Friends, this is an interesting story on how a geographically isolated Australian community works to share homegrown produce that might go to waste and thus keep neighbors from would purchasing expensive produce would otherwisehave to be trucked in from hundreds of miles away. Thinking beyond the garden gates, for sure.
Australian Broadcasting System link. Stuck in the middle with food Reporter: (Online) Matthew Perkins Presenter: Ngaire Ballard Tuesday, 18 May 2004 Border restrictions 12 kilometres to the east, the next town 700 kilometres to the west…Eucla is stuck in the middle when it comes to fruit and veg. Local policeman Constable Paul Young says one answer has been provided by some local green fingers. "Some of the local fellas produce their own fruit and veg," he explains,"(And) at our house we grow tomatoes, silverbeet, parsley and some chives as well." Otherwise it's down to trucking in all that fresh produce from Kalgoorlie-Boulder or Perth. That can add to a premium to prices and can mean rationing what's in the fridge. However, with a "Very good community spirit out here…we all seem to work as one," Paul says. Better eating and a better lifestyle And that means, "Everyone helps out. If you're running short here and there, you've always got someone around town to help you out with a spud or an onion." What's more, to avoid the local crows reaping the rewards from the gardens of those who have gone away for a while, the produce will get passed on to someone else. "We don't put anything to waste," Paul explains. And on top of that, local horse owners share their steeds' manure with Eucla's gardeners. It's a case of the community working together for collective benefits. In the face of the Australian bight's "Severe winds, rain and then extreme temperatures in summer," as Paul describes it, they manage to produce fruit and vegetables that add up to "Better eating and a better lifestyle." Constable Paul Young explained the community spirit and healthy gardening going on in Eucla to Ngaire Ballard on the Breakfast program on ABC Goldfields-Esperance.
