FIG turned TEN on Friday, 22nd Feb 2019.
We will celebrate on Saturday 9th March. On this day we will be having a farm visit and picnic day for all the family.
Here are the details:
When
Saturday 9th March – 10am until approximately 2.30pm
Where
A local farm in Mangrove Mountain (the address will be communicated to participants)
The plan for the day
Arrive at 10am for a 10.30 farm tour. We shall spend some time touring the farm and what there is to see (orchard, growing fields, animals etc). The farmer has very generously offered to FIG members the opportunity to pick their own produce to take home as well so bring some buckets!
Back to our spot under the trees for a picnic lunch and catch up with other members and where the children can sit on the tractor, go take a look at the animals, etc.
THERE WILL BE CAKE!
What to bring, what to wear
A picnic lunch with whatever you and your family wants to eat or drink, thermos of hot water or tea etc; picnic rug and/or chairs; hats, sunscreen, boots or closed in shoes, a bucket or two for harvesting produce. The farmer may also have some produce available for sale from some of our surrounding FIG farmers so bring some cash. He has suggested if anyone wants a coffee on the way, head to the Peats Ridge store, but please leave plenty of time to do this as the area is an easy one to get lost in and you don’t want to be late!
What if it rains?
This event will still go ahead and we can camp in the shed for our picnic instead. In the case of prospective flooding it may be called off and we will contact you. That’s why it’s important to…..
RSVP
Please email FIG to advise your attendance, with a total number of people (adults/children) in your party, providing the best contact number for use on the day (in case of that flooding!), by Wednesday 6th April. We will have an RSVP notice at the co-op on Mondays if you prefer to write up your interest in attending on that. Numbers are important as if we have more responding than anticipated we may need to hire an extra Portaloo.
Important to note
- There will be signs at the farm to indicate the entry gate and an area set aside for parking close to our picnic area, so please keep your children safe whilst there are cars moving about.
- For insurance purposes we ask you to sign the attendance sheet upon arrival, listing all the names of those you have with you.
- This event is a family friendly one of course, however it’s on a working farm with dams, creeks, animals and so forth, so please come prepared to keep your children safe from all these things – and the animals safe from your children!!
- You need to be a FIG member to attend. Not a member yet ? Join now.
So…. who’s coming along?
A little bit about FIG…
Ten years ago on 22nd February 2009 we opened the co-op doors for the first time after a few months of discussions and planning. At that time no other such co-op existed on the Central Coast (and still doesn’t) and it was challenging even to find local organic produce. Our aims were to source healthy chemical free produce and to source it as local as possible.
Back then we were even told that co-ops such as ours would probably last only three months; that it took a whole lot of organisation and skills, perseverance, patience, and many hours to run; that most of them fail…
Well, here we are, thanks to the brilliant core group of people who shaped it in the beginning and which evolved into a further core group of people (some still part of the original group) and then a board of directors and management team and a whole heap of wonderful wonderful volunteers to ensure all the jobs get done.
Those aims are still our aims and our priority. New businesses have come and gone around the coast, various stores have opened up, farmers have retired and some others have begun their growing and trialling of crops. Members have over the years tearily announced that FIG has been a lifesaver for them and their families. Farmers have been grateful for definite orders and guaranteed payments. There is something special about being with a community group which cares about it’s members and the successful continuation of local farmers. Some can treat it like a shop, others (most of you, actually) really get the community connection. We listen to and read every suggestion, take action on as many of them as practical, and always welcome the input of members in this group – YOUR group.
THANK YOU to everyone who has made it all possible. We would love to name them all but we’re sure we’d miss some and that would be dreadful!
Here’s to another ten years!