This is the story of a dream, that's started as an idea, then become a project and then I found some friends-allies :)
This is the story of the universe sending the fairies of change to the world. Here the the process, how we got together.
Last year I started the Permaculture Design Course with David Holmgren and had to decide what my design project would be. Since the majority in the course had large plots of land, I wanted to design my dream permaculture, but since I didn't have land, I had to look for one. Thus, in one of the working bee sessions at RAW Garden, I told Mira (Mariam Issa) that I was looking for a farm that was close to the beach, potentially in Sunshine Coast in QLD, on next to Lorne, where I could make the PDC project dreaming my future permaculture
space.
-"Look", she said, "Why are you looking elsewhere for what you had here. This Garden could be your homy space to dream your future space". She was right it, then started what was the preparation for something bigger. I have to admit that was very challenging to work in a place was already a stablished, hardly maintained, because during the pandemic this space like many other lost momentum and volunteers. This expose the fragility of community gardens, they are the soul of the neighbourhood, but still don't have enough support in comparison all the benefits they provide for the area in terms of biodiversity and building community.
My evaluation by that time:
Cons: Was a space quiet abandoned, because Mira was developing the last 3 years a sensory garden in the backyard, so all the effort was focus there. Wicking beds were timber ones, ready to get change, they were falling apart, after been in service 11 years.
Open compost area was a space to pile green waste, and lots of bulb weeds where just growing endlessness creating their own anarchist ecosystem.
Bees were in charge of Bees Backyard, who was doing a great work. Until we got a grant to get bees and this year we bought them, to this local beekeeper.
We didn't have a stablished volunteers team, some session was Mira and I working in the garden, other times, we have our most loyal friends coming over.
This is a volunteer position so wasn't money involved, but lots of good conversations, dirty hands and nails and awesome food prepared with love from Mira, goes beyond the price a paper has.
Pros: 120mt to make magic and be creative, lots of freedom to check what's possible and experiment, opportunity to engage more volunteers with the process and do permaculture education which is what I love the most. Lot's of networking and doing what I am passionate about. Also, this project is in my area and close to the beach. Perfect deal.
HASSAN
Hassan, one of the classmates at the PDC, was interested in supporting the project and brought a Drone and took an amazing picture of the front yard at the very beginning of the year.
He also, proposed and integrated to this project to harvest water from the roof of the pavilion, water than we could use to drink o for the dishwasher for example. Increasing the self-sufficiency of the space.
Starting this year, in January, I already have a beautiful space to do my PDC project, and I have a team to make it possible. Hassan come on board, and then with Mira, we started working in the front yard garden. This is how the dream of an Urban farm started for me. What about you! -what's your day dreaming about? , are you working recently in a community development project? o in social innovation o do you have an idea on mind, but not sure how to start?! write in the comments! I would love to read you guys!.