The Soil & Health Association was pleased to announce the re-launch of Project Gro in December 2009.

Project Gro was first launched in 1984 by then patron, Sir Dove-Myer Robinson who said “If mankind is to achieve optimum health he must consume healthy food grown in a healthy environment.”

Many members and readers will remember that at the time Project Gro’s emphasis was on ‘Giving to Research in Organics’ (GRO). Members and the public gave generously during the 80’s and 90’s to the Project Gro fund to support the growth of the Biological Husbandry Unit at Lincoln College, which was established with the support of Soil & Health in 1977. Project Gro also enabled Soil & Health to set up an Advisory Service in Canterbury, Hawkes Bay and Auckland, to employ an Education Officer and assist other organic programmes, such as the work at the Bay of Plenty Polytech growing organic vegetables and kiwifruit.

Project Gro has more recently been dormant, but is now being given a new lease of life to assist with the growth of organic gardening and education, which reflects the resurgence of gardening and the need for better health in our communities. In Auckland alone there are now over 90 community gardens.

The fund will be used to support community groups, maraes and schools starting-up and maintaining organic gardens, to create organic gardening resources and teach organic principles for health of people and planet. Garden gurus can provide workshops on wormfarming, composting and bokashi making, lunar gardening, sheet mulching, seasonal vegetables, making your own insecticides, beneficial insects in the garden, companion planting, intercropping and crop rotation.

We give $500 to each applicant to achieve this end which also includes a free years subscription to Organic NZ - NZ's leading magazine on organic gardening

Group gardening initiatives are especially beneficial to those experiencing financial hardship and poverty alleviated by self reliance.  Growing and eating healthy, fresh organic food, being able to destress and participate in physical exercise improves health outcomes for the community and for those socially marganalised it gives them valuable work skills, instills a sense of pride (especially for at risk youth) in their work and community and builds networks and friendships within the community and with other communities offering the same.

Soil & Health wants Project Gro to be a living example of the Association’s motto: Healthy Soil - Healthy Food - Healthy People. This work will also help fulfill the Association’s vision of an organic nation by 2020.

Project Gro works collaboratively  with other organisations to achieve this maxim including Gardens4Health, Enviroschools and Organic Garden City Trust Canterbury. We also have affiliations with all organic certifying bodies BioGro, Demeter, Assure Quality and Organic Farm and OANZ - Organics Aotearoa as well as organisations concerned with the safety of our food such as GE Free New Zealand, Safe Food, Pesticide Action Network, the Awareness Party, Green Party, Ministry of Primary Industry (MPI) and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

To receive a Project Gro Application Form - email manager@organicnz.org.nz or phone 09 4194536

 

Community Gardens

 

In recent times there has been a resurgence in gardening and community gardens are increasing at a dramatic rate.  In Auckland alone as of December 2012 there are over  90 community gardens.  These gardens provide people with healthy, safe food that is often organic and/or spray free which improves health outcomes for communities and relieves financial hardship.  They also provide people with valuable employment skills, foster a sense of pride for participants, provide exercise and relaxation, free food and provide an opportunity for people to develop friendships with other members of their community and between communities.

 

Soil & Health - Organic NZ work with various community organizations to ensure that community gardens are supported financially and otherwise such as Gardens for Health, the Poverty Action Alliance, District Health Boards and Operation Green Thumb.

 

This is a formative list of community gardens in New Zealand.

 

NORTHLAND

• Oromahoe Community Garden
Oromahoe Primary School, Oromahoe

• Rangihamama Garden Community Project
34 Ngapuhi Rd, Kaikohe

AUCKLAND

 

North

• Devonport Community Garden
Mt Cambria Reserve, Devonport

• Massey Uni Community Garden - Albany

   • Kakano Wirau Community Garden - Glenfield

 

West

• Ranui Community Gardens
Ranui, Waitakere

• Millbrook Edible Gardens (MEG)
Sunnyvale, Waitakere

• Te Atatu Peninsula Community Garden
Te Atatu Peninsula, Waitakere

• Waterview Community Garden
Meets Saturday Morning at Waterview Primary School, Oakley Ave entrance

• EcoMatters Community Allotments - New Lynn

• Epping Neighbourhood Community garden - Henderson

• Lucinda Place Community Orchard - Glen Eden

• Cedar Heights Community Garden - Massey

 

Central

• CCS Disability Action Community Garden
Royal Oak, Auckland

• Grey Lynn Community Gardens
Auckland

• Wilton Street Community Garden
Wilton Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland

• Kingsland Community Gardens
Kingsland, Auckland

   • Kelmarna Organic City Farm
12 Hukanui Crescent, Herne Bay. Tel (09) 376 0472. Open most days 9am-5pm

• Winstone Road Community Garden - Mt Roskill

• Old Homestead Community Garden - Pt Chevalier

• Mt Eden Fruit Tree Network - Mt Eden

• Orakei Community Garden - Orakei

 

 

  South Auckland

• Mangere Community Gardens
Mangere Community Health Trust, Manukau

• Growing for Health
Manukau community Plots

• Whare Tiaki Hauora - Otara

• Toitu te Whenua Community Garden - Mangere Bridge

• Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae - Mangere

• Manurewa Marae - Manurewa

• Otara Tongan Methodist Church - Otara

• Huakina Trust - Waiuku and Pukekohe

 

BAY OF PLENTY

• Titirangi Community Garden
Behind Te Poho o Rawiri Marae, Ranfurly St, Kaiti, Gisborne

• Te Runanga o Te Whanau a Apanui Community Gardens
Whitianga, near the mouth of the Motu River

• Ruatoki Community Gardens
Maori Women's Welfare League / Te Huinga a Matariki ki Tuhoe. Phone Mina Timutimu 07-312 9222, Hine Kane 07-312 9606 or Sandy Watene 07-312 9377

• KEA (Kawerau Enterprise Agency) Community Gardens Project
Situated behind the House of Hope, Tamarangi Drive, Kawerau. Phone Kelly 07-323 7377 or email kelly@kea.org.nz

• Hannah’s Bay community gardens has been in operation for eight years. Contact Denise La Grouw denisel@clear.net.nz

• Let's Get Growing is an allotment-style community garden in the Otumoetai Railway Reserve on Otumoetai Road, Tauranga

 

WAIKATO

• Hannahs Bay Reserve
Hannahs Bay Reserve, Rotorua

• Bright Smile Community Garden
712 Mackay Street, Thames

• Awhi Farm
129 Atirau Road, Turangi

TARANAKI

• Opunake Community Gardens
Heaphy Road, Opunake

• Marfell Community Garden
Marfell Combined Culture Centre, 56 Cook St, Marfell, New Plymouth. Phone Janeen on (06) 7580035. Open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10.30am-3pm, plus many free weekend workshops and gardening bees. Look out for ads in the Midweek community newspaper.

 

WELLINGTON/WHANGANUI

• Operation Green Thumb Wellington Community Gardens
Various sites around town

• Arlington Street Community Garden
Corner Arlington St and Torrens Tce, Mt Cook, Wellington

• Kapiti Coast Community Garden
Greenaway Rd, Waikanae

• Aramoho Community Garden and Food Forest
Wai Ora, 49 Brunswick Road, Aramoho, Whanganui. Contact Wai Ora (06) 343-5015

NELSON

• Motueka Organic Community Gardens
420 Main Road, Riwaka, Motueka

• Golden Bay Community Gardens/Seed Exchange
24 Waitapu Rd, Tasman, Nelson

• Waimarama Community Organic Gardens
Tantragee Rd, The Brook, Nelson

• Marlborough Community Garden
Ralph Ballinger Drive off Budge Street, Riversdale, Blenheim. Phone Tina Fortune (03) 579-3599

 

CANTERBURY

 

Canterbury Community Gardens directory

http://communitygardens.org.nz

 

Banks Peninsula

• Lyttelton Community Garden

Burwood-Pegasus

• New Brighton Community Gardens

Fendalton-Waimairi Ward

• Oakeover Community Garden

• Wai-ora Trust Community Garden

Hagley-Ferrymead Ward

• Delta Community Support Trust

• Fitzgerald Avenue Community Garden

• Heathcote Community Garden

• IHC/IDEA Community Garden at St Johns Church

• Linwood Resource Centre Community Gardens

• Packe Street Park and Community Garden

• Redcliffs Community Garden

• Roimata Growing Group

• Smith Street Community Garden

• Sumner van-Asch Community Garden

Kaiapoi

• Kaiapoi Community Garden

Lincoln

• Bryndwr Community Garden

Rangiora

• Rangiora Community Garden

Riccarton-Wigram Ward

• Te Puawaitanga Ki Otautahi Trust Community Garden

Selwyn Central Ward

• Rolleston Envirotown Community Garden

Shirley-Papanui Ward

• Belfast Community Garden

• Edgeware Village Green Inc

• Packe Street Park and Community Garden

• Te Ora Hou Community Garden

• Te Puna Oraka – Early Years Shirley Hub Community Garden

Spredyon-Heathcote Ward

• Christchurch South Community Gardens

• Opawa Community Garden

Springs

• Lincoln Community Garden

• Springston Secret Community Garden

 

WEST COAST

• Westland Community Garden
Lazar Park, corner of Park and Hall Street, Hokitika. Phone Glenys at the Westland District Council, 03 756-9082

 

OTAGO

Dunedin

• Shetland Street Community Gardens, Kaikorai Valley, Dunedin

• North East Valley Community Gardens, North Road, Dunedin

• Waitati Edible Gardens
Waitati, Otago

• Speargrass Flat Road
Speargrass Flat Road, Queenstown

 

SOUTHLAND

• Mataura Community Garden, Kana Street, Mataura