Organic Grower's Gwelup (Gwelup is a Perth suburb) was yesterday the first organic grower group in Perth to host a talk by Post Oil Perth. After sobering facts about peak oil and climate change, the talk focussed on how communities could proactively prepare for a post carbon society.
Transition Towns as an exciting model for building local self-reliance in food, transport, energy, business, and other basic needs was explored. The members of Organic Growers Gwelup were quick to sense the opportunity for renewed community vitality and quality of life that could be enjoyed through the community Transition process and the important role people with organic growing skills could play in helping to reskill others in the important ability to grow their own food.
Some members shared their own personal histories of childhoods during the 40s and 50s when most people grew vegetables and fruit and kept rabbits and poultry.
Hosts Angelika and Lothar then showed us around their productive organic garden boasting raised vegetable beds (with optional shading provided by a cunningly simple system), herbs, fruit trees (complete with organic pest control strategies for fruit fly), worm farm, cold frame, and composting system. Lothar also keeps bees at the nearby Landsdale Agricultural school.
Photo: Lothar's cunning vegetable garden shade system. The shadecloth sheet slides along wire runners and can be pulled out or slide away to shade or sunbathe the garden at will.
