The Local Food & Farming team promotes community connection with food growing and the local farming landscape to reinforce the crucial role agriculture plays in shifting our society towards a sustainable relationship with the land and the importance of knowing where the food you eat comes from. The monthly Produce Exchange is our flagship community gathering, and planning is underway to foster economic development of local, sustainable small scale farmers.
“One gardener’s glut is another gardener’s lunch” No $$ involved!
Held on 3rd Saturday each month at Trentham Farmers’ Market, this venture continues to be a great success. Not only do we share beautiful backyard produce, we meet new residents and form new friendships, help nurture a stronger community and contribute to reducing our carbon footprint. It’s great to know where our food comes from and the more local the better for ourselves and the planet! Our swap table is also a ‘talking post’ where interesting conversations happen, and gardening tips and recipe ideas are shared.
The Hepburn Shire Council with the State Government has co-funded a 3 year Artisan Agriculture Project for the region in an effort to mitigate the barriers smaller-scale farmers and producers face in their business viability, such as scale-inappropriate regulatory requirements, limited market channels, and a lack of business support services and value-adding infrastructure. TSG has a member on the Project Advisory Group to help ensure farmers in our end of the shire get represented, too!