Saturday 31/8 Working Bee

Project herb garden today! Here's John doing a fine job of putting the borders together

Shovelling, shovelling, shovelling...that huge pile of dirt is starting to look a bit smaller

Little Isaac in action! Just look at him go!

Jack instructing the younger boys to speed up their shovelling!

Ryder & Banjo transplanting tomato plants that were growing wild around the site

The construction of the first of two community herb beds completed. A bunch of herb plants (and some flowers as companion plants to attract bees and butterflies) were donated by community members. This is how the herb garden was looking at the end of the morning pre-mulch stage. A productive working bee & a nice way to spend the last morning of winter
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Secret Men's Business

Currently a very impressive looking worm farm for the community garden is kindly being built by Len at the Bay Island Men's Shed. For those who may not be aware, the community garden is a project of the Bay Islands Men's Shed. While Men's Sheds are restricted to...umm...well, men only, the community garden project differs. Membership is open to all genders! And all residents of the Southern Moreton Bay Islands. So it's thanks to the efforts of BIMS cordinator Yasoda Papp & other members of the Bay Islands Men's Shed that we now have a fully inclusive community garden space for all residents of the SMBI to enjoy.

For anybody interested in worm products for their own gardens (and who wouldn't be?), visit Len's website or phone Len on 0411 557 633. Len offers free home delivery and set-up for Macleay Island residents and also discounts for pensioners and people with disabilities.

Some Tuesday garden elves hard at work...

This is Ted (the artist from the previous post) measuring and cutting sleepers

And here's Paul the community garden coordinator dragging around sleepers
So, as you can see it's all coming together. For anybody wishing to be involved and help out there will be another working bee happening this Saturday 31st August from 9am to 12pm.

Come along and be a part of the food revolution!.

Garden Art

This beautiful wooden bird sculpture was created for the community garden by talented local artist Ted Upton. The birds sit proudly at the entrance to the garden to welcome visitors

The sculpture (bush stone curlews) will also be the centerpiece of the herb garden

Chirping into the big blue sky excitedly awaiting the development of their herb patch
Many of Ted Upton's exquisite wooden sculptures can be found around Macleay Island (and much further afield) gracing the homes and gardens of residents. They're so very joyful!
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Early days...

Welcome to the Macleay Island Community Garden blog. Here we will be documenting the progress of the garden and all activities related to the garden. It's very much in the early stages yet as can be seen in the following photos, but the development is in full swing!

The large compost bay completed. This will be open to the whole of the community to deposit their fruit and vegetable scraps and other waste materials suitable for composting.

Piles of beautiful old rustic sleepers ready to be made into raised garden beds

The huge pile of excavated dirt to be used in the bases of the garden beds. It's not the best quality of soil (yet), but following number 6 of Permaculture's 12 design principles it works perfectly... "Produce no waste: By valuing and making use of all the resources that are available to us, nothing goes to waste." Once mixed with rich organic compost the dirt will transform into fertile and productive soil to support beautiful garden plots in no time!

The first garden bed constructed and filled with soil. Hurrah!
The end of a successful Saturday morning working bee.