On my mind...Community Gardens and Freecycle

Many thanks to Rhonda at Down to Earth for this concept.

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Community gardens are popping up all over the place. I encourage you to search for one in your local area, or even start one up. .......I have visited a few around here....and one I have recently become more involved in is rather close to where I live...

It is called the Barrack Heights Community Garden. I became interested a while back, and met some lovely ladies while I was there; But on returning to my car (Up the hill) I became very cautious of my steps in the longer grass; after stepping into an unseen divot........ If you know me, you will know that I have a few health issues involving my hips, a recently badly broken ankle and leg, and now Osteoporosis.  With all this, I need to be careful of my footing and had decided to make my visits to the community garden on intermittent occasions, just making the occasional visit........

Aileen rang me the other day, telling me that another workshop was scheduled...The last meeting that I was to attend had to be cancelled, so; as I was to attend that meeting....Aileen rang wondering if I was still interested. She made me most welcome and I was told that no-one expects anyone to do tasks that they can't handle. So I thought I would give it another go...and go along to meet the rest of the gang. 

I stayed almost until stumps...I was enjoying the company of others who had the same interests so much....and that's never a bad thing. I came home with plants of Comfrey, Banna Grass & Yarrow....

On my suggestion after seeing they were down to their last bag of fertiliser...I offered my services as a driver to go gather some bags of Horse Manure from the stables close by.....so I will be meeting up with Cliff today and off to the stables we will go....I have the trailer, and he has the muscle.....the Community Garden will have plenty of free horse manure....and I will feel good knowing I have helped them...after being gifted all those plants, how could I not offer? That's just the way I think.

Community Garden

Community Garden 

I went along; bearing gifts of a bag of lemons to share out....

which I was recently gifted from Illawarra Freecycle Group. 

Freecycle is a world wide organisation that allows everyday people like myself to share and recycle unwanted goods to other people who are looking for listed goods. No money must change hands and no alcohol or animals can be listed.....I'm sure there are other rules. I have offered to freecycle many Aloe Vera plants, along with unwanted kitchen items, linen, a bike, and other items which I cannot remember right now...

I have also been gifted many items through friendly freecyclers like...... 

Bay Leaves and Besser Blocks for the front garden.

Lovely large glass coffee jars, which are now food cannisters

and even linen and now lemons and cumquats.

Like I said; No money changes hands...but I can't help but want to give an offering of thanks in some way, usually in preserves or baking of some kind....Of-course the freecycler doesn't know in advance that I am offering them something in return, as that would be against the rules.....It sure is a nice surprise for them though when I turn up with something little to say Thanks. "Thanks for picking my request for your item that you are wanting to recycle, I appreciate your generosity".

Do you know about Freecycle? ......Have you used it before? 

Would it be something you would use in the future?