We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
~ T.S. Eliot
Deep Winter 2025 will be hosted by Jonai Farms & Meatsmiths and Tumpinyeri Growers, 7-9 June, on Djaara Country, where it was first held in 2015.
The event deepens its roots this year with a simple, democratic unconference. The concept behind Deep Winter is to bring small and medium scale farmers and allies together to participate in a joyful event where we collectively discuss our challenges and successes, and share knowledge, experiences, and strategy to deepen our thinking and strengthen our movement for agroecology and food sovereignty.
Draft Schedule
Saturday 7 June 2025: At 9am, the Jonai and local community will slaughter a pig in the annual tradition of la matanza for Sunday night’s potluck feast. Anyone already in the region that morning is welcome to join us as we prepare the pig for the pizza oven the next day. A team of volunteers will be getting signage up for parking and chairs ready in the Belvedere and other sheds for breakout groups, setting up braziers for fires, and generally working together to spread the load - anyone is welcome to help. We expect the majority of people to be arriving throughout the afternoon to catch up with friends old and new, and to enjoy a steaming bowl of ramen at 6:30pm, made from parts of the pig and greens from Tumpinyeri and Jonai gardens. Contributions of nibbles welcome and BYO drinks.
Sunday 8 June 2025: At 9am, the unconference begins. All present collectively set the agenda and decide how many sessions and breakout groups there will be, with coordination from a team of AFSA committee members. Lunch will be potluck, with a big bowl of pumpkin soup provided by Jonai and Tumpinyeri. Dinner is a potluck feast with a Jonai roast pig and the rest provided by all of you, BYO drinks.
Monday 9 June 2025: We will reconvene at 9:30am to discuss the draft Declaration - a collective statement of our determination to radically transform the food system from the ground up, and details from the weekend of how we are doing that and the work ahead. We will discuss plans for the next Deep Winter, and its relation to the annual Food Sovereignty Convergence. We should wrap up before midday, leaving plenty of time for other farm visits in the region and travel home that afternoon.
Accommodation and travel
Deep Winter attendees are invited to camp on-site at the farm in a tent, van or caravan. As it will be early winter, please make sure you bring enough warm clothing and bedding to be comfortable!
There are also a number of external accommodation options in nearby Daylesford for those looking to stay off-site. We recommend booking through Dayget to find a local option that best suits your needs (and saves you from booking through Airbnb!), or check out the Central Springs Inn or Daylesford Central Motel for other affordable options.
We have limited parking spaces available on the farm. Therefore, we strongly encourage carpooling to and from accommodation off-site.
Deep Winter relies mostly on potluck meals, so please come prepared with contributions for lunch, dinner and breaks! Breakfast is independent of these communal meals, and all those staying on-site will have access to the Belvedere kitchen to prepare their own meal. If you have specific dietary requirements, please ensure your contributions cover this so that you have enough to eat.
