Dates for the Diary

Local Landcaring every Thursday around Coal Point

April  : Gurranba Reserve

Thursday 4/4/13 - with Green Team.
Every Thursday with volunteers from Trees In Newcastle.

Ring Robyn for details : 4959 1507

Lake Mac Workshops at the Landcare Resource Centre, Five Islands Rd: 

Make your own backyard habitat workshop
Saturday 20/4/13 : 1-3pm. Frog ponds, possum boxes and a whole lot more.

Create your own Naturewatch Diary 

Saturday 25/5/13 10.30-12.30

Community Garden Working Bee

Saturday 6/4/13 1.30pm at the Toronto Senior Citizens Hall, 97 The Boulevarde, Toronto.
There’s more planting, eating and chatting to be done. Not to mention plenty of sitting back and admiring our efforts to date!
Bring your friends and family www.facebook.com/groups/torontoareacommunitygarden

Progress Committee Meetings

8/4/13   April 

13/5/13  May

No June Meeting

8/7/13 July

12/8/13 August

9/9/13 September

14/10/13 October

10/11/13 November

9/12/13 December

Landcare dates

The Landcare program for 2013 is outlined below - Each month the Reserve mentioned will be the focus of attention.
The dates noted are for the Lake Macquarie Landcare volunteer support days

Every Thursday Trees In Newcastle volunteers lend a hand as well. 

April 

Gurranba Reserve 4/4/13

May 

West Ridge Reserves 2/5/13

June 

Laycock St South 6/6/13

July 

Stansfield Reserve 4/7/13

July 28^th

National Tree Day- Carey Bay Wetlands

August 

Burnage Reserve 8/8/13

September 

Gurranba  Reserve 5/9/13

October 

West Ridge Reserves 3/10/13

November 

Yural/Ambrose St Reserves 7/11/13

December

Carey Bay Wetlands 12/12/13

February 2014 

Carey Bay Wetlands  6/2/14

Committee meeting welcome and reminders

The Progress Year is moving along at a well planned pace hoping to encourage and engage all and sundry in some local life and activities that you don’t have to go too far to enjoy.

The Committee has met for the 1st time this year and in an effort to provide timely information has moved the monthly committee meetings to the 2nd Monday of the month 4-6pm. 
Meeting dates for the year are 

• 11/3/13   March & AGM 
• 8/4/13    April 
• 13/5/13  May
• No June Meeting
• 8/7/13    July
• 12/8/13   August
• 9/9/13    September
• 14/10/13 October
• 10/11/13 November
• 9/12/13 December

 

Getting the Winter crop underway?

The second inspiring installment from the VegeTTable talks to get you growing.

Recap: It all starts with the soil and location location location.

• Vegetables grow mainly in the top 6cm of the soil, so it’s up to you as a gardener to make the best soil. Think of your vegie patch as a lawn improvement device.
• Face your garden North to North-east if possible to catch the most rays.
• Start small with a 1m square, it's big enough. Make it easy to access all around the patch.  Once you've got the hang of it expand a bit at a time.
• Tools of the trade include a spade, fork, rake and hose
• Soil preparation is important.Break up the clods, add organic matter, dynamic lifter, blood and bone, dolomite (MgCO3 )
• Mulch is magic. Cover the surface, to reduce evaporation, keep the soil cooler in summer and warmer in winter
• Compost is dug into the garden...it's international compost awareness week soon
• If you don't have enough room for a garden and want to delve into pots as the preferred growing medium styrofoam boxes are very versatile as growing pots. Ceramic/earthenware that are not glazed need to be lined with plastic because they loose water through evaporation. 

Sowing Seeds

• Read the back of the back, we live in a temperate climate and use by dates matter
• For an instant garden lettuce and spinach are great and you can pick the leaves all year round.
• Parsnip seeds only last a year at the most but are quick growers

How to sow?

• Use a rake handle to make a groove, the drill.
• Water the drill and remove any lumps
• Sow the seed, the smaller the seed the shallower the drill and cover over
• Put a stick at either end to remind where you planted
• Thin out when second set of leaves emerge

What to sow in May

• Seed : broad bean, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, pea, spinach
• Seedlings: cabbage, celery, leek, onion, silver beet, spinach,turnip

The VegeTTable group will meet on the 2nd Saturday of the month 10-11am at various gardens around the community to gather ideas, advice and support. Contact Geoff for more information on 4959 3470

Handy Tip- There is a manure selling business at 110 Macquarie Rd Fassifern, about 400m past the train station turnoff. They sell chook, cow and horse manure at very reasonable rates.

VegeTTable Talks

The VegeTTable group will start regular 2nd Monday of the month meetings 7-8.30pm, at the Hall as of Monday 11th April.  The session will include,

• Q & A/trouble shooting
• a special interest subject
• a trading table to share produce
• a brag or moan session.

The other aspect to the group’s gatherings will be garden visits to showcase or support local vegetable growers.

 These will be on  the Saturday following meeting 10-11am, the first visit at 54-56 Amelia Street, two gardens to think about how they tend their crops. 

April In the Veggie patch

Jobs to do: Prepare the area to be planted by top dressing with compost and blood and bone. Dig in and rake over.

Sowing and Growing:

Seed: broad bean, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, onion, silver beet

Seedlings: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, silver beet, lettuce

If space is limited make a herb garden in a polystyrene box. Place Styrofoam chunks for drainage and shade cloth in the bottom to prevent soil escape, fill with potting mix and plant with herbs such as thyme, parsley, chives. Place box in sunny position on a verandah or patio.

Progress Patter

It's been a great and very fast year Progress-wise, moving in some new directions, incorporating more social activities and generally getting back in to the swing of things. It's also the time of year where memberships fall due so look out for the renewal notice coming to a letterbox near you. Included will also be an extra membership form,maybe your neighbour would like to join up.

The Progress Association has been working for the betterment of the Coal Point community since 1946, a long a credible history. There is a role for the organisation as long as there is support from the people it represents. The more members we have the stronger the voice.
Sincerest thanks goes out to all for the support throughout the year and the feedback on how the organisation is travelling. The Progress Association wishes all the community a safe and peaceful festive season, full of fond memories and happiness.

The 7th December monthly meeting will commence at 7pm and discuss the Department of Housing Application at Carey Bay, the Toronto town figs, the leash free dog area, funding options for Landcare projects and hall maintenance projects for a Work for the Dole team?sounds like an interesting meeting.

Get alon’ little doggy- Leash Free discussion

At the October Progress meeting an initial discussion was had considering the relocation of the Leash Free dog area from Birriban to Gurranba reserve.

Some of the points that were considered included the increasing usage of Birriban reserve and the increasing incompatibility of free ranging dogs in close proximity to cars, trailers, children’s playground and fish cleaning facilities.

A relocation of the leash free area to Gurranba reserve which is larger, has less vehicle traffic but still provides foreshore and toilet facilities is being considered at the November meeting.

If you have any thoughts regarding this proposed change please contact the Progress Association or come along to the meeting on Monday 2nd November, 7pm, at Progress Hall, 197 Skye Point Rd, Coal Point