Grow the Future – Korumburra Library

Kids! Imagine your own project to grow vegetables, flowers, succulents, trees for reafforestation, a bird, bee and butterfly patch, herbs, indoor garden, a nice smelling patch or anything. Bring your ideas to Grow the Future sessions over summer for advice, support and encouragement from growers in our community. 2 growing beds are available at the Community Garden at Korumburra Hospital for children to use and the Men’s Shed volunteers can guide gardening and provide equipment. There may be other businesses or organisations who would appreciate your growing project on their patch and feel free to ask them.

Grow the Future will include 11 fortnightly sessions Wednesdays 4pm – 5pm* starting 3rd November and finishing Wednesday 6th April. Some site visits may finish at 5.30pm. There will be a 4 week break over Christmas.

Children can join in anytime throughout the program.

There will be 3 sessions at Korumburra Library and 8 site visit sessions at gardens and growing related places. Site visits will include time to assist children with their own projects. Check with Library 5655 1105 for site visit details.

Session 1: 4pm Wed 3 Nov @ Korumburra Library

Session 2: 4pm Wed 17 Nov @ Korumburra Hospital Community Garden

Session 3: 4pm Wed 1 Dec @ Site visit Meet at the glorious garden of Gloria Walters 24 Massimo Way, Korumburra to discover how she loves her 2 year old no dig garden. Then we will move to the Tiny Teapot outdoor dining space where owner Deb Vincent has given Grow the Future kids freedom to create a potted garden. Soil has been kindly donated by Burra Garden Supplies. Bring any pots you might like to use. Do you have any teapots you no longer use? Any other pots are welcome too.

Session 4: 4pm Wed 15 Dec @ Neil Coxon’s amazing big garden. 190 Whitelaw Road, Korumburra. On Bena Road, turn right into Whitelaw Road, and it’s the first gate on the left. Hopefully he’ll have some gardening jobs for us to do!

4 week break over Christmas

Session 5: 4pm Wed 12 Jan @ Site Visit

Session 6: 4pm Tues 25 Jan @ Site Visit Bena

Session 7: 4pm Wed 9 Feb: @ Korumburra Library

Session 8 : 4pm Wed 23 Feb @ Korumburra

Session 9: 4pm Wed 9 Mar @ Site Visit Leongatha

Session 10: 4pm Wed 23 Mar @ Site visit to Gwen’s enormous native flower garden and food garden, near Bena. Gwen is a guru of propagation and will show us tricks grow plants from cuttings. Location TBA

Session 11: 4pm Wed 6 Apr @ Korumburra Botanical Gardens

We will share seedlings, seeds, cuttings, provide advice and assistance to help children grow their own plant project either at home or in a community place.

Group sizes and access will be limited to comply with the relevant COVID Safe restrictions. Double vaccination certificates or approved medical exemption certificates of participants 12 and over will be required as per government directive.

Children will need to attend the sessions with their responsible adult.

If more people register than restrictions allow, West Gippsland Libraries will investigate achieving the aim of the program by electronic means, in a ChildSafe manner.

Children can change and/or expand their project aims throughout Grow the Future. Many food plants will need to be planted in early November.

Grow the Future is supported by the Men’s Shed, Grow Lightly and the Korumburra Garden Club. Neil Coxon and Meredith Freeman are their volunteers with teaching backgrounds working with us. There may be other volunteers with other organisations working with Grow the Future over the program. Volunteers will have Victorian Working With Children’s Checks and comply with ChildSafe requirements. Parents or guardians will be with their children when with volunteers associated with Grow the Future.

Please register a ticket for your child, and a ticket for the responsible adults who will be attending with your child over the course of the program.