Continued growth: Common Ground excited for 2024

A FRESHWATER Creek-based regenerative farm will continue its growth this year following a successful year of new initiatives.

Common Ground Project chief executive officer Felicity Jacob characterised 2023 as a stellar year for the social enterprise with several projects to be undertaken and continued next year.

“The biggest component for us next year will be growing the programs that we were able to implement or continue in 2023,” Ms Jacob said.

“There will be an element of generating awareness and increasing our productivity for the new section of the farm we’ve just opened and getting that to good health for growing.

“But also, the next challenge for us with the Food Hub Market, which we were really proud to open in 2023, is growing that venture, continuing to connect with producers, and whether or not we can begin supporting local meat and dairy suppliers.”

The market located inside Common Ground’s farmhouse connects residents and businesses to over 16 producers from across the region, providing a location to purchase an array of goods in the form of pre-made meals, jars of produce, or fermented foods.

Common Ground’s café, formerly a dining location known as La Cantina, will return to its old café form in 2024, coupled as an event space for large-scale events.

 

 

The café is also home the Common Ground’s Staying Grounded program training and providing employment pathways for migrant and refugee women in the region.

“We will continue to put our program development and providing those training and employment opportunities at the forefront of what we’re doing here in 2024,” Ms Blake said.

“We have two managers, one of them is our education manager who works with all the local schools and youth groups that come to the farm. 2,000 students are expected to visit in 2024.

“We also have another manager who handles the training and employment programs, who worked with 12 women in 2023, but with the opening up of our café space, we can greatly enhance our capabilities in that area.”

Ms Blake suggested to residents eager to support Common Ground to do so by dining at the café, volunteering at the farm, attending the Food Hub Market or by donating to the Food Systems Fund.

The café is open Wednesday to Friday (8am-3pm) and on weekends (8am-5pm). The Food Hub is open Friday (8am-3pm) and Saturday (8am-12.30pm).