Let’s have a chat! Since launching in 2018, Farm Chats has been a hit, and a great opportunity to gather with community and a panel, and discuss all things food and farming, with a different focus each month.
Why do we do this? We’ve found ourselves in a community of like-minded humans who want to hear more in-depth discussion about food in Australia, and what better place to hold this than our urban farm in Camperdown. We believe that real-life interaction, conversations and local Australian stories will allow us to take discussion and action to the next level. So get on board, come to a Farm Chat to be well watered and filled with ideas.
September Farm Chats we are focusing on BEES! It’s estimated that a third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees, and without them our days on this Earth are numbered, and with heavy use of pesticides and the global phenomenon that is colony collapse disorder their risk of future extinction is a real possibility. So what can we do? How do we help maintain healthy populations of bees - both native and honeybees - that is natural and respectful to them? We’ll introduce you to four people working with bees guided in discussion by Costa Georgiadis for an evening of heartfelt discussion on our favourite little insect friends.
When: Wednesday September 4th, at 6pm. Panel will finish by 8pm and beers & chats are welcome to continue.
Cost: $25
Provided: Your first drink, thanks to our brewing mates Young Henrys + a hearty mug of soup from the farm and crusty sourdough bread from the fine folk at Brickfields.
Bring: Coins for beer donations. All donations go directly to our education programs.
THE PANEL
TIM MALFROY of Malfroy’s Gold Tim is a second-generation beekeeper, growing up on a large apiary in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Tim has been practicing organic and biodynamic beekeeping since he started keeping his own bees in 2006, building his practice into the award-winning Malfroy’s Gold honey label, alongside his wife Emma. He has been teaching natural beekeeping for over 8 years, and is the only full-time professional natural beekeeper in Australia – NaturalBeekeeping.com.au
DAN SMAILES of Sydney Native Bees is a permaculturalist and a true indigenous biodiversity advocate. Since discovering the essential link between native plant and endemic pollinator, Dan has solely focused his study on the essential role and adaption native bees resonate on Sydney's suburban & industrialised environment. Through his recent contribution at Permaculture Northern Beaches and collaboration with Wildthings NSW he has developed a unique understanding of 'our' Tetragonula Carbonaria colony behaviour, seasonal instinct and social patterns endemic to this region.
ADAM KENNEDY is a Permaculture educator, beekeeper and fermentation enthusiast. When he caught his first swarm he was hooked...the hives kept on multiplying along with Adams’ deep interest for the magic world of bees. He has been incredibly blessed to be working with and learning from natural beekeeper Tim Malfroy in his apiaries in the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains for the past seven years, as well as assisting on Tims’ Natural Beekeeping Courses with Milkwood Permaculture. Adam has hives in backyards across Sydney and his main Apirary in Faulconbridge. He is particularly interested in working with “wild” colonies in the hope that their genetic diversity will provide increased resilience when the Varroa mite arrives in force to Australia. He is also addicted to making wild fermented mead.
AMELIE VANDERSTOCK Bee researcher at the University of Sydney, educator, science communicator and super passionate human bee-ing. Amelie is researching the role of native bees and other pollinators in Sydney’s community gardens and bushland. She is a co-founder of ‘Lets BEE Scientists’, a project where youth are co-creating ecology experiments to learn about local pollinators. Her dream is to share a wonder for bees in active ways with the broader community - because we are all scientists!
IN CONVERSATION WITH COSTA GEORGIADIS
Costa is a force to be reckoned with. A landscape architect and permaculturalist, Gardening Australia presenter and kids television show host and above all, an educator with an amazing capacity for celebrating and advocating for change-making environmental and agricultural projects and communities. Costa is passionate about food underpinning all our other activities, creative ventures and community life. He’ll be guiding our panelists through a lively discussion about their work and the incredible importance of bees in our our world.
OUR SPONSORS
Young Henrys is an eclectic group of passionate brewers, distillers, musicians and artists, united for the love of good beer and fine gin.
Brickfields baking heavenly pastry, cakes and crusty sourdough and serving up delicious treats at their corner bakery in Chippendale.