Green Connect

19/06/2026

There is a quiet story unfolding in this little moment. 🐝🌼

Bee populations are declining across the world and that affects all of us because without bees our food system struggles.

But here on the farm we are seeing something hopeful 🌱

Healthy soil and diverse plantings are creating a place where bees can thrive
This tiny bee collecting nectar is part of something much bigger ✨

A healthier ecosystem growing right here in our community.

When you support local farms like ours you are helping create safe spaces for pollinators to do what they do best 💛

And that means more life in every box of veggies you take home 🥕🥬

17/06/2026

💚 Refugee Week 2026: A Million Stories

This Refugee Week, we want to share one of the stories that has helped shape Green Connect over the past decade.

Meet Su Meh.

Su Meh is one of our senior farm hands and has been part of the Green Connect family for more than 10 years.

She is Karenni, an ethnic minority from Myanmar. Like many Karenni people, her family fled conflict and persecution and spent years living in a refugee camp in Thailand. Life in the camp was difficult. Opportunities were limited, education was scarce and families often lived with uncertainty about what the future might hold.

When Su Meh arrived in Wollongong, she was one of the first Karenni people to settle in the Illawarra.

She didn't speak English. She had no established community around her. Everything was unfamiliar and challenging.

She recently told us that during those early days, she cried every day.

But she kept going.

Over time, she built a life here, found work, improved her English and became a valued member of the Green Connect team. Today, she is one of our senior farm hands, helping grow food, train new staff and support others starting their own journeys.

The Karenni community in Wollongong has also grown. What started with just a handful of families has become a thriving community of hundreds of people.

In 2023, Su Meh returned to Thailand to visit the refugee camp where she grew up. She took supplies to share with families still living there and showed her children where her story began. She told us conditions are even harder now than when she was young.

What makes Su Meh's story so special is that its impact reaches far beyond one person.

Recently, her daughter interviewed me as part of her university studies in social work.

Think about that for a moment.

A mother who arrived in Australia without English, without family support and without certainty about the future, now has a daughter studying at university and preparing for a career helping others.

That's the power of opportunity.

That's the power of community.

And that's why we do what we do.

Refugee Week's theme this year is *Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community*. Su Meh's story is one of the million stories that make Australia stronger.

Thank you, Su Meh, for everything you have contributed to Green Connect, the Karenni community and the Illawarra. 💚

16/06/2026

📚 Local Food Matters: Insight #1

Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing insights from a recently published study of small scale farms in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven. Green Connect was one of the farms involved in the research.

The first finding is simple:

🌱 Local food matters more than ever.

The research found that small scale farms play an important role in building food resilience by producing food close to where people live.

That might not sound important when supermarket shelves are full, but recent years have shown how quickly things can change. Floods, fires, pandemics, rising fuel costs and supply chain disruptions have all highlighted how dependent we are on long and complex food systems.

Local farms help make communities more resilient.

They keep farming skills alive. They produce fresh food close to home. They create local jobs and help ensure that communities have access to food when larger systems come under pressure.

At Green Connect, we see this every day. Every week we grow and distribute food right here in the Illawarra while creating employment opportunities for former refugees and young people facing barriers to work.

Supporting local farms isn't just about buying vegetables.

It's about investing in a stronger, more resilient future for our community.

💬 Do you think Australia should produce more food closer to where people live?

15/06/2026

This Friday, our CEO, Robert Servine, will speak at the University of St Andrews’ international Trans-Oceanic Webinar on climate resilience and regeneration.

Robert will share the story of Green Connect Farm and explore how regenerating land, growing local food, creating meaningful employment and sharing knowledge can build stronger, more resilient communities.

The free online event begins at **5pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on Friday 19 June**.

Register here:

Join St Andrews Centre for Critical Sustainabilities (StACCS) for this trans-oceanic webinar on Growing climate resilience and regeneration through intergenerational

13/06/2026

🐖🐖🐖 Our pigs are growing up right before our eyes and they are loving every minute of it

Out in the paddock you will find them doing what pigs do best. Rolling happily in muddy patches, scratching their backs on posts and trees, and soaking up the simple joys of farm life. It is more than just play. It is how they stay cool, comfortable and content in their environment.

At Green Connect Farm we believe animals should have space to move, explore and express their natural behaviours. When you see these pigs enjoying the mud and scratching away, you are seeing healthy animals living a good life. 🌱🐖

12/06/2026

🌞 What a beautiful day on the farm!

Our Pickling Workshop has just wrapped up and everyone left with three jars of delicious homemade pickles, new skills and plenty of ideas for reducing food waste at home. 🥒🫙

There was lots of chopping, mixing, tasting and chatting throughout the morning, with participants learning simple ways to turn surplus fruit and vegetables into something tasty and long lasting.

One of the things we love most about these workshops is seeing people connect over food, share ideas and discover practical skills they can take home and use for years to come.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it such a great morning.

Missed out this time? Don't worry, we'll be running this workshop again in the future, so keep an eye on our page for upcoming dates.

Until then, enjoy these photos from a fantastic day on the farm 💚

06/06/2026

We’re excited to share that Green Connect Farm has received support from NSW Ports to deliver a series of community resilience workshops.

In a world facing rising living costs, climate challenges and increasing social isolation, strong communities matter more than ever.

Through these workshops, we’ll help people learn practical skills such as growing food, reducing waste, preserving produce and building connections with others. Skills that not only save money, but also strengthen resilience and wellbeing.

Community resilience isn’t built during a crisis. It’s built beforehand through relationships, knowledge and people looking out for one another.

A huge thank you to NSW Ports for supporting this work and helping us create a more connected, resilient and sustainable Illawarra.

An urban farm is expanding its offerings to the community.

05/06/2026

Learn how to turn leftover fruit and vegetables into delicious pickles and chutneys while reducing food waste and saving money.

Join us at Green Connect Farm for a relaxed, beginner friendly workshop where you'll learn practical food preservation skills that you can use at home.

During the workshop you'll:
🥒 Learn the basics of pickling and preserving
🥒 Discover ways to reduce food waste
🥒 Make your own pickles or chutney
🥒 Take home a jar of your creation
🥒 Enjoy a cuppa and a chat with fellow food lovers

No experience is required and all materials are provided.

📅 Friday 12 June
⏰ 10am–12pm
📍 Green Connect Farm, 6 Anna Avenue, Warrawong
💰 $80 per person
🎟 https://events.humanitix.com/food-waste-pickling-workshop

Whether you're a keen gardener, a home cook or simply curious about food preservation, we'd love to see you there.

Join us for a morning of pickling and learn how to turn old or left over fruit and veg into lovely pickles and chutneys. Take home your own jar of pickles.

02/06/2026

❤️ Love alone won't save the farm.

Over the past few weeks, we've been overwhelmed by the support shown for Green Connect Farm.

Hundreds of children joined us for KidsFest. Around 1,000 people visited during our Community Open Day. We've received countless comments from people telling us how much they love the farm and what it means to them.

We're incredibly grateful.

But the truth is, love alone won't keep the farm going.

Like many households, our customers are feeling the pressure of rising living costs. Every week we welcome new veg box customers, but as many, if not more, people pause or cancel their subscriptions because money is tight.

If this farm is going to continue creating opportunities for former refugees, growing local food, welcoming schools and families, and providing a place for our community to connect, we need support.

If you love the farm, there are two powerful ways you can help:
🥕 Sign up for a veg box
💚 Make a tax-deductible donation

Together, we can ensure this special place continues to thrive for years to come.
Donate here: https://green-connect-farm-2.raiselysite.com/