Gdp2008's Weblog

Email from Alan

gdp2008 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:17:01 +0000

This is a note to give you a quick summary of our activities during this past Spring.
From September through to early December we tackled 16 new vegetable gardens around the suburbs and revisited and assisted with 12 other gardens that we had been involved with in previous years. As usual we had a wonderful reception from the owners and where we had to call 3 or more times to a garden, we were able to build a good rapport with the new gardeners.
This year we concentrated on the individual gardens and left the Highgate community garden in the care of the folk at the Maori Hill church.
Some of the highlights of the last 3 months would be:
1] A Cooking Seminar at OBHS school called ” Beyond Baked Beans”. Sabin and Shelley, teachers at the school, demonstrated and gave tips on the cooking of vegetables, the use of herbs and recipe ideas to a group of our new gardeners…plus others. The seminar was very well received.
2] A member encouraged some of her university friends to assist in the weeks before exams and another member with a team that he had organised from Selwyn College, assisted over a 2 or 3 week period as well. It was great to have young and enthusiastic help. And many thanks for the committed team, from St John’s church and elsewhere, who came out week after week.
3] We were encouraged [almost bullied] into entering our project in the annual Trustpower Volunteers Community Awards this year and to our amazement we were the winners of the Health and Wellbeing award. This has meant a welcome addition to our funds.
In the new year we will revisit all our gardens to offer advice, assistance and Summer seedlings.And we anticipate a number of new referrals from the welfare agencies in the city for more new vegetable gardens around the suburbs.
May this Christmas time be a blessed time for you and your families. And as we holiday, may the gardens keep working vigorously.
Best wishes
Alan

Whole garden Dec 2009

gdp2008 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:11:19 +0000

Whole garden Dec 2009

Photos Dec 2009

gdp2008 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:10:11 +0000

No Dig patch with edges and 2 scoops of compost

December 2009

gdp2008 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:31:17 +0000

Have added two scoops of commercial compost to no dig plot (4th on right) and planted it partly out, Marilyn is looking after the top plot (left hand plot) and we are digging over the 2nd plot. Plot 3 is underway as well and tomatoes have been planted against the brick garden wall. Eight tomato plants are in 4 compost bags which have holes in the bottom for drainage. We do this at home and it is a good way to conserve water. If anyone is passing, please water the garden if it looks dry.

August 25th 2009 spring news

gdp2008 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:12:34 +0000

Our working committee met last week and we have already dug 3 new gardens around 3 suburbs of Dunedin to kick-start the new vege garden season.
Last season our group was involved in approx 20 new gardens and we also assisted in 9 gardens that required assistance from the previous year.

We were surprised and delighted to receive the Health & Well Being award at the Trustpower Community evening earlier this month.

Our emphasis at the start of this Spring is to be as active as we can, digging new gardens in the backyards of our clients and then assisting them with the on-going planting and maintenance. And we know that at least 15-20 of our earlier gardens will require some help and advice through this year as well.
So for this work we need a team of willing volunteers. Last season our numbers fell away until it was left to just the faithful few in the last 2 or 3 months.

If you are able to help on a Saturday morning [say 2 or 3 Sats a month] please reply YES to this email.

Help means 4 hours from 9-00am to 1-00pm.. Or it can mean 9-00am to 11-00am, or 11-00am to 1-00pm.
This will enable me to estimate the size of our team each week and the extent of work that we can accomplish.

This Saturday [29th ]we have 3 or 4 new gardens to dig plus some earlier gardens to prepare for planting. If you are able to help this Saturday please reply YES as above and OK this SAT

Gardening greetings Alan Dunbar

September 2009

gdp2008 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:10:51 +0000

Steve Dunn (ph 488 5257) will be at the garden between 9am and 11 am most Saturday mornings from 19 September onwards. Help is most welcome. Let me know if you want to help with individual gardens around the city as well

February 2009

gdp2008 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:56:17 +0000

It’s now 2009. We had a barbeque on 31 January and ate potatoes with mint from the garden plus other vegetables from our own gardens (and your usual meat items).

The garden is looking great: the no dig plot vegetables did the poorest, grew quickly then failed due to a lack of soil depth. (sounds like the parable of the sower!) We will top this up.

The pumpkins are doing well: Anne’s idea of growing them through an old bed bedspread and weighting it down with lawn clippings worked very well at suppressing weeds and trapping in moisture.

We have been able to supply members who have no space for gardens with a fwe vegetables and some went to the food bank.

We have also visited a number of people who want help in establishing gardens plus ongoing advice. This is very rewarding as often all people need is a few scoops of compost, some seedlings and a bit of advice and away they go. The city council have given us some funding to help.

December 2008

gdp2008 — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 01:05:41 +0000

Currently a few of us are keeping an eye on the garden, watering, weeding and planting the remaining space.

The plots have potatoes and in the 2nd plot from the left, Alan has planted a green crop to condition the soil.

The no dig plot far right of photo) contains newspaper, pea straw and compost and the plants are doing really well.

Link to no-dig garden building

4 plots 1 Dec 2008

When everyone is back from the holidays, we will have a Barbeque at the garden on 31 January 2009.

Vegetables from the garden (and a few other items) will be on the menu.

1 November 2008 at the Community Garden

gdp2008 — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:37:49 +0000

On Saturday 1st November at 10-00am we met at the garden. We planted our seedlings and dug over the last plot. We planted pumpkins around a tree. A group of us left at 11am to attend the individual gardens around the suburbs [as we did last year] since we now have a number of referrals from the social agencies to assess and assist. We also removed a few weeds at the back of the garden and discovered mint growing. Ann explained that a number of the weeds we found are in fact edible. Puha or milk thistle has long been eaten in NZ. It even turns up in restaurants. Google Puha for more information.

http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/vascular_plants/detail.asp?PlantID=211

Even the roots of the obnoxious onion weeds we have in the area can be eaten like spring onions.

18 October 2008

gdp2008 — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:10:55 +0000

Group met at the garden. There are now some 14 rows of spuds in (3 varieties: Jersey Bennie, Heather, and Swift, in two types of bed – to see how well the beds produce) and some silver beet and savoy cabbage planted in the no-dig area (thanks Neil) (and thanks for the plants, Linda). Thanks, Alan and Celia, for your support this morning – especially for the delicious morning tea.