Today I (Robbie) helped Robina to run the workshop - Creating Edible Landscapes for a Suburban Property. This means we teach how-to, provide hand-out material and book resources, start the design process and begin marking out the design on the ground. It's usually a two day workshop but she managed to fit it in to one day (she's flexible like that!). We held it on-site at the property to transform - at Nathan and Mellisa's place in West Hamilton. It's approximately a 1/4 acre property, with another little unused land more off to the side. Tomorrow we'll work on the design of this side land to establish a food forest. You can just make out Nathan in the red t-shirt in the photo on left.
It was a relatively small group of attendees - 7 to be exact. But the productivity of the group was superb. In the arvo, whilst Robina and I ran the workshop, a few friends arrived - Alima from Australia, joining our Localising Food Tour for the next 5 weeks, and her fine steward Rob. They started cooking our dinner to take with us to our evening venue - Environment Centre Hamilton. It was a bit of a rush but this tends to happen on the tour as we try to fit in as much as possible on our journey around NZ. To keep food costs down on our un-funded tour, we plucked some greens from Nathan and Melissa's property for our salad! As I type now, I'm watching Susie talk on the politics of food security in NZ. She's covering the subjects of the Food Bill currently in its second passing in parliament, GE food in NZ, the government's policy and management of it, the introduction of nanotechnology in our food, and the influence and possible effects of the TPPA trade deal, that's the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement - I think I've finally memorised that :) Next up, Robina will present her slide show on real, existing local examples of how communities have been establishing their own local food systems for food resilience. More on that later. And of course, Susie, Zara and Ritz have been out around Hamilton today documenting more community examples. I'll post some images of these a little later on. Robbie | |
The Foodworkers diary ... Susie's blog
In Hamilton our first visit was to Christine Cave who has been inspired to
promote ‘Eat the streets’. An idea promoted around the world, the essence is to
grow food along the sides of roads in the city either using the grass verges or any
other available spot to grow food. Appalled by the use of fossil fuels to mow lawns
and roadside verges she decided to turn both her garden and roadside verge into
permaculture style gardens. She has a sign to say it is a council pilot scheme
to encourage others and discourage vandalism. When we were there the verge
was filled with vegetables, bright zinnias and butterflies, the monarch’s especially
loving the zinnias. Christine has also set up a community garden with a Pregnancy,
childbirth and early parenting support group nearby.
In Hamilton our first visit was to Christine Cave who has been inspired to
promote ‘Eat the streets’. An idea promoted around the world, the essence is to
grow food along the sides of roads in the city either using the grass verges or any
other available spot to grow food. Appalled by the use of fossil fuels to mow lawns
and roadside verges she decided to turn both her garden and roadside verge into
permaculture style gardens. She has a sign to say it is a council pilot scheme
to encourage others and discourage vandalism. When we were there the verge
was filled with vegetables, bright zinnias and butterflies, the monarch’s especially
loving the zinnias. Christine has also set up a community garden with a Pregnancy,
childbirth and early parenting support group nearby.
Judy MacDonald, part of Living Streets, 4 years ago went to a talk by David Engwicht about ways to calm traffic in cities, the research found that where people are using their streets as an extension to their gardens, for picnics, ball games etc, traffic tended to slow as people had eye contact. At the end of the talk when asked what she intended to do about traffic calming in her area she had already formulated a plan. With her neighbour she planned to make gardens on the verge outside their properties and put a table there where excess veges and fruit could be put for exchange or just to take home if people needed the food. It has been really successful with many of her neighbours putting out their excess, they also put out seedlings too. Being a keen jam maker Judy would also like to put jams out for people to take home but knows that there are concerns under some councils that present food regulations may prevent this. |
Waimarie Community Gardens are one of the first community permaculture gardens to have been started in Hamilton. Originally just an open space owned by council (and now leased) it was ringed by conifers. The first move was to cut down the trees and remove all the dead wood from the gardens making space and light for growing vegetables. This was completed by a local group of mental health clients who began to have lunch from the gardens. They are the most regular of groups to use the gardens but those with head injuries also use the facility and it is also used by the permaculture trust for workshops. The garden now boasts chickens, a herb spiral, a number of productive gardens as well as a wooded area and great outdoor seating area and a clay oven which is regularly used for community events and holiday programmes. Jane Landman is the longstanding coordinator behind this garden and has plenty of ideas for its future.
Grandview Community gardens is situated in Salvation Army land and supported by Kote Pacifica as a healthy learning space for Pacific peoples but also serves refugees. It has been found that a mix of different cultures helps to create good communities and here we saw Burmese refugees, Pacific and US members of the
gardens working on their plots. Tim Newton met us at the gardens, he has been employed together with his partner as mentor to the growers, many of whom are now growing at home. One of the newer community gardens in Hamilton, it has around 25 plots supplying 60-70 people with fresh veg. It has a small seedling house with a neat drip supply to avoid continual watering and all plots are well mulched and watered with watering cans rather than hoses. By doing this a 10,000 litre tank has been enough to serve the plots even through the drought.
gardens working on their plots. Tim Newton met us at the gardens, he has been employed together with his partner as mentor to the growers, many of whom are now growing at home. One of the newer community gardens in Hamilton, it has around 25 plots supplying 60-70 people with fresh veg. It has a small seedling house with a neat drip supply to avoid continual watering and all plots are well mulched and watered with watering cans rather than hoses. By doing this a 10,000 litre tank has been enough to serve the plots even through the drought.
Cheryl took us to the Hamilton Botanic Gardens which house the Sustainable Backyard garden.
The plot started around 1999, is the size found in most backyards, and is set up to
feed a family of four. The fences are espaliered with apples and there is a central
cob oven. The vegetable beds are the same size as the chicken run so that it can be
placed over to help clear and fertilize beds. There is a worm bin and compost area
in the shaded area and a beehive and solar panel to run the fountain perched on top
of a pergola where kiwifruit and grape vines grow. There seems to be quite a lot of
interest in this garden and apparently it is the most visited in the botanic gardens.
The plot started around 1999, is the size found in most backyards, and is set up to
feed a family of four. The fences are espaliered with apples and there is a central
cob oven. The vegetable beds are the same size as the chicken run so that it can be
placed over to help clear and fertilize beds. There is a worm bin and compost area
in the shaded area and a beehive and solar panel to run the fountain perched on top
of a pergola where kiwifruit and grape vines grow. There seems to be quite a lot of
interest in this garden and apparently it is the most visited in the botanic gardens.
Wiremu helped us to understand the background of the Te Parapara also situated in
Hamilton Botanic Gardens. The pataka there was inspired by 200 year old carvings
unearthed in the area. The patterns were copied exactly and the gods associated
with the local iwi placed on guard around the palisade walls made from sharpened
manuka poles. There are many varieties of kumera growing within the compound
and they were about to be harvested when we visited. The first ones were to be
harvested that day and placed on the umu (altar). All kumera must be very carefully
lifted to avoid bruising which reduces their keeping qualities. There is also a storage
facility on the site. Wiremu also spoke of a taro variety they had in the Te Parapara
gardens which originated from the first arrival of wakas in New Zealand which they
intended to compare through genetic profiling with Taro grown in the Pacific islands to
see where its origins were.
Hamilton Botanic Gardens. The pataka there was inspired by 200 year old carvings
unearthed in the area. The patterns were copied exactly and the gods associated
with the local iwi placed on guard around the palisade walls made from sharpened
manuka poles. There are many varieties of kumera growing within the compound
and they were about to be harvested when we visited. The first ones were to be
harvested that day and placed on the umu (altar). All kumera must be very carefully
lifted to avoid bruising which reduces their keeping qualities. There is also a storage
facility on the site. Wiremu also spoke of a taro variety they had in the Te Parapara
gardens which originated from the first arrival of wakas in New Zealand which they
intended to compare through genetic profiling with Taro grown in the Pacific islands to
see where its origins were.
Neil Tolan has a keen interest in gardens and food growing, his enthusiasm for
mixing that with community support was self evident and reflected in the project he
has been a part of at the Western Community Centre. Pictures of the planting of
some of the 1692 trees adorned the walls.
Firstly he showed us an aerial map of the area where there are stars placed on
the gardens of the people in the community who received trees during the HeHa
project there. 212 households took advantage of the offer of trees, they were given
a maximum of 10 trees of their choice per household. Apples, plums, limes ,lemons,
passionfruit, feijoas and mandarins were offered. Many were planted near their
boundaries to allow others the chance of free fruit. The trees were planted with the
help of 200 volunteers from the community and by the families themselves, children
particularly enjoyed the planting. Some households have gone on to put in vegetable
gardens increasing the availability of food. Many trees were planted in the gardens of
people in rented accommodation with the owner's permission where it is hoped that
produce will continue to feed families for many years. Simultaneously feijoas and
citrus were planted against the fences around the edges of the playing fields. These
trees are only small at the moment but have survived the drought and there has
been no vandalism. The community has taken ownership of the trees and it will be
great to go back in 10 years time and see if Neil’s vision has been realised.
We were invited to visit Val and Sylvia at Cobden House in Peachgrove Road. This
house held the original peach grove the road was named after. The house is 100
years old this year and in the Val’s family for 75 years. The gardens are full of trees -
from the huge and magnificent tulip tree – to numerous varieties of apples, pears,
feijoas, etc. Sylvia has been involved in a gleaning enterprise for many years now
getting together with local growers, and finding trees in peoples back gardens that
needed picking. Together they process some of the gatherings into juices and other
delights and Sylvia has a collection of people to which she delivers to. We were given
a huge box of figs , pears and other fruit and veg delights and spent some time
enjoying their beautiful home as we snacked on the fruits.
mixing that with community support was self evident and reflected in the project he
has been a part of at the Western Community Centre. Pictures of the planting of
some of the 1692 trees adorned the walls.
Firstly he showed us an aerial map of the area where there are stars placed on
the gardens of the people in the community who received trees during the HeHa
project there. 212 households took advantage of the offer of trees, they were given
a maximum of 10 trees of their choice per household. Apples, plums, limes ,lemons,
passionfruit, feijoas and mandarins were offered. Many were planted near their
boundaries to allow others the chance of free fruit. The trees were planted with the
help of 200 volunteers from the community and by the families themselves, children
particularly enjoyed the planting. Some households have gone on to put in vegetable
gardens increasing the availability of food. Many trees were planted in the gardens of
people in rented accommodation with the owner's permission where it is hoped that
produce will continue to feed families for many years. Simultaneously feijoas and
citrus were planted against the fences around the edges of the playing fields. These
trees are only small at the moment but have survived the drought and there has
been no vandalism. The community has taken ownership of the trees and it will be
great to go back in 10 years time and see if Neil’s vision has been realised.
We were invited to visit Val and Sylvia at Cobden House in Peachgrove Road. This
house held the original peach grove the road was named after. The house is 100
years old this year and in the Val’s family for 75 years. The gardens are full of trees -
from the huge and magnificent tulip tree – to numerous varieties of apples, pears,
feijoas, etc. Sylvia has been involved in a gleaning enterprise for many years now
getting together with local growers, and finding trees in peoples back gardens that
needed picking. Together they process some of the gatherings into juices and other
delights and Sylvia has a collection of people to which she delivers to. We were given
a huge box of figs , pears and other fruit and veg delights and spent some time
enjoying their beautiful home as we snacked on the fruits.