On a smallish acreage with the planned density, total food self-sufficiency may not be practical or even desirable. Villages have always traded with their neighbours and we envisage engaging with the wider community, trading our surplus and sourcing items that we need. However, the more we can achieve with growing our own wholesome food, the more resilient we will be and the less we will rely on others. In so doing, we are also able have confidence in what we put into our bodies and maintain a connection with the earth.
We are excited about: permaculture, community supported agriculture (CSA), local growers, trading, biological farming, permaculture, food producing streetscapes, chooks and ducks and downstream processing in our big community kitchen.
The growing season is long enough, with Tasmania being famous for its production of cool-climate fruit and vegetables: raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and other stone fruit are grown, as well as the apples and pears that Tasmania is famous for. Not to mention the potatoes! Certainly enough food can be grown here to sustain a community throughout the year.
We currently grow several different vegetable crops in various small gardens around the property. Much of our produce however comes through the community garden which is run by volunteers. Some residents keep chickens for eggs; we sometimes agist beehives for local beekeepers; we have a variety of fruit and nut trees including lemons, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, almonds and hazelnuts. When in season, we harvest raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, peas, hazelnuts and more. We have even grown some bananas!