18 September 2019

Spring Equinox to mark 10 years of SAGE in the Eurobodalla

| Alex Rea
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Alison Worthington and Sandra Makdessi making pizza bread at SAGE. Photo: Alex Rea

Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of SAGE – Sustainable Agriculture and Gardening Eurobodalla, with a Spring Equinox picnic will be a timely reminder of how an idea planted a decade ago has developed strong roots and continues to grow and produce great outcomes for the community.

“It’s a wonderful achievement on many levels,” says SAGE President Mark Barraclough.

Winter Solstice at the SAGE Gardens. Photo: Alex Rea

“We are recognised as a group that gets stuff done and while SAGE is often best known for the Tuesday afternoon Farmers Markets in Moruya, our other enterprises are equally as successful in helping to build capacity in small-scale food production, backyard food growing, and promoting sustainable growing practices.

“This includes the demonstration garden in Moruya, our intern program, the Veggies for All program, Seed Savers, community food distribution, research projects, managing grants, and the many workshops and events SAGE hosts throughout the year,” Mr Barraclough says.

At the recent annual general meeting, the Chair congratulated the volunteers that make SAGE successful.

Marie Zurich at the Winter Solstice. Photo: Alex Rea

“Our volunteers are passionate about SAGE’s mission to create and support a sustainable fair food economy where everyone has access to affordable, healthy food,” he says

Mark Barraclough has been re-elected to the SAGE management committee as president for his third year – Jan Maitland, Neil Dolphin, Stuart Whitelaw, Trevor Moore and Sandra Makdessi were re-elected, plus there are newcomers Kathryn Stonestreet and Cath Reilly.

Robert Cove from SAGE installing one of the backyard veggie patches in 2018, as part of Veggies for All. Photo Supplied.

Long-serving committee member Kate Raymond stepped down from the committee.

“Kate has been an incredibly hard-working and dedicated volunteer and her contribution has been integral to the success of SAGE, in particular, her work is getting the award-winning Farmers Market to where it is today,” Mr Barraclough says.

“The outlook for food production in Australian continues to be challenging with some farmers in the Murray-Darling Basin saying they will not produce crops this coming season.

“We can expect to see low supply and high prices around Eurobodalla and we will be working hard to put SAGE in the best possible place to support and grow local food production to provide our community with affordable food.”

The famous SAGE Farmers Market. Photo: Supplied

SAGE will celebrate the Spring Equinox and 10-year anniversary with a ‘Pizza and Cake Picnic’ at the SAGE Garden in Moruya on Saturday, September 28 from 5.30 pm. Delicious pizza and cakes will be served from 6.30 pm featuring locally sourced produce, gluten free options will be available.

Bookings and tickets are essential for catering purposes and to avoid food wastage – everyone is welcome.

The event is an outdoor picnic and guests are asked to BYO cutlery, crockery, drinks, chairs, and picnic rugs, and get into the equinox mood by dressing up as a favorite vegetable or something ‘Spring’.

Live music will be provided by Robin Simpson.

Tickets at $15 for adults, $10 for children and $45 for families can be purchased online at the SAGE website or on Tuesday afternoons at the SAGE Farmers Markets in Moruya.

The popular SAGE Farmers Market each Tuesday from 3 in Riverside Park, Moruya. Pic from SAGE Facebook.

The popular SAGE Farmers Market each Tuesday from 3 in Riverside Park, Moruya. Photo: SAGE Facebook.

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