Update From Project 76
Hey Farmers!
The garden beds at Project 76 are thriving, despite the heavy rains. The lettuce is almost ready to harvest, the kale is pluckable and the carrots have emerged! None of this would be possible without the support of community - so a big thank you for backing this project and your wonderful messages of advice and support.
With the new beds down, I’m working hard to reestablish the biodiversity and attract beneficial insects. This will take time and I’m not the most patient farmer when it comes to flowers! Luckily, I’ve got an old wood pile for an insect hotel (home to skinks that bask in the afternoon sun) and the wheelbarrow pond is starting to flourish ahead of the warmer weather when paper wasps, bees and hoverflies will stop by.
My bathroom-turned-nursery is heaving to get a jump start on summer seedlings. Veggies to look forward to include tomato, eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, lettuce, cucumbers. I’ll be potting up spares for you to grow at home so if you’re interested in summer seedling packs, send me an email and I’ll pop you on the list.
Ka kite ano,
Farmer Alana X
Contact details are:
Project76farm@gmail.com
www.instagram.com/project__76
About Project 76
Project 76 is an urban farm project in Perth created by local legend Farmer Alana. Based on a small block of land in the Perth Metro suburb of Victoria Park, just a few kms from the CBD, this urban farm already boasts some happy hens, a pair of ducks and a Kenyan hive overflowing with honey bees.
The first crop of veggies were planted in Autumn 2022. Soon local people will be able to visit their hyperlocal farmer to obtain fresh fruit and veggies for the family. The urban farm is being cultivated using traditional low-no till methods, repairing the soil and increasing biodiversity. Farmer Alana is committed to using organic inputs and permaculture principles to produce nutrient dense food with very low food miles.
Find out more about the Project 76 urban farm.
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What is an Urban Farm?
An urban farm is a place for producing vegetables, fruit and other food, or raising animals, in and around cities. Urban agriculture is increasingly recognised for its role in supporting efforts to enhance urban resilience, urban food security and contribute to meeting the challenges of adapting to climate change.
In some areas of Australia, local governments are slowly adopting urban agriculture strategies, supporting programs to expand the growing of food on public and private land. Urban farms are increasingly acknowledged as a key means for councils to achieve their health, well-being and community building objectives.
An urban farm may include:
- Vegetable and fruit growing
- Livestock raising, especially poultry
- Beekeeping, aquaculture, hydroponics and aquaponics
- Value-adding (e.g. making preserves)
Have you got an urban farm in your area? We would love to hear about it.
Carla van Raay
September 11, 2022
Hello Farmer Alana, and congratulations on a beautiful-looking garden! I love beauty and neatness when possible in the farming arena, I must say! Do you have photos of how you installed the wicking beds with the help of a team? What were the stages you went through, and how long did it take from beginning to this success? Lastly, how did you enlist the friends who came to co-work with you??
A lot of questions but I hope not too many. Thanks and great good wishes, Carla (so far mainly a lone gardener in Willagee, and a member of Hilton Harvest Community Garden)