There is something evocative about organic home-grown produce. There’s this pleasure of being able to smell the flavours of a tomato before you taste it, to touch an unwaxed apple free from nasties and to be able to see the rewards of having your own produce growing right at your fingertips.

This is a movement that is thriving within the Blue Mountains gardening community. With a mix of old yards housing established fruit trees cared for by experienced green-thumbs, along with new-comers turning their hand at creating their own seasonal plots of earthly delights.

Assisting with building this vital relationship between the community and home-grown produce is Farm it Forward (FiF), a Blue-Mountains based urban farming social enterprise model. Their aim is to connect landowners and young people who share a passion for growing food.

FiF’s coordinator Manu Prigioni, explains that “all the landowners were identified through our Lyttleton co-op community as being 'at risk' of social isolation and therefore were approached to be part of the program”.

These include member of the community from young families with small children, families with children with special needs to older residents with low mobility or struggling with mental health issues after retirement.

The involvement with landowners and growing produce is an opportunity to create not only a connection with the land, but with others in the community. It’s a chance to share ideas and educate each other about the processes involved from garden to table.

A recent example of this shared knowledge and love of produce took place right here at Lyttleton, with Manu hosting a hands workshop for our much-valued volunteers. If the idea of freshly baked cake straight from the kitchen and a warm cuppa weren’t enough of an enticement alone, volunteers got to learn how to preserve some of the last pieces of summertime produce.

It’s that time of the year, as the leaves begin to change and the chill of the air starts to creep in, perfect for preserving those last bursts of summer flavours to be enjoyed in the cooler seasons. The preserving workshop produced an array of goods including dried apples, orange garlands and dehydrated mandarins.

“We have lots of green tomatoes coming up so another preserving sesh is on the agenda for those!” says Manu about some of the workshops planned for the future.

Connecting through food in the community is something that we love to do at Lyttleton with our offering of organic produce and house-made goods straight from the kitchen, ready to be devoured in kitchens, on dining tables and in picnic hampers by all who love a scrumptious feast.

Stay in touch with upcoming workshops and exciting events by subscribing to our newsletter or pop by the store for a chat.

Creating a Connection: The Power of Produce and the Community