Hey folks of South East New South Wales persuasion…. do you know about this excellent weekend gathering coming up? 

The South East Permaculture Convergence is happening this 16 – 17 August in Bega, NSW.

It promises to be two days of workshops, great speakers, good company  and all the fine things that come from this very special corner of Australia…

So what’s so great about Bega, I hear you say. Well, rather a lot.

Not just Bega that is, but it seems that whole far south coast region is a pumping little scene with local food systems and community initiatives emerging left right and center.

Some of the awesomeness down that way includes, but is not limited to things like:

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The Bega Valley Country Meats small-species abattoir co-op.

Unlike the rest of the small regenerative farmers in NSW that must truck their birds and/or rabbits for up to 100’s of kilometers just to process their meat ‘legally’ in one of the few bird abbattiors left in existence, Bega has a co-op version.

You show up with your birds, you help process your birds, and you leave with clean meat with total and utter provenance AND a face-to-face knowledge of the abattoir’s insides.

It’s the way local food systems should work. In our view, anyhow.

What else – well there’s SAGE just up the road at Moruya – probably the best example of a community-driven farmers market and community farm-based training ground that we know of in Australia.

Autumn Farm – image via andthetrees.blogspot.com

There’s the wildly awesome chicks at Autumn Farm, who run a 100% pastured chicken CSA. See this blogpost for gorgeous photos.

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There’s the South East Producer’s Association (SCPA) who have all sorts of amazing initiatives from South East Harvest to workshops to markets to seedsaving projects.

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And there’s farmers like Kirsty + Fraser of Old Mill Road – folks who have been inspiring us for years by walking the talk and growing incredible food (try and heckle a posted box of their incredible turmeric and/or garlic if you’re further afield).

I hope you get my drift – the joint is jumping. Lots to be inspired by, and learn from. And a permaculture convergence! What a great excuse.

So – mid August – will we see you down that way?

First/last photo by meanwhileoutside, our fave video-teers.