission to use the site. WORKING GROUP: as for Seedling Group.

• Apply for funding with the ABC Open Gardens grant scheme, which is open for applications until the end of May. We could apply with the seedling idea, or the farm idea as a whole. This could be a first attempt proposal that would make it easier to apply for other grants in the future even if we’re not successful this time.

The training manual content brainstorming group looked at:
Information required for the meeting attendees training manual, which included a five minute spiel on the farm, containing:

• The vision for the farm, with verbal walk through of the virtual farm.

• A glossary of words used in the meetings and by the Farm community.

• Frequently asked questions and answers.

• The reason for having a farm.

• Examples and statistics from the rest of the world, particularly Melbourne, to light-heartedly capitalise on the competition between the cities.

• Facts and figures.

• Elements which speak to all manner of learning – stats, visuals, vision, objectives etc.

• Materials such as pamphlets, power point to email, etc; a sheet of little flyers to copy and distribute.

• A contact detail sheet to add names to the mailing list.

Who the audience will be for the information we give, and who we are meaning to talk to:

• Decision makers, eg councilors.

• Groups already active in like-minded organisations, such as community gardens, food co-ops, etc.

• Non-locals, regarding services we could provide, as a way of bringing the farm to them, eg consultative services.

TRAINING MANUAL WORKING GROUP: Celia, Holly, Carolin Wenzel.

Carolin’s presentation of the CERES farm in Melbourne. Information on the CERES farm can be found on their website.

Next public meeting 4th July, 2009 at 11am, Cane Room Callan Park.