Connect the Plots was formed in June 2019, and since then a number of 'Plotters' (as we like to call ourselves) have met monthly around a dining table to share a meal and discuss issues around climate change. Project GreenPlot is the group's first initiative, and was the obvious choice when shelves were stripped of seeds and seedlings during the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. Food security is one of our most basic needs - and gives the common ground for real connection between people from all walks of life. We weave our social fabric a little tighter, and are better for it.

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It's all about coordination, really. We have contacts - like where to get old hay for mulch, or who has expertise to start building up a seedbank of older varieties with seeds that have genetics suited to our area. We create opportunities for the swapping of ideas, the collection of resources, accessing good old fashioned labour and of course, sharing food!

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For those who find the whole idea a little daunting, we're ready to help get your household's food garden going with mentors in Foster, Fish Creek, Toora and beyond. Designing a layout for your patch will take into account the sun your garden gets, the soil, how able you are physically and what knowledge you already have - and maybe that's none! But once you're set up, every season will bring you more joy and very tasty, inexpensive meals.

 

For those who already fancy themselves as gardeners, one square metre of soil may not seem like much. But when 300+ of us do it, that's a heap of vegies and saved seed that didn't have to travel hundreds, maybe thousands of kilometres. What is saved in terms of carbon emissions, pesticides and herbicides is significant.

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See that sprouting garlic below? It was donated to Manna Gum Community House by Andris at Franklin River Garlic near Toora. Project GreenPlot distributed it to 16 Plotters, who will harvest from their initial two corms about 18 corms, hold onto a couple for next year, and bring the rest back to be used in Manna Gum's free monthly community lunches or packed into food boxes for those doing it tough. 

 

It has the potential to be around $300 worth of garlic. Plots, connected. Simple and very achievable when each of us takes on a small task in our own space and offers it up for another.