Who are you?
I am a mother of four and child of the most amazing migrant folk, rest their souls. I was born and bred in the Gong, and spent my childhood in a backyard full of creatures and edible gardens, playing cricket while snacking on passionfruit and grapes, our beloved dog Mali, always wicket keeper. There were whole heads of cabbage fermenting in barrels in the garage, neighbours converging to process chooks for dinner and days spent manually turning the spit threaded with pig or lamb sourced from some local farm. Seeds were saved, seedlings shared and produce preserved. It really was a good multicultural Australian upbringing with enough cake to feed a village. Even during my time in the corporate world, far from the apple orchards of my youth, I knew this was how I wanted to live and raise a family, build community and connections.
I started by collecting recipes and spending time with home cooks through a series of demonstrations, madly jotting notes only to head home to recreate what I’d learnt, over and over until I mastered that dish. Add a bunch of kids, few chooks and some ducks and years later, I’m still doing much of the same, collecting, growing and making food for my family and friends to enjoy. Fresh, seasonal and homegrown, is what eating well means to me.
How are you involved in our local food system?
Aside from my own home and gardens, I am grateful to be able to spend my days in a number of fabulous places, crossing paths with people from all walks of life. From the moment my children started their education, I put my hand up to help. A bit of this and a bit of that, but the outdoors had my heart. So much so that when it was time for new playspaces, I brought the cookbook project to our mountain knowing that food and cooking and stories would appeal to the masses. It was such a fun time, recipe gathering and testing, styling and photographing, being a part of local markets and sharing our story. It was a success and rather than the fixed structures you’ll find in most parks and fast food joints, we valued the overgrown edges of the property and used those spaces to create nature play areas. One in particular, the Sustainability Space, is where you’ll find me helping students to build soil, grow, nurture, harvest, prepare, compost, repeat. I do this knowing it will make a difference. I also helped convert an old shelter positioned beside the garden, into an outdoor kitchen where both students and the community can gather around food. All a bit topsy turvy really, starting with a cookbook, then garden and finally a cooking space but all a bit wonderful as well, connecting people to food. Check out @mtkeiracookbook to follow our journey.
As well as the cookbook project, a few years back I answered an Instagram call out for volunteers from Green Connect, a local not for profit social enterprise focusing on jobs for young people and former refugees. I work by growing food and soil on The Farm. Everything about the farm life grounds me, grows me, frees me. Like a beautiful mix of village life, suburban backyard, obtaining a yield, sharing and caring and hard yakka and pickle swaps and cake! In addition, I recently took on the role of tour guide, meandering throughout the farm, chatting with folk, sharing all things market gardening the Green Connect way, meeting animals and tasting produce. Then sometimes, I join our Zero Waste team, educating, sorting and keeping waste out of landfill. Everyone needs an eye opening Zero Waste shift in their life, a rewarding way to help people, the planet and yourself.
I’m also a member of the Woonona Community Garden and try my best to get there weekly to do my bit in transforming the space, which will no doubt be enjoyed by generations to come. It’s more than a garden though: it’s earth care, people care and fair share. It’s connection, community, and focuses on eating local and seasonal. I hope to see many old paddocks, parks, or parcels of public land in the very near future transformed to local community gardens.
How can people help?
This vision will only become reality if we work together to create more growing spaces. You can help by getting involved in your local garden, or make a plan and gather friends, colleagues, or neighbours to create growing spaces that suit you. We all have a part to play in local food systems. Do your bit, whatever that is.
