Emily runs a smallholding farm with her husband and young family in Baynton, Vic. Together they keep honeybees for raw honey, pastured chickens for eggs and meat, heirloom vegetables for preserves and ferments and hope soon to keep grass fed cows and free-ranging pigs. Together they are building a business from working on the land, using sustainable and holistic practises. 

In this intensive, hands-on workshop you will learn how to produce and enjoy the benefits of natural, wholesome soap and skincare products - free from harsh chemicals, perfumes and toxins. Emily is especially passionate about using natural fats like lard and tallow which are often a discarded waste, pure beeswax and seasonal herbs and flowers from the garden. She will teach you how to make your own grey-water safe dishwashing liquid, moisturising hand salve, body butter, herbal face masks and lip balm - as well as each person making a big batch of traditional "cold process" soap to take home with them. All recipes can be easily recreated at home without any fancy equipment - and are based on ingredients you can source locally and economically. 

DATE: Sunday 23rd October 

TIME: 10am - 3pm

COST: $250 per person

INCLUDES: Workshop, tour of the farm and gardens, morning tea, two- course farm lunch and hand made soaps, products and recipes to take home. 

WHAT TO BRING: Long-sleeve shirt, closed toe shoes, a long-loaf or similar baking tin (that you can transport your soap home with), any particular herbs or essential oils you might like to use. 

Bookings are essential as we only have a maximum of 12 persons for this workshop. 
Full payment needs to be made prior to the workshop. Refunds can only be given if the cancellation is made two weeks prior to the workshop. 

Please fill in the form below to request payment details and directions to the farm. 

Tash xx

Baking has always been a passion of Emily’s - and after being diagnosed with coeliac disease a few years ago, she focused on the art of baking delicious bread and sweet treats free of gluten. She has drawn much inspiration from her time living in France and travelling in Europe. In this hands-on workshop you will learn to make a range of delicious gluten free sweets and baked treats - including French baked custards canelés, European Christmas cookies, shortbread, scones, and kid lunchbox favourites; wholesome banana bread and honey-sweetened carrot cake.  All recipes use wholesome, easily digestible ingredients - free of soy, corn and gluten with plenty of taste testing!
You will take recipe workbook and all your sweet treats to enjoy at home!

This workshop includes:

- morning and afternoon tea

- a farm lunch, grown and gathered here on our farm

- a farm and garden tour

- recipe booklet

DATE: SUNDAY THE 18TH SEPTEMBER

TIME: 10AM TILL 3PM

COST: $220 PER PERSON

Bookings essential as we only have a maximum of 12 persons for this workshop. 
Full payment needs to be made prior to the workshop. Refunds can only be given if the cancellation is made two weeks prior to the workshop.

Please fill in the form below to request payment details and directions to the farm. 

Thanks Tash x

 

On Sunday, 4th Sept, join Ani Lee of Close Knit, Megan Elizabeth of Wool Days, for a day celebrating good wool, indulging in our beautiful farm-catered lunch, and learning how to knit in a cozy environment.

We’ll be knitting our own Lilian Beanies, a pattern written and adapted for absolute beginner by Ani exclusively for this event with Wool Days. Participants will learn how to cast on, knit garter and stocking stitch - the most versatile stitches in knitting -  and change colours for colour-blocking. Each student will get to choose three colours of the luscious Australian grown, NZ-processed merino wool to knit their beanie.

Whilst this workshop is perfect for beginners, we also welcome those with prior knitting experience to join us. Ani will be on hand to troubleshoot and delve into the ways this beanie can be customised to suit you. So if you love good wool, there is space for you on this special day.

All materials, including Australian-made knitting needles, Wool Days Scout Yarn, farm lunch, and other goodies to be announced, are included in the course fee.

DATE: SUNDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 

TIME: 10 - 3PM

COST: $250 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: WORKSHOP, MORNING TEA, LUNCH, FARM TOUR, KNITTING NEEDLES, WOOL DAYS SCOUT YARN AND OTHER GOODIES. 

Bookings are essential as we only have a maximum of 12 persons for this workshop. 
Full payment needs to be made prior to the workshop. Refunds can only be given if the cancellation is made two weeks prior to the workshop. 

Please fill in the form below to request payment details and directions to the farm. 

LEARN TO GROW - BACKYARD PRODUCE

Come join us for a one-day workshop run by Farmer Govey (Declan) from
THE LITTLE FOOD GARDEN focused on SPRING PLANTING, how to grow your own veggies, from seed to harvest.
Using our gardens here at 'A PLOT IN COMMON', you will be digging in the dirt, preparing the soil, and planting out the veggies.

YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO: 
-Make your own compost
-Prepare soil for planting
-Propagating seeds and making your own seed raising mix
-Growing SPRING produce
-Make your own organic pest sprays
-Make your own organic fertilizer

YOU WILL LEAVE WITH:
-Loads of information from the workshop
-Seeds to get your backyard farm started
-Seedlings to kick start your SPRING crops

YOU WILL NEED TO BRING:
- gardening gloves
-boots
-warm clothes
- water proof jacket
- sun hat

The workshop will be held in The Old Girl, our 1800's barn. You will be provided with morning tea as well as lunch grown and gathered here on our farm. 
You can learn more about Declan and what he is doing at The Little Food Garden on Facebook and Instagram @thelittlefoodgarden

 

DATE: SUNDAY 28TH OF AUGUST

TIME: 10AM TILL 3PM

COST: $65.00 PER PERSON

Bookings are essential as we only have a limited number of places for this workshop. 
Full payment needs to be made prior to the workshop. Refunds can only be given if the cancellation is made two weeks prior to the workshop. 

Please fill in the form below to request payment details and directions to the farm. 

 

In this workshop you will learn how to produce and enjoy the benefits of natural, wholesome soap and skincare products free from harsh chemicals, perfumes and toxins. Emily is especially passionate about using natural fats like lard and tallow, which are often a discarded waste, pure beeswax and seasonal herbs and flowers from the garden. She will teach you how to make your own grey-water safe dishwashing liquid, moisturising hand salve, herbal face mask and lip balm - as well as each person making a batch of traditional "cold process" soap to take home with them. 

This workshop also includes a lunch, grown and gathered from our farm, and a farm baked morning and afternoon tea. 

DATE: SATURDAY MARCH 19TH

TIME: 10 - 3PM

COST: $250.00 PER PERSON

WHAT TO BRING: LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT, CLOSED TOE SHOES, A BAKING TIN (THAT YOU WILL TRANSPORT YOUR SOAP HOME WITH), ANY PARTICULAR HERBS OR ESSENTIAL OILS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO USE. 

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: A MAXIMUM OF 12 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP

FULL PAYMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP

REFUNDS CAN ONLY BE GIVEN IF CANCELLATION IS MADE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP AS ADVANCED PREPARATION IS REQUIRED

PLEASE COMPETE THE FORM BELOW TO HOLD YOUR PLACE AT THIS WORKSHOP. 

Emily runs a smallholding farm with her husband and young family in Baynton, Vic. Together they keep honeybees for raw honey, pastured chickens for eggs and meat, heirloom vegetables for preserves and ferments and hope soon to keep grass fed cows and free-ranging pigs. Emily is a keen baker and sells her gluten free sourdough and other delicious treats at local farmers markets every month. 

"Adventures in (gluten free) bread making" with Emily Sims Baking has always been a passion of Emily's - and after being diagnosed with coeliac disease a few years ago, she has focused on the art of healthy baking free of gluten. In this intensive, hands-on workshop you will learn the art of rice, millet and buckwheat based sourdoughs, as well as olive and fresh herb rolls, russian style black bread, pizza dough and more. All recipes use wholesome, easily digestible ingredients - free of soy, dairy, corn and gluten with plenty of taste testing! You will take home a jar of sourdough starter to use for your own bread making adventures. 

You can read more about Emily and see what incredible things she is doing on her farm here: http://handtoground.com.au

DATE: SUNDAY 21ST FEBRUARY 2016

TIME: 10AM - 3PM

COST: $220 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: WORKSHOP, MORNING/AFTERNOON TEA, FARM LUNCH, FARM TOUR, RECIPES, SOURDOUGH STARTER

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: A MAXIMUM OF 12 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP

FULL PAYMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP

REFUNDS CAN ONLY BE GIVEN IF CANCELLATION IS MADE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP AS ADVANCED PREPARATION IS REQUIRED

PLEASE COMPETE THE FORM BELOW TO HOLD YOUR PLACE AT THIS WORKSHOP. 

Belinda Evans is an Australian artist and maker. Belinda's choice to live a slow, simple, thoughtful life is reflected through her art. Obsessed with discovering and experiencing the beauty and imperfection of the natural world, Belinda spends a great deal of time with her eyes pointed downwards and her hands and pockets filled with treasures from the earth and ocean. Inspired by (and using) her natural discoveries, she attempts to capture their imperfect beauty in her photography and with her hands in the form of wood, clay, plant dyes and natural textiles. 

In Belinda's six hour workshop, you will learn how to prepare and mordant wool and silk textiles for natural dyeing to get the best colours from your natural dyes and help make them colourfast, how to collect and prepare native plant materials for yarn dyeing, and how to use those materials to dye wool and silk textiles. 

You will use foraged native Australian flora and simple equipment and ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen to dye wool yarn. You'll be able to use the skills you learn at this workshop to dye wool and silk yarn and fabric in small or larger quantities to knit, crochet and weave with. The techniques you learn will work on any new or vintage wool or silk textiles so you will be able to create something new or bring new life to an old piece. 

Belinda would like you to take home a collection of mini skeins of yarn that you have dyed in the workshop that will be ready to use in a weaving, knitting or crochet project. You also take home a booklet with detailed notes on the preparation, mordanting and dyeing process for wool and silk yarn and fabric. 

No prior knowledge is required for this workshop. 

To see Belinda's work and read more about her passions and skills go to this link: http://elementsofalchemy.blogspot.com.au

DATE: SATURDAY 13th February 2016

TIME: 9AM TILL 3PM

COST: $220.00 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: WORKSHOP, MORNING/AFTERNOON TEA AND LUNCH, MINI SKEINS OF YARN AND BOOKLET

YOU WILL NEED TO BRING RUBBER GLOVES FOR HANDLING HOT TEXTILES. 

A MAXIMUM OF 12 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP.

PAYMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE IN FULL TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP

REFUNDS CAN ONLY BE MADE WHEN CANCELLATION IS MADE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP AS ADVANCED PREPARATION IS REQUIRED

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW TO MAKE YOUR BOOKING. 

Belinda and I are really looking forward to meeting you,

Tash x
 

Emily runs a smallholding farm with her husband and young family in Baynton, Victoria. Together they keep honeybees for raw honey, pastured chickens for eggs and meat, heirloom vegetables for preserves and ferments and hope soon to keep grass fed cows and free-ranging pigs. Emily is a keen baker and sells her gluten free sourdough and other delicious treats at the local farmers markets every month. 
Baking has always been a passion of Emily's - and after being diagnosed with coeliac disease a few years ago, she focused on the art of healthy baking free of gluten.
You can read more about Emily, her gorgeous boys and their farm here: http://handtoground.com.au/about/

In this intensive, hands-on workshop you will learn the art of rice, millet and buckwheat based sourdoughs, as well as olive and fresh herb rolls, russian-style black bread, pizza dough and more. All recipes use wholesome, easily digestible ingredients - free of soy, dairy, corn and gluten with plenty of taste testing!
We will share lunch in our 1800's barn, which will consist of our own farm produce and, of course, some delicious bread made by you and Emily. 
We will finish the day with a tour of the farm and afternoon tea in the veggie patch. 
As a parting gift, Emily would like you to take home a jar of starter to use for your own bread making adventures.

DATE: SATURDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2015

TIME: 9.30 - 3.30PM

COST: $120.00 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: WORKSHOP, MORNING/AFTERNOON TEA, LUNCH, FARM TOUR AND YOUR OWN SOURDOUGH STARTER

PLEASE BRING: A CLEAN GLASS JAR WITH A LID (300 - 500ML)

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: A MAXIUMUM OF 12 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW TO HOLD A PLACE IN THIS WORKSHOP

PAYMENT NEEDS TO BE FINALISED PRIOR TO THE DAY. 

Please contact me with any enquiries at: aplotincommon@outlook.com

We look forward to meeting you,

Tash x

The Mistress of Meatsmithery, Tammi Jonas of Jonai Farm, is going to run a Sausage Making workshop here on Saturday the 10th of October. 

The Jonas family, Tammi, Stuart and their three children, raise happy, heritage-breed pastured pigs on 69 acres, just outside of Daylesford. Their ethically grown pork is incredibly delicious. Take a look here http://www.jonaifarms.com.au to learn more about their story and why their pork is how pork should be. 

Tammi will use some of her pork to teach you how to bone out a shoulder, cut, mince and stuff a variety of sausages. This workshop is a hands-on. The best way to learn to make delicious sausages is to get your hands in there!

Your day will begin with morning tea in the veggie patch, followed by your sausage making workshop with Tammi.

We will share lunch in our 1800's barn. Lunch will be our farm produce and the delicious sausages that you made! We will finish the day with a tour of our farm. 

DATE: 10TH OF OCTOBER 2015

TIME: 10 - 3PM

COST: $120.00 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: WORKSHOP, MORNING TEA, LUNCH AND FARM TOUR

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: A MAXIMUM OF 15 PEOPLE FOR THIS WORKSHOP

PLEASE FILL IN THE FORM BELOW TO HOLD A PLACE FOR THIS WORKSHOP. 

PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO THE DAY.

Please contact me if you have any enquiries: aplotincommon@outlook.com

We look forward to meeting you,

Tash x

Alichia van Rhijn of Hearth Collective is an artist based in Central Victoria. She is a self-proclaimed maker of things and vintage lover who spends her time handcrafting goods ranging from woodwork, ceramics and metal casting to lovingly restoring and re-purposing vintage finds.

Alichia is deeply passionate about nature and draws constant inspiration from the natural environment around her. Australian native flora has been a huge inspiration and she is entirely enamoured by the fact that the Australian bush can seem so void of colour and detail from a distance and it is not until you get up close that you are exposed to the vast array of colours, tones and striking details in the native landscape. This subtlety is something that she tries to replicate in her handmade wares. 

During this workshop Alichia will step you through some simple ceramic hand building techniques to create some great pieces to use in your own home. 

Handbuilding with clay offers endless opportunities for creating a variety of wares and forms. You will be introduced to the basic techniques of pinching, coiling and slab building to enable you to create various functional and sculptural forms. 

After lunch you will explore and experiment with various techniques to achieve texture and surface decoration. 

This workshop is perfect for beginners, and is an ideal introduction to experimenting with various hand building techniques to create small functional and sculptural forms.

The workshop includes the use of clay, tools, materials for decorating and firing. After the workshop your pieces will be fired with a clear glaze and will be available to pickup two weeks later. We are also more than happy to post them to you.

DATE: SATURDAY 3RD OF OCTOBER 2015

TIME: 9.30 - 3.30PM

COST: $140.00 PER PERSON

INCLUDES: MORNING/AFTERNOON TEA, WORKSHOP, CLAY, TOOLS, MATERIALS FOR DECORATING, FIRING, FARM TOUR AND LUNCH

BOOKING ESSENTIAL: A MAXIUMUM OF 10 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW TO HOLD YOUR PLACE FOR THIS WORKSHOP

PAYMENTS MUST BE MADE PRIOR TO THE WORKSHOP. 

To learn more about Alichia and her works at Hearth Collective, please take a look here: http://www.hearthcollective.com

If you have any questions about this workshop, please contact me at aplotincommon@outlook.com

We look forward to meeting you,

Tash x

Sharon from The Fermentary will be sharing an Introduction to Fermenting workshop here on Saturday the 12th of September. 
The Fermentary is a family business that create 'delicious, raw, wild, probiotic rich, health giving food.' Raw ferments such as kimchi, kraut, milk kefir and water kefir. 
You can learn more about their story and products here: http://www.thefermentary.com.au

Sharon will share with you the first things you need to know about fermentation, which SCOBY suits you, and how to use water kefir grains.
Together you and Sharon will make water kefir. Sharon will demonstrate each step that is involved, give you the opportunity to taste and gather more recipes. 
As a gift to you, Sharon would like you all to take home a vial of water kefir grains to make your own gorgeous water kefir! 
 

As part of this workshop, we will start with morning tea in the veggie garden and after Sharon has shared her mastery in fermenting, we will share a lunch, grown and gathered on our farm, in our barn. 

Hope you can come to this wonderful day!

DATE: SATURDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2015

TIME: 10 - 3PM

COST: $135.00

INCLUDES: WORKSHOP, MORNING TEA, LUNCH, FARM TOUR, KEFIR GRAINS

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL: A MAXIMUM OF 12 PARTICIPANTS FOR THIS WORKSHOP

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW TO HOLD YOUR PLACE FOR THE DAY

PAYMENTS NEED TO BE MADE PRIOR TO THE DAY.