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A revised edition of the popular booklet ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Grown, which offers a practical guide to growing fresh organic vegetables and fruit, will be launched by ecological educator and writer David Holmgren at the Bendigo Sustainable Living Festival this Saturday.

Produced by the City of Greater Bendigo, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Grown was first released in 2014 and has proved to be very popular amongst new and established gardeners. This revised edition includes new information about wicking beds, Queensland fruit fly, native bees and honey bees as well as useful contacts for local food networks and community gardens.

Greater Bendigo Cr Jennifer Alden said the handy free booklet offered great tips and advice on growing your own food.

“The book is based on growing organic food and water-wise planting techniques. It promotes sustainable gardening practices, providing advice on organic waste recycling, seasonal planting, integrated pest management and information on fruit trees and keeping chickens, making it a useful tool in protecting our environment,” Cr Alden said.

David Holmgren, who will launch the new ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Grown edition at the festival, is best known as one of the co-originators of the permaculture concept with his colleague Bill Mollison in the 1970s. Permaculture is a system intended to maintain permanent agriculture or horticulture by relying on renewable resources and a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Copies of ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Grown will be available at the City’s stall at the Sustainability Living Festival in the Library Gardens. Community members will also have the opportunity to have their say on the development of Greater Bendigo’s first ever Food System Strategy, which is looking to support a healthy local food system and improve the health and wellbeing of the region’s community over the next 10 years.

Free copies of the book will also be available at City offices next week.