'Seedy Sunday' Root Crops Workshop

At the next 'Seedy Sunday' (3rd March from 8.30am - 10.30am), it will be Autumn! Come along and join in a free mini workshop on root crops that grow well in the subtropics at this time of year.

March is a great time to start sowing and planting a wide variety of root vegetables and bulbs including garlic, beetroot, radishes, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and turnips.

We'll share tips and techniques, different root crop varieties and of course process some seeds and plant material to swap and take home.

You can start preparing your soil and garden now for planting by adding more organic matter like compost, rock minerals and mulching well. Root crops generally like friable, well drained soil. Take advantage of the recent rain and start adding soil conditioners and organic fertilisers to build soil nutrients.

Sweethearts Cafe offers us a relaxed informal atmosphere where we can enjoy a social and learning experience, sharing local knowledge and building resilience into our gardens at the same time. Plus they have delicious local and organic food and coffee.

What to Bring on the Day (if you can!)

If you have any root vegetable seeds or plant material to share, please feel free to bring this along.

We'll also have our seed bank and some local seeds to process. To enable more hands-on activity, it would be helpful if you could please bring any of the following:

• any spare shallow trays or plates (this enables us to sort and blow off chaff)
• sieves & strainers (kitchen sieves of any size are useful to remove chaff from seeds)
• teaspoons (for measuring into bags)
• pastry or artist brushes (for brushing away chaff from seed)

The more of these materials we have, the more engaged people can get involved in the various stages of seed processing. Bring a recycled plastic bag/newspaper to take plant material home.

Sweethearts Cafe offer us a large space to meet for free (saving us a hall hire fee so no cost to you) but as a business are in effect hiring out that area to us for a couple of hours. So as a courtesy please remember to at the very least order a tea/coffee or a yummy breakfast, to support the cafe. They have a delicious local & organic menu. Visit their website for more info @ http://www.sweetheartscafe.com.au/aboutus.html.

Venue: 2 Anzac Street (cnr Rosebed Street), Eudlo.

FREE to attend so bring a friend and carpool!

By Anne Gibson