Wilkins Farago are proud to be collaborating with the The Little Veggie Patch Co and the State Library of Victoria to present:

The Gusto! Family Day as part of Social Inclusion Week, Saturday December 1st, from 11am -1.00pm, State Library of Victoria. 

Our picture book Empty Fridge will be the focus of the Gusto! Family Day Story time and The Little Veggie Patch Co will be there setting up their veggie patches on the forecourt. Learning how to plant your own vegetables and herbs and then whip them up into something delicious to share with family, friends and neighbours is exactly what social inclusion week is all about. Collaborate, connect and celebrate!

We’ve asked Matthew Pember, founder of the The Little Veggie Patch Co, why this event is important to them…

Interview with Matthew Pember…
Q1: Mat, what inspired you to start The Little Veggie Patch Co?

The love of sharing food experiences. There are simple, everyday pleasures to be found in both the garden and in the kitchen and we wanted to help people find them.

Q2: How can people get involved?

By creating a garden; as small as a pot or as large as an orchard. Start engaging with food at the most basic level and let your appreciation grow.

Q3: Why did you want to be involved in Social Inclusion Week?

There are so many disintegrated groups of people that have much value to give, but find themselves largely excluded. I look no further than the 50’s/60’s migrant generation with all their edible gardening knowledge and skill that is a crime not to explore! I always take the opportunity to chat to my neighbour’s about their plots and it’s our common thread. I think edible gardening could be a common thread for many people. It’s certainly the common thread between my Nonna and myself.

Q3: Now that you’ve read Empty Fridge, what would you add to the recipe in the book to make it special?

I think they should look in the garden and see what herbs could be thrown in!

Q4: What is your favourite children’s book?

Petit Prince!

“…Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.” Chapter 1. 

If you would like to find out more about The Little Veggie Patch Co come along this Saturday December 1st for the Gusto! Family Day. There will be story time activities, tours of the Gusto! exhibition, hands on veggie patch building, not to mention the giveaway seed packs to start one of your own…

Here is a charming video to enjoy until then.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCFgENTgvkk?rel=0]