This monthly of recent news and upcoming events is emailed to all members and subscribers. Continue reading for this month’s issue and the opportunity to sign up for future updates.

DATECLAIMERS
Saturday 30 April     Next PDC (Permaculture Design Certificate) commences
Sunday 1 May          National Permaculture Day. Various  activities @ our Sunday  Markets

Sunday 8 May          “Shakespeare Shorts” at the Markets

Friday 13 May          Hosting Evening Event:  “Shakespeare  Shorts”,

Saturday 25 June    Winter Solstice Festival

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NATIONAL PERMACULTURE DAY  Sunday 1st May

The first National Permaculture Day is being held this year, on Sunday 1st May.  Northey Street City Farm is joining the celebrations, with a variety of activities, farm tours and information displays to add to the regular market vibe. If you’re not a regular market goer, make a date claimer for this Sunday!

• More details on the NSCF activities will be our website and facebook during the last week in April.
• Here’s the  National Permaculture Day Poster
• And  here is the IPD website with information  and activity postings

WINTER SOLSTICE – EVENT PLANNING

We move into planning mode this month for our annual party – The Winter Solstice Festival on Saturday 25th June.  It’s a night of great music, food, fire, celebration and community.  This year we are coordinating and planning differently, with several teams taking responsibility for activities such as stage and music, signology, food, promotion, art, kids program, chai cafe, etc.

There is no funding for this event, so it needs festival fans as well as regular volunteers to step up and do their bit. The first planning meeting is this Thursday 14th April, from 3:00 – 4:30pm at the farm. Please come if you can.  Whether you can attend this meeting or not, if you can step up and offer your services here please contact us on community@nscf.org.au A number of roles can be undertaken off-site.

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EDUCATION PROGRAM: COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

Permaculture Design Certificate The next PDC runs on both Saturdays and Mondays, from 30 April to 13 June 2011. There will be a Friday PDC commencing after that. Please register your interest at the office.

Sustainable Living Workshops We have a delicious smorgasbord of workshops on offer for our Autumn program. These include:  solar cooking, fomenters’ kitchen, natural fibre papermaking, natural dye making, natural skincare, composting and worm farming, bamboo construction, water gardening, keeping chooks, chook tractor construction and MORE……  Go to our website for more details and to register your interest in any of these workshops. Dates will be set based on expressions of interest.

We’re also still seeking expressions of interest in:

• Attending PDC (Permaculture Design Courses) in the Evening
• Hosting Group Design Projects on your yard/land
• Facilitation / Participation in our popular Sustainability Workshops
• Undertaking a Certificate III in Permaculture

Please contact us on info@nscf.org.au or (07) 3857 8775, Tuesday – Thursday, 10am – 4pm

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NEW BUILDING – PEOPLE WITH SKILLS NEEDED

We are excited to be close to finishing our new building with the installation of the green roof and solar system, as well as constructing shelters, sheds, general renovations and landscaping as part of the project. To maximise outcomes for the farm, skilled draughtsmen/designers, certified plumbers, or skilled carpenters who are willing to volunteer time to construction projects are asked to contact our Project Facilitator Simon  at smcverry@bigpond.com

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ALSO NEEDED @ THE FARM

• Mulcher: Does anyone have a mulcher to loan? Big is better, but even a small one will be great to process the weeded and pruned vegetation by the Green Army.  Please let Bella know on inafrica3@hotmail.com
• Gardeners: Simon in the Market Garden, Juliette in the Seed-Savers Garden, Paul in the Kitchen Garden, Genevieve in the Nursery – all have one thing in common:  they could really benefit from extra help in the gardens. Please talk to our volunteer coordinator Belinda at volco.nscf@gmail.com if you can help.
• Saturday Morning Gardening facilitator: We are still looking for someone to coordinate regular Saturday morning gardening activities so those not available during the week can come and learn and garden together. Expressions of interest to volco.nscf@gmail.com please.

NEW STAFF @ THE FARM
The Chai Cafe Coordinator position has been filled by Andrea, who commences this Sunday.  Drop in and say g’day! We wish her well in the new role, and again thank Chris for her wonderful work in running the cafe over the last few years.  We’re pleased to say that she’ll still be around at times.

The Green  Army staff are in place and the program is off to a flying start with great results across the farm already.  Bella Norris has been appointed Supervisor, Meg Maunsell as Coordinator and Kym Burnell-Jones as Trainer. We wish them all well in their roles.

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EVENT:  SHAKESPEARE SHORTS

We are hosting the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble for part of the Theatre Anywhere Festival in May, with their productions of the Half-hour Hamlet and Express Macbeth.  There will be shows on at our Markets on Sunday 8th May, over at the Mosaic Mandela, and an evening show on Friday 13 with a bonfire and refreshments. More details on our website and facebook shortly.  You can check out the company at www.qldshakespeare.org

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EASTER OPENING TIMES

• “Edible Landscapes Nursery”: Open regular hours through to Thursday  21 April, Closed  Easter Friday, open on Saturday (9am – 4pm) and Easter Sunday (6am – 11am), then closed Easter Monday and Anzac Day Holiday, re-opening for regular hours from Wednesday 27 April.
• Sunday Organic Markets: Open every Sunday, including Easter Sunday. Haven’t missed a single Sunday for years, including flood times!
• Office Hours: The NSCF office will be closed from 4pm on Thursday 21 April through to 10am Wednesday 27 April.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES AROUND BRISBANE

While we flag some external events here, we rely on details from dedicated others who document, and in some cases plan, a variety of forums, meetings, presentations and events that contribute to our local sustainability. The Brisbane Transition Towns folk, here through Rolf Kuelsen, are one such group. Please find a taste of what’s happening this month here at Transition Hub Coming Events. To be part of this exciting movement, and to know what’s coming up, you can go to www.brisbanetransitionhub.ning.com and join up.

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ON-GOING AT THE FARM
Every Sunday Morning: Organic Markets, with Chai Cafe, Nursery and Village-Life
Six days a week: “Edible Landscapes” Nursery
Every Tuesday: 9:30 am:  1 hour orientation tour of farm – good for new volunteers.
Tuesday – Friday each week: Volunteering in and around the Farm, from 8:00am
Every Wednesday: “Planting for Pizzas” (gardening and cooking activities) 10 am – 1 pm

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We hope to see you at the farm soon for one or many of the above!

Cheers, and happy days to you all.