First harvest for Feed Me Bellarine

FEED Me Bellarine have successfully harvested their first batch of fresh produce after receiving a plot of Drysdale land back in January.
FMB volunteer Carly Turner said a local farmer donated the 200sqm plot where they planted seedlings in late February.
After months of watering, weeding and monitoring, they recently reaped what they sowed.
“We planted some lettuce, silverbeet, cabbage, some broccoli and a lot of parsley. Those seedlings were donated to us from the Gro-Link Nursery in Werribee,” Ms Turner said.
“On May 13, we headed out to pick the produce. It’s the first lot of produce we’ve nurtured from little seedlings into fully grown, nutritional, pesticide free, plate-filling veggies and I could not be prouder of the team that got us to this point.”
Ms Turner, who’s been volunteering since she fell in love with the organisation last year, said the plot was entirely run by volunteers and follows the ethos of FMB meaning people can “give what they can, when they can”.
“When and how often people volunteer their time to the plot is based on the principal that you give what you can, when you can. For a lot of people that are juggling work alongside volunteering, it makes it much more accessible.
“I’m self-employed so I can’t commit to a rigid schedule. FMB have the perfect combination that allows you to contribute as much as you can, whenever it is that you can.”
Ms Turner believes the garden plot will be a game-changer for the organisation, allowing them to grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables – dependent upon what’s in season.
“I think sometimes we forget not everyone has access to fresh fruit and veggies, that you’re blessed if you can get healthy ingredients whenever you like.
“I love we’re able to keep our food mileage down by growing something locally, that’s in season and right for our climate – while also striving to keep it pesticide free.
“Nature’s pretty amazing. You give it a little bit of love, and it gives you a whole tonne back. The guys at FMB keep as much as they can out of landfill. We’re complimenting that by providing fresh vegetables for whole meals, with a local stamp.”