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Jul 6

NEW WORKSHOP ALERT 🥳🥳

We are super duper excited about this one folks!!!

Local artist and super fabulous human Kelsie White is hosting a workshop for us at her lovely art studio in Barkly Square, East Ballarat!

Learn how to paint Fruit and Vegetables with watercolours at the light filled studio of @kelsiewhite_designs on Sun 17th July from 1.30pm - 3:30pm.

Discover the basics of watercolour, as you mix some paint, try out some techniques and leave with a special portrait of some delicious, seasonal fruit and vegetables.

NOTE: This is not a botanical illustration class – Kelsie’s style is much more relaxed and will allow you to have fun, play and capture your fruit or veg in a modern illustrative style.

Perfect for anyone wanting to try out watercolours, create some personal art for their home or looking for a fun and creative way to spend some time.

What’s included:

😍 Access to a huge range of colours + the right brushes.

😍 Speciality watercolour paper to paint your creation on.

😍 A sweet portrait of fruit and/or veg you create on the day to take home with you!

Plus, a beautiful arvo tea catered by Kitteltys!

VERY VERY LIMITED SPOTS - Tickets are $60 plus booking fee. Link in bio!

foodisfreelaneway

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Jul 5

Everyone is welcome at our Food Is Free Laneway & Green Space. And both sites never close. 😁🌱

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Jul 4

Wondering what to plant in your cold climate garden? 🧐🌿🌱

We take the guesswork out with our Food Is Free Inc. Cold Climate Grow Chart.

Beautifully designed by Louisa West, this is a practical chart showing you what to plant in your Ballarat/Melb and all other Southern Australia cold climate gardens, and also looks gorgeous!

Link in bio. Hit up our website store to buy yours today. And buy a cheeky one for your green thumb friends!

All purchases go towards our operational funds, so it helps us to continue to help us run food security workshops, and for us to grow food for our community. 🥦🍒🍇

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Jul 2

Tomorrow at 11am - noon we are hosting a Small Space Gardening workshop at the Green Space hall (212 Ripon Street Sth). BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL. link in bio.
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Join me (Lou) as I run you through all the possibilities of successful & creative gardening ideas if you have very limited space to grow in. Perfect for beginner gardeners. We look at vertical gardening, using recycled items to garden in (perfect for Plastic Free July) & so much more!
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Join the fun! And with good weather forecast we will also do a walk & talk in both of our Food Is Free sites to show some garden ideas and a chance to ask any general gardening questions.
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We are all hosting our monthly markets from the green shed at Green Space 11am til noon, so come buy some garden goodies & support our cause. 🙌🏼💚🌱
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Learn in a welcoming, inclusive, easy going environment with fellow community members. Limited spots for workshop - don’t delay! 🪴

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Jun 30

We have been providing a dignified food security solution to anyone in need, or anyone who just loves fresh food, for over 7.5 years now! No questions asked.

If you are in a position to help us out this End Of Financial Year, please help us feed more people and educate our community to be more self-sufficient to feed themselves via our workshops.

Donate button in our bio link, or head to our website www.foodisfree.com.au and find the DONATE button. Thank you. x

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Jun 29

Gosh we had a marvellous time on Monday at our Little Sprouts kids gardening workshop. Thanks to all for making it so special, and Coco for helping me (Lou) run it! What a blast!

Kids connecting with nature is really important at an early age to develop lifelong skills in growing your own food plus appreciating and plugging into nature for all the amazing mental & physical health benefits our gardens provide us. And we ensured that connection come to reality on Monday as the kids learned about growing food, what to find in the garden, how to set up a worm farm, and so much more. Thank you to Kristy for her lovely photos.

Special thanks to the always wonderful team at Sebas Library, where it was held and of course to Stockland for providing the funding to make the whole event possible!

We have some big news coming soon about Little Sprouts. So for that and all our workshops (we have so MANY new workshops coming up!) make sure you sign up to our eNewsletter via link in bio or on our website to be in the know about all the fun you can be having with your community too!

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Jun 28

This Saturday!

Keen to attend a youth-focussed and youth-run event these school holidays?

Our friends at Ballarat Action Climate Co-op are hosting a Punk Arts Workshop with us on Sat 2 July at 1pm - 3pm!!

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL - - - - LIMITED SPOTS

Topics include
📌 creating punk art tote bags
📌 creating beeswax wraps
📌 creating art from waste
📌 mending, knitting & crochet tutorials

Join Ballarat Action Climate Co-Op (BACC) for a fun and hands-on workshop that is all about revamping and upcycling preloved clothes, plus other items that would otherwise end up in landfill.

Bring your very own preloved clothes, fabric scraps and collection of bottlecaps along if you like.

This workshop is run by young people for young people and allies.

The Punks Arts Workshop is part of a series of events and activities led by BACC and supported by Food Is Free, made possible with Funding from the ABC FRRR Heywire Innovation Grant.

Catering will be provided with this FREE workshop.

Check out BACC and FIF Insta, Facebook and website for more info. Head to Humantix for free ticket.

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Jun 27

We are so much more than “just a garden”.
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We are a not for profit who for the past 7.5 years have been doing all the following every day of the year…

💚 help those in need access fresh food,

💚 we bring community together,

💚 we connect kids to nature,

💚 we help solve enviro issues via our public composting system, and other recycling opportunities,

💚 we teach people life skills in gardening & self-sufficiency.

And that’s just for starters…

Would you like to donate to help us continue our work? End of financial year is the perfect time to do a one off donation. Or perhaps start a monthly donation to Is.

Go to our website and click the DONATE button for more info. 🌱✌🏽

Pic by @calderpermaculture

foodisfreelaneway

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Jun 26

We've got a truck-tonne of workshops & events coming up. Don't miss out!

💚 Kids gardening (SOLD OUT SORRY) - 27 June
💚 Punk Arts Youth event - 2 July
💚 Our monthly Green Space markets - 3 July
💚 Small Space gardening - 3 July
💚 Backyard Beekeeping 101 - 10 July

And so much more to be announced soon!

We'd love to see you at one of our workshops. Check our bio for all the ticketing info.

Make sure you sign up to our mailing list for all the workshops/events info. Link in bio for that too! 😍

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Jun 25

We are hosting a Small Space garden workshop running on Sun 3 July 11am - noon at Food Is Free Green Space (in the community hall) at 212 Ripon St Sth.
😍🌻🪴🌱👩‍🌾👨‍🌾

Not everyone has a backyard, so this is a great workshop for those who don't, or those wanting to incorporate some recycling into their gardening practice - great for anyone who loves to repurpose!
Growing in small spaces can be challenging, but with the right information and a bit of imagination…anything is possible.

Think pots, repurposed items that drain well, vertical gardening, hanging pots, straw bale gardens, dwarf varieties (yes, even fruit!), raised garden beds, beds on wheels, potato bags, recycled household items, etc…and away you go!

Join Lou from Food Is Free Inc./ @heyhoeletsgrow on an all immersive workshop on the joys of growing in small spaces. Perfect for those with limited gardening options. If weather permits, we will also have a discovery walk & talk amongst the Green Space & Food Is Free Laneway garden beds.
With an opportunity to ask any gardening questions along the way. All materials supplied. A good one for kids if you are keen for some family holiday fun. Note: All 10 year olds + need a ticket.

Want to join the fun? Ticket link in bio...BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL. 😀

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Jun 24

It’s totes and tea towels time!
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Treat yo’self or a friend (excellent gift ideas) and support Food Is Free Inc. at the same time.
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Artwork by the amazing permaculture illustrator @brenna_quinlan there’s also t’shirts too in various colours and fits. Kids available too!
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A purchase of merch helps us continue to do the work we do in helping feed our community and teach food security education.
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Show your support! We have heaps of merch to purchase from our website store online. Stickers, garden grown charts, and for the Ballarat locals - compost, worms & worm juice which you can pre-purchase online and collect at our monthly markets.

Ethically made merch out of high quality - long lasting material. Something for everyone. Link in bio! 🌼💛🤘🏽

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Jun 23

Ok, so the last time we hosted Scott & Amanda from @backyardbeekeepingballarat workshop (before COVID came along), it sold out in literally no time- with people begging to go on a waiting list in case someone couldn’t attend. So DO NOT delay in booking your ticket - we can’t stress that enough! 🐝🐝🐝
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Join us for a brilliant Backyard Beekeeping 101 workshop at Green Space hall, and learn all about beekeeping in an urban setting on Sun 10 July 2 - 3pm.
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Amanda & Scott’s passion & knowledge for bees is off the hook incredible. So come along! BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL. Ticket link in bio.
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Don’t delay or you will miss out / have the worst FOMO ever.
😁🐝🌱🌼🤘🏽

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Jun 22

We had an absolute ball on Sunday learning all about backyard chickens with Jenny Tait Murnane kindly running our workshop at Green Space hall for us. Massive thanks Jenny!
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Thanks to all the good eggs (pun intended) who bought tickets to support us to come along to take in all of Jenny’s wisdom and passion for our feathered friends the chooks.
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We utterly love hosting workshops and the connection community has when learning together - so, if you have a workshop idea you would attend please pitch it to us, or indeed would like to be considered in running one yourself, please get in touch via info@foodisfree.com.au
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We have loads more workshops coming up including backyard beekeeping 101, small space gardening and so much more…ticket info in bio, on our website or join our mailing list to be first to know as they get listed.
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Food security & self sufficiency education is our core mission- we love teaching our community to be better at nurturing themselves. 🌱💚🌼😎

foodisfreelaneway

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Jun 21

We were so enchanted by Sara from @kitteltys knowledge a few weeks ago as she hosted an Edible & Decorative Flowers workshop for us at @kelsiewhite_designs sweet little arts studio & workshop space.
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Sara effortlessly reeled off all the myriad of varieties of flowers she uses regularly on her delicious cakes & pastries, and all in attendance learned so much about which edible flowers to use, when they are in season and how best to build creative decorations on food, as well as how to store them for use.
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Amazing stuff and we thank Sara so much! Easily a workshop we can and will repeat at another time. So much to learn & know about edible flowers.
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Thanks to her and Kelsie for their generosity. And those who came along to support us. ⭐️🌼🧁

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Jun 20

We've teamed up with Ballarat Action Climate Co-op @ballarat.acc again for leg 2 of our 4 legged youth-led events in 2002 funded by our ABC Heywire Innovation Grant. 😎🤸😁

On Sunday 2nd July from 2pm - 3pm at Green Space hall at 212 Ripon St Sth come along to the PUNK ARTS WORKSHOP. ☣️🧡🪡

Join Ballarat Action Climate Co-Op (BACC) for a fun and hands on workshop that is all about revamping and upcycling preloved clothes and other items that would otherwise end up in landfill. We will be making punk art tote bags, beeswax wraps, create art from waste and run mending, knitting and crochet tutorials. Bring your very own preloved clothes, fabric scraps and collection of bottle caps along if you like.

This workshop is run by young people for young people and allies. 🥳🤘

The Punks Arts Workshop is part of a series of events and activities led by BACC and supported by Food Is Free Inc., made possible with funding from the FRRR ABC Heywire Innovation Grant.

Catering will be provided with this FREE workshop. BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL FOR CAPPED CAPACITY AT HALL to keep this a COVID safe event. https://events.humanitix.com/punk-arts-workshop

Check out BACC and FIF Insta, FB & website for more info.

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Jun 19

This is what a community in action looks like. 😍✌🏽
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Big thanks to our volunteers Ginelle, Brett and Hannah for braving the cold a few weeks ago, to demolish four of our garden beds which were becoming a little unsafe, as they were gradually falling apart.
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These beds were the first to be installed 5 years ago when we first took on our Green Space site, and have served us well, but it’s time they went.
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A morning of LOADS of hard yakka, demolishing wooden frames and shovelling soil to our other garden beds and within 2 hours the beds - voilà- were no longer there!
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In their place, we are building a little play space for kids, which will be a great spot for some nature play for the little ones when they visit Green Space, or we host our kids gardening workshops Little Sprouts. 😍🌱🐝😁🌸💚

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Jun 18

LAST CHANCE!! Hey, if you’re keen to join us tomorrow for our Backyard Chickens workshop grab your ticket NOW or miss out!! ONLY 2 TICKETS LEFT!! 🎟

Tomorrow at hall at Green Space from 2pm. BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL via link in bio. 🎫🐓🐣

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Jun 17

You know what worms love? You know what your compost loves? You know what is great for soil health? AUTUMN LEAVES!!
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It’s a great time of year to rake them up and pop them in your compost bins- the earth will thank you rather then binning them.
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No compost bin? No worries…pile them up high in some chicken wire placed in a circle and stuff it full of leaves to make a leaf litter mound. Or bag them up and add some blood & bone to quicken the decay process.
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If all that’s too much - just mow over them and add to worm farms, or on top of your garden soil as mulch. Handfuls of leaves in your potted plants will also serve well as winter mulch to suppress weeds and keep your plants warm over winter - they break down by summer time, adding important nutrients to your soil. Leaves are free gifts from nature and do add so much goodness to your gardens. ⭐️✌🏽🍂🍁

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Jun 16

UPDATE - SOLD OUT NOW!!
Right on time for school holidays - we are excited to be hosting a FREE kids gardening workshop on Mon 27 June. 🐞😀
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Little Sprouts is one of our very favourite workshops we run, and we are so grateful to Stockland for their grants program in funding this one for us.
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Held on Mon 27 June 11am - noon at Sebas Library @sebastopol_library and aimed at kids aged 3 to 6 years old - come & join in the fun!
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We will be enjoying nature hunts, storytelling, planting seeds and other gardening activities together.
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But it's limited to 10 kids only & bookings are essential via Humantix for entry (parents/carers don't need a ticket) at https://events.humanitix.com/little-sprouts-kids-gardening-workshop-27-june-2022 -CLICK LINK IN BIO...
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Morning tea provided. This event is proudly funded by Stocklands Care Grants program. 🧡🌻🤸

foodisfreelaneway

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Jun 15

Thank you so much to the crew at Hop Temple Ballarat for running a fundraiser for us last month! @hoptemple
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We always appreciate help from our community in funding what we do. x

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Food Is Free Inc. is a grassroots, community led not-for-profit group benefitting all Ballarat (Australia) who has a core purpose of assisting and promoting food security and community cohesion and inclusion.

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