Come along to one of our events, or one of our partners events. Any events that we hear of that are an interest to our members are posted here. If you would like to post an event send an email to Andrew Britton.

Tomatoes - seed to plate

Come and learn all about tomatoes, how to grow them organically, how to look after them with no chemicals and best of all…how to prepare and cook them. Make and eat Pastata, share tips and tricks together and enjoy the friendly atmosphere at Wollongong Botanic gardens.

When: Saturday, 11/2/2012
Time: 10am-2pm
Cost: $40
Bookings essential: 42252636

Bring 4x 300-400ml jars, an apron, tea towel, gardening gloves, hat, sunscreen and a smile!

Penny Hoswell
Waste Education
Discovery Centre Tuesday and Wednesdays 42292600
Council Head Office Fridays 42277484

MANAGING  LAND for CARBON

Where: BERRY Bowling Club
When: Wednesday 15th February, 2012

This one-day workshop is suitable for land managers wanting to learn practical skills and techniques to reduce the impacts of climatic extremes. It identifies the areas of your property likely to build soil carbon and the areas suited to forest carbon. Participants will develop a plan to build soil carbon at low cost and tailored to each paddock and soil type.

Participants are required to complete some pre-course work in preparation for this workshop.

Briefing also on the Benefits of Sustainable Grazing for a Healthy Farm and Catchment Water

Price: $520 (Farm Ready Approved)

For further information and bookings contact:

Maryke Archbold-Hession or Lex Myhill
PH: (02) 46406333
Email: maryke.hession@industry.nsw.gov.au

Prograze™ - Grazing management skills
- Skills to manage productive and sustainable pastures
- Learn to assess pasture quality and quantity
- Develop grazing strategies for sustainable animal and pasture production

How long; 8 days held on-farm over 8-12 months.

Cost: $200 per property (normally $650) - This includes two free pasture quality tests valued at $120

When: This course is starting Southern Highlands, Friday 17 February

Prograze Plus™
- Develop strategic grazing management plans
- Use fodder budgeting to assess grazing plans
- Integrate pasture and livestock grazing targets

How long: Four workshop sessions over a three month period

Cost: $200 per property (normally $520) - This includes PRO PLUS™ Fodder Budgeting software

When: Southern Highlands, Thursday 16 February

Contact Susan Orgill T: 02 6298 0806 M: 0428 424 566 E: susan.orgill@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Screening of ’GasLand’ – Coal Seam Gas Film

When: Friday 17th February 2012 at 7:30pm in the Gerringong Town Hall.

Coal Seam Gas Extraction is a major issue, and increasingly relevant for Kiama and the Illawarra: almost the entire Kiama Municipality is covered by Gas Exploration leases, and many surrounding areas as well.

To provide information about coal seam gas, Transition Towns Kiama, in conjunction with Pics and Flicks, is screening the highly acclaimed documentary "GasLand", which features the experience in America with CSG. In addition, speakers will discuss what is happening with CSG exploration and extraction in our region, as well as the progress on renewable alternatives.

So book in Friday, February 17th, 7pm (program starts at 7:30 sharp) at Gerringong Town Hall. Entry is by gold coin donation. Supper will be available, provided by St Peter 7 St Paul Social Justice Group and Greenbox.

Tom Thumb Lagoon/Greenhouse Park Guided Walk

When: Saturday February 18, 8am-11am

Conservation Volunteers is hosting a free guided walk around Tom Thumb Lagoon/Greenhouse Park in Wollongong from 8am-11am on Saturday 18 February.

Tom Thumb Lagoon is a valuable remnant wetland that provides important habitat for a range of plants and animals including migratory birds protected under international agreements and the endangered green and gold bell frog.

Learn about the history of this site and the fantastic restoration work that happening there now. Check out the frog ponds and look for birds in the wetland.

Participants are encouraged to bring binoculars and a camera. Places are limited, so call Renae or Jess from Conservation Volunteers on 4228 9246 or email wollongong@conservationvolunteers.com.au to book your spot or find out more information.

FREE Create Your Own Herbarium Workshop

Would you like to better develop your techniques in identifying native plants as well as exotic weeds?

Well creating your own herbarium can be a great way to become familiar with the plants which are in your local area.

Learn some simple techniques in creating your very own herbarium for your Landcare or Bushcare site or even in your own backyard.

This workshop will highlight how to identify local native plants and how to keep records and samples.

Lynne Kavanagh will walk you through the simple techniques to get you on your way to creating your own collection.

You will be able to collect some species from the Bushcare site along Blue Divers Creek and come back and start your own herbarium!

Where: Towradgi Community Hall, Towradgi Road (near the Tennis Courts)

When: Saturday the 18th of February 10am - 1pm

This workshop is FREE. Morning tea and all materials will be provided on the day.

Slow Food Saddleback - Grow, Bring, Cook... (or Show and Tell)

Animal or Vegetable?

We invite you to cook, prepare (or bring for us to cook), food from your garden, yard, chook –yard, pen, field (no wild mushrooms) or pasture on

When: Sunday 19th February, at 1.00pm,  at 335 Foxground Rd Foxground

(Have a peep at what your neighbour is growing, taste it and find out what grows well (and badly) in our region...

RSVP: 15 Feb, please, with details of what you propose to bring
BYOG -  Kirsten 0410289539 / Jack 0411471934

Sustainable Urban Food Production

When: Tuesday 21 February 2012
Time: 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Venue: Futureworld at Lake Illawarra, Northcliffe Drive, (opposite Walker Street),
Warrawong

Food security is an increasing problem throughout the world and with the current population above 7 billion, shortages of basic food items have inflamed tensions in Africa and Asia. It has been said that the next war may be fought over food and water – not over oil and land.

Should we be growing and sourcing more fresh food locally in a sustainable manner?
How can we change the way modern society is approaching food and its consumption and help them appreciate fresh local food?

We extend an invitation to all community members to join us to discuss some of the issues effecting food production that will include: Land, Water, Food security, Food Miles, Organic production, Farmers market, Agri-tourism, Home gardens, and Mining threats to pastoral land.

Speakers:
Lynne Strong - Business and marketing manager, Jamberoo’s award winning Clover Hill Dairies.
Robert Boyd - Green Gold vegies, Shoalhaven’s largest vegetable grower.
Denis Bagnall - Certified Organic farmer, Dapto Community Farm.
David Laing - Town planner, Cardno and Chair Property Development Council (Illawarra branch).

Cost - $10 per person (and $5 Concession). Light refreshments will be provided from
6.00pm.

Please RSVP by 14th February 2012 on PH: 4274 2939 or info@futureworld.org.au

Backyard Bee Keeping Workshop

Are you interested in learning how to setup and manage your own bee hives and harvest your own honey?

Date: Friday 24th & Saturday 25th February
Venue: NSW DPI, Schofields Lane, Berry
Cost: $100 per person (includes notes, lunch & morning tea on both days)                     

Seasonal farm walks
- Learn to identify the plants and weeds in your paddock
- Discuss seasonal issues and relevant farm activities with staff from the Department of Primary Industries and the Livestock Health and Pest Authority

How long: About 3-4 hours, depending on the number of participants
Cost: FREE
When: Southern Highlands, Friday 24 February
Contact Susan Orgill T: 02 6298 0806 M: 0428 424 566 E: susan.orgill@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Escarpment to Sea ‘Veg in the Edge’ workshop

Find out more about how to manage that weedy edge to your patch of remnant vegetation. This field day will look at a range of integrated techniques to improve the health and condition of Illawarra’s native vegetation.

When: Saturday 25 February, 9am to 12.30pm

Where: 263 Curramore Rd, Curramore

The event will involve some walking. Please wear sturdy footwear, long trousers, long sleeved shirt and a sun hat. Bring wet weather gear, drinking water, insect repellent and sunscreen. Morning tea and a light lunch provided.

RSVP by: Friday 17 February to Michael Andrews on 4224 9715 or michael.andrews@cma.nsw.gov.au

‘Meeting the Challenge for Change’

Where: Kianinny Resort, Tathra, NSW
When: 28th & 29th February

DAY ONE, Tuesday 28 February 2012
8.00 Registration, tea and coffee
9.00 Opening: Welcome to the Sapphire Coast.
9.15 Garry McDouall, Resource Consulting Services: The imperative for change - food, fuel and finance. Developing key principles for regenerative agriculture.
11.00 Morning tea (exhibits and trade displays)
11.45 Tanya Massy, Severn Park Merino Stud, Cooma: Today’s youth, tomorrow’s farmers.
12.30 Lunch (exhibits and trade displays)
1.30 Darryl Cluff, ‘Olive Lodge’, Birriwa: The silence of the bushland - the research, rhetoric and reality of environmental policy.
2.15 Colin Seis, ‘Winona’, Gulgong: Effects of Pasture Cropping on indigenous flora and fauna, beneficial insects, soil microbes and farm profit.
3.00 Afternoon tea (exhibits and trade displays)
3.30 Charlie Sexton, Regional Landcare Facilitator, Goulburn Broken CMA:
Restoring soil integrity - integrating landholder action with agency policy.
4.15 Tom Nicholas, ‘The Elms’, Binalong: Catalysing farmers to lead a low-carbon economy.
5.00 Close
5.15 Bar open
6.00 Forum dinner
7.00 A&K Hill Green Agriculture Innovation Awards
9.00 Finish

DAY TWO, Wednesday 29 February 2012
8.30 Tea and coffee
9.00 Christine Jones, Amazing Carbon: The changing face of soil carbon.
10.00 Andrew Monk, Director, Biological Farmers of Australia: Organic school gardens.
11.00 Morning tea (exhibits and trade displays)
11.30 Geoff Pryor, SEROC Resource Recovery Network Coordinator: Waste not, want not - vision and achievements of SEROC, the South East Regional Organisation of Councils - a model for integrated community action.
12.30 Closing Q&A, wrap up
1.00 Lunch (exhibits and trade displays)

For further information contact:
Christine Jones 02 6772 5605
Email: Christinejones222@gmail.com

Or Register Online: www.amazingcarbon.com

Bush Care Coastal Walks

There are a number of free walks occurring in the Illawarra over the next few months. To keep up to date with what’s happening locally check out Landcare Illawarra’s website - http://www.landcareillawarra.org.au/ and sign up to their free monthly newsletter.

Wednesday  1st February 6 – 8pm Wollongong SLR, Fairy Meadow
Meet at Fairy Meadow surf club at the end of Elliots Rd Walk will head north along cycle track to WSLR and back along the beach. Estimated distance 2.5k.  Flat.

Wednesday 8th February 6 – 8pm Towradgi
Meet at end of Towradgi Rd and head north looking at Towradgi Dune restoration, detouring along Towradgi Creek to the Blue Divers bridge, around Corrimal surf club Bushcare site and back along beach if the creek isn’t flowing. Estimated distance 2.5k. Flat.

Wednesday 15th February 6 – 8pm Bellambi Dune
Meet at the end of Bott Drive, Bellambi and walk circular track thro the dunes and then south along the cycle track to view the wetland, lagoon and dune. Estimated distance 3.5k. Some hills.

Wednesday 22nd  February 6 – 8pm Sandon Point and McCauleys Beach, Bulli
Meet at Sandon Point car park. We will walk around Sandon Point, along to the Tent embassy and McCauleys Beach. Estimated distance 2.5k. Some slopes.

Wednesday 29th February   6 – 8pm Brickyard Point, Austinmer
Meet at beach car park off Headlands Ave, Austinmer. We will walk along the top of  Brickyard Point to Coledale beach and then back along the beach  (tide permitting). Estimated distance 2k. Some slopes.
Wednesday 7th March  6 – 8pm Stanwell Park
Meet at kiosk car park nearest the beach and walk through dunes south to Lower Coast Rd and then north along beach and up along Hargraves Creek to The Drive. 2.5. Flat.

Points to note and things to bring:

Please wear strong shoes, long pants and long sleeves and a hat and bring some water to drink.
You might like to bring a camera to capture the beauty and binoculars to help spot the wildlife.
Bring a sandwich or snack to eat along the way or come early and have a picnic before we set off.

For more information about any of the above walks contact Paul Hellier, Wollongong City Bushcare on 4227 8113.

Sheep Discussion Group
Come along for an informative, practical workshop and learn from Col Langford (ex Sheep Livestock Officer) and other producers about current seasonal issues facing sheep breeders on the south coast and southern highlands.

Date: Friday 9th March
Where: Pat & Leonie Walsh, GZONE, Milton
Cost: $20 per farm

RSVP: abritton@southerncouncils.nsw.gov.au or Ph: 42323200

Cheese Making Workshop - Braidwood

Award-winning cheesemaker Barry Lillywhite will conduct a one and/or two day Cheese Making
Workshops at
The Old Cheese Factory, Braidwood
March 24th & 25th 2012

Course notes, ingredients and equipment provided. The course is fully catered with morning tea & lunch.

One day workshop $250 inc GST
Two Day workshop $495 inc GST

To Register call: 02 4846 1999 or 0407 292 181
Or email: cheese@braidwoodmade.com.au
Details: www.braidwoodmade.com.au/wscheese.html

Starting an Organic Market Garden
When: March 25th - 27th
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Where: Milkwood Farm, Mudgee

A practical course on how to create a thriving organic market garden. This jam-packed 3 day course will teach you how you can establish a small, effective and profitable market garden using organic techniques and permaculture principles.

Join experienced, successful organic market gardeners Joyce Wilkie and Michael Plane of Allsun Farm for three days of hard-won knowledge and on-the-ground experience of what you need to know and do in order to produce your own food at a level that can provide for both your family and wider community.

This course will cover:
* Garden design, planning & basic layout
* Tools, resources and other considerations
* Bed preparation
* Planting techniques for different plant families
* Maintenance, seedlings, harvesting
* Nutrient and biomass strategies
* Integrating animal systems
* How to strategise for effective use of energy fourseason

This course will involve both theory and hands-on components. We will be actively installing a small market garden at Milkwood Farm in parallel to this course with Joyce and Michael's mentorship, allowing participants to see and interact with the setup process.

http://www.milkwoodpermaculture.com.au/courses/details/87-starting-an-organic-market-garden

A Carbon / Future Farming field day - Jamberoo

Please mark the 26th and 27th of March in your diary for a carbon/future farming field day in Jamberoo hosted by Clover Hill Dairies and the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority. 

The program will include presentations about sustainable farming, improving the health of soils, the Australian Government's Carbon Farming Initiative and opportunities to generate carbon credits through greenhouse gas emissions abatement and sequestration of carbon in soils and vegetation.  Field visits will explore the work of Lynne, Michael and Nick Strong on Clover Hill and Lemon Grove Research dairy farms.  The Strong’s are currently undertaking a large research project investigating the role and performance of perennial non-grass based pastures in coastal dairy farms
The Strongs are winners of the 2010 Landcare Primary Producer Award and the 2010 Southern Rivers Carbon Cocky award.   

Draft Program:
Richard Eckard - University of Melbourne, Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre
Mick Keogh - Australian Farm Institute
Louisa Kiely - Carbon Farmers of Australia
Dr Neil Moss – SBScibus
Other presentations to be confirmed.

This field day is supported by the Australian Government's Caring for our Country Program, Carbon Farming Initiative and the Regional Landcare Facilitator Initiative.

If you would like to register your interest in attending the field day, please email peter.pigott@cma.nsw.gov.au or phone on 4429 4449.