Download - Collingwood Children's Farm Annual Report
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Who’s who on the Farm
Farm Patron
Mrs Elizabeth Chernov, Government House
Farm Staff
Alex Walker (Manager) Suzi Bremner
Bridget Bainbridge Roger Cassar
Nick Karavokiris Jacqui Linley
Toni Phillips Emma Kofoed
Julia Smallwood Alison Wigglesworth
Leonie Griener Andrew Phillips
Susan Pittman Mia Sutherland
Sam Imbrogno Anita Stec
Elizabeth McPhee Brodie Harrison
Ainslie Kissick Holly Heath
Fran Zemunik Olivia Knowles
Committee of Management
President Netta McArthur
Vice President Greg Spark
Treasurer Cheryl Cameron
Secretary Helen Semmler
Mikyla Hart Lily O’Neill
Anne Halliwell Amanda Stone (City of Yarra)
Lachlan Fitch Pip Hay
Richard Ginsberg Jane Ogilvie
Alex Walker (Farm Manager) Andrew Phillips (Staff Rep.)
The Collingwood Children’s Farm are proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri of the Kulin
Federation as the traditional owners of the Abbotsford Precinct Heritage Farmlands:
the land we respect, care for and farm on behalf of all Victorians. The Farm thanks all
Wurundjeri Elders, past and present, for their guardianship of these lands.
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Farmland since 1838
OUR AIM
To be a world-class city farm providing social, rural and environmental
experiences for our communities.
OUR OBJECTIVES To manage the Farm’s physical, financial and human resources in a sustain-able way. To maintain a ‘country feel’ in the way the Farm looks and works, with
people coming together around animals, chores and activities.
To ensure accessibility of the Farm’s programs and activities to interested
members of the community, with a particular emphasis on children, young
adults and families.
To provide a learning environment grounded in ‘hands on’ involvement,
demonstration and observation.
To enrich the community with activities, events and celebrations about
the cycles of nature.
To encourage environmental responsibility by involving people in land
management and demonstrating sustainable agricultural practices.
To provide a safe, supportive and stimulating environment for all children
and young people to develop life skills.
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COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT REPORT
On behalf of the Committee of Management (COM) and Farm staff it gives
us great pleasure to present the 2011—2012 Annual Report. The year has
been successful and the Farm has enjoyed an increase in the number of
visitors, demonstrating that our efforts in making the Farm an interesting
place to visit are proving successful. Visitors will notice our continuing
improvements to amenities for both themselves and the animals; we
believe this will make the Farm an even more attractive place to visit,
especially when renovations to the Farm Café are completed.
Governance
The COM has continued to implement the Strategic Plan. We are delighted
to report our Constitution and Rules of Incorporation were reviewed in
accordance with the requirements, then signed off by the COM. These
were then lodged with Consumer Affairs Victoria and as a result we have
maintained our Charitable Not-For-Profit status. We thank Liz Harmsherry
and Clayton Utz for the pro-bono work done on our behalf.
Protecting the Abbotsford Precinct Heritage Farmlands (APHF)
The COM has continued to work with all stakeholders to have the entire
remaining heritage paddocks of the APHF retained for use by the Farm as
farmland. To this end we are in discussions with the Abbotsford Convent
Foundation Board regarding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding
as we already have about the St Heliers Street carpark. The issue of
St Mary’s Paddock and the outside walkway between classrooms of Sophia
Mundi was positively resolved by a collaborative discussion process, which
resulted in the return of open space for grazing land adjacent to St Mary’s
Paddock (the same size as that occupied by the proposed walkway). The
Farm animals did not therefore loose any grazing land—in fact the piece
we inherited was slightly better grazing land.
Reaching out to the local community
Our long-term objective of reaching out to local disadvantaged children’s
groups continues to be enacted in conjunction with assistance from the
City of Yarra Children’s Services Department.
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The garden plots
A new committee has been set up to resolve issues between the Farm and
the garden plotters; it is envisaged they will meet three times per year and
a COM member will be in attendance.
Finances and funding
Financially the year ended in
surplus, which is already
earmarked for the Farm Café
upgrade and repairs and
maintenance for our two heritage
houses at the front of the Farm.
The Farm acknowledges the
continued support and funding
from the State Government and City of Yarra. These funds, in addition to
monies raised from the Farm’s day-to-day activities, form the core of our
ongoing income. The Farm also receives funding and donations, both
monetary and in-kind, from various sources for specific purposes. All
donors are acknowledged at the back of this report.
Thank you volunteers
On behalf of the COM and the Farm staff we say thank to our volunteers
and friends. The ongoing operations of the Farm are dependent upon the
loyalty and tireless contributions of volunteers which ensure we are able to
continue providing the educational programs and stimulating experiences
for children and other members of the community. Without our volunteers’
valuable efforts many of the programs and fund-raising efforts would not
run as effectively as they do.
Thank you Farm staff
The heart and soul of the Farm are the staff and for this we express our
appreciation for their efforts in the past year. Staff members are called
upon to demonstrate a wide range of skills and to perform many and varied
tasks, often over and above the requirements of their employment, all of
which are carried off with great skill and care.
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Thanks to the Farm Manager, Alex, who once again has achieved so much
this year: from building works, Farm Café renovations, organising tractor
loans and attending the many meetings which may have implications for
the future of the Farm.
Committee of Management changes and thank yous
At the last Annual Meeting in 2011 the membership elected three new
representatives to the COM, and so we welcomed Jane Ogilvie, Richard
Ginsberg and Eleanor Fletcher. Unfortunately for the COM, Eleanor
Fletcher’s husband was transferred on a work placement to Italy in 2012,
and so she was unable to complete her term.
Sincere thanks must also go to current COM representatives for their
ongoing contributions and hard work on the various subcommittees and at
COM meetings.
Netta McArthur, President, Committee of Management
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MANAGER’S REPORT
After a year of works across the Farm I am pleased to report that the Farm
has slipped back into its ‘normal’ operational mode and is going from
strength to strength with increased staffing levels, a wide and diverse
community support base, broadening visitation demographic and a strong
interest in Farm events and ‘happenings’. The new Reception building has
allowed us to have greater connection to our visitors both on the way in
and out. As an administration team it is great to see all the happy faces on
the way home.
Staff team
All staff have worked very hard this year and I would like to take this
opportunity to thank them for the dedication and the flexibility they have
shown in order to keep the Farm moving forward. Bridget and Nick have
the task of overseeing the running of the daily programs for animals, the
pastures, landcare and farm maintenance. Toni has once again worked hard
at organising the Community Garden Plots along with her many other tasks.
Leonie, Julia, Anita, Toni, Andrew and Susan make up the bulk of the team
that supports both Bridget and Nick in the operation of the Farm. Our
customer service area is a great team: Suzi and Alison look after Farm
visitors as well as taking bookings for many activities that happen at the
Farm. They get great support from Fran, Andrew and Ainslie.
Because the Farm operates on a seven-day-a-week basis we depend on our
casual workers to fill in when permanent staff are ill or on leave, to work
at special events and functions and to help out during busy times such as
school holidays. While working at the Farm we appreciate their energy,
ideas, enthusiasm and willingness to take on any role required.
Changes and achievements
The Farmer’s Market will celebrate its tenth birthday this year and
continues to be a major source of income for the Farm. We now have over
60 stallholders (with a waiting list) and regularly attract approximately
2,000 people each market. Farmer’s Markets in general have attracted a
lot of publicity in recent years, and the Collingwood Children’s Farmers
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Market has been regularly identified as one of the best and most popular in
Melbourne.
Our Pancake Stall is a great hit with the public, thanks to the great work of
Helen Semmler and the Young Farmer’s parents who volunteer to run it.
This same group also support the BBQ at our Family Days which have also
been growing in popularity over the past year.
The staff and Committee of Management once again did outstanding work
in running the Winter Solstice Bonfire. There were many volunteers that
put in a lot of time and effort in setting up the Bonfire and without their
efforts the night would not have been a success.
NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Day
at the Farm in July saw the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria set up
activities across the Farm and invite over 1,000 people to come and
celebrate with them. It was a great day and is a much-enjoyed annual
event on our calendar.
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Future challenges
Our major challenge in the short term is to finish the renovations on the
Farm Café and get it up and running again with its positive reputation for
great food and service for our customers.
This then leads us to the long term future and working with the Convent
and local community to make sure the farmlands on both sides of the bike
track remain in perpetuity for use as heritage farmland.
The precinct is unique as it is the last intact 19th Century rural landscape in
Melbourne. It creates an ‘island’ surrounded by the Yarra River and
indigenous bushland. It has an inseparable relationship with the pastures of
the Collingwood Children's Farm, Abbotsford Convent and the Yarra River.
The Farm is the guardian and protector of this unique environment,
because without a healthy environment we won’t be farming very long! As
the stewards of the Abbotsford
Precinct Heritage Farmland’s 174-year
farming history, we take seriously our
role to nurture and protect the soil to
minimise our impact. Over 33 years,
we have developed an Integrated
Paddock Management Program using
all the paddocks on both sides of the
bike track. So like all good farmers
we rest and feed our pastures,
control the weeds, plant and develop native shelter-belts, and minimise
and clean what flows into the Yarra River system. We must never take this
farmland for granted and must work with the the Abbotsford Convent and
local community to protect this land forever.
I would like to thank the Committee of Management for their hard work
and continued support during the past year, as well as all our volunteers
and staff members.
Alex Walker, Farm Manager
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TEAM LEADERS’ REPORT
The last year has been very busy with an ever-increasing amount of
activity around the Farm.
Twelve months ago, the Farm was just finishing the last buildings of our
mammoth building project; and now we find ourselves building again, this
time refurbishing the cafe, with the bike track being overhauled by the
Council at the same time. The Farm is looking very different today. The
Farm is also feeling very different, with a buzz of activity and a real sense
of purpose in the air. We were wishing for these things only a few years
ago. How things change!
Fundamentally though, at its heart the Farm is the same: a community
within a community, an extended family or village, call it what you will,
for many of our volunteers, workers, members and others. A chance to
renew, refresh and reinvent yourself. The three R’s.
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In 2011—2012, some of the groups we’ve had working on the Farm are:
These are some of the programs we have been running at the Farm:
These are some of the organisations we have worked in conjunction with in
the past year:
• Job Co Green Team
• Young Farmers Program
• School Holiday Program
• Work Experience Program
• Volunteering Program
• Supported Volunteers Program
• Lantern Making Workshops
• Gardening Club
• Farm School Experience Camp
• Landcare Planting Day
• E-train
• Supported Individual Work
placement
• Australian Year of the Farmer
• Youth Now
• Job Co Individual placements
• Job Co Green Team
• Heatherwood Special School
• Sophia Mundi Steiner School
• Quinn House
• Carlton Corrections, Dept. of Justice
• Northern Support Services
• ANZ Bank
• NAB Bank
• OPTUS
• Pricewaterhouse Coopers
• NMIT TAFE
• Rossbourne School
• Sisters of the Good Shepherd
• Onemda
• Citipower
• Alkira Adult Training Support
Service
• New Start
• Inner Melbourne VET Cluster
• Burke & Beyond
• Interact
• Concord School
• Villa Maria
• Connections
• NEAMI
• Able Australia
• Bulleen Heights School
• Rosamond School
• Malparinka
• Fare Share
• Cultivating Communities
• City of Yarra
• Victorian Apiary Association
• Strong Wool Breeders Association
• Dairy Shorthorn Association
• English Leicester Breeders
Association
• Job Co
• Rat Fanciers Association
• Waler Horse Association
• Donkey Society of Victoria
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• RDA Collingwood and Victoria
• Citipower
• Organic Harvest Greengrocers
• Abbotsford Primary School
• The Abbotsford Convent
• Heidelberg Warringal Lions Club
• Gleadell Street Market
• Down on the Farm Childcare
• Aboriginal Housing
• Victorian Handspinners and
Weavers Guild
• Victorian Federation of Farmers
Markets
• The Convent Bakery
Bridget Bainbridge and Nick Karavokiros, Team Leaders
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SUPPORTED VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
This program continues to provide the opportunity for groups and individuals
to learn work skills, develop social skills, work successfully in a team and feel
they are valued within the Farm community. The groups involved have a wide
range of abilities, both physical and intellectual. Many students are on the
Autism Spectrum which has its unique challenges! We are also increasingly
working with people with a range of mental illnesses whose difficulties in both
work and social situations are not always obvious.
Once again we welcomed back our regular weekly groups from schools and
adult facilities, as well as a few new faces. This year we have continued to
allocate set weekly tasks to give the groups a sense of ownership and
responsibility. This approach develops more independence as the individuals
learn the procedures and can set to work with minimal assistance from their
staff. My role has changed to be a facilitator rather than physically working
with every group. There are still some groups who prefer to do whatever is
needed on the day, and that is great for us.
Our participants are aged from 6 to 65, with varying abilities and mobility
difficulties. The length of time spent at the Farm varies from half an hour to
five hours, so tasks are allocated accordingly. Chores include cleaning animal
pens, feeding animals, horticulture activities, cleaning and sweeping,
paddock cleaning (known as poo pickup!), water troughs, making up feedbags,
moving animals, rubbish collection, Farmers Market set-up and whatever else
needs doing at the time. Each participant is considered in the same light as
other volunteers, and makes an important contribution to the daily running of
the Farm.
The Heatherwood Year 10 group has again used their Farm work as part of the
State government-funded Advance Program. In Terms 1 and 2 they worked
with Nick building dividing fences in the Federation Pens to allow for
sequential planting of chicken ‘greens’. For the second half of the year they
will work with Toni doing horticultural tasks.
Work experience placements are arranged as two-week blocks or one day a
week over a period of time. One day a week gives the continuity of staff and
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tasks that many of our students need for a positive outcome. As well as
special schools we are working with integrated mainstream students who
need a little more support.
The following groups have been involved in the program over the past 12
months:
We are also being approached by post-school option services for young adults
to work one day a week at the Farm as part of their individual program plans.
This often means renewing acquaintance with many of our former school
workers who have moved on into the TAFE sector or Adult Programs.
A new initiative this year has been our weekly guinea pig cuddle session at the
Good Shepherd Nursing Home. The Friday volunteers, Jenny and Deb, are now
independently organising this program. The response from the residents has
been very positive.
Participation in this supported program does not involve any cost to groups or
schools. In all there are in excess of 100 workers per week … quite a
workforce for the Farm.
One of the main aims of this program has been to promote interaction and
Adult Groups School Groups Individuals*
(weekly and work
experience blocks)
ONEMDA Alkira Connections Burke & Beyond Interact Northern Support Services NEAMI Adult Options Able Australia Malparinka
Bulleen Special School Heatherwood Rosamond Ashwood Concorde Rossbourn House Villa Maria/St Paul’s
Kensington Community School Yooralla Crosslinks Employment NMIT TAFE Catholic Education Office Wesley Mission Inner Melbourne VET Cluster Various disability services * An average of 10-12 are involved each week
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acceptance within the general community for those with special needs. It has
been rewarding to see visitors talking to the various groups as they go about
their tasks, and our people communicating back in their own individual ways.
Julia Smallwood, Disability Services Co-ordinator
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HORTICULTURE REPORT
The philosophy and values of the Farm, which aims to bring people,
animals and nature together in a rural environment are appropriately
followed through by applying Landcare values and Permaculture ethics of
care for the earth, care for the animals and care for the people. The Farm
is in the fortunate position
to be able to demonstrate
this care and involve people
in the integration of plants
and farm animals within an
easily accessible distance
from the city.
The landscaping and species
selection, following heritage
and sustainable values,
determines the visual impact
when entering the farm.
Animals grazing in the
paddocks and fruit trees
planted along the bike track
enhance this aspect by
p r o v i d i n g a q u i e t l y
productive atmosphere even
to those casually passing by. All of this is achieved with major involvement
from members of the Farm community comprising our very dedicated
volunteers, Community Garden plotholders and students.
The Farm has a long history and ongoing commitment to encouraging
biodiversity and maintaining an environment of sustainable Farm
management.
This is achieved by following sustainable principles and organic methods in
all horticultural practices on the Farm. Horticultural biodiversity is
maintained by: careful species selection within our endemic or indigenous
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riparian corridors, planting heritage fruit species and landscaping, food
and fibre production for human and animal consumption, weed barriers
and beneficial interplanting. Sustainability is maintained by: considered
planting, careful selection and design, and following sustainable farming
management practices such as using only organic methods of pest and
weed control in all propagation and plantings.
People, plants and animals
This past year has seen further commitment to providing the opportunity
for people to be involved in horticultural activities at the Farm. Regular
volunteers, corporate volunteers and students, from a range of special and
general schools in our local area, work experience placements from most
secondary schools in Melbourne (and some even from country areas!) all
benefit from learning and working in the garden at the farm.
Our horticultural programs encompass the practicalities of providing
food and produce via participation and education. By matching the
relevant depth of complexity to the participant we aim to promote an
understanding of plant and animal systems, the links between them and
the role of people within them.
These programs give
equal importance to
participant experience
a n d p u r s u i t o f
information as to the
growing of plants, finding
the balance between the
work required and the
needs and capabilities of
the participant evolves
into another growing
system. Working in the
garden provides the opportunity for people to experience a sense of nature
while obtaining a variety of skills, not only limited to food production.
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Physical capabilities
s u c h a s c o -
o r d i n a t i o n ,
d e x t e r i t y a n d
strength can be
enhanced along
with a state of well-
being. At the same
t i m e s o c i a l
interaction, co-
operation and valid
work ethics are
easily conveyed in a
gardening context.
Organic methods do not compromise the natural environment or the health
and safety of people working in the gardens.
Horticultural activities on the Farm provide skills in:
• producing a diverse range of fruit, nut and heritage fruit trees
• producing food for the animals, including knowledge of which fodder,
trees, crops and weeds can be suitable supplementary feed for
particular animals
• propagating plants, both edible and useful ornamentals which are
planted or for sale at the Farm
• growing, harvesting and presenting food that is sold at the Farm during
school holidays, Family Days, Farmers Market, and other Farm events
• managing weeds through appropriate plant selection and suitable use of
weeds either as food, herbal medicine, bedding, mulch or compost
material
• producing compost and worm castings which are used on the Farm, and
excess available for sale
• planting, care for and using indigenous plants of this area through
revegetation plantings
• planting and managing diverse areas of interest eg Community Gardens,
orchards, shelterbelts and edible landscaping
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COLLINGWOOD CHILDREN’S FARM COMMUNITY GARDENS
The Farm, with its animals and the rural river-flat setting, can give an
impression of being somewhere else than Abbotsford or Collingwood, but
the Community Gardens places the Farm right in the locality.
People are what really give a place a sense of identity and in this case they
reflect the richness and diversity that is found in Abbotsford. The ‘Plotters’
as they are affectionately known at the Farm are a community of people
for whom the Farm is much more
than simply a nice place to visit.
For them, the Farm and garden
plots are an important part of their
daily nutrition, social activity,
home and neighbourhood.
The Farm’s Community Gardens (or
‘plots’) have been part of the Farm
since it started in 1979. They are
the third-oldest Community
Gardens in Melbourne. Originally
an initiative of the Greek Elderly
Citizens and Turkish Welfare Group
that approached the Farm for
space for its members to produce
their own vegetables as they had
done before coming to Australia. There are still five of the original, double
-sized plots and these ‘Plotters’ are usually seen working in their
magnificent plots daily. There are a total of 70 plots available.
We think that the plots here are the most popular in Melbourne, judging
from the constant requests for a plot from people that live in suburbs all
over the city. Plot holders who live close to the Community Garden are
most likely to make the best use of the space to grow food, and reduce
their food miles. Again, for them the gardens and the Farm is more than
just a nice place to visit, it is an important part of connecting with their
life and food source.
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The Plotters are now a very
diverse bunch, with Greek
still the dominant flavour,
however Italian, Spanish,
English, Vietnamese and
plain old Aussies have joined
the group. The plots are
available for residents of the
City of Yarra with a higher
preference given to those
with no place for a garden at
home and older residents, though there are also many younger families.
The waiting list is so long it is temporarily closed!
Plotters pay for Farm Membership and an annual fee which covers the cost
of water (the plots have a separate water meter) and administration.
Plotters are asked to maintain the pathway bordering their plot and to
attend three of the monthly Working Bees to maintain the communal areas
(or alternatively Plotters can assist at Farm events). Our water restrictions
operate on the same odd and even plot-numbering system that applies to
residential streets, with the same hours and methods of watering allowed
under current legislation.
Plots of education
The Community Gardens are incorporated into many of the specialist food
production tours (requests have increased dramatically) and general school
Farm tours. Students and plotters enjoy the opportunity to interact and
learn from each other. Students also learn to identify seasonal vegetables
and discuss their uses in regional and local recipes.
The Medicine Garden situated at the top of the plots forms a popular part
of these educational tours. This garden was created by Leo Greogorc and
Eleanor Tan, former herbal medicine teachers from the Southern School of
Natural Therapies. The garden is thriving, although sometimes overgrown!
The Medicine Garden is now maintained as part of the Working Bees.
Toni Phillips, Farmhand (Horticulture and Community Gardens reports)
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175 YEARS OF FARMING CELBRATIONS — WITH A TWIST
Next year marks a very special point in the history of the Abbotsford
Precinct Heritage Farmlands (APHF), the land we farm and care for on
behalf of all Victorians. It’s a big birthday event! We are asking the local
and wider community to join with us to celebrate 175 years of formally
recognised farming on this unique location, the oldest continually farmed
land in the State. Soon after Batman’s Treaty of June 1835, squatters and
their flocks of sheep arrived from Tasmania (then called Van Diemen’s
Land), with the first formal land sales occurring in 1838.
If farming is defined as ‘altering a
landscape or ecosystem to develop an
improved agricultural outcome’ eg
deliberately using fire to manage
grasslands and assist forest regrowth -
which in turn supports the lifecycles of
animals (such as kangaroo), then by this
definition the APHF have a far older and
more profound ‘farming’ history that calls
for greater appreciation and respect. It is
therefore worth reflecting that the arrival
of squatters and settlers was not without consequence for the traditional
owners of the APHF, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Federation.
Settlement brought disease, displacement and in many instances, the loss
of traditional lands and sacred places for our First Nation people. In
celebrating all elements of our local and national history in a balanced
manner, we should take positive as well as negative reflections into
account. And even though I’m a ‘whitefella’, I feel a strong connection (as
hopefully all our visitors do) to this unique location and take the
responsibility of its guardianship seriously. This connection shares a
positive message for Wurundjeri that the land is celebrated, respected and
cared for by people that feel deeply about it.
The complete fluke of history that has seen the APHF preserved as
working, heritage farmland for 175 years is unique on a Local, State,
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National and World heritage level. Its paddocks are the only remaining
element of Melbourne’s 19th-century agricultural landscape. The fact that
the oldest continually farmed land in Victoria is located in the heart of its
capital city of 4 million people and not in a rural area surely makes the
unique heritage value of the APHF even greater.
For 112 years, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd utilised the APHF to
support their good works and social programs. It is doubly exciting to
appreciate that 2013 also sees the Sisters of the Good Shepherd celebrate
150 years since the arrival of four nuns from France to found a convent
farm on the APHF. Today, all of the remaining paddocks support the many
socially positive programs offered by the Farm for the local community,
continuing the spirit, intent and actions of the Sisters’ good works.
This time last year, we had all just celebrated saving 1/3rd of the APHF
from development plans by the Abbotsford Convent Foundation (ACF). The
local and wider community rose up and strongly communicated to the ACF
that none of the APHF farmlands should be developed away from their
ongoing use as heritage farmland. As the ACF appeared to hear and
understand this message, it was with much optimism that I read the draft
2013—2017 ACF Business Plan.
I sincerely hoped that this document would provide a positive recognition
of what was clearly communicated to the ACF. Everyone concerned for the
Farm’s future should therefore be deeply worried that nowhere in this
Business Plan is the 175-year farming history of the APHF valued,
mentioned or any plans outlined for its preservation. In light of the
community’s demand for it, the Collingwood Children’s Farm will continue
to campaign for the permanent preservation of all the APHF and its
ongoing, unique farming history that we all delight in experiencing.
So please join with us in next year’s 175-year celebrations, as well as
supporting us in working to save your Farm for the future. You have
entrusted responsibility for the Farm to us, but, really it belongs to you!
Andrew Phillips, Farmhand
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FARM APIARY REPORT
The Collingwood Children’s Farm Apiary is part of the Collingwood
Children’s Farm, Abbotsford. It is jointly managed by the Farm and the
Melbourne section of the Victorian Apiarists’ Association Inc. (VAA)
according to a mutually agreed ‘Memorandum of Understanding’.
The apiary aims to educate the public about bees and beekeeping, and to
provide beekeeping advice and practice to current and prospective
beekeepers. It is open to the public from 10.30am to 3.30pm on the second
and fourth Sunday of each month. The apiary consists of seven main hives,
an equipment shed and educational display caravan. One of the hives is a
"Bee Force" Varroa (Varroa destructor) detection hive.
From the Display Caravan, visitors can safely watch the hives being opened
as well as observe, close-up, the inside of a beehive through a small glass-
sided hive. The caravan also has a static display of beekeeping equipment,
illustrative posters and free DPI brochures. If they wish, visitors can borrow
protective clothing and join the beekeepers at the hives.
Photos and descriptions of the apiary can be viewed at
www.photoblog.com/collingwoodbees. Movies can also be viewed at
www.youtube.com/collingwoodbees for movies. The apiary’s email address
is: [email protected].
Visitors
On Sunday openings over the last year, approximately 1,000 people
inspected the Display Caravan and observed the hives through its
observation windows. Approximately another 30 visitors borrowed
protective clothing and inspected the hive close-up with the beekeepers.
In addition, school groups visited the apiary during the week under
supervision of Farm staff.
Beekeeper visits
Approximately ten new beekeepers attended the apiary for various lengths
of time to receive instruction and support in managing their first hive.
Several of these were formally assessed. A number of specific beekeeping
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groups visited the apiary throughout the 2011—2012 year. These included:
13 November 2011: ‘Bee Force’ Varroa instruction by Joe Riordan,
Victorian Apiary Inspector
15 December 2011: VAA Melbourne Section annual BBQ
22 January 2012: Southside Beekeepers Club
26 February 2012: City Rooftop Beekeepers
25 March 2012: Doncaster Beekeepers Club
27 May 2012: ‘Bee Force’ Project farewell BBQ
On 17 July 2011 Gavin Jamieson conducted a Flora Identification tour of
nearby Studley Park from where the apiary bees can collect nectar and
pollen. On 4 March 2012 a photographic presentation of the apiary was
presented at the ‘Jadran Bee Festival’ in Diggers Rest.
Facilities maintenance
Over the 2011—2012 year continued progress has been made in developing
the “Bee Garden” and fitting out the Equipment Shed. The shed’s roof has
been replaced, work benches constructed and tool display cabinets
mounted on the walls. These improvements allow the apiary’s hives to be
easily constructed and repaired as well as allowing new beekeepers to
learn how to fabricate their own hives.
Honey production totals
70kg of honey was
extracted in late October
2011, 45kg in late
December 2011 and 25kg
in mid-March 2012 with
approximately 10kg of cut
honeycomb taken in late
November 2011. In the
previous year, 56kg of raw
honey and no honeycomb
was harvested. The honey
Page 26
Inset, below: This young beekeeper found the queen bee
Inset, above: Joe Riordan, DPI Apiary Inspector, trains volunteer beekeepers to use the Varroa detection hive
Page 27
extracted in late December 2011 was awarded third prize in the VAA
Incorporated (Melbourne Section) Annual Honey Competition.
The honey and honeycomb
were sold at Farm Reception
and at the Farm’s monthly
Farmer’s Market. Sales of
both the honey and
honeycomb were very brisk
and the apiary was in no way
able to meet the demand.
VAA honey sales
VAA honey, which was left
unsold at the 2011 Royal
Melbourne Show, was sold at
the apiary. From October to
June a total of 110kg was
sold and the profits from these sales were used to buy woodworking tools
and other fittings for the equipment shed.
American Foulbrood (AFB) testing
A sample from the late December 2011 honey extraction submitted to
Gribbles Veterinary Pathology for testing on 14 March 2012 was returned
negative for AFB spores.
Varroa testing
The ‘Bee Force’ Varroa detection hive which was installed in November
2011, was tested three times. All tests returned negative results.
Expenses
Total expenses for operating the apiary and the display caravan and paid
by the Farm were $395, compared with $390 the previous year.
This report was prepared by Barry Cooper in consultation with other
volunteer beekeepers from the Collingwood Children’s Farm Apiary
Page 29
Also thank ewe to:
the late Erica Travers for her generous bequest allowing for construction of
the combined Lambing/Hay Shed
Kate Dwyer, professional photographer, for her lovely animal photographs
and video creations
Leonie Greiner, farmhand, for her fantastic photographs of the animals
Judith Nilsson for Zac the Waler
Angela Tiede for horse support
Margaret for Smiths Gully agistment
Marge Mercay at The Donkey Society for Donkey Day
Ethel Stevenson and Kirsty Harker for help with sheep
Brian and Helen Harker for shearing, support and accommodation
Megg Miller for Chook Expo support
Maree Williams and the Spinners and Weavers Guild for lots of things
Fiona Chambers
Bronwyn Cowan
Andrea at 313 Vets
Kathy, Kim, Andy and all the staff at North Warrandyte Vet Clinic for the
endless advice, and their care for our animals
Dee and Amanda at Tree Project
Jane for WaterWatch
Mike and Rhonda Perry for lots of cow stuff
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Brodie Harrison for cow help, especially for sourcing Kasey and Hope our
Ayshire calves
Marilyn Mangione for sheep support
Mark Burnell for horse dentistry
Michael Scully for horse transport
Fiona Kates for horse chiropractic treatment
Mike, Barry, Bernie and Ian for running the bee hives
Holy Goat for their ongoing support
Annie Edney for her lovely bonfire lanterns and fire sculptures
Australian Rat Fanciers Society Victoria
Jack Pavey for poultry support
Mandy Ord for weekly organic green waste
Maggie Maguire from the Abbotsford Convent
Marco and Nadine for their Coffee Cart and good humour
Robert Stemp for making things work
Miranda Sharp for Farmers Market stuff
Sue Love and the Tussie-Mussie crew for tussy-mussies at the Farmers
Market Farm stall
Karen Doggett and Malcolm Douglas for finding us Biddy the Dairy
Shorthorn
Monica Morgan for worm farm help.