Leongatha Garden offers fresh take as fuel crisis exposes system fragility

ONE Leongatha community group is encouraging locals to rethink where their food comes from.

The fuel crisis rocking the globe has shone a light on the fragility of long-distance supply chains, as grocery prices look set to rise.

The Leongatha Community Garden is promoting a simple solution through their farm, The Commons: grow food locally and reduce reliance on transport.

Community Garden President Neil Barrett said the project grew a sense of community as well as fresh produce.

“The Leongatha Community Garden is a community asset that brings people together who have an interest or a desire to learn about the production of fruit and vegetables.”

The garden has just under 60 beds available, and individuals and families can rent a plot across a 12-month period.

Alongside it is The Commons Farm, a shared space where volunteers grow produce such as tomatoes and pumpkins.

The produce is sold at The Commons Market, which operates every Sunday from 8.30am to 11am.

“The current food on an Australian’s plate, on average, travels about 1500km,” Mr Barrett said.

“The idea is that by buying local, sourcing local and growing local, you’re reducing that reliance on transport.”

Farmers across the country are warning that increasing diesel prices and supply challenges could flow through to supermarket shelves.

“It’s interesting, because it often takes a crisis for people to realise how fragile these global food chains can be,” he said.

While The Commons Farm is not yet 100 per cent self-sufficient, Mr Barrett said that was the ultimate goal.

“We want to get to a point where we are only sourcing and providing local food. We’re not quite there yet.”

Currently, 44 per cent of the produce sold at the market is grown locally and on-site.

“It’s about freshness, and it’s about nutrition, in addition to reducing the costs of handling, storing and transporting food,” he said.

“It’s not widely known yet, but there is definitely growth, both in the space and in people getting involved,” he said.