Slow food, fast growth

It may have a forward-looking name, but don’t go looking for Jetsons-style food pills at the second annual Chippendale ‘Food for the Future Fair’ this Saturday, October 24. Look instead for a celebration of fresh, low-cost produce from nearby localities, part of a determined push towards making Chippendale a sustainable suburb.

This year’s Fair marks the launch of the Chippendale Fresh Food Co-operative in Kensington Street, with money raised from the Fair going towards the new initiative. It joins a range of existing programs, such as street planting and communal composting.

Founding Director, Lindsay Charles, said the Fair was a celebration of everything local. “After the success of last year’s fair we realised the people of Chippendale were looking for alternative ways to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables and so we decided to form the Co-op,” she said. “Being owned and run for the community it will offer a completely different experience to buying food from the major retailers. Our aim is to provide produce from the nearest possible location, so we have been working to build relationships with growers in the Sydney basin and their produce will be sold through the Co-op direct to members, at competitive prices for both growers and consumers.”

Local sustainability expert Michael Mobbs concurred. “The plan is to make Chippendale into an urban farm by having food available where we live and work and growing vines on otherwise hot empty walls,” he said. “The Food for the Future Fair will draw on these themes and really show Sydney what the local Chippendale community has to offer.”

The Fair will also celebrate cultural initiatives currently taking place in Chippendale, such as art and gardening workshops, tours of local galleries and talks by Sydney food personalities. Art workshops will be held by local artist Johnny Romeo and News Limited cartoonist, Eric Lobbecke.