collingwood children's farm annual report

2011—2012

Annual Report

Farmland since 1838

Who’s who on the Farm

Farm Patron

Mrs Elizabeth Chernov, Government House

Farm Staff

Alex Walker (Manager) Suzi Bremner

Bridget Bainbridge Roger Cassar

Nick Karavokiris Jacqui Linley

Toni Phillips Emma Kofoed

Julia Smallwood Alison Wigglesworth

Leonie Griener Andrew Phillips

Susan Pittman Mia Sutherland

Sam Imbrogno Anita Stec

Elizabeth McPhee Brodie Harrison

Ainslie Kissick Holly Heath

Fran Zemunik Olivia Knowles

Committee of Management

President Netta McArthur

Vice President Greg Spark

Treasurer Cheryl Cameron

Secretary Helen Semmler

Mikyla Hart Lily O’Neill

Anne Halliwell Amanda Stone (City of Yarra)

Lachlan Fitch Pip Hay

Richard Ginsberg Jane Ogilvie

Alex Walker (Farm Manager) Andrew Phillips (Staff Rep.)

The Collingwood Children’s Farm are proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri of the Kulin

Federation as the traditional owners of the Abbotsford Precinct Heritage Farmlands:

the land we respect, care for and farm on behalf of all Victorians. The Farm thanks all

Wurundjeri Elders, past and present, for their guardianship of these lands.

Farmland since 1838

OUR AIM

To be a world-class city farm providing social, rural and environmental

experiences for our communities.

OUR OBJECTIVES To manage the Farm’s physical, financial and human resources in a sustain-able way. To maintain a ‘country feel’ in the way the Farm looks and works, with

people coming together around animals, chores and activities.

To ensure accessibility of the Farm’s programs and activities to interested

members of the community, with a particular emphasis on children, young

adults and families.

To provide a learning environment grounded in ‘hands on’ involvement,

demonstration and observation.

To enrich the community with activities, events and celebrations about

the cycles of nature.

To encourage environmental responsibility by involving people in land

management and demonstrating sustainable agricultural practices.

To provide a safe, supportive and stimulating environment for all children

and young people to develop life skills.

COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT REPORT

On behalf of the Committee of Management (COM) and Farm staff it gives

us great pleasure to present the 2011—2012 Annual Report. The year has

been successful and the Farm has enjoyed an increase in the number of

visitors, demonstrating that our efforts in making the Farm an interesting

place to visit are proving successful. Visitors will notice our continuing

improvements to amenities for both themselves and the animals; we

believe this will make the Farm an even more attractive place to visit,

especially when renovations to the Farm Café are completed.

Governance

The COM has continued to implement the Strategic Plan. We are delighted

to report our Constitution and Rules of Incorporation were reviewed in

accordance with the requirements, then signed off by the COM. These

were then lodged with Consumer Affairs Victoria and as a result we have

maintained our Charitable Not-For-Profit status. We thank Liz Harmsherry

and Clayton Utz for the pro-bono work done on our behalf.

Protecting the Abbotsford Precinct Heritage Farmlands (APHF)

The COM has continued to work with all stakeholders to have the entire

remaining heritage paddocks of the APHF retained for use by the Farm as

farmland. To this end we are in discussions with the Abbotsford Convent

Foundation Board regarding the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding

as we already have about the St Heliers Street carpark. The issue of

St Mary’s Paddock and the outside walkway between classrooms of Sophia

Mundi was positively resolved by a collaborative discussion process, which

resulted in the return of open space for grazing land adjacent to St Mary’s

Paddock (the same size as that occupied by the proposed walkway). The

Farm animals did not therefore loose any grazing land—in fact the piece

we inherited was slightly better grazing land.

Reaching out to the local community

Our long-term objective of reaching out to local disadvantaged children’s

groups continues to be enacted in conjunction with assistance from the

City of Yarra Children’s Services Department.

The garden plots

A new committee has been set up to resolve issues between the Farm and

the garden plotters; it is envisaged they will meet three times per year and

a COM member will be in attendance.

Finances and funding

Financially the year ended in

surplus, which is already

earmarked for the Farm Café

upgrade and repairs and

maintenance for our two heritage

houses at the front of the Farm.

The Farm acknowledges the

continued support and funding

from the State Government and City of Yarra. These funds, in addition to

monies raised from the Farm’s day-to-day activities, form the core of our

ongoing income. The Farm also receives funding and donations, both

monetary and in-kind, from various sources for specific purposes. All

donors are acknowledged at the back of this report.

Thank you volunteers

On behalf of the COM and the Farm staff we say thank to our volunteers

and friends. The ongoing operations of the Farm are dependent upon the

loyalty and tireless contributions of volunteers which ensure we are able to

continue providing the educational programs and stimulating experiences

for children and other members of the community. Without our volunteers’

valuable efforts many of the programs and fund-raising efforts would not

run as effectively as they do.

Thank you Farm staff

The heart and soul of the Farm are the staff and for this we express our

appreciation for their efforts in the past year. Staff members are called

upon to demonstrate a wide range of skills and to perform many and varied

tasks, often over and above the requirements of their employment, all of

which are carried off with great skill and care.

Thanks to the Farm Manager, Alex, who once again has achieved so much

this year: from building works, Farm Café renovations, organising tractor

loans and attending the many meetings which may have implications for

the future of the Farm.

Committee of Management changes and thank yous

At the last Annual Meeting in 2011 the membership elected three new

representatives to the COM, and so we welcomed Jane Ogilvie, Richard

Ginsberg and Eleanor Fletcher. Unfortunately for the COM, Eleanor

Fletcher’s husband was transferred on a work placement to Italy in 2012,

and so she was unable to complete her term.

Sincere thanks must also go to current COM representatives for their

ongoing contributions and hard work on the various subcommittees and at

COM meetings.

Netta McArthur, President, Committee of Management

MANAGER’S REPORT

After a year of works across the Farm I am pleased to report that the Farm

has slipped back into its ‘normal’ operational mode and is going from

strength to strength with increased staffing levels, a wide and diverse

community support base, broadening visitation demographic and a strong

interest in Farm events and ‘happenings’. The new Reception building has

allowed us to have greater connection to our visitors both on the way in

and out. As an administration team it is great to see all the happy faces on

the way home.

Staff team

All staff have worked very hard this year and I would like to take this

opportunity to thank them for the dedication and the flexibility they have

shown in order to keep the Farm moving forward. Bridget and Nick have

the task of overseeing the running of the daily programs for animals, the

pastures, landcare and farm maintenance. Toni has once again worked hard

at organising the Community Garden Plots along with her many other tasks.

Leonie, Julia, Anita, Toni, Andrew and Susan make up the bulk of the team

that supports both Bridget and Nick in the operation of the Farm. Our

customer service area is a great team: Suzi and Alison look after Farm

visitors as well as taking bookings for many activities that happen at the

Farm. They get great support from Fran, Andrew and Ainslie.

Because the Farm operates on a seven-day-a-week basis we depend on our

casual workers to fill in when permanent staff are ill or on leave, to work

at special events and functions and to help out during busy times such as

school holidays. While working at the Farm we appreciate their energy,

ideas, enthusiasm and willingness to take on any role required.

Changes and achievements

The Farmer’s Market will celebrate its tenth birthday this year and

continues to be a major source of income for the Farm. We now have over

60 stallholders (with a waiting list) and regularly attract approximately

2,000 people each market. Farmer’s Markets in general have attracted a

lot of publicity in recent years, and the Collingwood Children’s Farmers

Market has been regularly identified as one of the best and most popular in

Melbourne.

Our Pancake Stall is a great hit with the public, thanks to the great work of

Helen Semmler and the Young Farmer’s parents who volunteer to run it.

This same group also support the BBQ at our Family Days which have also

been growing in popularity over the past year.

The staff and Committee of Management once again did outstanding work

in running the Winter Solstice Bonfire. There were many volunteers that

put in a lot of time and effort in setting up the Bonfire and without their

efforts the night would not have been a success.

NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Day

at the Farm in July saw the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria set up

activities across the Farm and invite over 1,000 people to come and

celebrate with them. It was a great day and is a much-enjoyed annual

event on our calendar.

Future challenges

Our major challenge in the short term is to finish the renovations on the

Farm Café and get it up and running again with its positive reputation for

great food and service for our customers.

This then leads us to the long term future and working with the Convent

and local community to make sure the farmlands on both sides of the bike

track remain in perpetuity for use as heritage farmland.

The precinct is unique as it is the last intact 19th Century rural landscape in

Melbourne. It creates an ‘island’ surrounded by the Yarra River and

indigenous bushland. It has an inseparable relationship with the pastures of

the Collingwood Children's Farm, Abbotsford Convent and the Yarra River.

The Farm is the guardian and protector of this unique environment,

because without a healthy environment we won’t be farming very long! As

the stewards of the Abbotsford

Precinct Heritage Farmland’s 174-year

farming history, we take seriously our

role to nurture and protect the soil to

minimise our impact. Over 33 years,

we have developed an Integrated

Paddock Management Program using

all the paddocks on both sides of the

bike track. So like all good farmers

we rest and feed our pastures,

control the weeds, plant and develop native shelter-belts, and minimise

and clean what flows into the Yarra River system. We must never take this

farmland for granted and must work with the the Abbotsford Convent and

local community to protect this land forever.

I would like to thank the Committee of Management for their hard work

and continued support during the past year, as well as all our volunteers

and staff members.

Alex Walker, Farm Manager

TEAM LEADERS’ REPORT

The last year has been very busy with an ever-increasing amount of

activity around the Farm.

Twelve months ago, the Farm was just finishing the last buildings of our

mammoth building project; and now we find ourselves building again, this

time refurbishing the cafe, with the bike track being overhauled by the

Council at the same time. The Farm is looking very different today. The

Farm is also feeling very different, with a buzz of activity and a real sense

of purpose in the air. We were wishing for these things only a few years

ago. How things change!

Fundamentally though, at its heart the Farm is the same: a community

within a community, an extended family or village, call it what you will,

for many of our volunteers, workers, members and others. A chance to

renew, refresh and reinvent yourself. The three R’s.

In 2011—2012, some of the groups we’ve had working on the Farm are:

These are some of the programs we have been running at the Farm:

These are some of the organisations we have worked in conjunction with in

the past year:

• Job Co Green Team

• Young Farmers Program

• School Holiday Program

• Work Experience Program

• Volunteering Program

• Supported Volunteers Program

• Lantern Making Workshops

• Gardening Club

• Farm School Experience Camp

• Landcare Planting Day

• E-train

• Supported Individual Work

placement

• Australian Year of the Farmer

• Youth Now

• Job Co Individual placements

• Job Co Green Team

• Heatherwood Special School

• Sophia Mundi Steiner School

• Quinn House

• Carlton Corrections, Dept. of Justice

• Northern Support Services

• ANZ Bank

• NAB Bank

• OPTUS

• Pricewaterhouse Coopers

• NMIT TAFE

• Rossbourne School

• Sisters of the Good Shepherd

• Onemda

• Citipower

• Alkira Adult Training Support

Service

• New Start

• Inner Melbourne VET Cluster

• Burke & Beyond

• Interact

• Concord School

• Villa Maria

• Connections

• NEAMI

• Able Australia

• Bulleen Heights School

• Rosamond School

• Malparinka

• Fare Share

• Cultivating Communities

• City of Yarra

• Victorian Apiary Association

• Strong Wool Breeders Association

• Dairy Shorthorn Association

• English Leicester Breeders

Association

• Job Co

• Rat Fanciers Association

• Waler Horse Association

• Donkey Society of Victoria

• RDA Collingwood and Victoria

• Citipower

• Organic Harvest Greengrocers

• Abbotsford Primary School

• The Abbotsford Convent

• Heidelberg Warringal Lions Club

• Gleadell Street Market

• Down on the Farm Childcare

• Aboriginal Housing

• Victorian Handspinners and

Weavers Guild

• Victorian Federation of Farmers

Markets

• The Convent Bakery

Bridget Bainbridge and Nick Karavokiros, Team Leaders

SUPPORTED VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

This program continues to provide the opportunity for groups and individuals

to learn work skills, develop social skills, work successfully in a team and feel

they are valued within the Farm community. The groups involved have a wide

range of abilities, both physical and intellectual. Many students are on the

Autism Spectrum which has its unique challenges! We are also increasingly

working with people with a range of mental illnesses whose difficulties in both

work and social situations are not always obvious.

Once again we welcomed back our regular weekly groups from schools and

adult facilities, as well as a few new faces. This year we have continued to

allocate set weekly tasks to give the groups a sense of ownership and

responsibility. This approach develops more independence as the individuals

learn the procedures and can set to work with minimal assistance from their

staff. My role has changed to be a facilitator rather than physically working

with every group. There are still some groups who prefer to do whatever is

needed on the day, and that is great for us.

Our participants are aged from 6 to 65, with varying abilities and mobility

difficulties. The length of time spent at the Farm varies from half an hour to

five hours, so tasks are allocated accordingly. Chores include cleaning animal

pens, feeding animals, horticulture activities, cleaning and sweeping,

paddock cleaning (known as poo pickup!), water troughs, making up feedbags,

moving animals, rubbish collection, Farmers Market set-up and whatever else

needs doing at the time. Each participant is considered in the same light as

other volunteers, and makes an important contribution to the daily running of

the Farm.

The Heatherwood Year 10 group has again used their Farm work as part of the

State government-funded Advance Program. In Terms 1 and 2 they worked

with Nick building dividing fences in the Federation Pens to allow for

sequential planting of chicken ‘greens’. For the second half of the year they

will work with Toni doing horticultural tasks.

Work experience placements are arranged as two-week blocks or one day a

week over a period of time. One day a week gives the continuity of staff and

tasks that many of our students need for a positive outcome. As well as

special schools we are working with integrated mainstream students who

need a little more support.

The following groups have been involved in the program over the past 12

months:

We are also being approached by post-school option services for young adults

to work one day a week at the Farm as part of their individual program plans.

This often means renewing acquaintance with many of our former school

workers who have moved on into the TAFE sector or Adult Programs.

A new initiative this year has been our weekly guinea pig cuddle session at the

Good Shepherd Nursing Home. The Friday volunteers, Jenny and Deb, are now

independently organising this program. The response from the residents has

been very positive.

Participation in this supported program does not involve any cost to groups or

schools. In all there are in excess of 100 workers per week … quite a

workforce for the Farm.

One of the main aims of this program has been to promote interaction and

Adult Groups School Groups Individuals*

(weekly and work

experience blocks)

ONEMDA Alkira Connections Burke & Beyond Interact Northern Support Services NEAMI Adult Options Able Australia Malparinka

Bulleen Special School Heatherwood Rosamond Ashwood Concorde Rossbourn House Villa Maria/St Paul’s

Kensington Community School Yooralla Crosslinks Employment NMIT TAFE Catholic Education Office Wesley Mission Inner Melbourne VET Cluster Various disability services * An average of 10-12 are involved each week

acceptance within the general community for those with special needs. It has

been rewarding to see visitors talking to the various groups as they go about

their tasks, and our people communicating back in their own individual ways.

Julia Smallwood, Disability Services Co-ordinator

HORTICULTURE REPORT

The philosophy and values of the Farm, which aims to bring people,

animals and nature together in a rural environment are appropriately

followed through by applying Landcare values and Permaculture ethics of

care for the earth, care for the animals and care for the people. The Farm

is in the fortunate position

to be able to demonstrate

this care and involve people

in the integration of plants

and farm animals within an

easily accessible distance

from the city.

The landscaping and species

selection, following heritage

and sustainable values,

determines the visual impact

when entering the farm.

Animals grazing in the

paddocks and fruit trees

planted along the bike track

enhance this aspect by

p r o v i d i n g a q u i e t l y

productive atmosphere even

to those casually passing by. All of this is achieved with major involvement

from members of the Farm community comprising our very dedicated

volunteers, Community Garden plotholders and students.

The Farm has a long history and ongoing commitment to encouraging

biodiversity and maintaining an environment of sustainable Farm

management.

This is achieved by following sustainable principles and organic methods in

all horticultural practices on the Farm. Horticultural biodiversity is

maintained by: careful species selection within our endemic or indigenous

riparian corridors, planting heritage fruit species and landscaping, food

and fibre production for human and animal consumption, weed barriers

and beneficial interplanting. Sustainability is maintained by: considered

planting, careful selection and design, and following sustainable farming

management practices such as using only organic methods of pest and

weed control in all propagation and plantings.

People, plants and animals

This past year has seen further commitment to providing the opportunity

for people to be involved in horticultural activities at the Farm. Regular

volunteers, corporate volunteers and students, from a range of special and

general schools in our local area, work experience placements from most

secondary schools in Melbourne (and some even from country areas!) all

benefit from learning and working in the garden at the farm.

Our horticultural programs encompass the practicalities of providing

food and produce via participation and education. By matching the

relevant depth of complexity to the participant we aim to promote an

understanding of plant and animal systems, the links between them and

the role of people within them.

These programs give

equal importance to

participant experience

a n d p u r s u i t o f

information as to the

growing of plants, finding

the balance between the

work required and the

needs and capabilities of

the participant evolves

into another growing

system. Working in the

garden provides the opportunity for people to experience a sense of nature

while obtaining a variety of skills, not only limited to food production.

Physical capabilities

s u c h a s c o -

o r d i n a t i o n ,

d e x t e r i t y a n d

strength can be

enhanced along

with a state of well-

being. At the same

t i m e s o c i a l

interaction, co-

operation and valid

work ethics are

easily conveyed in a

gardening context.

Organic methods do not compromise the natural environment or the health

and safety of people working in the gardens.

Horticultural activities on the Farm provide skills in:

• producing a diverse range of fruit, nut and heritage fruit trees

• producing food for the animals, including knowledge of which fodder,

trees, crops and weeds can be suitable supplementary feed for

particular animals

• propagating plants, both edible and useful ornamentals which are

planted or for sale at the Farm

• growing, harvesting and presenting food that is sold at the Farm during

school holidays, Family Days, Farmers Market, and other Farm events

• managing weeds through appropriate plant selection and suitable use of

weeds either as food, herbal medicine, bedding, mulch or compost

material

• producing compost and worm castings which are used on the Farm, and

excess available for sale

• planting, care for and using indigenous plants of this area through

revegetation plantings

• planting and managing diverse areas of interest eg Community Gardens,

orchards, shelterbelts and edible landscaping

COLLINGWOOD CHILDREN’S FARM COMMUNITY GARDENS

The Farm, with its animals and the rural river-flat setting, can give an

impression of being somewhere else than Abbotsford or Collingwood, but

the Community Gardens places the Farm right in the locality.

People are what really give a place a sense of identity and in this case they

reflect the richness and diversity that is found in Abbotsford. The ‘Plotters’

as they are affectionately known at the Farm are a community of people

for whom the Farm is much more

than simply a nice place to visit.

For them, the Farm and garden

plots are an important part of their

daily nutrition, social activity,

home and neighbourhood.

The Farm’s Community Gardens (or

‘plots’) have been part of the Farm

since it started in 1979. They are

the third-oldest Community

Gardens in Melbourne. Originally

an initiative of the Greek Elderly

Citizens and Turkish Welfare Group

that approached the Farm for

space for its members to produce

their own vegetables as they had

done before coming to Australia. There are still five of the original, double

-sized plots and these ‘Plotters’ are usually seen working in their

magnificent plots daily. There are a total of 70 plots available.

We think that the plots here are the most popular in Melbourne, judging

from the constant requests for a plot from people that live in suburbs all

over the city. Plot holders who live close to the Community Garden are

most likely to make the best use of the space to grow food, and reduce

their food miles. Again, for them the gardens and the Farm is more than

just a nice place to visit, it is an important part of connecting with their

life and food source.

The Plotters are now a very

diverse bunch, with Greek

still the dominant flavour,

however Italian, Spanish,

English, Vietnamese and

plain old Aussies have joined

the group. The plots are

available for residents of the

City of Yarra with a higher

preference given to those

with no place for a garden at

home and older residents, though there are also many younger families.

The waiting list is so long it is temporarily closed!

Plotters pay for Farm Membership and an annual fee which covers the cost

of water (the plots have a separate water meter) and administration.

Plotters are asked to maintain the pathway bordering their plot and to

attend three of the monthly Working Bees to maintain the communal areas

(or alternatively Plotters can assist at Farm events). Our water restrictions

operate on the same odd and even plot-numbering system that applies to

residential streets, with the same hours and methods of watering allowed

under current legislation.

Plots of education

The Community Gardens are incorporated into many of the specialist food

production tours (requests have increased dramatically) and general school

Farm tours. Students and plotters enjoy the opportunity to interact and

learn from each other. Students also learn to identify seasonal vegetables

and discuss their uses in regional and local recipes.

The Medicine Garden situated at the top of the plots forms a popular part

of these educational tours. This garden was created by Leo Greogorc and

Eleanor Tan, former herbal medicine teachers from the Southern School of

Natural Therapies. The garden is thriving, although sometimes overgrown!

The Medicine Garden is now maintained as part of the Working Bees.

Toni Phillips, Farmhand (Horticulture and Community Gardens reports)

175 YEARS OF FARMING CELBRATIONS — WITH A TWIST

Next year marks a very special point in the history of the Abbotsford

Precinct Heritage Farmlands (APHF), the land we farm and care for on

behalf of all Victorians. It’s a big birthday event! We are asking the local

and wider community to join with us to celebrate 175 years of formally

recognised farming on this unique location, the oldest continually farmed

land in the State. Soon after Batman’s Treaty of June 1835, squatters and

their flocks of sheep arrived from Tasmania (then called Van Diemen’s

Land), with the first formal land sales occurring in 1838.

If farming is defined as ‘altering a

landscape or ecosystem to develop an

improved agricultural outcome’ eg

deliberately using fire to manage

grasslands and assist forest regrowth -

which in turn supports the lifecycles of

animals (such as kangaroo), then by this

definition the APHF have a far older and

more profound ‘farming’ history that calls

for greater appreciation and respect. It is

therefore worth reflecting that the arrival

of squatters and settlers was not without consequence for the traditional

owners of the APHF, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Federation.

Settlement brought disease, displacement and in many instances, the loss

of traditional lands and sacred places for our First Nation people. In

celebrating all elements of our local and national history in a balanced

manner, we should take positive as well as negative reflections into

account. And even though I’m a ‘whitefella’, I feel a strong connection (as

hopefully all our visitors do) to this unique location and take the

responsibility of its guardianship seriously. This connection shares a

positive message for Wurundjeri that the land is celebrated, respected and

cared for by people that feel deeply about it.

The complete fluke of history that has seen the APHF preserved as

working, heritage farmland for 175 years is unique on a Local, State,

National and World heritage level. Its paddocks are the only remaining

element of Melbourne’s 19th-century agricultural landscape. The fact that

the oldest continually farmed land in Victoria is located in the heart of its

capital city of 4 million people and not in a rural area surely makes the

unique heritage value of the APHF even greater.

For 112 years, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd utilised the APHF to

support their good works and social programs. It is doubly exciting to

appreciate that 2013 also sees the Sisters of the Good Shepherd celebrate

150 years since the arrival of four nuns from France to found a convent

farm on the APHF. Today, all of the remaining paddocks support the many

socially positive programs offered by the Farm for the local community,

continuing the spirit, intent and actions of the Sisters’ good works.

This time last year, we had all just celebrated saving 1/3rd of the APHF

from development plans by the Abbotsford Convent Foundation (ACF). The

local and wider community rose up and strongly communicated to the ACF

that none of the APHF farmlands should be developed away from their

ongoing use as heritage farmland. As the ACF appeared to hear and

understand this message, it was with much optimism that I read the draft

2013—2017 ACF Business Plan.

I sincerely hoped that this document would provide a positive recognition

of what was clearly communicated to the ACF. Everyone concerned for the

Farm’s future should therefore be deeply worried that nowhere in this

Business Plan is the 175-year farming history of the APHF valued,

mentioned or any plans outlined for its preservation. In light of the

community’s demand for it, the Collingwood Children’s Farm will continue

to campaign for the permanent preservation of all the APHF and its

ongoing, unique farming history that we all delight in experiencing.

So please join with us in next year’s 175-year celebrations, as well as

supporting us in working to save your Farm for the future. You have

entrusted responsibility for the Farm to us, but, really it belongs to you!

Andrew Phillips, Farmhand

FARM APIARY REPORT

The Collingwood Children’s Farm Apiary is part of the Collingwood

Children’s Farm, Abbotsford. It is jointly managed by the Farm and the

Melbourne section of the Victorian Apiarists’ Association Inc. (VAA)

according to a mutually agreed ‘Memorandum of Understanding’.

The apiary aims to educate the public about bees and beekeeping, and to

provide beekeeping advice and practice to current and prospective

beekeepers. It is open to the public from 10.30am to 3.30pm on the second

and fourth Sunday of each month. The apiary consists of seven main hives,

an equipment shed and educational display caravan. One of the hives is a

"Bee Force" Varroa (Varroa destructor) detection hive.

From the Display Caravan, visitors can safely watch the hives being opened

as well as observe, close-up, the inside of a beehive through a small glass-

sided hive. The caravan also has a static display of beekeeping equipment,

illustrative posters and free DPI brochures. If they wish, visitors can borrow

protective clothing and join the beekeepers at the hives.

Photos and descriptions of the apiary can be viewed at

www.photoblog.com/collingwoodbees. Movies can also be viewed at

www.youtube.com/collingwoodbees for movies. The apiary’s email address

is: [email protected].

Visitors

On Sunday openings over the last year, approximately 1,000 people

inspected the Display Caravan and observed the hives through its

observation windows. Approximately another 30 visitors borrowed

protective clothing and inspected the hive close-up with the beekeepers.

In addition, school groups visited the apiary during the week under

supervision of Farm staff.

Beekeeper visits

Approximately ten new beekeepers attended the apiary for various lengths

of time to receive instruction and support in managing their first hive.

Several of these were formally assessed. A number of specific beekeeping

groups visited the apiary throughout the 2011—2012 year. These included:

13 November 2011: ‘Bee Force’ Varroa instruction by Joe Riordan,

Victorian Apiary Inspector

15 December 2011: VAA Melbourne Section annual BBQ

22 January 2012: Southside Beekeepers Club

26 February 2012: City Rooftop Beekeepers

25 March 2012: Doncaster Beekeepers Club

27 May 2012: ‘Bee Force’ Project farewell BBQ

On 17 July 2011 Gavin Jamieson conducted a Flora Identification tour of

nearby Studley Park from where the apiary bees can collect nectar and

pollen. On 4 March 2012 a photographic presentation of the apiary was

presented at the ‘Jadran Bee Festival’ in Diggers Rest.

Facilities maintenance

Over the 2011—2012 year continued progress has been made in developing

the “Bee Garden” and fitting out the Equipment Shed. The shed’s roof has

been replaced, work benches constructed and tool display cabinets

mounted on the walls. These improvements allow the apiary’s hives to be

easily constructed and repaired as well as allowing new beekeepers to

learn how to fabricate their own hives.

Honey production totals

70kg of honey was

extracted in late October

2011, 45kg in late

December 2011 and 25kg

in mid-March 2012 with

approximately 10kg of cut

honeycomb taken in late

November 2011. In the

previous year, 56kg of raw

honey and no honeycomb

was harvested. The honey

Inset, below: This young beekeeper found the queen bee

Inset, above: Joe Riordan, DPI Apiary Inspector, trains volunteer beekeepers to use the Varroa detection hive

extracted in late December 2011 was awarded third prize in the VAA

Incorporated (Melbourne Section) Annual Honey Competition.

The honey and honeycomb

were sold at Farm Reception

and at the Farm’s monthly

Farmer’s Market. Sales of

both the honey and

honeycomb were very brisk

and the apiary was in no way

able to meet the demand.

VAA honey sales

VAA honey, which was left

unsold at the 2011 Royal

Melbourne Show, was sold at

the apiary. From October to

June a total of 110kg was

sold and the profits from these sales were used to buy woodworking tools

and other fittings for the equipment shed.

American Foulbrood (AFB) testing

A sample from the late December 2011 honey extraction submitted to

Gribbles Veterinary Pathology for testing on 14 March 2012 was returned

negative for AFB spores.

Varroa testing

The ‘Bee Force’ Varroa detection hive which was installed in November

2011, was tested three times. All tests returned negative results.

Expenses

Total expenses for operating the apiary and the display caravan and paid

by the Farm were $395, compared with $390 the previous year.

This report was prepared by Barry Cooper in consultation with other

volunteer beekeepers from the Collingwood Children’s Farm Apiary

Also thank ewe to:

the late Erica Travers for her generous bequest allowing for construction of

the combined Lambing/Hay Shed

Kate Dwyer, professional photographer, for her lovely animal photographs

and video creations

Leonie Greiner, farmhand, for her fantastic photographs of the animals

Judith Nilsson for Zac the Waler

Angela Tiede for horse support

Margaret for Smiths Gully agistment

Marge Mercay at The Donkey Society for Donkey Day

Ethel Stevenson and Kirsty Harker for help with sheep

Brian and Helen Harker for shearing, support and accommodation

Megg Miller for Chook Expo support

Maree Williams and the Spinners and Weavers Guild for lots of things

Fiona Chambers

Bronwyn Cowan

Andrea at 313 Vets

Kathy, Kim, Andy and all the staff at North Warrandyte Vet Clinic for the

endless advice, and their care for our animals

Dee and Amanda at Tree Project

Jane for WaterWatch

Mike and Rhonda Perry for lots of cow stuff

Brodie Harrison for cow help, especially for sourcing Kasey and Hope our

Ayshire calves

Marilyn Mangione for sheep support

Mark Burnell for horse dentistry

Michael Scully for horse transport

Fiona Kates for horse chiropractic treatment

Mike, Barry, Bernie and Ian for running the bee hives

Holy Goat for their ongoing support

Annie Edney for her lovely bonfire lanterns and fire sculptures

Australian Rat Fanciers Society Victoria

Jack Pavey for poultry support

Mandy Ord for weekly organic green waste

Maggie Maguire from the Abbotsford Convent

Marco and Nadine for their Coffee Cart and good humour

Robert Stemp for making things work

Miranda Sharp for Farmers Market stuff

Sue Love and the Tussie-Mussie crew for tussy-mussies at the Farmers

Market Farm stall

Karen Doggett and Malcolm Douglas for finding us Biddy the Dairy

Shorthorn

Monica Morgan for worm farm help.

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collingwood children's farm annual report

Documents

farm thanks

farm caf

worldclass city farm

collingwood childrens

committee of management

committee of management

land management

annual report farmland