hillscene 2

community, c

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Issue 2 * 2010

see through me*Great earthquakes*cfa juniors*

recycled fashion and m

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$2.50

aDriAna Al

vaRez dEsign

With creative designs and images displaying a local feel. For standout advertising, flyers, gift vouchers, newsletters or identity call us.

Give your business the professional image

it deserves.

mobile: 0439 823 175email: [email protected] •

aRt • dEsigN • illusTration •

Well, finally the second issue has emerged. So much has been happening since the last issue it seems like it was an eternity ago.

This time with many new contributors, which is giving ‘the hillscene’ a wider voice. It’s a bit bigger and is inching closer to what I had originally envisioned. More content on the diverse goings on in the hills, which I’m always on the lookout for.

I’ve also started a Facebook page since it was suggested to me by Bridget Gunn, a photographic artist featured in this issue. So far it’s had a great response. Let me know of your events or news so I can add it to the page. I’d love to hear your thoughts about this issue too.

Congratulations to the winners of the Cameo Cinema tickets, I really enjoyed reading the reasons why you love living in the hills. Here’s two of the winners.

I’d like to thank Samantha Dunn and Yarra Ranges Council for supporting this zine through their community wards fund. Also thanks to all the people who have contributed and the advertisers and stockists who support it. Without them this little project would not be possible.

Editor/Designer Adriana Alvarez

Cover Amy Bruni

Proofreader Louise Bloxham

Contributers Rebecca Funk, Carolyn Oates, Claire Ferres-Miles, Sarah O’Connor, Melanie Bateson and Adriana Alvarez

facebook: The Hillscene For submission and advertising enquiries e: [email protected]

Printed by Ferntree Print on Envirocare 90gsm recycled paper, cover on 180gsm.© Copyright 2010

WHY WE LOVE LIVING IN THE HILLS

Our favourite activity is simple and absolutely free. For years we’ve kept an old Melways for the sole purpose of exploring the streets all over the Hills. Whenever we’ve a few spare hours on the weekend, we remove the Melways page corresponding to new and interesting-looking streets, put it in our pocket and drive to the chosen location.

Ideally, we choose a set of streets where we can loop back (i.e. not have to backtrack) and that has a variety of landscape – some well-tended gardens, something a bit bushier near the end of a dirt road and perhaps a forest track or two. It’s a wonderful way of getting to know the Hills and, very often, meeting a gardener in their front yard or another walker.

So if you see a couple strolling with Melways page in hand, give us a Hoi!

Karl and Andrea Williams

MY WALK TO SCHOOL

I leave a little earlier when I walk to school, so I can see and notice things that I normally wouldn’t. I notice how old Baba Desi always sets up Café Green Bean’s chairs. I see the same people rushing to the train, even when they’re early. I see lots of business people driving past on their way to the city. I feel peaceful on my walk to school through the busy main street of Belgrave.

I watch and listen to the waking birds while I walk through the hectic morning. The shops are opening; Frost on the glass. My steaming breath makes clouds in my wake. I love my peaceful walk to school in the rolling hills of the Dandenongs.

Elka Hubbard-Mitchell - Age : 13* *Elka, send me your address details so I can send your prize.

Editor’s rave

Have you ever just NEEDED to make things? I make things that I love and my interests always seem to lead me in new and exciting creative journeys.

I have a million ideas bubbling around my head,

but with two little ones at home, I am time challenged. I have a passion for fibre and textile, but I love to find uses for anything that can be mixed in as well. Why just buy paper- I use old menus, maps, music sheets or cereal boxes! etc etc etc...I feel responsible for our environment and our planet and when creating a piece always

see if something can be recycled in some part. I love to see the amazement when customers look at a piece and then recognition spreads over their face at what has been used, that would have otherwise been discarded, or unloved in the original form.

Making and selling handmade has been happening since I was 12 yrs old. Having dappled in many different mediums over the years there was a need after my daughter was born 6 years ago to hunker down to do some serious artistry. To see my whole range visit me on the first Saturday of the month at Kallista Markets from 9-1pm.

Lille Be*ar_t by Amy Bruni: weaving a collection of threads that creatively joins us all & our planet. www.etsy.com/shop/lillebeart

wow! great cover

communit

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umme

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Issue 2 * 2010

Heidi hibberd*Great eathquakes*cfa juniors*

recycled fashion an

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$2.50

Jane Thomas of Local & Global tells us about life after retail and her passion for fair trade.

What have you been up to since ‘Local & Global’ closed down in Belgrave?Since closing the Local & Global store in May I’ve been taking some time out and re-establishing a sense of balance in my life. Running a small retail business can be all-consuming, so now I am able to spend more time with family and friends and the housework is actually getting done! And I suppose the one advantage of running a business for 4 years that didn’t make any money is that there’s no hurry to run out and get a job to replace the income. I’m also an organiser of the Belgrave Survival Day event that celebrates Indigenous culture held on Australia Day, and we’re busy preparing for 2011’s event.

Why are you so passionate about fair trade products?I’ve been interested in social justice for as long as I can remember, it comes from growing up in a household where political issues were regularly discussed and debated. Working in ethical areas of employment has always been important to me and after a number of years working as a vegetarian cook I started working at the Oxfam (then Community Aid Abroad) store in the CBD, in 1997. I worked with Oxfam Trading for seven years, before starting Local & Global about five years ago and in this time I’ve learnt an enormous amount about the difference that Fair Trade makes to people’s lives. It’s so much more than just being able to put a meal on the table or a roof over your head. Fair trade provides dignity, independence and a sense of self respect for those involved. It allows people to generate an income for themselves. I think some people mistakenly see fair trade as charity, but it’s

not. It’s simply about being fair, paying people a fair wage, treating men and women as equals, respecting children’s rights to have a childhood and an education, regardless of what country they were born in. We all look back at the slave trade that existed 150 years ago in America with horror, but what many people don’t realize is that the slave trade continues today. At least 12 million people worldwide are victims of forced labour. Industries such as the cocoa industry in West Africa still, almost unbelievably involve thousands of child slaves. One way to address this is to support fair trade products and producers. My vision of the world is one where people aren’t exploited, where slavery, human trafficking and forced labour don’t exist and running a fair trade business was my contribution to this vision.

Where can we find you and get some more of your great products?I will be at Kallista market on the first Saturday of each month for those who would like to continue supporting the fair trade producers that we work with. In December there’ll be 2 market days at Kallista (Dec 4th and 18th), so my supporters will get ample opportunity to purchase fair trade Christmas gifts for friends and family. If people want to join our mailing list just send us an email with “join mailing list” in the subject line and we can let you know if we are doing any other events.

e: [email protected]

local and global update The fair trade and eco-friendly alternative

cfa juniorsEveryone knows that every town in the hills has a CFA fire station, and we know that when the sirens sound, there is a bunch of people who have the training to respond to all sorts of incidents from house fires, motor vehicle accidents to babies locked in cars. What isn’t as well known is that every fire station up here in the hills is run by volunteers. In addition to the Belgrave Fire Brigade’s Senior

firefighters is also a strong tradition of our younger folk donning overalls and learning to do what the senior volunteers do on the big red trucks.

CFA Juniors are a valued element of our Dandenong Ranges as they often move into the senior ranks and take their skills and experiences into their school lives and later, into the world of employment and their communities. Skills such as relationship and team building, conflict resolution, as well as qualities such as perseverance and self-respect are some of the rewards gained from participation in a brigade Juniors program.

In addition to learning firefighting techniques, Juniors also have the opportunity

to participate in competitions against Juniors from other brigades across the state, just as the Seniors have their Urban and Rural competitions. These events provide excellent networking opportunities and long-distance friendships. Whilst not all Juniors go on to serve in Seniors ranks, Juniors form an important part of brigades’ futures.

Miriam Brosnan, of the Belgrave Fire Brigade, has known brigade life since she was a toddler, came through the Juniors ranks into Seniors in 2008 and recommends the Juniors program in addition to school commitments.

Miriam served as Juniors First Lieutenant from 2004 until 2007 and says, “the aspect of Juniors membership that I got the most out of was the training discipline”. She found learning about procedure and hierarchy valuable to her fire fighting. “I also really loved the social side of brigade life”, she added.

Miriam has been involved in CFA Youth Camp, learning about team building and leadership, as well as the Kalorama Fun Days and Competition running team events and knows these opportunities are unique to Junior firefighter participation.

Kira Murdoch, aged twelve, has just joined the Belgrave Fire Brigade Juniors and is excited about the aspects of firefighting she will learn, like how the equipment on the fire trucks all work. Her first impression of the brigade was watching the juniors turn out on parade at the start of training and says, “it looks really professional”.

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“So far I’ve learned about bowling out hoses and connecting them to the back of a truck to deliver water” says Kira, who is looking forward to competitions. In the CFA volunteer brigades, female members often make up between 20–30% of the overall membership while only about 5% of the overall leadership in the organisation is represented by females, so there’s plenty of room for girls like Kira and Miriam to fill those important positions.

Of course, boys are encouraged to join Juniors, too! In this age of equal opportunity, eroding traditional gender boundaries is a welcome change to any organisation and CFA is no different. It is the willingness to learn and pitch in that are amongst the most important qualities a firefighter can bring to a brigade and the crew he or she is working with. Juniors learn this early on.

If Juniors sounds like something you or your son or daughter could really get into, give it a go—various brigades across the Dandenong Ranges have a Juniors program that you can become involved with. Belgrave Fire Brigade Juniors train on a Tuesday night, so drop in and have a chat to the Officer In Charge about joining up.

Iznaya Kennedy

Iznaya Kennedy has lived in Upwey since 1995, has been a volunteer firefighter since 2002, is currently Vice-President of the Lysterfield Adult Riding Club, member of the Dandenong Ranges Group of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, the South Gippsland/Bass Coast Reconciliation Action Group and involved with the Homebirth In The Hills collective, having homebirthed her daughter in October of 2009. She is currently working towards a Grad Dip Psych at Monash University and sings in the acoustic duo “Black Pepper”.

I’m lining up at the Gembrook IGA, waiting to pay for a few groceries. One of the shop assistants is stocking the refrigerated section with prosciutto, pre-packaged, mind you, but still.

Not long after we first moved here, less than two years ago, I was at a shop in Brunswick, my old stomping ground. Rifling through a rack of second-hand dresses, I heard my five-year-old daughter inform the shop keeper in a very loud voice (it seemed to me!) that “we’re from the country”. I registered an internal cringe at the time, as if that description was an ill-fitting shirt I was dismayed to find myself wearing.

These days, the rural label isn’t so tight under the armpits. Day by day, I grow more attached to the green, breathtaking vistas which accompany every walk, every run, every car trip; more appreciative of the crisp air, our big back yard and the space to plant trees and vegies. The post office ladies know me; I know our neighbours. I’m friends with a visionary down the road, who broadens my worldview, and am involved with a retreat centre round the corner which accommodates many guests, from the well-to-do to the inner-city homeless. Gembrook is the end of the line, but it doesn’t feel like a backwater.

I’m glad, too, for the buses that run to Pakenham and Belgrave, connecting me, physically and psychologically, to the city and all it has to offer. I like living on the cusp.

We came to Gembrook after spending ten months in the middle of the Canadian prairies. We were in a rural township of ten thousand people, but I would have been hard-pressed to find proscuitto. So “I’m from the country” now, but I take it with a grain of salt, knowing the city is never far away.

Rebecca Funk

Rebecca Funk is a writer and mother of three children, whose life is punctuated by Puffing Billy’s whistle. She reflects on life at fiveskies.blogspot.com

Fitting into gembrook

Illus

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The Grassroots Community Market is a new market starting in Upwey in November. It came about when three friends Diane, Christina and Anita discussed how there are so many things available in the region but limited forums for them to be accessed. It’s a showcase for people who make things and grow things to be able to sell their products at a local market. It also provides an opportunity for people to meet the artists and producers.

You don’t have to be local to apply but they are looking for people from the region especially for growers so that people can be in touch with their food source. The main categories are fruit and vegetables, art and crafts, homewares and accessories and plants.

The first Grassroots Community Market will be held on the 20th November from 10am - 4pm

at the back of the Upwey shops near the skate park. There will be outdoor and indoor stalls utilising some of the halls for people with more fragile products. They’re hoping to get between 70 and 100 stalls. It’s an experiment to see how well the community responds. There will be street performers and food to go as well. Next year there will be four and then if it goes well, monthly.

The aim is to make a positive contribution to the community through encouraging trade in the local area, getting the community together and eventually making donations to community groups and providing opportunities for groups to fundraise.

For more information or to book a stall phone: 0407 040 994 email: [email protected] web: www.grassrootsmarket.com.au

Images Adriana Alvarez

My journey began after the birth of my first child. Having been a naturally thin gal all my life, all this extra weight and changes in my body was causing havoc in my wardrobe. Once I’d figured out what to wear to camouflage my rounder bits, I was in a quandary. How to refurbish myself without sending us into bankruptcy? A fellow mothers group virgin made a suggestion that had an everlasting effect on my shopping habits.

My first foray into humble Op Shop down the road, at the time in inner city Melbourne, opened up my eyes to the opportunities (pun intended) that awaited any keen bargain hunter. From the gorgeous cotton floral summer skirt to a huge range of belts and jeans, it had me at “hello”. I was smitten, and smartly decked out if I do say so myself. That was some six years ago, and my love of second hand, recycled, boutique, preloved clothing has only increased.

Moving into these here hills while pregnant with my second son, the growing range of local plunder assisted with my metal wellbeing as I looked for reasons to get out of the house in my new environment, where I knew approximately nobody. The warmth of those running recycled clothing boutiques such as Walk In Wardrobe in Belgrave, and humble Op Shops including the PWP shop in Tecoma helped me to feel a part of the community to which we had relocated, and gave me hope for the future. Once my eldest had begun preschool, my love of all things previously used endeared me to some mothers that have evolved into lifelong friendships.

What is it about these sellers of secret treasure that keeps me and many others coming back? Is it that feeling that other people’s stuff is always better than your own? In my case, that’s certainly part of the puzzle. Is it the delight in finding a piece of clothing that is just a bit different to those of your peers? Sometimes. Could it be part of one’s commitment to recycling, given the saturation of clothing on the market these days and an ethical defiance of the capitalist machine? For some, it sure is.

A Wealth of Thrift

shirt Op shop findjeans Walk in Wardrobe

- Belgravebag Trash and Treasure sale

boots The Silver Compaq - Belgrave

Shop 3, 1545 Burwood Hwy, Tecoma VIC 3160Ph: (03) 9754 1023

Follow us on facebook: Piccaninny Recycled Kids Clothing ebay: piccaninnyrecycledkidsclothes web: www.piccaninny.com.au email: [email protected]

Recycled

Specialising in:quality consignment goods

recycled children’s clothing toys and nursery items

We stock sizes from premmies to teens

F A S H I O N E M P O R I U MA unique range of artistic, funky, exotic accesories, ornaments & textiles

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Whatever your reasons, our local towns are certain to provide everybody with an alternative to the bedlam and impersonal nature of shopping centres. Here in these hills, we have a wealth of choice when in comes to recycled shopping. Perhaps an exploration in greater detail is warranted, in articles to come. Best I find myself a pad and pen at the PWP…

Melanie Bateson

Melanie is a retired Client Service Manager (whatever that means) and barmaid who left the workforce a month prior to the arrival of her first child some 6½ years ago. She has since worked on further breeding programs, and has produced two sons and one daughter. You can catch her raunchy but classy comments on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=721451853

shirt & skirt Top Hat - Belgrave

jacket Beggars Boutique - Upweyshoes The Silver

Compaq - Belgrave

Drawings by Great Earthquake is an instrumental project by hills local, Noah Symons. The album is a soundscape that ambles through the joyful yet melancholic. It feels like taking a walk through a newly discovered hidden treasures shop which is a little disheveled in appearance but full of beautiful and quirky gems.

It is based on his live performances, which sees Symons surrounded by various instruments as a type of one man band. He records one instrument into a pedal and uses this as a basis to create a loop, then adds more instruments to this one at a time. I spoke with Symons about his album and whether his Degree in Fine Art, completed last year, has influenced his music.

Carolyn – Why an instrumental album (or mostly instrumental)?Noah – I have made a lot of recordings with lyrics in the past, and had just started to become interested in creating ambient soundscapes. It wasn’t a conscious decision but I did identify with other instrumental artists at the time and was interested in exploring that realm. I have started writing songs with lyrics again more recently though.

Carolyn – Have you used the same process recording the album as you do live? Noah – Essentially it’s the same but I did spend time recording each individual track, working with the producer Josh Bach, and he did create some loops in the recording process. I didn’t want the recording to be too far removed from what I do live.

Carolyn – Are there similarities in how you approach creating visual art and music?Noah – Yes there are some similarities. I approach my visual art with no preconceived

Noah Symons

musicideas of how I will achieve an outcome and I wanted this kind of organic approach to this album too.

Carolyn – Are there any art styles that you think come out in your music?Noah – Not one specific style springs to mind, I just absorbed the history and information about the different movements in art and various artists. I guess I was searching out other people who combined art and music in their careers.

Carolyn – When I listen to the album I hear minimalism.Noah – Yes there are minimalist influences and Philip Glass is one of those musicians that I have an appreciation for.

Carolyn – Which song is your current favourite and why?Noah – The current favourites are “Words and Images” and “Fully Formed” with my friend Maude Farrugia on vocals. When I listen to these two tracks I can hear it’s not just me performing the whole song and I love what Maude added, they are ideas that I just wouldn’t have thought of.

You can buy the album @ Earthly Pleasures Café in Belgrave. For more information go to: www.myspace.com/greatearthquake

Carolyn Oates

Carolyn is a singer/songwriter about to release her third album “In the Moment”. She has toured both Australia and internationally and loves her time at home in the Dandenongs. You can catch her playing locally at The Hillz Bar, Monbulk on Oct 15 and Nov 12. To listen to her current single and for more information go to: www.myspace.com/carolynoates

1627 Burwood Hwy BelgravePhone: 03 9752 6744

Tapas

and Music

every Wed

night

Earthly Pleasures Organic Cafe

Now Open for Dinner Wednesday to Saturday

New Spring Menu

Words and images Claire Ferres Miles

The ProjectIn 2010 Selby Primary School commenced a large ‘Natural Playscape’ project in the school grounds and the school is keen to get the whole community involved in building this beautiful, exciting and amazing once-in-a-lifetime project. The playscape is an ambitious and innovative project for Selby Primary – it is a unique and one-of-a-kind play environment, as it is conceived and crafted with love, collaboration and care by its community – a reflection of Selby itself.

Construction has begun - with chainsaw carving art sculptures, an ocean sandpit with it’s own pirate ship and log wall carved with waves, mushroom seats, a fairy gate, stepping log walls ... and with more to come.

So why a playscape and why now?The playscape idea was born out of a difficult decision made by the school in 2009 with the removal of a stand of 14 cypress trees due to unacceptable safety risks arising from falling tree branches and the high probability of tree failure due to old age. With such a loss, there was also a sense of new opportunity and a

Selby playscape

Before

desire to ‘keep the spirit’ of the trees which had meant so much to so many Selby students over the past 80 years since they were planted.

Recycling the timber from the trees and giving them a ‘new life in a new form’ also aligned with the school’s ‘Learning for Sustainability’ environment program. The program has seen the development of a thriving frog pond (frequented by a family of ducks), herb and vegetable gardens, entire school composting system and planting of many native species. In 2009 the program won the Shire of Yarra Ranges HabitAT Award.

So what is a ‘Natural Playscape’?Natural playscapes are a new movement in children’s outdoor play areas (‘Natural Playscapes – Creating Outdoor Play Environments for the Soul’ – by Rusty Keller, 2008). Whilst many playgrounds are filled with a plastic or metal climbing apparatus surrounded by a sea of wood chips, a natural playscape makes creative use of the entire space and is filled with art, hills and mounds, pathways, indigenous trees, plants and grasses, herbs, open areas, wood, sand, water, music, and more... Places for children to be creative, to tickle their imagination and surprise their senses.

Community Build DaysConstruction of the Playscape began in late March 2010 and to date we have had five (5) Community Build Days.

Throughout 2010 and 2011, as funding becomes available each stage will be constructed and completed. At the end of each stage, a Engineering and Safety Report will be commissioned to ensure the playscape complies with all Australian Playground Standards. Once compliance is confirmed, each stage will be opened and ‘operational’ for children’s play.

It is expected that by the end of 2011, the majority of the playscape will be completed.

The Playscape Committee has worked extremely hard to link up with both our local community and local businesses to get them involved with the project as it progresses. In return we have had a wonderful response by way of invoice discounts and in-kind donations of time and materials for the project.

The whole of the Selby Primary School community (students, staff and parents) have embraced the project and donated generously of their time, expertise, equipment, materials, energy and muscle during our Community Build Days – which are long days of hard work but you go home with an enormous sense of accomplishment as we can see the playscape emerging from our school grounds!

For a tour of Selby Primary school call the principal Jason Walker on 9754 2675

See Through Me

Bridget at the Walker Street Gallery ‘Emerging

Artists Award’.

Words by Adriana Alvarez Images Bridget Gunn

The See through me project is the brainchild of photographer Bridget Gunn, from The Patch. It’s a community based photomedia project which she had been thinking about starting for a while but really took off in 2009 when her son Phin was a baby. “My personal photography is out in the field and when I had Phin I was stuck at home,” says Bridget so she thought it would be a perfect time to start. “I always tell people that it was developed with Phin on my lap, breastfeeding and on the computer applying for grants,” laughs Bridget.

See through me is a cultural development project which works with children in communities that are isolated, disadvantaged or marginalised, empowering children to to tell their stories visually. They can express themselves by relating stories about their lives and issues that are happening within their

communities with the help of photography, informing others about what’s happening and hopefully creating social change. The project is sponsored by Fuji, Polaroid and Lomo, and funded by the Queensland and Victorian governments. Bridget has worked on several different projects including working with indigenous children of the Jumbun community in the Murray Upper area of North Queensland.

See through me’s current project is ‘Skater Nature’ based in the Dandenong Ranges. There are six skate parks in the Yarra Ranges and each are completely different within their social attitudes. Bridget goes and talks to the young people about the project to see if anyone is interested.

Then, with the consent of the children and parents, she takes a photo of the child as they want to be seen, using a lomography camera, which creates interesting optical effects and gives a very contemporary feel. These images are then placed with a related photo that has a quote from the child.

“This exhibition provides insight into what’s going on with kids within their peer group,” says Bridget, showing why kids go to skate parks and what they get out of it, enlightening parents who often don’t know what their kids do there. “There’s a sort of tribal thing happening at skate parks where big kids look after little kids and with kids taking turns, etc”, says Bridget. These sorts of social interactions can be

See through me project

very positive experiences for them. Bridget is hoping to include the new skate park opening up in Mt Evelyn in the project. Since the dynamics are not yet in place, there’s an opportunity to see what kind of positive effect it can have on the community. ‘Skater Nature’ is being supported by the Yarra Ranges Council and Burrinja.

The next project ‘Child Like’ is also a local project for children of the Warburton area, looking at the local environmental changes and the issues surrounding logging in Melbourne’s water catchment areas. Bridget will be working with the children, talking to them about the issues and making sun printed photos using photosensitive paper. Using natural objects the child will become like what they print, eg. curling up like a root if they have photographed a root. Then the photos are placed side by side to represent the likeness.

Bridget’s personal work also revolves around these similar issues of childhood and nature and how they are connected. “We’re losing childhood quickly”, states Bridget, “and losing nature especially for kids who live in the city.” Becoming removed from nature is a recurring theme in many of Bridget’s works. ‘Mechanical Brides’ is an example of this. It is a toy camera photograph exploring the changing landscape of childhood, society and the wild environment, which has been selected as a finalist for the Walker St Gallery ‘Emerging Artist Award’. The work is currently on show till September 27 at Walker St Gallery, Dandenong.

For more information go to web: www.seethroughme.com.au facebook: See Through Me blog: bridgetgunn.wordpress.com fine art photography

unique childrens portraiture

specializing in contemporary and vintage inspired styles.

spring specials available.

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H onor & F lorence

Sarah O’Connor

I have been enjoying myself tremendously this year as it is the first time in 11 years that I haven’t had any kids at home with me. I keep thinking “what do I want to be when I grow up?” and I always come up with the answer “a writer.” I started a blog called www.autisticchildren.com.au about life with my special girl. I now have the opportunity to write a food review which combines both my love of writing and my love of food! I have been given the title “Café Tart” which I thought would be a good name for my reviews. I always have a friend with me to be my guest reviewer, there’s no shortage of people wanting to go out for coffee, especially in the name of work! I hope you enjoy reading as I enjoy writing (and eating) for you.

Reel Café – Belgrave

My fellow tarts this week were Tiff and Amanda. Danielle was our waitress and she recognised us as we are frequent patrons of the Reel Café. That’s one of the things I like about living in a small town, it’s easy to get to know staff at local stores.

The Reel has a nice feel to it, they have a covered in fireplace that we sat near, there’s nothing like feeling toasty warm when entering a venue on a winters day. It’s conveniently located next to the Cameo Cinemas in Belgrave.

Amanda and I decided to share. We went for a sourdough sandwich with bacon, red pesto, spinach and boccincini. We also chose a Turkish bread sandwich with roast pumpkin, chilli jam, fetta and rocket. Both of these were $11 each. Both sandwiches were appealing to look at and neither disappointed in the taste stakes. We were both pleased with the chilli jam which gave the sandwich a bit of bite. The pesto also lifted the bacon sandwich which I think may have been quite bland without it.

Tiff had the chicken, coriander and rice noodle spring rolls. This came with Laksa dip. I have had these before and they are delicious, Tiff certainly enjoyed hers this week. These were priced at $12 for 3. All 3 of us had coffees, my cappuccino had chocolate sprinkled on the top rather than a pattern, still lovely to spoon into the mouth.

The thing I love about the Reel Café is the wide variety on their menu. They have all day breakfasts, small meals and larger meals. It’s nice to sometimes go and ‘graze’ at nibbly style foods that you can share with a friend. It’s definitely a favourite of mine!

1628 Burwood Hwy, Belgrave Ph: (03) 9754 1055

cafe tarts

Lady Hawke Café – Mt Dandenong

Last week I took my fellow tart Michaela along to check out the Lady Hawke Café in Mount Dandenong. What a gorgeous place, I wanted it to be my house! There were bright, eye catching artworks hung everywhere, the tables were beautifully tiled and there was, a must in the hills, an open fireplace.

The staff were friendly and seated us straight away, leaving us to peruse the menu. You could choose from an all day breakfast menu or a selection of larger meals. As we weren’t after a huge meal we opted for the breakfasts since we both love our bacon. I chose the French toast, bacon, tomato and sautéed mushrooms for $15.00. Michaela chose the Big breakfast special which consisted of 1 rasher of bacon, fried tomato, sautéed mushrooms, poached egg and salad, a bargain at $10.00. Interestingly enough both of our breakfasts came with salads, mine with a pomegranate sauce. They were delicious and an excellent addition to our meals, which surprised me.

We followed through (for the sake of the review) with sharing an orange and lemon cheesecake with Persian fairy floss and double cream for $8.00 and the chocolate brownie with Persian fairy floss and double cream for $7.00. We both enjoyed the brownie but thought that the cheesecake was a bit too creamy for our tastes. We still however ate the lot! My cappuccino and following pot of tea came with a chocolate freckle on the side which was a nice touch.

All in all I would certainly go back to the Lady Hawke Café. It’s a beautiful set up and feels

very welcoming as were the staff. The food was lovely though it would have been nice to see some toasted sandwiches or other light fare on the menu. Then again, we wouldn’t have realised how nice it is to have a salad with our breakfast if they had!

1365 Mt. Dandenong Tourist Rd, Mount Dandenong Ph: (03) 9751 1104

Images Rebecca Funk

Fred Eder, of Kallista Biodynamic Market, grew up in Vienna, but it wasn’t until years later, here in Australia, that he came across the biodynamic principles of the Austrian philosopher, Dr Rudolf Steiner, and applied them to his farm in Monbulk. Steiner was approached by farmers who were concerned by a decline in crops and animal welfare resulting from the use of chemical fertilisers. In 1924, he delivered a series of lectures outlining a new agricultural approach, the foundation of what is now called biodynamic farming.

This method of farming starts and ends with the soil. Manure and organic matter are turned into compost, green manures are grown and turned through the soil, and special preparations are spread across the land, acting as yeast in bread, to encourage biological activity in the soil. Cosmic influences upon the earth are recognised, crops and grazing rotated, companion planting practised and only particular methods of cultivation used, so as to protect the structure of the soil.

All these techniques seek to aid the soil in the creation

of colloidal humus, which is literally, plant food. The term ‘colloidal’ refers to how the humus holds water and nutrients; butter and jelly are also colloids. The fine feeder roots of the plants can take up the nutrients from the humus in this state, while the thicker roots can take up water which is relatively free of dissolved minerals. The uptake of nutrients is directly related to sun-warmth: when the sun shines, the feeder roots respond, and when it’s cooler, the plant slows or ceases feeding.

In conventional agriculture, the soil and the sun recede in importance because the uptake of nutrients, via water-soluble fertilisers, is attached to the uptake of water. This is a kind of force-feeding, because a plant must draw water if it is to remain alive, and often results in an overabundance of minerals in the plant system. The plant is then more susceptible to pests. The same situation can arise when organic farming is

understood as simply avoiding artificial fertilisers and pesticides.

The biodynamic approach is very practical, outlining a range of techniques for building up humus in the soil and creating a sustainable, diverse farm. But it’s never lost its esoteric stigma, attached, as it is, to Steiner’s spiritual ideas. Literature promoting biodynamics speaks of “redeeming soil structure”, “converting to biodynamics” and “the moral decision of the farmer…to forsake the conventional farming system”. At the end of the day, biodynamic farming requires a leap of faith, to take on a whole new perception of Nature. The leap of faith, for us as consumers, is to lay down

Biodynamic food

our cash, trusting that buying biodynamic is a step towards quality, health and sustainability.

And this is happening. Fred was initially selling produce at farmers markets, but opened a shop in response to numerous requests from customers. The shop has grown over time and is now open six days a week. Fred’s approach is to have a very small mark-up but a huge turnover, and to facilitate this, he brings back more than a tonne of produce from the wholesale markets five times a week. His passion for biodynamics and health is infectious, and it seems like his simple vision, to get good food to working people, is flourishing.

Steiner believed that his agricultural approach would heal the earth, and whether or not you appreciate the spiritual aspect of biodynamics, it seems to me that this holistic approach to farming goes a long way towards righting our relationship to food and land, a relationship sorely in need of restoration.

Local sources of biodynamic and organic food: Upper Gully Organics, Upper Ferntree Gully Kallista Biodynamic Market Belgrave Organics Manuka Wholefoods, Upwey Farm Shed Organic Shop, Nangana www.communityharvest.org.au

Rebecca Funk

Rebecca Funk hopes to one day look down at her hands and see green thumbs. She experiments on a patch of land in Gembrook, and reflects on life at www.fiveskies.blogspot.com

food for thought

Upper Gully Organics is committed to feeding the people of the foothills

and beyond the best in organic, bio-dynamic and natural foods.

AS WELL AS FRESH PRODUCE, WE’RE BIG ON: groceries, dry goods, health foods, vitamins and supplements, beauty products and cosmetics, baby food and products, teas and herbs, cleaning products, gardening products and accessories, alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines and beer, pet products, books & CDs, salt lamps, jewellery & accessories and much, much more.

1232 Burwood Highway, Upper Ferntree Gully 3156 p: +61 3 9752 2688f: +61 3 9752 2261 m: +61 417 113 249 e: [email protected] w: www.uppergully organics.com.au

Upper Gully OrganicsORGANIC, BIO-DYNAMIC & NATURAL FOODS

77 Monbulk Rd, Kallista VIC 3791 (behind Kallista Biodynamic Market)

[email protected]

eco-epoche

Words and image Adriana Alvarez

Epoche is a beautiful gift shop founded out of love for Steiner education by Mirakye McCarty, a mother of four Steiner educated children, out of the belief of honouring childhood and the cycles of nature. Based on a desire to nourish the whole child in terms of quality toys and books that emphasise the importance of imagination and imaginative play. “The toys and gifts are sourced from around the world, from ethical lines rather than made in Chinese sweatshops from child labour, with products made from natural fibres or eco-friendly wood and a lot are fair trade.” says Mirakye.

An important theme throughout the shop is the celebration of mother nature and seasonal cycles. The ‘Spring’ table currently on display (at left) is one such example of this.

It opened in Dec 2007 when Mirakye felt there was a lack of shops of that nature in the area and out of a desire to support the Steiner community. But it has become much wider reaching than she had imagined, with many people not into Steiner education who love the shop. “There are many conscious parents who are seeking gifts that are more natural and open ended, are eco-friendly and nurture creativity,” says Mirakye.

The store also draws people from all around Melbourne who appreciate the purity of the products that are selected. “ I have made many meaningful relationships with customers and their families and children” says Mirakye, who has created a shop with an intimate community atmosphere where people are welcome to come and explore and feed the child at heart.

For more info visit www.epoche.com.au

Figure Trim @ Belgrave SouthFigure Trim provides a comfortable, friendly, relaxing environment along with excellent personalised service.

There are no joining fees, instead you have a choice of buying 10 session packs or 30 session packs. Alternatively you can take up a fast track - you can come every day for a month.

We also offer a 10% discount for seniors and health care card holders.

Figure Trim has 8 different machines. Each machine works a different part of the body allowing you to lay back, relax and let the machines do all the work for you. Figure Trim also has

a Ul Bro machine which is cardio - the machine helps relieve arthritis pain and stiffness, any sore joints and is also good for MS sufferers.

The machines stimulate better blood circulation and help with fluid retention. They also help with posture, flexibility and mobility.

By using the machines you can lose up to 26cm in 10 sessions.

So do something for yourself. Lose those unwanted centimetres for Spring and Summer.

Phone Jo Bailey 9752 6695 140 Colby Drive, Belgrave South.

6th - 25th November 2010 Upper Yarra Arts Centre

“GLASS” the exhibition Kirsten Laken

The Spirit of Glass........a diverse range of glass works featuring many techniques of the medium.You are invited to join Kirsten at

the gala opening of Glass... the exhibition on Saturday 6th November 2010from 1:00pm - 3:00pm.

Exhibition6th - 25th November 2010Tuesday - Friday 9:30am - 4:30pmSaturday 11:00am - 4:00pm

Upper Yarra Arts Centre3409 Warburton Hwy Warburton(mel ref 290 b4)

5966 4500Glass... the exhibition is proudly supported by super music duo, ‘The April Maze’ & Yarra Valley Estate winery.

You are invited to join Kirsten at the gala opening of Glass... the exhibition onSaturday 6th November 2010from 1:00pm - 3:00pm.

Exhibition hoursTuesday - Friday 9:30am - 4:30pmSaturday 11:00am - 4:00pm

Glass... the exhibition is proudly supported by

super music duo, ‘The April Maze’ & Yarra

Valley Estate winery.

The Spirit of Glass........a diverse range of glass works featuring many techniques of the medium.

“GLASS”the exhibition

Kirsten Laken6th - 25th November 2010Upper Yarra Arts Centre3409 Warburton Hwy Warburton(mel ref 290 b4) Ph: 5966 4500

SPIRIT OF GLASSLeadlight and Stained Glass

windows, Splash-backs and Trophy’s made to order,

Plus classes in all aspects of Fusing, Slumping, Stained

Glass, Leadlight and Copperfoil.

contact Kirsten on 9754 [email protected]

www.spiritofglass.com.au

1230 Burwood Highway, Upper Ferntree Gully

9752 2559

Hahndorf ’s Specialises in* Gift Boxes

*Chocolate Trays* Corporate Gifts

* Chocolate Hampers

We cater for Weddings, Functions and “Chocolate Parties”.

creative kid’s parties

Let us provide a fun-filled and creative art experience for your party, in your home, that your child and guests will love.

Ring us to find out more about our selection of art activities to suit your child.

Also available:• Quality face painting for parties

or events• Individual canvas painting

giddy ART

Katherine Slater (Bachelor of Education-Visual Arts)mob: 0408 789 978

Adriana Alvarez (Bachelor of Visual Arts)

mob: 0439 823 175

www.giddyart.com.aue: [email protected]

* ceramic mugs* canvas painting* treasure boxes* dragon puppets

* magnets* badges* masks* face painting

Party activities to choose from

Individual canvas painting

A one on one session where we guide the child while they create their own unique artwork they will treasure. A great gift experience for family or friends.

We provide printable invitations for your party and bring a hand painted gift for your child.We take care of the stress - you have all the fun!

Children’s art parties • Face painting • Canvas art

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