Lots of learning and fun at CelebrATE!

Our two day event CelebrATE! was a great success! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the workshops, the music jam, music performances and of course, the food.

The event started off on Saturday afternoon with people arriving at the property and being shown to their campsite. Before dinner Zaia did a short welcome speech with a few housekeeping reminders for people. At 6pm we had dinner and the camp fire was blazing. After a beautiful frittata with yummy salads made by Black Ant Gourmet, Tom and Zaia sat down and told everyone about their journey and how they got to where they are now. Then Zaia got everyone moving with a short Odd Rhythms workshop. We wrapped things up early as the weekend was going to be so packed. All was quiet on the property by 9.30pm…

Sunday morning was an early one. Our Sunday day guests started arriving around 5.30am. At 6am Tom started the tour of Maungaraeeda, showing and explaining about all the Permaculture Systems in action. At 8.30am breakfast was served, a plethora of choices: fruit salad, yoghurt, muesli and a number of different toasties, ham and cheese croissants, egg and bacon muffins and sour dough rye egg and cheese… Of course the rocket stove and biogas stove were continuously working hard to keep up with demand for hot water for coffee and tea.

After this beautiful brekky it was time for Amanda to talk chickens. After this fantastic talk/workshop, people were very excited over morning tea. A big bunch of sweet lady finger bananas from Maungaraeeda was hung at the coffee/tea table and apples put into a bowl so everyone could help themselves.

After morning tea it was Tom’s turn in the food forest before lunch. Lunch was a selection of meats and salads with breads and wraps. It was a well deserved break for people to digest the knowledge they had accumulated so far that day. Jason taught his Urban Permaculture workshop after lunch.

Afternoon tea was a delectable selection of cakes and protein balls by Black Ant Gourmet, with tea and coffee. Zaia and Linsey Pollak set up some space outside for the music jam, with thongaphones, marimbas, hand percussion, doofs (a drum made from chemical drums) and other instruments, and after afternoon tea we started having a play together under the guidance of Linsey. We managed to play two great pieces with everyone, novice to expert. Everyone can play music, to the amazement of a number of first timers! There was a lot of joy and everyone had a fantastic time playing.

We had a little break before dinner and there were a number of new arrivals in that time. The camp fire was lit and people started lining up for dinner which was rice with a beautiful beef curry and a veggie curry. Jodie from Black Ant Gourmet and her team did a fantastic job! Some of the ingredients for the meals came from Maungaraeeda Farm.

The Unusual Suspects set up outside so there was plenty of dance space for everyone. Then part of the band arrived playing whilst wandering through the kitchen garden and joined their band mates, after which the dance set had everyone moving! There was a fantastic energy, a great crowd and awesome dance music! The feedback was fantastic, both from the audience (great dance music, awesome vibe) and the band (one of the best audiences ever!)!

The next day was another early one, with participants checking out the morning animal routines. Feeding and milking of cows, feeding of goats, chickens and ducks. After another awesome filling brekky, workshops started that day with Jason in the nursery. After morning tea Jodie did a demonstration on how to make chutneys and jams (wow, what an awesome tasting (and tasty) time!). The Monday afternoon performers arrived before lunch and did a small property tour before they had lunch and set up. After lunch Tom taught composting and this was followed by afternoon tea and some great performances, first by Mal Webb and Kylie Morrigan and then by the Formidable Vegetable Sound System! Unfortunately a lot of people went early to beat traffic and missed some great performances, but it was fantastic for the small audience there as it was an intimate personal experience.

Everyone had so much fun and learning on the weekend that we have already decided to do CelebrATE! again next year (2018). I can already confirm that Jason Davies, Amanda Moore and Tom and Zaia Kendall will be there again and I will keep updating as we get confirmation for other presenters and bands. We really look forward to this event in 2018 and hope to see returning and new faces! We loved sharing our property and knowledge with you, caring for your needs with great food and awesome music and showing you ways to care for the earth. It was a true celebration of Permaculture, Music and Food!

©2017 Zaia; permeco.org, incorporating Permaculture Research Institute Sunshine Coast Inc. permeco.org, simplicity, permaculture, self reliance, self sufficiency, sustainability, food, health and homesteading; CelebrATE! two day permaculture, music and food event

Author: Zaia Kendall

Zaia grew up in a family of musicians in Holland, and has a background in top sport (snow skiing) and web development and design. She co-founded the PRI Luganville and PRI Sunshine Coast Inc (now PermEco Inc.) with Tom, and runs the “invisible structures”, like finances, business administration, website design and maintenance, writes articles and records and edits videos. She assists Tom in running the Kendall Permaculture Farm and supervising other volunteers. She is an active member of several musical projects and bands, involved in community music and runs percussion and marimba workshops, is the percussion leader for the Woodford Folk Festival People’s Orchestra and composes as well as plays music. She is passionate about community music and loves seeing people discover that they can play!