In November 2007, the Ethos Foundation, Beaudesert Shire Council, B-Fresh and the Beechmont community kicked off a synergistic pilot project about the growing and distribution of local, nutritious food.

Called “Local Food for Local Folks” the project involved the establishment of a weekly, local, no-spray produce stall called B-Fresh at Beechmont as well as the rollout of regular workshops about sustainable food and farming. The project brings together a loose collective of organisations to build capacity in the Beechmont community around sustainable food and farming.

Wild Mountains is presenting Stillness In Action during the Qld school holidays, 5-12 April. This exceptional 7 day retreat gives the opportunity to:

• Learn a simple meditation to still the confusions of the mind - creating spaciousness for wisdom and compassion to arise - freeing your intellectual, emotional & creative intelligence.
• Renew your spirit for restoring a sustainable environment, for building a just and equitable society, for participating in healthy and creative communities, for personal and social healing.
• Strengthen confidence, kindness and joy - and your power to make a difference - through processes of deep ecology, systems science and ancient earth wisdom

A previous participant says SIA "changes lives, changes the world. It opens up new ways of seeing, of being, of awakening." To find out more, contact me (Joan) by email or on 07 5544 1377, or go to the Stillness In Action website

After a sell-out workshop in November 2007, local Beechmont farmer Dick Marriott is set to host another one-day workshop about healthy soils and biodynamic growing at his biodynamic farm on the Beechmont Plateau on Saturday March 15.

This hands-on, practical workshop teaches people how to cultivate and improve the soil naturally, make rich and healthy biodynamic compost and understand the basics of biodynamic principles. Attendees will be eligible to join the Biodynamic Gardeners Association Inc.