Wood-fired Oven

It was thought that a wood-fired oven located in a central place in the community, namely the site of the monthly Community Market, would be a great way to engage people with the overall EcoLoving project. Community groups could raise funds on market days by baking locally made goods such as pizzas, scones and muffins, using locally grown wood fuel.
Community member Neil Garrett led the design and construction of the oven as a major volunteer project.

First ever bake in the oven, although it was not quite complete at this stage. Robena Binks, Neil Garrett and Sue Paton preparing to bake scones at the April Violet Town Community Market.

Neil researched and designed the oven, acquired second hand fire bricks and the locally made glazed external bricks for its construction and was also the principal builder of the oven. 

Warwick Paton, as co-ordinator, gained the required permits for the building, organised volunteer helpers for Neil and the opening scone baking event. 
Robena Binks, with her extensive food handling qualifications and experience, obtained the Council Health approvals and prepared the scones for the inaugural bake. 

Training courses will be held to build up a group of community members who can set and tend the firing of the oven, know how to control the baking process and who are trained in Safe Food Handling.

Bookings by groups and other community members to use the oven will be co-ordinated by the Violet Town Community House, ph 5798 1288, violettowncommunityhouse[at]gmail.com

The inaugural baking day which happened at the April market, 2011, attracted great attention. Drawn to the colourful oven by the offer of free scones with butter and jam and a pleasant place to sit and chat, market goers asked questions about the oven's construction, cooking potential and browsed other information on display about sustainability and wood ovens.
Of great interest is the cast iron oven door - the original door of the first Violet Town bakery once located in the main street.

Adding to the attention was a visit to the market that day by TV gardener Vasili Kanidiadis. Vasili and his TV crew spent quite a bit of time interviewing Neil, finding out about the making of the oven and how it worked. They also came back for extra footage when the next batch of scones came out, so that they could film Vasili eating a scone.

Neil handled the interview with Vasili very well, being entertaining in his own right, bantering with Vasili with great humour and friendliness.

Vasili being served a scone by Neil. (TV cameraman partly obscured behind Vasili)

Sue Paton