Edendale Community Environment Farm | Interest

Edendale Community Environment Farm

Phone: 03 9433 3711

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23.01.2022 As part of the 2021 Home Harvest program, a local artist or maker is being sought to design and create a series of eight Seed Libraries to be located across Nillumbik and Banyule. Applications close 29 November. All the details are in the main post below.

23.01.2022 We are really excited about this workshop. On Saturday 10 April, nice and early at 9.00am, join Dr Luis Mata from the University of Melbourne at Edendale to explore the idea of Pollinator Observatories - networks of flowering plants where you can survey plant-insect interactions. Learn about the important role insect pollinators play in urban environments, how to set up a pollinator observatory in your garden, what indigenous plants are best suited to attract indigenous insec...t pollinators, and how to survey the insect pollinators that visit your observatory. And find out how to participate in the autumn Wild Pollinator Count, running from 11-18 April. Luis is an ecologist with a keen interest in insects, urban biodiversity, community science, science communication and nature photography. He is particularly interested in exploring how to bring nature back into cities and seeks to raise awareness of the importance of beneficial insects in urban environments. Ticket numbers are limited due to capacity restrictions in our teaching spaces. To book for this free event, please go to the following link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Pollinator-Observatories-

22.01.2022 Whilst Edendale is now open to the public, unfortunately there are some recycling items we can no longer accept. We are currently set up to take mobile phones and accessories, small household-type batteries and soft plastics. We are not accepting CDs/DVDs, corks, X-rays, toothpaste tubes/ toothbrushes and light globes. Light globes (and other small electronic waste) can be taken to the e-waste drop-off points at Eltham or Diamond Valley libraries, Community Bank Stadium or th...e Hurstbridge Community Hub, and X-rays can go directly to the Nillumbik Recycling and Recovery Centre at the Operations Centre on Yan Yean Rd (check opening times before heading out there). There is a terrific A-Z Recycling Guide on the Nillumbik website which has information on what to do with an extensive range of items at https://www.nillumbik.vic.gov.au//Wast/A-Z-recycling-guide

22.01.2022 Cafe Eden is open again - yaaay! Glenda and Ben are back at their window serving coffee, tea, chai, smoothies, milkshakes and a range of delicious home-made food from 9.30am-3pm weekdays and 9.30am-3.30pm weekends. Sit out on the deck with a view over the farm, or take your food and find a nice spot to hang on the lawns or under a tree. The cafe will be closed from 24 December and re-opening on Monday 11 January.

22.01.2022 Second in a series of webinars being brought to you as part of Nillumbik's Communities First Project, tomorrow night at 7pm you can hear from the CFA and Council's Emergency Management Team. Registration for this event is below.

22.01.2022 Nillumbik's "ART IN THE TIME OF COVID-19" exhibition is opening at Montsalvat on Friday 5 February and running through until Monday 5 April. See the post below for further information about the exhibition, and how to book.

21.01.2022 On Friday 20 November from 1.30-2pm, join Melbourne Water to hear about Reducing Litter in Melbourne's Waterways. The Litter Action Project has been running over the last 3 years - community, school and environmental groups have been involved in clean-ups, litter hotspot audits and taking measures to reduce key identified litter items. The webinar will discuss the outcomes of the project, as well as creating a source reduction plan and strategies for reducing litter in your local area. Book in via the following link: https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Reducing-litter-in-Melbou

21.01.2022 Some useful tips around netting your fruit trees to protect your crop from Queensland Fruit Fly ...

20.01.2022 This summer Yarra Plenty Regional Library produced a series of "Homegrown" videos - this one was filmed at Edendale, showcasing the farm as well as demonstrating how to cook up this fantastic-looking dish using produce from the Edendale veggie garden and eggs from our chickens!

20.01.2022 One of the things that we're passionate about at Edendale - particularly in this International Year of Fruits and Vegetables - is educating people about growing their own food. If you have deciduous fruit trees at home, winter is the best time to prune them to enhance production and/or restructure the tree. On Saturday 19 June from 9am - 1pm, expert horticulturalist Justin Calverley will run his popular winter fruit tree pruning workshop at Edendale. Come along and learn how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. Pruning is also an important action for Queensland Fruit Fly management. There is an early-bird special price of $65 if you book before May 19, thereafter it's $75. For more information or to make a booking: https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Winter-Fruit-Tree-Pruning

20.01.2022 If there are any spinners, weavers, felters or artists out there who might be interested in some of our wool, the Edendale Ryeland sheep were recently shorn. As you can see from the size of the bag that Farmer Ian is holding, we have quite a bit of it looking for a good home! Please note that the wool is raw and in its natural "just-shorn-off-the-sheep" state. It is not cleaned or classed at all.

19.01.2022 If you already have guinea pigs, want the children to be more involved in their care or are considering getting them as a family pet then this is the webinar for you. On Monday 30 November from 5-6pm, join Farmer Rae for a $10 webinar and learn the basics of keeping guinea pigs at home - what to look for in a hutch, what to feed (and not to feed!) them, how to train them and how to look after them in hot weather. This webinar is designed for all members of the family. Book via the following link: https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Backyard-Guinea-Pigs-Onli

16.01.2022 Hi everybody, just a quick reminder that Edendale is hosting an online Home Composting Q&A tonight from 7-8pm - please book in via the link below if you have any composting questions you'd like answered! https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au/E/Home-Composting-QA-Online

16.01.2022 NAIDOC Week Celebrations are being held from 8 15 November across Australia. The 2020 NAIDOC Week theme Always Was, Always Will Be, Recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. At Nillumbik, we celebrate the incredible contributions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made to our history, culture and community

14.01.2022 Diamond Valley Art Society (DVAS) will be running some fun free children’s activities alongside our Great Nillumbik Picnic - Devonshire Teas this Sunday from 10.30 am to 4pm. Rock Art Fun and Clay Play for all ages supported by artists from DVAS in an indoor studio space and outdoor covered shelter. Artists will also be working in their Gaston Room Studio in the Edendale Homestead on the day. You are invited to drop in and have a look at their work and a chat about their art and the Art Society if you are interested.

14.01.2022 Edendale friends, it's nearly time! We are gearing up for our first public visitors since March ... we have hand sanitiser, we have a one-way traffic flow around our toilets and animal viewing areas, and even the animals are being trained to socially distance. Remember to book via Trybooking (tickets are going fast!) and to wear your mask. We can't wait to see you! https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au/Events-/Edendale-Farm-Visit

13.01.2022 Today was a very good day. We welcomed back little people to the farm! It was Edendale Education's first booked on-site program since mid March (though we have been providing online incursions). Everybody came to say hi :)

11.01.2022 Have you heard about the delicious Devonshire Teas this coming Sunday 28 March at Edendale, as part of the Great Nillumbik Picnic? Cost is $12.50 per Devonshire Tea, which includes two delectable home-made scones with jam and Chantilly cream, (baked by Glenda from Café Eden), and a hot or cold drink. Tables will be situated on the homestead verandah and lawns. Bookings are essential, as numbers for each session are limited. There are 2 x 1.5 hour sittings one at 10.30am and one at 2.30pm. Please book your tables via the following link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Devonshire-Tea-Edendale-G

11.01.2022 Winter is definitely coming, and so are the "Preparing Your Home and Garden for Winter" series of talks this Saturday 27 March between 1.30 - 3.30pm! This is a final call for people interested in some home energy (and money) saving tips as the colder weather approaches. Representatives from the Australian Energy Foundation (AEF) and Clean Energy Nillumbik (CEN) will be there, as well as some of the Edendale team to talk about composting and indigenous planting. Also learn about current energy saving bulk-buy programs, and get some advice on home energy efficiency projects. Please go the following link for the full program of 9 talks and book in, as places are limited due to capacity restrictions in Edendale's teaching spaces - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Preparing-Your-Home-and-G

11.01.2022 Looking for a Christmas present for a garden-lover in your life? This super-popular 4-hour summer fruit tree pruning workshop with Justin Calverley on Saturday 6 February at Edendale might be just the thing! The workshop focuses on how to best care for your fruit trees for health and to maximise your yield for next season. Pruning your fruit trees is also an important action for Queensland Fruit Fly management. The workshop costs $65, and can be booked via the following link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Summer-Fruit-Tree-Pruning

08.01.2022 Autumn is the perfect time to put indigenous plants in the ground, and the Edendale indigenous plant nursery is open right through Easter and the school holidays. There is a wide range of stock available, and on special is Microlaena stipoides (Weeping grass) for $2 a tube. Microlaena is a native lawn alternative to your standard lawns, growing up to 30cm in height. Happy in full sun to part shade and a variety of soils, its seeds provide food for native birds. Also at the nursery, there is a fantastic range of local and seasonal veggie seedlings for sale from the Veggie Empire at Beales Road Farm.

08.01.2022 Hi everybody, it’s Farmyard Friday and here is a cute little vid to accompany our announcement that Edendale's first baby alpaca (Cria) is called Pinto! He is such a gorgeous little guy, and can usually be seen with hanging out with our 3 adult alpacas - Truffles, Nutmeg and Poppy - in the northern paddocks of the farm near the bridge across to the Eltham North playground.

08.01.2022 Edendale is looking stunning this morning! Just a reminder that the farm is open all of Easter (including the indigenous plant nursery and Cafe Eden). The cafe is having a slightly later start tomorrow, Good Friday, opening for coffee and food from 10.00am.

08.01.2022 How gorgeous does this plant display area look in the nursery? Beautifully decorated by our own talented Emma and Tara, this area is dedicated to indigenous groundcovers including Lobelia, Brachyscome, Bidgee Widgee and Creeping Bossiaea. The nursery is open from 9.30 - 4.30 daily so you can indulge your indigenous plant buying habit!

07.01.2022 Taking climate action - Have your say Nillumbik Shire Council is preparing a new Climate Action Plan and is seeking community input to help guide its direction. Take a short survey which will help guide the development of the new Climate Action Plan- this will outline what Council will do to reduce its carbon footprint, build resilience and adapt to changes in climate, while supporting our community to do the same.... To complete the survey go to https://participate.nillumbik.vic.gov.au/climate-action

07.01.2022 Today's the day Edendale finally re-opens to the public (if you have booked your tickets via Trybooking!) The animals are keen for visitors. The nursery has had a face-lift and is looking fabulous. Glenda will be in the cafe making coffee and serving her usual yummy cakes and toasties. Despite the rain, it's all happening. And as per the Victorian government's announcements yesterday, face masks will not be required outside as long as physical distancing can be maintained. Welcome back!

07.01.2022 Here’s something a little different! As part of the Great Nillumbik Picnic, on Sunday 28 March Edendale is offering Devonshire Teas on the verandah and the beautiful lawns around the Homestead. Cost is $12.50 per Devonshire Tea, which includes two delectable home-made scones with jam and Chantilly cream, baked by Glenda from Café Eden, and a hot or cold drink. Bookings are essential, as numbers for each session are limited. There are 2 x 1.5 hour sittings one at 10.30am and one at 2.30pm. And of course, take the time to wander around the farm and visit the animals while you are at the farm! Bookings are via the following link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Devonshire-Tea-Edendale-G

06.01.2022 Edendale is open all of Easter and the school holidays, 9.30am - 4.30pm. Come along and visit the animals including Elton, our new Ryeland ram, who is the latest addition to the Edendale flock. Here he is checking out his new surrounds, and meeting some of our ewes for the first time :) #FarmyardFriday

06.01.2022 As part of the 2021 Home Harvest festival, on Thursday 11 February from 7-9pm, join Kat Lavers (passionate gardener and sustainable food systems advocate) for an online workshop to learn all about seed saving from your veggie garden. Kat will cover all the basics of plant selection, pollination, harvesting, drying, cleaning and storing seed for common vegetable varieties. This is also a great way to get involved with the Home Harvest seed libraries soon to be sprouting up at various locations in Nillumbik and Banyule. Bookings are via the following link - https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/introduction-to-seed-saving

05.01.2022 What's a pollinator observatory? Come and join Dr Luis Mata at Edendale next Saturday 10 April from 9-11am and find out! Luis is an ecologist with a keen interest in insects, urban biodiversity, community science, science communication, and nature photography. He is particularly interested in exploring how to bring nature back into cities and seeks to raise awareness of the importance of beneficial insects in urban environments. This workshop is free, and numbers are limited due to the capped capacity of our teaching spaces. Book via this link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Pollinator-Observatories-

03.01.2022 Tomorrow night at 7pm, register for an opportunity to hear Uncle Dave Wandin talk about preparing for and managing bushfire in Nillumbik from an Indigenous perspective. Follow the link below to book for this free event.

02.01.2022 The Clean Energy Nillumbik (CEN) solar robot building workshop on Thursday 21 January at Edendale is proving to be very popular, with the morning session almost booked up already. This activity is aimed at 8-12 year old Nillumbik kids, who will receive a Solar Robot kit and construct a Solar CD Racer on the day. The kits can be taken home and used to build 5 other solar robots. There will also be other fun clean energy activities and the opportunity to meet some of the farm animals at Edendale. Accompanying adults will be able to chat with volunteers from CEN and a selection of stallholders about clean energy ideas and projects for home. There will also be a electric car on site. For bookings, follow this link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Build-your-own-solar-robot

01.01.2022 The Edendale staff (and animals) would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. The farm is open for visitors every day during the holidays from 9.30am-4.30pm (except for Christmas Day), but Cafe Eden is now closed until Monday 11 January 2021.

01.01.2022 Over the last few months, Edendale has reinstated 63 volunteers into their roles and enlisted 14 new people who had applied during last year's lockdown. We are now seeking additional volunteers, and looking for expressions of interest from community members who would like to become involved in the farm in a variety of ways. Please click on the link below for the types of roles we offer and the Expression of Interest form. Our Volunteer Manager will then contact you to discuss available roles and your application - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Vol/Volunteer-at-Edendale

01.01.2022 Edendale is offering our first sustainability workshop of the year (and our first face to face one in a long time!) with Setting up and Maintaining a Worm Farm on Saturday 30 January from 2-3pm. A worm farm is a fantastic way to dispose of household food scraps and produce worm tea and castings for use on the garden, and the workshop focuses on the easiest methods to care for these most hard-working of creatures. The workshop is free, but please book via the following link - https://www.edendale.vic.gov.au//Setting-up-and-Maintainin