Sustainable Food

Eat organic – Grow Organic
Growing Healthy Food at Home
Backyard Chook Keeping
Community Gardens
Food Co-ops
Farmers Markets
Sustainable Seafood
Factsheets & Downloads
Links & Contacts
Recommended Reading & Viewing

Did you know that food makes up a massive proportion of our ecological footprint? Almost 60%!

Globally, the trend towards large scale industrial agriculture has had a very negative impact on local ecology and communities. Large areas of the Amazon are being cleared to grow grain, to feed cattle, to turn into hamburgers. A bewildering variety of chocolate biscuits are available at the supermarket, whilst literally thousands of traditional varieties of fruits and vegetables and heritage farm breeds of animals are quietly becoming extinct.

Image: Have a go at growing fruit trees and veggies your backyard or join a local community garden

The figures are staggering…for example, it takes about 2000 litres of water to make one hamburger! Beef has a high ecological footprint because of the large areas of land cleared for grazing. Eating one less serve of beef per week would save 300kg of greenhouse pollution over a year.

Similarly, dairy farming requires large amounts of water to produce the pasture required by the cattle and to manufacture and recycle packaging of dairy products. Eating 2 cups less milk per week would save the equivalent of 13 000 litres of water or 250 kg of greenhouse pollution over a year.

At the same time, Australians are spending millions of dollars every year on food that is never eaten, and ends up in our landfills.

Don't worry! Meat and dairy can be part of a healthy, sustainable diet and we're not trying to stop you enjoying the foods you love. The message is not to overdo it, avoid highly processed fast foods where possible, and look for opportunities to support local, sustainably farmed products.

Of course, it's important to eat a well-balanced diet with a wide variety of foods. The National Health and Medical Research Council have produced simple dietary guidelines for adults which you can download at

http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/_files/n29.pdf

The good news is that one of the simplest, most rewarding ways to start reversing these trends is to change the way we eat.

choose sustainable, locally grown, organic foods
minimise food wastage – shop with a list, and learn to compost or worm farm
don’t over-consume conventionally grown meat and dairy products
minimise food processing and packaging
choose only sustainable seafood

Eat organic – Grow Organic

Nowadays, more and more evidence is emerging of the effect that chemicals in our food have on our health including the rise in asthma, eczema and allergies. Cancer patients are also advised by doctors to eat organic food. Children are particularly susceptible to additives in food, as all the safety levels of chemicals in food are set at an adult level. It is what hasn't been added to organic food that makes it good for you. And importantly, certified organic food cannot be genetically modified.

Look for ‘certified organic’ written on food labels and packaging at the Supermarket. The word ‘organic’ on its own can mean a number of different things and does not necessarily mean that a food product has been made organically.

The Certification logos to look out for are:


Biological Farmers of Australia	NAASA	Biodynamic Logo

Growing Healthy Food at Home

Our backyards can provide us with herbs, fruit and vegetables without us having to break our backs or commit our Sundays. Once it is up and running, about an hour a week is all that’s needed. What could be more convenient than being able to pick your green groceries from your own backyard? It’s also cheaper, healthier, and much, much better for the planet. And, you can swap your surplus food crops with neighbours and friends, so it’s good for our community all round.

Sustainable garden designs that can enhance the productivity of our suburban back yards include:

Herb Spiral

Build yourself a herb spiral near the kitchen door and plant it out with your favourite herbs including rosemary, basil, coriander, sage, parsley and mint. Add some marigolds for colour and pest control. Place a stepping stone on the outer layer of the spiral to help you access the inner herbs.

Key Hole Bed

Raised key-hole bed, densely planted with companion plants: marigolds are inter-planted with basil and nasturtiums.

Companion planting

Companion planting creates a diversity of species within the garden. It involves carefully arranging plants so that they assist with each others growth, by reducing pest numbers and creating favourable growing conditions.

Click here for more Information

Backyard Chook Keeping

As well as being wonderful pets, keeping chickens in your backyard is a great way to:

Help manage pests in an organic garden
Produce healthy, nutritious food at your backdoor
Recycle your food scraps
Support ethical food production by having happy, healthy chooks
Help maintain the genetic diversity of chooks. Traditional breeds can be chosen for characteristics of egg laying, meat, friendliness or even digging up the garden.
Reconnect people and children to the source of their foods (yes, eggs come from chickens!)

It’s important to note local councils have different regulations about keeping chickens in your backyard. In Wollongong and Shellharbour Council areas, roosters are not allowed to be kept in residential areas. In addition, in Shellharbour Council, the number of chickens allowed in backyards in residential areas is restricted to less than 10 hens. There is no restrictions on the number of hens that can be kept in Wollongong or Kiama Council areas.

Regulations about poultry houses are set out in the Local Government General Regulation 2005 Schedule 2, and include:

A poultry house must be at a least 4.5 metres from a dwelling, public hall, school or premises used for the manufacture, preparation, sale or storage of food.
The floors of poultry houses must be paved with concrete or mineral asphalt underneath the roosts or perches. However, this subclause does not apply to poultry houses: (a) that are not within 15.2 metres of a dwelling, public hall or school, or (b) that are situated on clean sand.
In Shellharbour Council area, the coop must be less than 15 square metres and no more than 900mm from fence boundary. Information on Wollongong Council guidelines and Kiama Council guidelines can be found in the following fact sheets:
Wollongong City Council Guidelines for Keeping Chickens [57kB]
Kiama Councils Keeping Chooks fact sheet [PDF 111kb]

There are many different kinds of chickens, and the right chook for you depends on how much space you have for them, and what characteristics you are looking for (whether that be a good egg layer, or an easy to handle chook that’s good with kids).

Like all animals, chickens need proper care, so be sure to do some research into appropriate housing, feeding and care before bringing some chooks home. Some helpful resources are:

Books (remember to also check your local library!)

Backyard Poultry Naturally by Alanna Moore
Jackie French’s Chook Book
Chook Wisdom by Earth Garden

Websites

www.backyardpoultry.com
www.daptopoultryclub.com (local poultry club, monthly meetings)
www.rarepoultry.net
www.rbta.org (Rare Breeds Trust of Australia)
www.rentachook.com.au – Dave Ingham, based in Ryde, Sydney, can deliver flat packed coops to the Illawarra, as well as organic chook feed.

Documentaries

Rare Chicken Rescue - www.rarechooks.com.au (Blue Hills Poultry Stud)

Community Gardens

Community gardens are popping up all over the country as people increasingly value their role in sustainable living and healthy communities. There are a number of community gardens in the Illawarra, with plans to establish new gardens in Kiama and Shellharbour.

A great way to learn more about community gardens is to visit and take part in regular working bees at existing sites. For example, The Garden at the North Wollongong PCYC has monthly working bees, and a monthly fruit and veg swap.

Visit http://thegardennorthgong.blogspot.com/ for more information.

Cringila Park Community Garden has recently won awards from Keep Australia Beautiful and the Local Government and Shires Association in recognition of its contribution to sustainability and multicultural health. Gardeners meet every Thursday.

Dapto Community Farm is a certified organic site renting plots to commercial and community gardeners. For more information call 4227 1057 or see this flier [PDF 215kB].

The Illawarra Councils have received support from the NSW Environmental Trust for a new three year project called the Illawarra Biodiversity and Local Food Strategy for Climate Change. This project will explore options for locally produced food, support school and community gardens, encourage people to make more sustainable food choices through education and training, as we prepare for the decline in availability of cheap fossil fuels. For more information, call 4227 7111.

For more inspiration see:

Community Gardens Start-Up Guide [PDF 4.91Mb]

Farmers Markets

Support local produce and have a great time doing it at one of the Illawarra’s wonderful local markets.

Market	When	Where
Wollongong Produce and Creative Traders Market	Every Friday 9am – 3pm	Crown St Mall Wollongong
Berry Country Fair	1st Sunday of the month	Berry Showground Berry
German Club Craft and Farmers Market	1st & 3rd Saturday 8am – 1pm	German Club, Northcliff Dr, Kembla Grange
Dapto Markets	Every Sunday 7am – 1pm	Dapto Showgrounds
Kiama Produce Markets	4th Saturday every month 8am – 1pm	Black Beach Kiama
Bulli Markets	2nd Sunday of the month 9am – 3pm	Bulli Harness Club Bulli
Jamberoo Markets	Last Sunday of the month 10am – 4pm	Kevin Walsh Oval Jamberoo
Coledale School Market	4th Sunday of the month	Coledale Public School Coledale
Gerrigong Markets	3rd Saturday of the month 8am – 4pm	Gerringong Town Hall
Shellharbour Village Markets	second Sunday 9am - 2pm	Public school grounds, Addison Street

Please note Sustainable Illawarra does not manage any of these markets, we only promote them. Some markets may close over public holidays and holiday periods. A list of contact details for market enquiries can be found in the local magazine ‘South Coast Times’ – see http://sclt.realviewtechnologies.com/

Know of another market for this list? Contact us

Food co-ops

Food co-ops are collectively run stores which often focus on making natural, organic and local foods more affordable for co-op members and the wider community. Though the styles of food co-ops vary, they share common values of group management and a focus on social and environmental responsibility.

In the Illawarra, a group of community members have been enthusiastically working to launch the Flame Tree Community Food Co-op Ltd. The co-op will be located in the main street of Thirroul, and is set to open soon

see the flier here for more details [PDF, 90kb].

A list of food co-ops nation wide can also be found at http://www.foe.org.au/campaigns/sustainable-food/links/food-co-ops-in-australia/

Sustainable Seafood

75% of the world’s fisheries are overfished. Do your part to ensure the health of the world’s oceans by following these simple steps:

Avoid species like flake, orange roughy, Southern Bluefin Tuna and other long-lived species
Avoid farmed prawns or shrimp
Catch only what you need, and eat what you catch

Find out more by visiting the
Australian Marine Conservation Society
www.amcs.org.au

Factsheets & Downloads

Understanding Food Miles [PDF 1.78Mb]

Understanding Food Insecurity [PDF 1.85Mb]

Options for an Alternative Food System [PDF 2.1Mb]

What are Community Gardens? [PDF 1.6Mb]

People Gather Round Food [PDF 758kb]

Wasteful Consumption in Australia [PDF 185kb]

Links & Contacts

Sustainable Illawarra
www.sustainableillawarra.com.au/Sustainable-Food.html | 4227 7453
Lots of info on sustainable food including a list of local farmers markets and community gardens.

Food Fairness Illawarra
www.healthycitiesill.org.au/foodfairness.htm
A community-based network actively promoting solutions to ensure adequate and healthy food for all.

Sydney Food Fairness Alliance
www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au
An alliance active in promoting a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable food system in the Sydney region. Great fact sheets.

Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network
www.communitygarden.org.au
Inspiration from around the country from people making new friends, unwinding, learning and growing food together.

The North Wollongong PCYC Community Garden
http://thegardennorthgong.blogspot.com
Run by volunteers, they have a working bee and communal lunch on the first Sunday of each month.

Dapto Community Organic Farm
Here you can hire a certified organic veggie plot. Call Margaret (4272 5563) for more details or visit the farm at 29 Darkes Road
Dapto on any Sunday between 10am - 2pm

True Food Network
www.truefood.org.au
If you are concerned about the impacts of genetically engineered food, you can find out more information here.

Inspiring blogs of local backyard growers

- GreenChange www.green-change.com
- A suburban sustainability blog, featuring a Kiama ‘Super Challenge’ family
- Happy Earth www.happyearth.com.au. Follow a young couple from Unanderra on their Adventure in Urban Sustainability.
- Casa Famiglia casafamiglia-thefamilyhouse.blogspot.com/
A suburban sustainability blog, featuring a Wollongong ‘Super Challenge’ family

Australian Marine Conservation Society
www.amcs.org.au | 1800 066 299
Not-for-profit charity working to protect the oceans and make our fisheries sustainable. Publishes Sustainable Seafood Guide.

Permaculture Principles
www.permacultureprinciples.com
Find out about principles that allow us to creatively re-design our environment and behaviour in a world of less energy and resources.

Seed Savers Network
www.seedsavers.net | 02 6685 6624
Dedicated to preserving the genetic basis of tomorrow’s food. Find your local seed saver groups to exchange seeds!

Suppliers of organic heirloom seeds
Green Harvest
www.greenharvest.com.au 1800 681 014
Eden Seeds
www.edenseeds.com.au 07 5533 1107
Greenpatch Seeds
www.greenpatchseeds.com.au 02 6551 4240
The Lost Seed
http://thelostseed.com.au 03 6491 1000
Diggers Club
www.diggers.com.au 03 5984 7900