Blitz? Yes you can!
The latest crunchy and nutritious permablitz newsletter.
Have you ever tried smiling to make yourself feel happier? It may take a while, but once you force your cramping and convulsing cheeks through the pain barrier, it can really work — perhaps in a not dissimilar way that a mystic finds enlightenment through fasting in a cave. Somehow expression manifests attitude which manifests reality.
And out of what gestural seed did the permablitz network arise? Why from little more than one man and a particular can-do expression. I give you Dan Palmer and the can-do-dan:
On its own it’s a very powerful expression. But get two fellows doing it while facing each other, and you have yourself what scientists call a mutualistic can-do excitation feedback complex. No one yet knows what would happen if a larger crowd got together and did it. It may go non-linear, and then it’s anyone’s guess. But I’m willing to try it if you are… at one of the next two exciting permablitzes this month!
Yes, welcome to another permablitz newsletter in which we have all the usual upcoming blitzes and courses, plus permablitz news from the urban fringe, a call to support a food fight, a new food gardeners alliance, and a self-compost option for loved ones.
~~~ Upcoming blitzes ~~~
Blitz #45 at West Preston
June 22, 2008 (10:00 am – 5:00 am)
Continuing the rush of Permablitz activity in this part of Melbourne, Alastair, Nancy and Susie invite one and all to 30 Birch St West Preston for a jam-packed day of permaculture workshops, demonstrations, installations and winter solstice feasting and festivity. Bring a shovel or an instrument. More info….
Blitz#46: Farming in Brunswick
June 28, 2008 (All Day)
An exciting blitz in a big back yard shared by five households with one big vegable patch and 6 chooks. “We have plums, apple, peach and nectarine trees but we want to plant more. We’ll show you our triple compost heap, our egg-laying department, our garden and tell you how it works, how we set it up and why it’s called The Farm. We’ll eat & drink and share ideas and keep warm by a fire (wood from the garden too).” More info…
~~~ Upcoming courses ~~~
Last course was a blast, with three new wonderful teachers added to the team. We’re taking a two month break from the courses, but just today we have one booked in for Ceres for the weekend of August 16-17.
Feedback from the last course:
“Bloody brilliant, guys.”
“Fantastic. Thanks so much for providing such a potentially life changing course.”
“Very interesting and inspiring, a great taste and a call to action.”
“The course was great! Exceeded expectations and I have learned a lot over the course of the weekend. I especially enjoyed the group activities and the hands on approach taken by each of the facilitators.”
~~~ Greater Dandenong Edible Gardens Project update ~~~
Paul and Kim just got word that their permablitz associated project in Greater Dandenong has been granted the full 12 months of funding after their initial trial period. Good on them! Paul reports on the recent blitz in Noble Park:
~~~ Food Gardeners Alliance ~~~
Watch out when people who employ pitchforks and shovels get together to fight for their rights. While you might expect some kind of uncouth scene from a group called the Food Gardeners Alliance, I’m told the meetings are actually quite civilised. Who are the FGA? “An alliance of horticulturists, educators, home and community gardeners… support[ing] the rights of all Victorians to grow their own food locally.” Just don’t make them angry. More info…
The next FGA meeting is set for June 24 in Collingwood: Details here…
~~~ Food Fight 3CR radiothon ~~~
Domenica writes: “If you want to hear more about food issues on the radio — everything from community gardens to GMOs to slow food — you need to tune into Food Fight on 3CR Community Radio, 855 on your AM dial, every Thursday from 6-6:30pm.”
And as a past FF team member I can at least vouch that the quality has improved. You’ve just missed the radiothon show but you can still go to www.3cr.org.au to donate online to help keep the station on the air.
~~~ Natural burial ~~~
Want to go to heaven when you die and listen to harp music all the time for eternity while your formaldehyde filled body leaches toxins into the earth? (Boring.) Or be eaten by worms, sucked up by tree roots, eaten by herbivores and gradually have all your trillions of component particles weave their way out amongst all the wondrous creatures of the biosphere, merging with the entire ebbs and flows of life over evolutionary time scales? (Quite cool.)
If the latter, check out this cemetery with a difference: Natural Burials NZ
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And a reminder that if you’ve been to a couple of blitzes and would like one at your place, let us know!
See you at a blitz with that can-do attitude!
Adam @ Permablitz Decentral
Photo by Andi Hazelwood
