Golden Growers

Increasing Vegetable consumption is a priority area within Golden Plains Shire Councils Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan, as according to the Victorian Population Health Survey (2017) 60.6% of Golden Plains Shire residents do not meet fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines. 

The Golden Growers project aims to engage community in sharing skills and local knowledge with other residents to increase local growing and vegetable consumption. The Golden Growers webpage will feature a series of ‘how to’ videos showcasing tips and tricks on growing, preparing and cooking with a range of vegetables, recipes, and content submitted by community members and Council’s partner organisations. We are currently building this page based on local need and interest.

Edible Gardens Webinars

Golden Plains Shire Council is pleased to announce an all-new Edible Gardens online program and a Growing Tomatoes Online Masterclass webinar series will both begin this month.

Following a successful debut series in August, the popular Edible Gardens workshops will return this month with a new, free webinar series: Edible Gardens Online Workshops 2.

Part of the Golden Plains Shire Council Golden Growers and Victorian Government’s Community Activation and Social Isolation (CASI) initiatives, the series will feature three workshops about how to turn an existing garden into a new, vibrant space providing fresh home-grown produce, without the use of chemicals, in just a few weeks.

The webinars will explore common challenges for gardeners, including constraints on time and space in difficult growing climates, and how to overcome the obstacles. There will also be a new advanced webinar series: Growing Tomatoes Online Masterclass.

Qualified horticulturist Craig Castree, who has been crafting his own organic foods at home for the past 45 years, presents practical, easy and affordable edible gardening solutions in the series.

Growing 

Seasonal Planting Guide

The price of fresh fruit and vegetables changes during the year. The more available fruit and vegetables are during certain times or year, commonly referred to as ‘in season,’ the lower the price will be. If you can be flexible and substitute your meal ingredients for something that is in season, then you will save money. Our seasonal chart shows what vegetables to buy each season so you can get a good value for money.

For fruits and vegetables that you like to enjoy all year round, canned and frozen options are a great alternative, which are often cheaper than fresh produce. Frozen and canned produce are processed immediately after harvesting which seals in the nutrients. Look for “no-added salt” canned vegetables and “canned in juice” fruits. 

Seasonal Planting Guide

Recipes

Cooking with Meredith Learning Centre

Thanks to Meredith Community Centre for sharing this delicious vegetable-packed recipe, we love it!
Home Style Chicken Quesadillas with Guacamole and Tomato Salsa

Download the Recipe

Do you have a vegetable-packed family recipe that you would like to share? Contact the Council’s Health and Wellbeing team at 5220 7111 or email [email protected] 

Making Veggies Fun

The Super Veggie Four

Designed to portray vegetables as fun, exciting, and super, this storybook was shaped by families and children from across Golden Plains Shire. It tells the story of three local children from Rokewood, Smythesdale and Cape Clear, who are visited by ‘super hero vegetables’ and helped in their journey to change traditional family meals from ‘ordinary to rainbow,’ discovering delicious and healthy vegetables. Woven throughout the book are simple tips and recipes to help support families to make vegetables a fun and attractive choice for children.

Download 'The Super Veggie Four'

'Taste the Rainbow'

The 'Master Taste Tester' placemats were developed to encourage children to eat a variety of vegetables on a daily basis.  It is recommended that children aged 4-8 years eat 4 ½ serves of vegetable per day.

A standard serve of vegetables is-

• ½ cup cooked green or orange vegetables (for example, broccoli, spinach, carrots or pumpkin)
• ½ cup cooked dried or canned beans, peas or lentils
• 1 cup green leafy or raw salad vegetables
• ½ cup sweet corn
• ½ medium potato
• 1 medium tomato

Download and print the 'Master Taste Tester' placemats to encourage children to eat a variety of colourful veggies every day!

'Master Taste Tester ' Place mat

Resources

For more information on increasing vegetable consumption, visit any of the following websites which feature a range of tools, recipes, fact sheets and resources.

Nutrition Australia

The Better Health Channel

The Sandro Demaio Foundation

Live Lighter