IN A tasty bid to tempt curiosity and commitment to their community growing space initiative, CUPS Coffs Inc.

(Community Use Permaculture Space) is giving away uncommon native fruit trees to anyone who signs up to become a member on their information day.

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Committee members, representatives and the lead spokesperson for CUPS, Peter ‘Lewie’ Lewis, will be onsite manning a stand where the proposed community growing space will be located at Brian Navin Park.

“Brian Navin Park is behind Park Beach Plaza shopping centre opposite the BigW loading bay; we’ll be there on Saturday 1 April between 10am and 12 noon,” Peter told News Of The Area.

Telling us more about the lure of the particular plum tree he’s giving away, Peter said, “The Davidson plum (Davidsonia Jersyanna) is a rare rainforest tree that loves shade and happily grows on the south side of buildings.
“It can produce up to 5kg of fruit within a year of planting, under the right conditions.”

Anyone who joins CUPS Coffs Inc on the information day will get a tree seedling free, some advice on getting the best fruity outcome, and maybe a recipe or two.

“Davidson plums are quite sour but make the best jams and also syrups or jellies that have a similar flavour profile to cranberries,” he said.

The other advantage to this endemic variety is its low maximum height of about 3m and the fact that fruit form along the main trunk within easy picking reach.

“The trees traditionally sell for around $20 to $30 so a free seedling with a $10 membership is a bargain,” said Peter.

To get your free tree, go to the information day and sign up.

The plan for CUPS is to offer the opportunity to get good individual outcomes from a shared gardening space.

The space will not only be an opportunity to provide food security, the group is keen to see people learn, swap, cooperate and participate in gaining ways to grow their own food and ways to prepare food.

Using the word ‘space’ rather than ‘garden’ was chosen to embrace people who are not gardeners.

“The ‘space’ is for cooks, jam makers, beekeepers and people who just love working outdoors with others,” said Peter.

There’s also ‘space’ for people who love to build or work in the workshop fixing and maintaining equipment.

As a community space it can be used for yoga, meditation, musicians, songwriters, teaching, problem solving and social gatherings.

For more information about CUPS send an email to cups.coffs@gmail.com.

By Andrea FERRARI