SCRAP Ltd in Holsworthy, New South Wales, Australia | Non-profit organisation

SCRAP Ltd

Locality: Holsworthy, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9825 1062

Address: SCRAP Centre 209 Heathcote Rd 2173 Holsworthy, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.scrapltd.com.au

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• Non-profit organisation
• Community organisation
• Environmental conservation organisation

25.01.2022 More seeds gathered and planted; peas and zucchinis harvested; the SCRAP Centre given an external clean and more crops fertilised - just a few of the activities at last Sunday's gathering of the Holsworthy Community Gardener's Group. This SATURDAY 14th NOVEMBER come and join us for more garden frolics. We are now starting earlier - 8.30am and finishing earlier at 10.30am to avoid the heat. Suzy will co-ordinate this Saturday. We expect to run sessions on alternating days (Sun...day 22nd; Saturday 28th November and finish the year with 2 sessions in December - to be announced). Big plans for next year include starting up a Gardener's Market for produce exchange and sales - so stay tuned.

25.01.2022 Todays Session with Work Studies saw progress made on the Vegie 1 Garden Bed as students cleared the bed of remaining vegetation, sent it to compost; decompacted the soil at the Sweet Potato harvest end (see post from Friday 24th); added fresh compost and gypsum; deconstructed the old bird mesh frame and recovered the mesh, the stakes and screws/wire for reuse and built a PVC Pipe Worm Farm + installed to the garden. Next week as spring approaches and the Moon position is suitable for planting the new seeds will be chosen and sown. The pictures (from Sarah again) tell the story of a fruitful hours work.

24.01.2022 Holsworthy Community Garden Discovery Day

23.01.2022 Produce available 31.8.20 at SCRAP/Holsworthy Community Garden - yours for a very low cost!

23.01.2022 Hi All...Martin here.....the workshop between 9:00am and 11:00am ..tomorrow morning (Sunday...25/10/20) is still on..We are providing indoor activites..We hope to see you all.....Martin :-)

22.01.2022 Our friend and Community Gardener extraordinaire, Clare Tapp was at the Holsworthy Community Garden yesterday weeding and planting. She got a little help from her friends with the weeding ...

22.01.2022 The dead chook saga continues - after our visit from the local constabulary yesterday (who concluded nothing could be proven). Today we had a visit from the Catholic clergy. Father Al brought us the second dead Australorp with the head ripped off in the same way and only the carcass in evidence at the back of the priest's house. A parishioner, he also reported, found the dead, headless body of the IsoBrown at the front of the church but when we investigated it had been remove...d. Despite the horror of all this we are grateful to the many people who have expressed their concerns and support. We have also had an offer to fund more chooks and a coop. Anyone wishing to donate to SCRAP (for the garden/chooks, etc) please go to - https://scrapltd.com.au/donate/ As a final note we post the photo below of one of the lost chooks in her final resting place - the latest compost where the microbes and worms will return her to soil for the garden. All three chooks now found, have been duly interred in this way - completing their cycle of life with their final gifts to the garden. We appeal to those who found the IsoBrown to return her as well please, so she can join her compatriots. RIP Chookies...

22.01.2022 We have a few places left in our 5th September (Saturday 11am - 1pm) Biodynamic Composting Workshop with Sydney BD expert Diane Watkin. Call Peter on 0400 982 516 or respond here if you want to be included - FREE! Child Friendly at the Holsworthy Community Garden (Corner Heathcote Rd and Agnes Lane), A SCRAP Centre Project funded by Liverpool City Council.

22.01.2022 Final Reminder HOW TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE HOME Tomorrow - Saturday 31st October 9-11.30am @ SCRAP Centre cnr Heathcote Rd & Agnes Lane Holsworthy... Part 3 of the 4 part agenda is Energy - how to calculate if your home is suitable for solar and how to make the most of it. How to save energy if you cannot install solar. Smart Meters and what they mean. Other issues associated with energy and modern communications. Part 4 - how to reduce and/or eliminate toxins from your home. Each of the four parts will run for 30 mins with morning tea half way through (Part 1 is Zero Waste; Part 2 is Saving Water).

22.01.2022 HOW TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE HOME Item 1 - A Zero Waste Home Apart from this being a practical impossibility let's look on the bright side - we can get very close to Zero Waste with the right intent, knowledge and skills. This first part of the workshop will focus on the key elements -... 1. Organics and how to convert them into your own soil for growing plants. 2. Plastics and how to avoid them, reduce them, reuse them, recycle them and stop them getting into the oceans and our food supply. Photo - Biodynamic Compost Workshop at the Holsworthy Community Garden in September - Carbon and water added in layers with nitrogen (green materials).

21.01.2022 The Bower Reuse and Repair Co-operative has had its latest Tiny House construction at the SCRAP Centre since March due to the virus crisis. Now the rescheduled time for its Auction has arrived (Saturday 23rd May around midday) on The Bowers Facebook Live presentation. Prior to that, this Saturday (16th May) between 9am and 4pm you have the chance to come and see the Tiny House by special arrangement with Guido Verbist (The Bower General Manager). Call Guido on 0459 999 110 to book your visit at the SCRAP Centre (Cnr Heathcote Rd and Agnes Lane, Holsworthy) and consider your bid in the auction. All proceeds go towards The Bowers efforts in reuse and repair of our used resources, training people to learn the skills and employ people in these worthy efforts for environmental sustainability.

21.01.2022 Holsworthy Community Garden Get-togethers - now every weekend (rotating Saturdays and Sundays) this weekend Saturday 17th - always from 9 - 11am. Hosting this Saturday Suzy Wilkinson and Kathy Hope who put together this little ripper video by way of friendly invitation. See you Saturday morning!... https://vimeo.com/467051122

19.01.2022 Antioxidants are critical in building our immunity - see https://www.scrapltd.com.au/produ/olive-leaf-extract-500ml/ for this product which we highly recommend (through years of use).

19.01.2022 For anyone short on bumf - SCRAP sells environmentally-friendly, 100% recycled toilet paper by the box - $39.15 for 48 rolls of 400 sheets each. Australian made from recycled paper, oxygen bleached, each roll paper wrapped and packed in a cardboard carton. Delivery available for those too far away to pick up - POA. Message us here on Fb or call us on 02 98251062.

19.01.2022 Volunteer's Week Gathering and BBQ This Sunday come along to experience the latest in Community Gardening and enjoy our free BBQ lunch. Starts at 9.30am with lunch at midday.... Supported by Liverpool City Council - Small Grants Program

19.01.2022 SCRAP is pleased to share the Sustaining Liverpool newsletter in which we appear (page 4). Worth a quick read to see what council and various environmentally focussed groups are doing around the city. It is Biodiveristy month (September) and we note the identification of some of the most endangered native plants here in Liverpool and make it our undertaking to plant some of them in our current projects with students from Holsworthy HS.

19.01.2022 Yesterday 25.8.20 the Flagpole Garden took another step closer to completion with the planting of ground covers by the students. In the front section we planted 2 rare white pigface (Caprobotus) surrounded by the more common pink variety harvested from the SCRAP garden - succulents like these may be broken off and replanted quite easily. First photo show Luke breaking through the cardboard weedmat with the crowbar and digging the holes for the plants. Students had prepared a mix of sand and worm cast to bed the new plantings into the garden. We then moved to the rear section (where the Wattles - Acacia sophorea and Acacaia Longifolia will be planted next week - September 1st - Wattle Day and first day of Spring) and planted a Leptospermum - tea tree and a Myoporum both groundcover varieties.

19.01.2022 The Holsworthy Community Garden continues to function - well the plants are growing, the chooks are on their autumn vacation reflecting the state of things in general. We did however, manage to complete one more step in the gradual construction of the Herb Spiral with the concrete pour to the foundations of what will be the walls as you can see here and in the video... It may take a while before the next stage (building the walls) gets underway, so please dont hold your breath except while diving.

17.01.2022 It's Naidoc Week! Schools around Australia are celebrating with our indigenous brothers and sisters the continuation of the oldest living culture on the planet in all its variety, across our country. Here at SCRAP we had funding from Liverpool City Council to support a series of bush tucker workshops with our friend, Dharawal (Illawarra) woman, Narelle Happ from A Garden for Life. First off we visited Holsworthy Preschool to show the children the wonders of tasting bush tuc...ker and to become familiar with the plants that produce those tastes. There were some funny faces when the pepperberry was tried! Next we moved to Holsworthy Primary where around a dozen indigenous children were engrossed in Narelle's explanation of native foods and how they are made from the plants she displayed. Finally, it was on to the Holsworthy Community Garden where two small groups of Holsworthy HS indigenous students saw, smelt, tasted and discussed the sources of a food culture which developed over thousands of years. We hope to build on this experience with Narelle for the children and young people throughout their formative years through helping to develop bush tucker gardens in all the schools. The photos show the activities at the preschool. A short video from each of the schools will be posted later.

17.01.2022 The first two weeks of Spring have been busy at the Holsworthy Community Garden. The Yr9/10 Gardening Group completed the Anzac Community Grant project at the Flagpole on 1st. On Saturday 5th Biodynamic Gardener Diane Watkin lead the Community Gardeners through the BD Composting method and later in the week Peter took Yr 7 Ag students through the same process. It could not be completed in one day so the second Yr7 Ag class completed the compost on Monday 14th. On the same da...y, Mr Toppings Yr 12 Construction students began the build of the Herb Spiral and were able to cut and lay 89 blocks. Around 95 blocks remain to be laid to complete the Spiral construction. We hope to keep the pace up and complete several of the current grants by the end of term as the school plans for full day commitments from classes like Yr 12 Construction and Yr 9/10 Gardener. SCRAP appreciates the commitment shown by these students and their teachers. The photos help tell the stories ....

17.01.2022 A small but successful workshop on How to Make a Sustainable Home was held at SCRAP on 31st October. Nine adults and a couple of kids joined Peter to discuss Zero Waste through composting and reducing plastic usage; Saving Water and Energy through assessing the home for water collection, greywater reuse, solar power and efficient products and the awareness needed to avoid toxins in the home. The photo (Kathy Hope) shows Peter talking about the importance of micro-organisms for making healthy soils from organic wastes.

16.01.2022 HOW TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE HOME Free Workshop 31.10.20 from 9-11.30 See our Events for details.

16.01.2022 SCRAP is pleased to share the Sustaining Liverpool newsletter in which we appear (page 4). Worth a quick read to see what council and various environmentally focussed groups are doing around the city. It is Biodiveristy month (September) and we note the identification of some of the most endangered native plants here in Liverpool and make it our undertaking to plant some of them in our current projects with students from Holsworthy HS.

16.01.2022 Today is Wattle Day and the first day of Spring! To celebrate the Holsworthy HS Gardening Group planted Acacia Sophorea (local coastal wattle) and Acacia Longifolia (also a local native). This concludes a process of restoring the Flagole area at the entrance to the old military prison site, where Holsworthy HS now stands. With a NSW Government Veterans Affairs - Anzac Community Grant of $1500 we have repaired the roadway around the flagpole, weeded, weed matted, mulched and... replanted the garden with 6 native species to compliment the established rosemary and remembered those who have served. Australians are "Children of the Wattle" and Wattle Day used to be celebrated annually in many schools to remember them. Mothers would write to their sons overseas and include a pressing of wattle flowers. The fallen were buried with a sprig of wattle to mark their origins. Today, Wattle Day, we have remembered them.

16.01.2022 We enjoyed a small, yet most productive Social and Therapeutic Planting workshop with Jacquie Dredge (Panania Free Rangers) on Saturday. Around 10 people gathered to demonstrate that healthy activity in the open air and social environments is critical to ensuring our vitality: rain or shine. After an initial meditation, a re-energised group headed to the worm shed to make the seed germination mix (coir, compost, sand and worm casting) and plant a host of seeds from herbs to vegies that were then placed into the SCRAP greenhouse for germination.

16.01.2022 Just spent a valuable 20 + minutes watching this video from Dr Zach Bush as he relates his remarkable research into the human condition and all its manifestations. Profound science and significant detail but very well laid out with wonderful graphics and an equally profound and inspiring conclusion for you to contemplate... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1KmNKYC1l0stjctkGswl6g

15.01.2022 The foundations for the Herb Spiral were poured recently with help from our friend and colleague, Shaun Kaye, teacher of Industrial Arts at Holsworthy HS and Fabian Veron of SCRAP Ltd

15.01.2022 The excellent Narelle Happ (A Garden for Life) will lead this event for those interested in our native foods...

15.01.2022 Final Promo for our WINTER SOLSTICE EVENT (see photos)..... Come and hunt down the Pumpkins; Build them into the Tower of Pump; Guess the height it will be; Guess the heaviest and lightest pumpkins. Prizes to be won from the SCRAP Shop! And join us around the firepit for Pumpkin soup, scones and pie.... RSVP - Martin by Friday 5pm on 0413 473 941

15.01.2022 Students from the Year 9 Gardening Group celebrated Wattle Day by completing the Flagpole Garden and adding two wattles including this Acacia Sophorea at the Holsworthy HS front sign facing Huon Crescent

14.01.2022 Another delightful video from Kathy Hope depicting the Holsworthy Community Garden - around 15 people turned up to help the garden thrive with new plantings, seed harvesting and a range of other activities. You are invited to join us again this coming Sunday 25th October 9 - 11am. https://vimeo.com/469219819

14.01.2022 ANY REUSABLE CLOTING FOR OUR SCARECROW? Today students from Yr 9 Work Studies started the Scarecrow project with design. It was decided that reuse clothing would be essential and this is a call out for pants, shirts, hats, boots, etc. We dont need a truck load just a few select items to choose from please.... contact Peter on 0400 982 516.

13.01.2022 The last Community Garden Day saw the successful planting of coriander seeds, melon plants, and mother of all herbs. Ably assisted by Kath, Pat, Finn and George as well as Chloe and her girls. We also harvested more coriander and rocket seeds. A new bed was tilled and cleared of weeds where the melons were planted. We enjoyed a cuppa and zucchini slice harvested from SCRAP gardens. Thanks to all who came and assisted. This Sunday, 22nd November between 8.30 and 10.30 am we meet again to continue the spring planting, harvest a variety of crops and generally enjoy the environment. Feel free to drop in. Photo - Students for Holsworthy HS planting the corner garden and preparing the hose to water in on 17.11.20.

12.01.2022 The Return and Earn machine at SCRAP/Holsworthy Community Garden keeps garnering support in the local community. Although we are not open around the clock, you can access the machine from 8am until 6pm, 7 days per week and we are only closed on Xmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday. Recently Tomra (the company which owns the technology and runs the system for the government) sent us the images below to demonstrate the environmental benefits derived from this form of recycl...ing. We think we are doing pretty well as the only school in Australia to offer the service and doing around 100,000 containers per month! SCRAP has also instituted a zero waste to landfill for all the other items people bring - cardboard goes to the school recycling skip; comingled items that are not accepted go to the yellow lid bin for council collection and many of the plastic bags are taken by SCRAP to Coles for recycling as well. We would like to thank all our community members who observe the zero waste practices. And, you can support us with a donation through the machine to SCRAP Ltd which we dedicate to the Holsworthy Community Garden - open to all and built in collaboration with the neighbourhood schools to educate the next generation in the skills of sustainable living.

12.01.2022 Todays action took place with the Gareden Team tackling the weeds on and around the Flagpole area which our landscaper will soon come to restore with asphalt. The students will help with this restoration and we are now contemplating which plants to put into the flagpole garden to compliment the rosemary which was planted late 2018 for the WW1 Centenary Remembrance. We are thinking native plants maybe a prostrate wattle? Any suggestions welcome....

11.01.2022 Lots of action at SCRAP/Holsworthy Community Garden over the school holidays. While we engage more in the community with a new events process (see below) we have also been fortunate in having our dream of a proper driveway realised. With generous donations from Avijohn (half price asphalting) and Ian Wheeler Landscapes (free labour for the roadbase) and funding from Tomra (Return and Earn RVM onsite) our combination of fundraisers - SCRAP Ltd, Holsworthy HS and HHS P&C have m...anaged this outcome from which we will all benefit. Thanks to all for the efforts and kindness. Holsworthy Community Garden - Social and Gardening Get-Togethers - Sunday 11th October, 9 - 11am. Corner Heathcote Rd and Agnes Lane, Holsworthy Welcome one and all - our new Co-ordinator for these events (hopefully to run weekly through most of the year, alternating between Saturdays and Sundays) is Madan (Martin) Bhati. Martin is a local Holsworthy resident with a passion for gardening who has contributed massively to the garden since its inception. We look forward to welcoming you to the Hoslworthy Community Garden for this inaugural Social and Gardening Get-Together. After gardening together for a couple of hours please stay and enjoy a cuppa and nibbles in the SCRAP Centre or under the trees in the garden.

11.01.2022 Today we got started on the footings for the Herb Spiral. I was too busy with the Green Team digging to get photos of the action but here is the almost finished trenches ready for the formwork to go in this week. We hope to pour the concrete next week and the blocks will arrive courtesy of the manufactuer and Bunnings next Tuesday. If school is still functioning we could make some serious progress - or not!... Thanks to Liverpool City Council Matching Grant through the HHS P&C for making this project real.

11.01.2022 After a very successful joint activity between SCRAP Ltd and Panania Free Rangers - Holsworthy Community Garden Discovery Day of workshops. with Acknowledgement of Country and lunch by Aunty Carole Brown, very ably assisted by Leonie and CIntia for over 30 guests, we move on to - VOLUNTEERS' WEEK Join us whenever you are able this week as follows: Monday 26th - Native Bees a Buzzin'... Tuesday 27th - Bush Tucker Forage Wednesday 28th - Compost Test - Soil your Undies! Thursday 29th - Wrigglin with Worms Friday 30th - Garden Art & Signs. ALL Workshops start at 11am and run for around 90 minutes. AND JOIN US for the Holsworthy Community Gardeners Group SUNDAY 2nd May VOLUNTEERS GATHERING AND BBQ - 9am - Midday (then lunch - free) Bring your mum with you for Mother's Day RSVP Friday 30th please - 0400982516 We are grateful for support from a Liverpool City Council Small Grant of $1000.

11.01.2022 Our Community Gardeners Get-Togethers for the coming weeks are as follows - Saturday 15th May Sunday 23rd May and Saturday 29th May... All starting around 9am and going through to around midday as the days get shorter and cooler. Currently preparing gardens for winter with more alliums and root crops going in and the fruit trees having their trunks pasted (to protect against disease) and composted to help them over winter. Pumpkins are starting to be harvested and distributed through our Box Divvy Hub members and gardeners for those cold weather soups and pies!

11.01.2022 Todays session for the Work Studies group brought us closer to our first planting for Spring as students completed the weeding and composting of the main bed (Vegie 1) added gypsum and dolomite (where required); discussed which seeds needed planting (Companion Planting/Phases of the Moon); started the replacement of bird netting to the new frame and a small group also weeded the herb spiral as Year 12 Construction students prepare to commence the build after Adbri (via Bunnings) delivered our pallet of EziWall blocks. Most details can be picked up in the photos below.

10.01.2022 While you have been away, the chooks are still laying, the garden is still productive ... Non-certified, organic food - eggs, greens and citrus (oranges & pink grapefruit) are being harvested. Come and visit the Holsworthy Community Garden/SCRAP Centre and pick some delicious, nutritious foods cheaply.... See photos for examples. Join our Loyalty Credit Program to contribute to and receive from the garden.

09.01.2022 HOW TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE HOME Part 2 of Saturday's (31st Oct) Workshop is about Water - How to save and reuse it. For many years SCRAP has worked with Enviroplumbers to install tanks, irrigation, grey water and related systems in schools, homes and elsewhere. This part of the workshop will provide valuable insights on how you can calculate and cost devices and methods to save and reuse water in your home/workplace. Book your place (Sat 9-11.30am) on - [email protected]

09.01.2022 Yr 7/8's from Holsworthy HS start to build the #mudbrick garden wall from the bricks made over the past few weeks, while their Yr9/10 fellow students continue to shape the Cob wall at the driveway's edge. Two methods of mud-building demonstrated.

09.01.2022 BOKASHI COMMUNITY COMPOSTING The Holsworthy Community Garden now offers the community the chance to contribute to better soils through Bokashi Composting. Try it - its EASY and FREE!. Check the photos (also on a sign at the compost area) to follow these simple steps:... 1. Bring your food waste to the Composting area at the east end of the garden - go to the Blue Drums 2. Take off the lid from the Blue Drum at the front. 3. Empty your food waste into the drum. 4. Take the lid off the 5L White Bucket marked Bokashi and take one scoop of Bokashi bran mix out and sprinkle over your food waste (use one scoop per 5L of food). 5. Replace the lids on the Bokashi mix and the Blue Drum tightly - JOB DONE. You can also join our LOYALTY CREDIT program and earn credits to exchange for garden produce and more by contributing in this way. Contact us here for more info. Bokashi Composting is a Japanese method of Anaerobic (without air) Composting using special micro-organisms to breakdown the organics into liquid that can be tapped off and added to plants, or start the decomposition and then transfer the material to worm farms, aerobic composts, etc

09.01.2022 Glad to say that the high school students returned to the Holsworthy Community Garden today for - Pickin Sweet Potatoes - see photos. Thanks to Sarah for the camera work. A total of 17 Work Studies students lifted off the old bird netting, cleared the bed and unearthed over 30 kgs of Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes (dioscorea alata, purple yam - white with purple streaks in our case, possibly the Murasaki) sent over a cubic metre of leaf and stalk materials to composting and fed the... uncovered witchetty grubs to the grateful chooks. The harvest tally (see photo) was 31.8kg - sweet potatoes anyone? A useful guide is here - http://australiansweetpotatoes.com.au/ While all that was going on, Mr Topping came over with his Yr12 Construction students to assess the block building of the Herb Spiral. This times well with their curriculum requirements for block construction and will commence once the blocks arrive courtesy of Bunnings Bankstown Airport and the EziWall company.

08.01.2022 Holsworthy Community Gardeners meet again this Sunday 8th November, between 9 and 11am. Madan will co-ordinate the activities including tung oiling wooden handled tools; installing a misting irrigation system at the SCRAP greenhouse and tending the seedlings in there - possibly increasing the plantings in more seed trays and pots; compost harvesting and adding compost to the Herb Spiral in preparation for planting it; netting Vegie Bed 4 (zucchini, okra, etc) and much more. ...Stay for a cuppa and a chat afterwards.... Photo - 400L Compost Tumbler with wheelbarrow screen enables around 200L of compost production every 3 months to keep your garden productive.

08.01.2022 The old military prison entrance from Heathcote Rd predated what is now the rear entrance to Holsworthy HS, and the main entry to the SCRAP Centre and Holsworthy Community Garden. The Garden Team started the latest clean up of the site since it was restored in 2018 in preparation for the WW1 Centenary Remembrance. SCRAP won an Anzac Community Grant of $1500 which will be spent restoring the asphalt of the cracked road and adding more plants to the rear of the flagpole garden. Our Landscaper, Ian Wheeler will come to the school to teach students the process of cold asphalting and we will source suitable native plants to compliment the remembrance rosemary which adorns the front of the garden area.

07.01.2022 Holsworthy Community Gardeners group meet this Saturday 28th November between 8.30 and 10.30am. Completing the Herb Spiral soil and mulch fill for planting; making compost; tending and harvesting the crops as Spring draws to a close. Photo shows the Holsworthy HS Yr12 students constructing the Herb Spiral in late September.

07.01.2022 On Saturday 5th September, from 11am till 1pm SCRAP Ltd and the Holsworthy Community Garden is honoured to present one of the true stalwarts of Biodynamic Gardening in Sydney, DIANE WATKIN as she leads us through the remarkable BD Composting process. This unique form of composting achieves results other composting methods only dream of ..... immense richness in nutrient quality, mineral availability and so many other benefits. Dont miss this amazing workshop - hands-on build...ing a BD Compost on the day. Reply here on facebook or call Peter on 0400 982 516 to book your place. Positions are limited, RSVP is essential by 31st August. Learn more about Biodynamic practices here - facebook.com/biodynamics.sydney

06.01.2022 Winter Solstice and the Great Pumpkin Hunt turned up a good time and over 70kgs of Kent (Jap) and Grey (Qld Blue) Pumpkins. The largest, weighing 5.2kgs (Grey) and 5.15kgs (Kent), were won in the Guessing Comp by Fabian and Suzy. We now have the rest available for sale at SCRAP for $2.50 per kg around 33% cheaper than the supermarkets and as fresh as they come. Put them into a cool dark place for a month or more prior to eating or chop them up this week and give them a roasti...ng. Thanks to our keen cooks/gardeners, for supper we had pumpkin soup, kangaroo and pumpkin casserole, pumpkin and vegie curry, pumpkin scones and pumpkin caramel slice. Fifteen people attended the event on what was a cool, but relatively fine Saturday afternoon and evening around the fire pits (provided by Glenn Pritchard). CALL IN TO SCRAP THIS WEEK FOR YOUR PUMPKIN!

06.01.2022 This month SCRAP is fortunate in being sponsored by Grill'd at Wetherill Park. We are organising a get together at the restaurant on Saturday evening (14th November, time to be arranged but probably fairly early) and the manager Kevin Khao will support our group with some tokens to build our sponsorship outcome. Please call Peter on 0400 982 516 to book your seat at the table and some free zucchini chips. RSVP Thursday pm.... Want to know more about Grill'd? https://www.grilld.com.au/ne/latest/100-new-and-100-natural

05.01.2022 Despite the wet weather, our hardy community gardeners met on Sunday 25th October and Kathy Hope prepared this lovely little video featuring some of our native (bush tucker) garden varieties. https://vimeo.com/472167855

05.01.2022 Tools for Conviviality At a time when we are all being stretched to .... well you know. It is time to take to the garden with some practical purpose. SCRAP Ltd offers the following workshop to our Community Gardeners on Sunday 28th, March at 9 - 11am.... THE COMPOST SCREEN - come behind the mesh to learn this simple yet very effective way to improve your compost for garden use. $20 for materials - timber (reused where possible) aviary mesh and fixings to enable you to screen your compost to create excellent garden soil that is friable yet rich in micro-organisms and organic matters. Five simple steps 1. measure and cut framing timber to length 2. fit together with batten screws 3. measure, cut and lay on mesh 4. measure and cut cover timbers 5. screw cover timbers to frame to secure the mesh Tools - drop saw and circular saw; drill with bits and screw heads; rattle gun/impact drill; wire snips; saw horses/work surfaces; clamps/braces; hammer If you have never handled tools before - dont worry we will demonstrate and assist all participants as they need. If you have any tools bring them along as it will speed up the process as we have limited numbers of tools. PLEASE NOTE - IT IS ESSENTIAL TO BOOK WITH PETER ON 0400 982 516. NUMBERS LIMITED TO 15 MAXIMUM AND MATERIALS WILL ONLY BE PROVIDED TO THOSE WHO BOOK. If you have materials you wish to use please let us know in advance when you book.

05.01.2022 The Return & Earn Machine at SCRAP/Holsworthy HS is the only one in a school in Australia. We need your support to keep it here - 100,000 containers per month generating income locally worthy $10,000! This video explains the unique way in which this reverse vending operation works.

05.01.2022 SORRY, Sorry, Mea culpa - Holsworthy Community Gardeners Get Togethers are actually as follows - Sunday 16th Saturday 22nd and ... Sunday 30th May - please ignore our earlier post ... other details remain the same. Photo - Michael from Easy Power fits the new external LEDs to the SCRAP Centre

04.01.2022 Compost Screen Workshop comes to a screening halt! Sad to say we have decided to postpone the Compost Screen Building Workshop scheduled for this Sunday (29th March) due to the continued ramping up of restrictions due to the Virus (I shall not speak its name)! We will certainly run it later in the year but this does not appear to be the right time. Sorry to those who were looking forward to it. If you want a little exercise to do on your own we are happy to pass on the plans ...for it. Contact us here or reach Peter on [email protected]. We will try to post it on https://scrapltd.com.au/blog/ in the next couple of days.

04.01.2022 Holsworthy Community Gardeners are planning the coming winter. We are yet to decide if Get-Togethers will continue throughout (alternating Saturdays and Sundays after the current run ending May 29th). What we are planning (more details will be published later) - Saturday 19th June - THE WINTER SOLSTICE - gathering in the late afternoon for some rigorous gardening to warm up followed by an evening meal.... Late June - THE GREAT PUMPKIN HARVEST Mid July - THE GREAT PUMPKIN COOK UP Photo - Cintia and friend tend the garden recently

03.01.2022 Ian Wheeler attended this afternoons session of the SCRAP Gardening group. He explained and demonstrated cold asphalting (bitumen) to the students and we all got to it, completing the infill of the holes around flagpole garden and other areas while some finished the cardboard weedmatting and mulching of the garden itself. An intense session between 2 and 3pm which unfortunately may be the last for a while as the Governments new regulation forbids students from separate years working together. Hopefully a solution can be found so the Flagpole project can be completed as planned on Wattle Day (September 1st).

03.01.2022 SCRAP looks after the TOMRA ( myTOMRA Australia ) Australia Reverse Vending Machine (Return & Earn) onsite at the Holsworthy Community Garden on behalf of Holsworthy HS and the NSW Dept of Education. We are the only school in Australia to host such a machine and currently we average almost 100,000 cans and bottles per month. We appeal to the good folk of Holsworthy, Hammondville, Wattle Grove and surrounds to bring your recycling here earn your 10c per container and help us e...nsure the machine remains viable. You can also donate to us (SCRAP) under the donations option on the machine. Even one or two containers is a big help and we put all the money back into making Holsworthy Community Garden a great place for people to visit and learn about gardening and sustainable living. So come on down, deposit your containers, donate a couple to SCRAP and say hello to the chooks. You can also bring your food waste and deposit it at the Bokashi Composting site (40 m from the machine). If you wish, you can also join our Loyalty Credit program and exchange your contributions for produce from the garden. Drop us a comment here and we can send you more information.

02.01.2022 Autumn is a great time to harvest compost - not too hot and the garden soil needs to be fed for the autumn planting of winter vegies ....and the chooks love to help!

02.01.2022 Action in the Holsworthy Community Garden ... Yesterday, the Garden Team completed weeding the Flagpole Garden and started the cardboard weed matting and mulching in preparation for planting. Next week they will work alongside Ian Wheeler (our road building landscaper) to learn the skills of cold asphalting. We expect to complete the project (funded by NSW Government - Anzac Community Grant) with the planting of the wattles on - 1st September - Wattle Day - commemorate the Di...ggers aka the Children of the Wattle, whose mothers would send pressed wattle flowers to in letters to their sons fighting overseas. We will post this as an Event on Facebook as the day gets closer, following Mr Watkins (Principal HHS) approval for this small commemoration with staff and students on the first day of spring. A key wattle to be planted will be acacia sophorea aka coastal wattle native to our area. See here - http://anpsa.org.au/a-sop.html

01.01.2022 SCRAP is currently involved managing the refurbishment of the Tempe HS sports field. With the help of our various trades people we are recultivating the soil with quality compost, replacing the turf, adding 68KL in water tanks fed by a classroom block and irrigating the field with tank fed subsurface driplines. Our key innovation is to replace the usual carcinogenic glyphosate herbicide with a new Australian invention of acetic acid (vinegar-based) herbicide. It is considerably more expensive but if successful on this broad-scale, may represent an important step in reducing the use of the horrendous and now discredited poison which shows up in so many places it can truly be called ubiquitous. The sample of photos here show the first week of activity.... we hope to complete the upgrade by the end of July.

01.01.2022 On the weekend SCRAP hosted a Zoom meeting on Sustainability for the Greens and our July Board Meeting. Around 10 people showed up despite the weather so we could demonstrate a range of activities including worm farming, composting, compost screen building and, as the photo shows, the construction of a new frame for bird netting over the big Vegie 1 Garden Bed, courtesy of the courageous efforts of two community gardeners, Glenn Pritchard and Madan Bhati. We also bid a very f...ond farwell to Andy Graham, long term (16 years) SCRAP Board Member, long time secondary teacher in western Sydney, teachers union organiser and peace activist extraordinaire. Andy has provided many hours of voluntary service to environmental education here at SCRAP both through the Board and at other times for many years. Thank you Andy and all the best from us all at SCRAP.