Do you have fruit trees that need some love? Maybe they are not producing much fruit or the tree is overgrown, stunted, a little sad or unhealthy. Every tree has a story to tell. They have different needs, wants and seasonal life cycles. It is important to understand the reasons behind what we do when tending fruit trees, not just how to prune them. How do they grow? How do they respond to the seasons and communicate through their own growth habits?

In the upcoming workshops you will learn how to read the way a tree grows, understand why it responds as it does and work with its natural biology rather than against it. Together we will look at how pruning influences tree health, structure and future harvests so you can make informed decisions in your own garden with confidence. 

As a life-long student of nature with a love of fruit trees and stewarding over 70 trees at Blue Boat Farm, Melissa enjoys making plant science accessible and practical. She loves asking 'why?'. Her workshops offer more than a set of instructions. They explore seasonal rhythms, plant biology and regenerative gardening along with clear demonstrations giving growers the confidence they need to care for their own trees long after the day is over.

Melissa is a passionate educator who believes the best growers are curious observers. Rather than simply teaching pruning skills, she helps people understand how trees grow, why they respond the way they do and how thoughtful pruning can improve health, productivity and longevity.

She is a graduate of Harcourt Orchard's Grow Great Fruit and has a degree in Education. Melissa has been growing fruit trees for over 10 years. Whether you are pruning a tree for your very first time or refining skills, Melissa's aim is to create a relaxed, welcoming learning environment where questions are encouraged and everyone leaves with a greater understanding and confidence.

If you want to become a more thoughtful and skilled steward of fruit trees, then come join Jacqui and Melissa at one of our upcoming Fruit Tree Stories workshops.

Fruit Tree Stories: Citrus Tree Pruning

Citrus are evergreen trees that often doing several things at once. Holding fruit, flowering and producing new growth. Here we learn to understand the year-round life of evergreen fruit trees.
Friday 24 July at In Our Hands Family Farm, Seaham from 10-12pm (ish)

Fruit Tree Stories: Pomme and Stone Fruit Tree Pruning

Pomme and stone fruit trees have a distinct winter dormancy followed by spring awakening, flowering, fruiting and leaf fall. Here we learn to read the rhythm of deciduous orchards.

Friday 7 August at Blue Boat Farm, Medowie from 10-12pm (ish)

A playful, practical learning series designed especially for homeschooled children aged 5-12 who love to get their hands dirty and keep their minds curious. Each workshop explores a different homesteading skill: focussed on harvesting from the property and then bringing it into the kitchen to create a resource for the homestead. The lessons are curated to fit with the season and weather. Children learn by doing, discovering where food comes from and how to live in harmony with nature.

Our sessions weave together science, creativity and connections, helping children grow confidence, resilience, and respect for the living world. It’s learning that feels like play: nurturing capable, caring young humans who understand that what we do with our hands can shape the world around us.

It is expected that the parent / guardian will stay with the child for the duration of the lesson, as the term is curated as a journey for the whole family - not just the child in isolation. You will receive a printed handout of the lessons’ content, however, unless we are following a recipe the lesson isn’t structured around the handout. The class is delivered by demonstration & verbally by Jacqui - directly to the children. No screens or devices are used.

Please dress appropriately for the season and weather, have enclosed shoes, hats, drink bottles and lunch!

This booking is for Term 3 of 2026, with the classes running fortnightly on a Wednesday from 10am until approximately 1pm.

22/07 05/08 19/08 02/09 16/09

Step into the garden and grow alongside others. Gather and Grow is a monthly gathering where we come together to learn, share and tend the rhythms of the season.

Each session explores a different topic, all related to growing your own food, guided by an experienced facilitator in a relaxed, welcoming setting. You’ll leave with practical skills, seasonal inspiration, and often something to take home for your own garden.

Join Melissa (Blue Boat Farm) on Jacqui’s (In Our Hands Family Farm) property for a series of monthly talks (last Friday of the month)… covering a variety of topics destined to up your growing game!!

Melissa is an experienced market gardener, backyard grower and community-minded green thumb and Chief Steward of Horticulture at the Newcastle Show Horticulture section. Melissa grows vegetables, flowers, fruit trees and runs chickens, ducks and quails at Blue Boat Farm, her one acre, backyard farm in Medowie. She has studied with Jean-Martin Fortier's Market Gardener Institute, Harcourt Orchard's Grow Great Fruit, Milkwood Permaculture and Limestone Permaculture. Although not currently growing produce to sell, Melissa continues to refine her skills and knowledge, whilst her teenage children keep her busy on the home front, and is studying Korean Natural Farming with Chris Trump at Biomei Natural Farming.

Limited to just 10 participants, this is a space to slow down, ask questions, build confidence, and connect with others who are on the same path. Sessions run from 10am-11:30am. BYO gardening gloves, and a container / box to take your monthly items home with you. A notepad and pen is also a good idea, but all other equipment is provided.

Come as you are. Grow what you can. Be part of something rooted in community. YOU MUST BOOK A TICKET so that we can plan for the expected numbers.

August 28th (Full Moon) - Waking the Warmth Lovers

Focus: Bringing summer to life indoors. Tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant — started gently.

Using the plans made in July (or your own plans made at another time), we begin warm‑season seeds indoors. This session demystifies heat, timing, and germination, and reassures everyone that slow, steady starts are better than early panic.

Nothing here requires perfect timing — just attention and warmth.

SEEDS: Tomatoes, capsicums, eggplants, basil

September 25th - Spreading Out: Vines That Like Their Own Space

Focus:Big seeds, easy wins. Zucchini, cucumber, pumpkin, and pot‑starting confidence.

Large seeds are forgiving and satisfying. We look at why some plants like their roots left alone, how to pot them up calmly, and when to step aside and let them grow.

This is a confidence‑anchoring month: visible progress, minimal fuss.

SEEDS: Zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber, nasturtium

October 30th - What’s Normal, What’s Fixable, What to Ignore

Focus: Mid‑season reassurance. Troubleshooting without panic

October is where questions appear. Some plants thrive. Some stall. Some fail. All of this is normal. This session is about reassurance, gentle troubleshooting, and learning when not to intervene. Bring photos, bring questions, bring curiosity.

You’ll leave lighter, not burdened with fixes.

SEEDS: Beans, corn, marigolds, summer greens

November 27th - Helping Stubborn Seeds Along

Focus: A little preparation goes a long way. Hard seed coats, basil abundance, warm‑weather patience. We explore soaking, scratching, and soft encouragement for seeds that need an extra nudge - alongside sowing basil freely and joyfully for summer.

This month reinforces that effort should be proportional — not all seeds ask for the same thing.

SEEDS: Basil, dill, okra or rosella

December 11th - Keeping Things Going Through the Heat

Focus: Gentle care in demanding weather. Shade starts and thinking ahead to autumn

Summer isn’t about doing more - it’s about protection and pacing. We quietly start cabbage and cauliflower in shade, learning how to prepare for the next season without pushing against the heat.

Future you will thank present you for this calm planning.

SEEDS: Cabbage, cauliflower, silverbeet

January 22th 2027 - Saving Seeds for Next Time

Focus: Turning success into continuity. Seed saving from what survived.

Seed saving closes the loop. We focus only on plants that did well, learning simple methods for drying, storing, and labelling seeds without pressure or perfection.

This session celebrates resilience, not productivity.

SEEDS: seed saving techniques

February 19th 2027- Looking Back, Growing Forward

Focus: Reflection, rest, and a gentle reset. Reviewing summer and easing into autumn and winter

Instead of rushing into the next cycle, we pause. We reflect on what worked, what didn’t, what was worth the effort, and what can be let go. From there, we make a small, clear plan for autumn and winter - fewer crops, kinder expectations, more breathing room.

This is a restorative session, not a to‑do list.

SEEDS: Lettuces, radish

March 19th 2027 - The Autumn Turn

Focus: Easing out of summer and into cooler rhythms. Clearing, soil refresh, simple autumn sowing

March is about resetting without rushing. We look at gently clearing tired summer beds, refreshing soil where needed, and choosing a small number of cool‑season crops to begin the autumn garden.

This session emphasises transition, not productivity.

SEEDS: Bok choy, kale, broccoli, cauliflower

We offer a $5 per class discount for participants who are booking 3 or more classes. Use code 3CLASSES to claim!

Step into the kitchen and learn the time-honoured art of home preserving. In this hands-on session, you’ll join your host to explore safe, simple ways to turn seasonal produce into beautiful jars of jams, pickles, and relishes.

Together we’ll cover the essentials – from preparing and sterilising jars to understanding acidity, sugar, and storage – while creating preserves you can proudly take home. It’s a practical workshop for anyone wanting to reconnect with traditional food skills, reduce waste, and fill their pantry with wholesome, homemade goodness.

We will cover 4 methods: canning, fermenting, hot-packing OR water bathing & dehydrating.

The class runs from 9am - 2pm so please bring something for lunch.

Participants will receive a fully immersive hands-on experience, will take home a sample of the products produced on the day, as well as Home Preserving Handout, for future reference. Group sizes are intimate, meaning you’ll recieve detailed attention and a personalised experience.

Booking is for a single day. $150 per person (or $100 each for a booking of 4). Must be booked 48 hours in advance - no last minute bookings