City Council's Broadway hit
From the November 2007 edition of Agriculture Today.
Hawkebury Harvest has engaged Sydney City Council’s interest in exploring the viability of a sustainable food system in the city.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore invited Hawkesbury Harvest to participate in the City of Sydney’s recent inaugural ‘Live Green’ event.
Hawkesbury Harvest is also negotiating with the council to have a Farmers Market in Belmore Park near Central Station, during the working week, starting in May 2008.
To ‘Live Green’, staged in Victoria Park at Broadway, members took produce and value added product.
"The day was a great success with nearly all produce being sold," NSW Department of Primary Industries urban agriculture leader and Harvest board member David Mason said.
"A couple of our young members sold their vegetables directly off the back of their truck and the customers loved it.
"The farmers and those with value added product received a fair price, as did the buyers, who were thrilled by the freshness of everything," Mr Mason said.
"One of them said it was better than sitting on a tractor, and great to talk to the people who were eating what they grew."
"Lord Mayor Clover Moore should be commended for her desire to establish a sustainable food culture for the city," Mr Mason said.
Hawkesbury Harvest was also invited to participate in the Danks Street Festival in Waterloo this month, which was expected to draw attendance by more than 15,000 people. In the region where its influence began, the organisation is currently working with Penrith City Council to help assist in the implementation of its Rural Lands Strategy as part of the City’s overall plan.
"The Farm Gate Trail will extend into Penrith in 2008, which will enable people to take their own agri-tourism trip from Brooklyn in the north to Warragamba Dam in the south," Mr Mason said.
Establishing the relationship between agriculture, tourism and the hospitality industries is giving a financial shot in the arm to Sydney’s agriculture and more and more farmers are increasing their viability," said David Mason.
Hawkesbury Harvest is also negotiating with the council to establish a Farmers Market in the city precinct. The organisation also engages with the corporate and development world.
With the expansion of the Farm Gate Trail map to include the Penrith district in the 6th edition in 2008, the Westlink M7 organisation will provide sponsorship, as it did for the 5th edition. Westlink recognises the mutual benefits gained from encouraging people to enjoy a rural experience within an hour’s drive from the Opera House.
Hawkesbury Harvest is also a partner with Bovis Lend Lease/GPT in the newly opened Rouse Hill Town Centre and will conduct a Farmers’ Market in the Town Centre’s Market Square once a month from March 2008, with a view to going to twice a month.
