Ever wondered who looked after that little patch of garden next to the Carrington Hotel and the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre? Wonder no more.
Blue Mountains Food Co-op and Farm it Forward have teamed up to create a patch from scratch in the heart of Katoomba.
Rain and bitter cold could not deter an enthusiastic and determined bunch of volunteers from turning up to help the partnership of Farm it Forward and Blue Mountains Food Co-op transform the disused, but lovely, north-facing block of land into an urban farm on Friday July 1.
The plot, entered from College Lane, adjacent to the hotel and Cultural Centre, was generously loaned to the Co-op as a growing space by the collective who own it. They are happy to evaluate its continued use as a garden for the next few years.
Blue Mountains Food Co-op office manager, Amy Tyson, said it was a fabulous turnout for the working bee considering the challenging conditions. She praised the community for its support in producing local, organically grown food.
"Over the course of the day around 40-50 people came along to lend a hand, and despite the cold, everyone was ecstatic to be involved," Ms Tyson said. "It was a remarkable achievement by the hardworking volunteers."
Co-op spokeswoman, Jacqueline Foster, said an older gentleman had been gardening on the land prior to the Co-op taking it on, but it had become too much for him to manage.
Coordinated by local not-for-profit social enterprise, Farm it Forward, (and green-thumbed volunteers), the new patch will primarily be used to grow produce to sell at the Blue Mountains Food Co-op.
The space will also be utilised as a demonstration garden for the Co-op-run annual Blue Mountains Edible Garden Trail (moved to October 15-16 due to wet weather), and to host a variety of workshops for the local community.
Farm it Forward coordinator, Emmanuela Prigioni, said she was delighted to be approached by Blue Mountains Food Co-op to organise the patch from scratch event and partner with the Co-op in ongoing food production at the site.
Anyone keen to be involved can contact the volunteer's coordinator at Blue Mountains Food Co-op via volunteers@bmfoodcoop.org.au. Farm it Forward run workshops regularly at their Hazelbrook HQ. See instagram @farmitforward for volunteering days.
