FIG operates on TUESDAY next week

Another public holiday is upon us and so FIG will operate on Tuesday 27th April next week - same times, just different day.

Thank you to those members who donated some reusable bags. For those who used them, please remember to return them to FIG so we may keep them for those times others forget to bring a bag or box. Thank you!

The local avocadoes have finished and we hope those gorgeous mushrooms come back soon.

See you on the 27th...

Course: Healthy Living with Raw Foods

Friends of FIG, Sophie and Shirley, are conducting another Healthy Living with Raw Food course, beginning in May 2010.

They have asked us to pass on the following information:

Our first course was extremely well-received, and as we were unable to accommodate all those who wanted to attend, we decided to run the course again, this time on Thursday evenings. The benefits of a plant-based diet are well-documented. Research presented in The China Study by T. Colin Campbell includes overwhelming evidence that “the closer we get to a plant-based diet, the lower was the risk of the chronic degenerative diseases.”

In this six-week course we will show you easy and fun ways to increase living foods in your diet, such as green smoothies, raw vegan cakes and dehydrated treats. And you get to sample the foods prepared. We give tips on bringing food to your doorstep with wild edible plants, gardening and permaculture, and we provide contacts and resources so you can connect with the local and wider living foods community. Guest speakers motivate by showing the way to health and vibrant living. All food prepared is free of gluten, dairy, egg and meat. If you have any special dietary allergies, please let us know in advance.

Dates: Thursdays, 6th May – 10th June 2010
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Venue: St. Andrew’s Anglican Church Hall, 360 Ocean Beach Road, Umina Beach
Cost: $10 per session or one payment of $40 for whole course
Bookings: email sophie@rawcoasties.com or phone Shirley: 02 4341 9301
Presenters: Sophie Knox (Raw Coasties Organiser) and Shirley Hotchkiss
Join our email list: www.rawcoasties.com or http://www.meetup.com/RawCoasties/

Free course in backyard organic food growing

For anyone interested in learning how to grow their own food, there is a course starting soon with Wyong TAFE Outreach. Details as follows, but be quick, places are filling fast!


My Productive Backyard
Wyong TAFE Outreach offers you attendance at this FREE course.
Date: 29th April
Venue: K Block
Time: 9:30am-12:30pm
Teacher: Jeanette Bunter, Permaculture Central Coast President

A series of practical workshops on organic gardening and sustainable backyard food production..... including chooks and much more.

Come along, gain more knowledge, meet like-minded people and enjoy yourself.

For further information and to reserve a place, contact Kerry Bryant - Tafe Outreach Coordinator Wyong on 4350 2370. Please contact Kerry ASAP as places fill fast for these free courses.

FIG updates 9th April, 2010

Thanks for all the favourable comments about the produce. They have been passed on to our farmers who are quite appreciative, actually.

We have added a section to the FIG blog, for those who have requested it, which you'll be able to click on after 8pm Sunday night to see what produce is expected for the FIG boxes the following day. You'll find this information in the sidebar to the left, under the title "What's in the FIG box this week?". As mentioned previously, there can be last minute changes such as the eggplants this week which many of us were eagerly anticipating and which did not arrive, sending the FIG folk into a whirl of what to substitute! Edited 10.4.10

We were delighted to have some fresh produce from local gardens again this week and some chilli and herbs set out to be taken for free. A big thanks to our members for providing these. Next Monday we will have Ruby Grapefruit - if you tend to drop by late and would like us to put some aside for you, please email FIG at fig.centralcoast @ gmail.com (minus the spaces).

Did anyone try that beautiful Ourimbah honey this week? Very delish! And how more local could it be?

Tonight we have been invited to a talk with the Central Coast Plant Society, given by Dr Tim Entwisle of the University of Sydney and the Botanic Gardens Trust on The Seasons of our Region. This is of relevance to the gardeners and food growers amongst us, and will be held at 8pm this evening at the Narara Research Station.

On Tuesday 20th April, Permaculture Central Coast will be holding their next Information Evening at Tuggerah with April Sampson-Kelly of Permaculture Visions as guest speaker. If you are keen on growing your own food and wish to live a more sustaining life, have been wanting to complete a Permaculture Design Course but cannot get to one, then April conducts courses by distance education which may suit.

One of our members is building a rammed earth and strawbale home at Ourimbah and is going to be conducting some working bees. If you are interested in helping out and even learning from this experience in view to building your own home, please contact FIG and will we pass your details on.

Don't forget the management meeting next Monday, due to start as soon as we're packed up and swept up after co-op has finished for the day. The end of the financial year is looming which represents the end of an official FIG year too, with only two meetings left to go after this one. We think this is a good time to reassess our method of operation and whether we bring in any changes from July. If you are a member and would like to be included in on the discussion, please come along.


See you at the co-op...

FIG box contents 6th April

We weren't able to post a list last night of expected produce for 6th April as we were waiting on a confirmation or two, however here it is so far (updated Monday night):

Bananas
Oranges
Passionfruit
Mushrooms OR rocket OR kale
Lettuce
Broccoli OR brussel sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Roma beans OR Lebanese eggplant
Roma tomatoes
Silverbeet OR bok choi
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Zucchini


See you at the co-op...!