Regluing

Three separate but inextricably linked autumnal events are happening over the next few months and although they’re simple things, the underlying purpose of each is much greater.

At the end of the month is CERES annual Harvest Festival, in May Olives to Oil returns and for the next few weeks we celebrate PAZOYND aka Putting a Zucchini on Your Neighbour’s Doorstep. 

On the face of it we’re just having a party, gathering and pressing some olives and dropping off our excess produce to a neighbour.

But underneath these simple activities are ritual acts;  a thanksgiving, a communal harvest, an offering – each an opportunity to acknowledge and combine the generosity of the Earth with acts of generosity and gratitude of our own.

Hugh Mackay, says, the better world we dream of starts in our street.

And in a time where the world seems out of control these simple community rituals are a kind of annual regluing of bonds that hold us together and reaffirm who we are.

CERES Harvest Festival
Saturday 29th March is CERES’ beloved Harvest Festival.

There is the Home Harvest Awards for bakers, preservers and green thumbs – so get  baking, pickling and saving your biggest vegetables to show off.

Lots of kids activities including the wonderful scarecrow building competition in Honey Lane Farm.

There’s also farm tours & talks, local eats, live music and a makers and growers market. 

If you’d like to come find tickets here.

CERES Olives to Oil 
Olives to Oil returns to CERES this May when people all around Melbourne harvest neighbourhood olives and press them into one of world’s most unique olive oils.

If you ever needed an example of olives having alternating heavy and light seasons the last two Olive to Oils were stand-outs.

After gathering a mind-boggling 26 tons of olives in 2023 last years edition yielded less than six tons.

“My tree”, in a temporary empty lot on the way to the tram stop which offered up 40+kg in ’23 barely had 40 olives in ’24!

True to form this year my tree is laden and olive trees around the neighbourhood are groaning under the weight of bright green fruit.

If you’d like to join in this year’s Olives to Oil works Find out more here…

PAZOYND aka Put a Zucchini on Your Neighbour’s Doorstep

At the end of each summer all over our fair city people are placing a surplus zucchini or other produce item on each other’s porches.

It’s a time to share our surpluses and tell the people who live around us that we are here, we care and at the same time acknowledge that it takes a community to eat all the zucchinis. 

Don’t forget to leave a Happy PAZOYND note and to place your produce presents presciently – as we all know zucchinis can be a tripping hazard.  

Have a great long weekend
Chris

Last week we put the word out about an informal early evening Vigil at CERES. The first Vigil is happening next Monday 17th on the Village Green at CERES. If you’ve signed up we’ll be sending out details early next week. If you want to know more reply to this email with the word ‘Vigil’.