President’s Report 2023-24

Concord Community Garden continued to grow and thrive as a haven for members to enjoy growing fruits and vegetables together and an example to the community of the benefits of sustainable gardening.

Membership

Our membership remained fairly constant. We started the year with 19 members and ended with 20.

Meetings and Working Bees

Monthly general meetings and fortnightly working bees have been well attended this year. A core of dedicated and enthusiastic gardeners have attended the garden at 8:00 am on Saturday mornings, regardless of uncertain weather.

 Gardens

In 2023-24, the garden has operated with 26 community beds and three private beds. Members have been allocated to three gardening groups to look after a number of beds. Garden groups use crop rotation and companion planting to grow a variety of vegetables to share with the whole membership. Special interest groups have continued to care for the garden as a whole. Compost has been produced to nourish the garden beds. We have welcomed donations of food scraps from the community.

Dedicated members have cared for the worm farms, providing plentiful supplies of worm castings and worm wee to be used in the garden.

The native bee hive attracts interest and contributes to pollination.

Carefully tended potted herbs and flowers add colour to the garden and food for the birds and bees.

The citrus crop, including native finger limes, lemonades and oranges, has been prolific this year, thanks to additional fertilisation.

The hardworking maintenance group has kept the watering system and general grounds in good order.

Members have worked to spread mulch donated by Council between the beds to suppress weeds and provide a firm pathway around the garden.

 Grants

A significant highlight of the year was the completion of a new shed, funded by a grant from AFJV. Representatives from AFJV attended the garden in October to inspect the outcome of their community support.

The garden received an Environmental Development Grant from Canada Bay Council for the coming year, enabling the garden to reach out to the community. We plan to extend our publicity, run two workshops for members and the community, and further maintain the garden.

 Activities

Biosecurity officers from the NSW Dept of Primary Industries installed insect traps in the garden as part of their pest and plant diseases survey.

Members attended Concord Garden Club’s Friendship Day to learn about growing geraniums.

Canada Bay Council  used our garden to host a well attended community workshop on natural
pest control during Seniors’ Week.

The garden welcomed Canada Bay Council’s Community Garden meeting, with representatives from Rhodes, Chiswick and Five Senses Garden. Other gardeners were impressed with the size of our garden, the variety of crops, our security fence and colourful mural.

After a year’s break due to the construction of our new shed, planning for 2024 Open Day is well underway.

 Our thanks to the staff at Canada Bay Council for their ongoing support of our garden and its endeavours.

My thanks to the committee and to the members who make the garden a success.

 Joyce Brett, President, 2023-24