Fleur Chapman

GA R DENING Fleur Chapman Whether we like it or not, we live connected; we run our lives via phones, tablets, laptops and computers. Practically anything we want to know, we can find out. It is easy to connect with like-minded friends near and far, and gardening is certainly a part of your world worth sharing. I m ag e s G u r u P r o du c t ion s W Social gardening 84 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 56 / Spring 2015 here would we be these days without social networking? It’s how we share ideas, connect with like-minded communities near and far, give insights into our world, campaign for what is right, support others, or sometimes just to vent some frustration! While there are certainly some dangers that have come along with this tech-savvy world which can’t be underestimated, on the whole as cyberspace has evolved it has opened up a wealth of possibilities and positives for its users. The world of gardening is no exception, with a plethora of online clubs now in operation connecting green-thumbs (and aspiring green-thumbs) to each other. Members can enjoy the benefits of belonging, sharing, offering advice and inspiration whenever and wherever they choose. Word is easily spread about an upcoming event or meeting, new product worth trying or some club-related news, giving members the opportunity to further their involvement should >> they wish. The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 56 / Spring 2015 85 Im age iStock .com © A l ex B e l o ml ins ky GA R DENING “The power of simply belonging cannot be underestimated and has incredible benefits to a person’s mental wellbeing... The more we can tap into our neighbourhood resources, the better for everyone on so many levels.” I personally belong to several groups and love reading the tips, stories and information posted everyday by members. The Garden Gurus, of course, as well as Jetto’s Patch are a couple you may already be familiar with. I also recently joined an urban growers Facebook group for the region in which I live. Members share tips, ask questions and also offer up produce to swap. In addition to the online component, the group meets once a month to take along excess homegrown produce for other members, chat and enjoy a more personal social experience. I particularly liked the produce swap idea, as so often a bumper crop is not appreciated to its fullest as the family just can’t eat any more zucchini, silverbeet, beetroot or tomatoes. Swapping unneeded produce for something you aren’t growing yourself makes sense. It increases the variety of food available, which is better for health and makes eating a little more interesting. It can also help reduce the family’s food bill. The barter system is not a new idea, it is an age-old way of trading, but it can just be conducted a little differently now with the invention of social networking. With this in mind I put out a suggestion to implement a garden swap group here in the immediate local community (via cyberspace of course) and had an overwhelming response. Within 24 hours of setting up the page we had over 100 members. A month in and we have over 130 and climbing. That is not bad for a small town! Members have put up some delicious produce to swap, such as guavas, fennel, lemons, oranges, herbs and eggplant. With just a few bumper crops and a good supportive community, it could be possible in the future for a family to swap enough food to cover much of their weekly fruit and veg needs. Our garden swap site allows not just the produce, but anything garden-related such as compost, manure, seedlings, empty pots or cuttings. Some have even bartered with egg cartons. This opens up opportunity for a wider range of people to be involved, such as those still working on setting up a garden or needing a bit more of a boost to get things growing. Our family goes through a lot of eggs and our chickens are yet to earn their keep, so swapping some herbs, greens and limes has been an easy and cost effective way to keep breakfasts ticking over. Not only do the eggs taste amazing, but they are local, fresh and from chickens that are loved and cared for. No chance of ethically dubious living conditions for these beauties, they are family pets as well as producers. Eating fresh and local has so many benefits, from health, economic and environmental perspectives. There are social pluses as well. The power of simply belonging cannot be underestimated and has incredible benefits to a person’s mental wellbeing. These groups are a vehicle for communication in a world where stopping for a coffee break can be difficult to factor in, for meeting new friends and indulging in a shared passion. The more we can tap into our neighbourhood resources, the better for everyone on so many levels. As these groups evolve and membership grows, we can further encourage each other and help fellow backyard growers along the journey. Together we can all prosper from the joy as well as the spoils our gardening adventures take us on from one season to the next. Here are a few blogs and social networking pages to check out: Urban Gardens: urbangardensweb.com The Garden Gurus: facebook.com/thegardengurus Jetto’s Patch: facebook.com/groups/JETTOSPATCH Diary of a Suburban Gardener: slowgardener.blogspot.com.au Aussie Organic Gardening: aussieorganicgardening.com The Gardenist: thegardenist.com.au The Planthunter: theplanthunter.com.au Bean there Dug That: beantheredugthat.com.au 86 The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 56 / Spring 2015 The Jeep Grand Cherokee has achieved a 5 star ANCAP safety rating across all V6 variants and features advanced safety assist technologies. Visit your local Jeep Dealer today for a test drive today. Jeep is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC. The Garden Guru Magazine / Issue No. 56 / Spring 2015 87