Obi Obi Essentials
September Bulletin 2014

Another Sunday afternoon in early spring down in the Obi, so the pear tree is full of beautiful white blossoms and the other productive trees are promising fruitfulness. There are white pews congregated in the larger lane between the olive trees with an archway at the end. White flags are strung up along the fence on one side and bottles hang from the olive branches on the other waiting for an old combie van to drive through. A group of beautiful young men dressed in dark pants, white shirts with braces and bow ties all with their hair neatly groomed wait at their cars drinking a beer and laughing with self-consciousness and long term camaraderie. Of course, an outdoor wedding ceremony and the skies are threatening. I speak to the groom, what do you say when the one thing you have no control over threatens to spoil THE DAY? Then he says ”It’s okay, that colour sky will make great photos!” Ahhh, this wonderful couple are going to be just fine.

August was filled up with research for Finding Common Ground, (our not-for-profit organisation aimed at promoting local food networks) reading and summarising thirty five documents from the Sunshine Coast Region, from Queensland and Australia about agri-business, then synthesising and categorising for the local and state governments. The new Sunshine Coast Economic Development Strategy classifies agriculture as one of the seven high valued industries. A taskforce is working out an action strategy to assist this sector to grow in strength and vibrancy and this new research document will contribute to that.

Now it is time to get back outside and reconnect to what is happening. The new friends and acquaintances, who for a variety of reasons get in touch with us, allow that transition to happen pretty easily as their questions allow me to get back to my core activities, thank you! The thousand olive trees are a large part of that productive tree bit and so it is always with some concern that I watch September unfold, hoping that the very small bunches of white olive flowers will again miraculously appear by the end of the month.

From our place to yours,

The Johnson family.