RIG News – February 2013 " " News from the Remote Indigenous Gardens Network – www.remoteindigenousgardens.net Welcome to the first RIG News for 2013 – a bit of a bumper edition to kick things off, after what has been such a challenging hot summer and dry wet season for so many people. In this edition we welcome two new RIG Partner Organisations – the Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association (TEABBA) and Nutrition Plus Ltd and include a short piece about some really useful new gardening and garden design resources you can download from the RIG website. As it’s the first for the year, we’ve rejigged the order of things. Leading off, is a listing of coming events from within the Network and from across the nation that relate to food, health and social and economic development on country. For your information and possibly for your diary? Saving the best for last, read on for technical tips, advice and inspiration for central Australian and top end gardens, respectively, from gardening gurus Geoff Miers and Leonie Norrington. Many thanks Geoff and Leonie for your stories - Technical Tips that we aim to include as regular features this year. RIG Network aims to support people in remote communities who want to grow food for better health, wealth and wellbeing. We share information, facilitate partnerships and initiate projects to help build local skills and capacity. Our core programs are: 1. Network communications and information sharing, and 2. Strategic research, advocacy and partnership projects. I hope you find something interesting or useful in this edition, and as always, welcome your feedback and suggestions for future editions. Anthea. Tabatha Saunders, an Individual Supporter of RIG, profiled in RIG News " early last year has plans for an exciting new project…she is SEEKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST From Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with Horticultural Knowledge from both a Professional or Traditional Perspective * Do you Love Plants? * Are You A Keen Gardener? * Do You Work within the Horticulture Industry and if not, do you have stories about plants that you would like to share? * Do you think you could commit your stories in writing? Then I'd LOVE to hear from you! There is an opportunity for you to tell your stories and technical knowledge about plants from an indigenous perspective. If you think you may be interested in contributing, then please contact me " by emailing me directly at [email protected] or via the RIG Network for Tabatha&lives&in&Brisbane&and&is& further details. a&qualified&Horticulturist.&& Advertisement " THE PLANTSMITH ( Girraween Nursery) Wholesale growers of seedlings, herbs, advanced vegetables, paw paw passionfruit, chilis and more. Also flowers shrubs, palms and cycads. Supplying NT and WA Ph 08 89832001 fax 08 89111965 email [email protected] """"""" " " RIG News – February 2013, RIG Network’s Bi-monthly Newsletter, No.23 " 1" " RIG Network connections - people, events, programs, new conversations, partnerships. COMING EVENTS 2013 – FOR YOUR INFO &/OR DIARY Coming Events – Around the Network March 8: JCU Symposium and Fair, ‘How can we live and eat sustainably in the tropics?’ The JCU Sustainability Symposium and Fair will be held at JCU, Cairns, Friday March 8 from 8:30am – 7:00pm. Speakers from RIG Network will contribute to the program, short presentation at 2:00pm. For the full program of events and speakers see: JCU Symposium and Fair Program March 11: RIG Cairns Regional Group Meeting, Cairns The group’s second meeting will focus on discussion to identify and plan strategic and practical project priorities group members wish to progress, including how the regional group will meet/interact going forward. To be held on Monday March 11, from 12:00pm – 4:30pm, Meeting Room 1, Cairns Library. March 21: National Close the Gap Day Get involved in the National Close the Gap Day campaign and join the thousands of people and organisations around Australia holding events to raise awareness of the Indigenous health crisis. Consider a local event to celebrate local people, food, useful bush plant, gardening ands other skills? If you do, let us know! https://www.oxfam.org.au/explore/indigenous-australia/close-the-gap/ March 22: CDEP Provider Meeting – Darwin The final all CDEP Provider Meeting for providers in the Darwin ICC region will be held on Friday March 22 at the ‘older’ Holiday Inn, The Esplanade, Darwin. This will be the final meeting of the group before this CDEP Contract ends and RJCP Contract begins. Presenters will address various topics including one on new ideas for social design for garden projects by Anthea from RIG Network. For more information, contact Samoane Regattieri, CDEP Regional Mobility Coordinator N.T Region, DRIACDEP, [email protected]. March - April: RIG Programs – EduGrow School Garden Awards 2013, NT Stay tuned for announcements about the EduGrow School Garden Awards before the end of Term 1! Planning is well underway for the EduGrow School Garden Awards 2013 that RIG Network and our EduGrow partner organisations plan to offer to build upon the achievements of last years ALPA 40th Anniversary EduGrow School Garden Awards. If you or your organisation are interested in supporting the Awards please contact Anthea directly by March 20. [email protected] or 0419 478856. June 1-2: The 2013 Tropical Garden Spectacular – Garden Party theme, Darwin Planning for this years Tropical Garden Spectacular is well underway ‘let’s have a garden party – lettuce turnip the beet!’. RIG Network is again working with the organisers to encourage and support gardeners from communities out of Darwin to get along to this years event. Stay tuned for further details. If you’d like to learn more or get involved in one of the planning sub-groups contact Michele Shugg, Executive Officer, Nursery & Garden Industry NT, [email protected]. June 3-4: Growing Communities, Learning in the Garden National Seminar, Brisbane Six years on since the last national seminar, the LITGNS will bring together educators, health professionals, parents, individuals and organisations for a two-day journey of gardens-based education and professional development to explore how school gardens can equip school age children to respond positively and proactively to a changing world. In light of recent natural disasters around Australia, this year’s seminar will focus on the role of school gardens in addressing issues of adaptation, resilience and food security for future generations. The National Seminar program will include presentations, discussion panels, hands-on workshops and activities, visits to operating school gardens, lunches, dinners, and information stalls. As well as exploring the above themes, the program will also cater for people at various stages of the process of setting up, growing and harvesting a school garden. Growing Communities is calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) to speak, present, facilitate or entertain at the seminar. If interested, please send your details and a 200 word description of your proposed activity. Closing date for EOI’s is Friday 28 March. For more information: 0424 985 383 or email [email protected]. RIG News – February 2013, RIG Network’s Bi-monthly Newsletter, No.23 2" Coming Events - Major Conferences and Gatherings 2013 The following lists major national events that relate in various ways to the food sector, Indigenous health, and different perspectives about, and opportunities for, social and economic development on country. March 20-21: 3rd National Sustainable Food Summit, Melbourne Convened by the 3 Pillars Network, this is the third of these annual events and will again be held in Melbourne. For more information or to register go to: Sustainable Food Summit Melbourne. April 7 -10: 12th National Rural Health Conference – Strong Commitment. Bright Future. The conference will be held in Adelaide. The conference Program is now online. With 46 concurrent sessions and more than a dozen keynotes on selected issues, the Conference will provide a timely analysis of where the health and wellbeing of rural Australia stands. To learn more or register, go to: http://nrha.org.au/12nrhc/ April 18: Global Food Forum – Australia’s Place at the Table, Melbourne The Australian – in partnership with Visy and supported by The Wall Street Journal – is presenting “a landmark conference on food security …to explore the potential for agriculture to become Australia’s next great economic boom”. For full list of speakers and conference information: www.theaustralian.com.au/globalfoodforum April 29 – May 3: Second North Australian Indigenous Experts Forum The Second Forum will focus on progressing governance and management frameworks of the key projects, establish project priorities by developing their terms of reference, and associated strategies for delivery. The North Australian Indigenous Experts Forum is supported under the Australian Government Northern Australia Sustainable Futures Program delivered by the Office of Northern Australia. NAILSMA provides secretariat support to the Indigenous Experts Forum. Visit the NAILSMA website for further information. Contact Anna Boustead, NAIEF Project Officer, NAILSMA, to subscribe to Network News that provides updates on activities of the Indigenous Expert Forum. May 14 & 15; 23: Supply Nation Connect 2013 – Turning contacts into contracts Supply Nation (formerly known as AIMSC) provides a direct business to business purchasing link between corporate Australia, government