Mushin’s magnificent millipede
On Friday while picking up some tomato seedlings from CERES Propagation I spy the unmistakable red bearded figure of Steve Mushin creating some kind of metal hooped sculpture up on the hill.
This vision can only mean one thing – Steve is bringing the giant millipede he’s been dreaming up, talking over and meticulously designing for the last sixteen months to life!
I wander up to where he’s holding a large steel rib section while his collaborator, Adam, welds it in place.
While the sparks fly Steve, with trademark wild-eyed enthusiasm, riffs on the joys and challenges of building a gigantic, custom-made millipede from scratch.
You may remember back in August 2018 six hundred people voted to build a Recycled Electric Kinetic Playspace at CERES as part of the Pick My Project Competition.
After consultations with kids focus groups and input from a volunteer team of playground design experts the playspace found its story.
It would be Terra Wonder ; a recycled junk wonderland scaling the life found in our soil 500 times – a place where tiny micro-organisms were taller than humans that would be dominated by a gigantic millipede as long a tram that you could run through and climb upon!
A few weeks ago Steve and project manager, Nick Curmi, finished months of exhaustive and exhausting engineering and safety audits and finally began work
The new space has been marked out with a chunky sugar-gum post and rail fence, with the aforementioned giant millipede centrepiece being made of steel, salvaged industrial equipment and a skin of farm-grown timber supplied by CERES Fair Wood
Steve, who is renowned for his projects marrying imagination with his skills as an industrial designer, explains, the first stage of construction (funded by Pick-my-Project) will complete earthworks, fencing, sculptural entrance-way and of course the giant millipede.
Stage Two, Steve excitedly points to spots around the the hill, will feature a large working crane, a series of tree pods linked by elevated walkways, a slide, tunnels, water play and a loose parts area.
I listen and can’t think of anyone else I would want to be building this magical new part of CERES.
Joe’s Garden CERES Calendar
Looking for the perfect Christmas gift i.e. one that keeps giving the whole year, isn’t wrapped in plastic and doesn’t require a traumatic trip to Chadstone, Northlands, Southlands or Highpoint?
Presenting for your time-management pleasure the CERES Joe’s Garden 2020 Calendar (that’s June above with our own farmer Em Connors).
Featuring our favourite peeps down at Joe’s Garden as well as pics from CERES and Fair Food if you can get one delivered with your Fair Food order it’ll one more gift ticked off the list.
And one last thing….
You might have noticed the link at the top of our website to the ORGANIC FARMERS BUSHFIRE APPEAL
It’s a fund that’s sending organic feed and other material assistance to help organic farmers stay on their land and stay certified organic.
People who feed us are in real trouble, including Marrook Farm, who have been surrounded by bushfires for weeks.
Any support adds to our shared resilience.
Have a great week
Chris
