COGS MEMBERS’ MEETING

GUEST SPEAKER: GRAEME DAVIS

Graeme has been growing vegetables and flowers for exhibition for 40 years.  In that time he has won many championships and best in show awards, including being the most successful exhibitor in horticulture at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney on a number of occasions.  He has contributed to many publications in Australia and internationally on  gardenig and specialist flowers.  He is known not only for the flowers that he grows for exhibition but also for the varieties that he breeds.  Being born in Canberra and living here for many years has had developed an understanding of what works in Canberra.  Everything he grows is poduced using organic principles and he recommends thesr approaches to others at every opportunity.

Graeme will talk about his experiences growing for exhibition using organic principles.  It is normally assumed that to produce the perfect specimen of either flower or vegetable requires lots of chemical intervention.  Experience has proved this not to be true.  Graeme will talk about how he consistently produces flowers that are among the best exhibition specimens in Australia, some of the tricks he uses and some of the things that can go wrong.  These experiences can be translated to anyone trying to prouce high quality produce of any type using organic principles.

After Graeme’s talk we will have afternoon tea.  It would be appreciated if you could bring along a plate to share.

All members and their friends are welcome to attend and we look forward to seeing you there.

COGS MEMBERS’ MEETING – SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2017 AT 2PM

VISIT TO MAJESTIC MUSHROOM FARM AT DICKS CREEK ROAD, MURRUMBATEMAN

Majestic Mushrooms Pty. Ltd. is a mushroom growing business situated in Murrumbateman, just 25 minutes from the Canberra CBD.  The owners of the business are Helen and Ian Chu, who are both University of Canberra graduates. After spending 10 years in their professional careers, they undertook a career change and in 2006 built a mushroom farm and are now full-time mushroom farmers.

They grow many varieties of mushrooms including White button cup, Swiss brown and Portabello which they sell at the Saturday Canberra Region Farmers Market and at their shop, Majestic Fresh, in the Canberra Centre.

As the Farm is not open to the public the owners require, for insurance purposes, the exact number of people wishing to visit their farm.    You will not be able to join the tour of the Farm unless your name is registered and therefore please send an email to cogsvicepresident@gmail.com if you wish to attend.  Also due to hygience requirements all persons attending the event are required to wear enclosed footwear (i.e. no thongs/sandals).  No one will be admitted unless they comply with this requirement.

All members and their friends are invited and at the conclusion of the tour afternoon tea will be served.  Please bring a plate of food to share.

If you would like futher information about the farm and its owners refer to the following web articles at:

http://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/growing-a-big-business-20130812-2rs5n

http://www.abc.net.au/site-archive/rural/content/2008/s2641075.htm

Exact directions on how to get to the farm will be sent to you when you register your name to attend.