The 2016 Southern Harvest Association AGM was a good opportunity for the volunteer committee to review the 2016 year as well as where Southern Harvest is currently sitting in terms of enacting our Activity Plan and meeting the needs of our members. It was acknowledged by all that impacts on time and availability by the committee members’ “day jobs” have and will continue to determine the achievements of Southern Harvest. However, our passion for supporting opportunities for our regional food economy and community will see Southern Harvest continue to seek endeavours as much as we can in 2017 and beyond.

The establishment of Southern Harvest Education to continue and build on the great work of the Permaculture eXchange will provide many opportunities for Southern Harvest members and others to embark on or continue their journeys toward being actively involved in the regional food economy and community as they see best suits them. The Association will continue to link with partner organisations to provide a broad range of education opportunities as part of that progression. The Southern Farmers Farmer’s Market in Bungendore will continue to be a very tangible means for Southern Harvest to support and provide opportunities for regional food growers in our region. We thank Sam Hawker for her great work and enthusiasm in getting the Markets to this point and look forward to more growers and producers being able to continue their commercial regional food journey into 2017 with the Southern Harvest Farmers Market in Bungendore under the guidance of our new Market Manager.

The new Southern Harvest committee will shortly review the existing Activity Plan and release the 2017 Activity Plan that will set out how we will seek to achieve our objectives and deliver benefits to our . We welcome and look forward to contributions of time, energy and ideas form all members during this process and throughout the year.

The Southern Harvest Association is a membership network for people involved in the regional food economy and community of south east NSW and the ACT. We will optimise our achievements and delivery of benefits when the network is engaged and contributes as they can to that work.

Southern Harvest Association Management Committee for 2017

Four new, and seven returning, committee members were nominated and all were accepted (noting that the Committee can be made up between seven and 14 members).

President – Colin McLean, Owner Nunyara Farm and Manager Provisions Deli & Grocery, Braidwood
Vice President – James Innes, Co-owner, Growing Vegies with Chooks in the City, Canberra
Treasurer – Colin McLean, Owner Nunyara Farm and Manager Provisions Deli & Grocery, Braidwood
Secretary – vacant

Office Bearers

Ruth Gaha-Morris, Owner, The Scrumpers Garden, Bungendore
Leisa Porter, Co-owner, Growing Vegies with Chooks in the City, Canberra
Fiona Porteous, Owner, Bent Shed Produce, Tarago
Samantha Hawker, Co-owner, Green and Gleaned, Captains Flat
Penny Kothe, Owner Caroola Farm, Mulloon
Helen Lynch, Owner Wynlen House Slow Food Farm, Braidwood
Yvette Blackman, owner Black Foo Farm, Bungendore
Ellyn Bicknall, Volunteer, Canberra
Miriam Wilkinson, Goulburn Community Gardens, Goulburn