EDUCATION is the big focus for Munash Organics, which is working to bring a 12-month organisation strategy into play within the next fortnight.
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Munash Organics director Bec Djordjevic said her team, like small businesses across the world, had to pivot and move quickly almost overnight in a bid to stay operational and viable in a fast-changing environment.
The best way they could do this, Ms Djordjevic said, was with kindness and collaboration with small businesses across the community supporting each other, from offering skills to a compassionate check-in via phone.
For Munash Organics, adapting has meant rolling out garden care packs, children's projects, products for purchase online and free online gardening workshops. All of these had been in the pipeline for the year ahead but brought ahead to the meet sudden boom in home gardening, particularly vegetables, as isolation measures step up.
More than ever we need to collaborate and strengthen connections, like how you can share your content, and look after small businesses together.
- Bec Djordjevic, Munash Organics
"Our mindset is one of kindness, positivity and connections because to focus on negatives isn't helpful or how I want to lead team members," Ms Djordjevic said.
"More than ever we need to collaborate and strengthen connections, like how you can share your content, and look after small businesses together.
"As soon as the (shutdowns) happened, the first thing we did was get on the phone to our retailers to say, 'hey, how's it going and we are here, thinking of you'. It's tough and we're all going through it. As much as we're pivoting our business structure, it's about trying to support community."
Self-sufficiency and growing your own food are elements Munash Organics has long embraced. As has education with Munash Organics' founder Ian Munro (Ms Djordjevic's father) pioneering organic fertilisers for farming.
Each Wednesday, Munash will host a free online gardening workshop with plenty of gardening tips aimed for the growing band of newbies starting out and experienced gardeners wanting to learn new tricks. Classes started this week with Munash education manager Bryony Bishop encouraging people to have a go with garlic as it was easy to grow and delicious.
Ms Djordjevic said a children's workbook and activity packs were in the early stages but were being fast-tracked to help parents while school was in recess.
Whatever unfolds, Ms Djordjevic hoped the sudden push for home grown food and gardening would bring back a long-term trend for buying seasonal produce from the region, sharing produce with neighbours and a stronger connection in what we eat.
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