Marfell Community Garden (Maara) on Endeavour Street
Spotswood students enjoy their time spent in the community garden!
A labour of love, after nearly three years of gathering, maintaining, evolving, overcoming, and persevering, the Marfell Community Garden is taking shape with the support of people who believe in food sovereignty and growing genuine human relationships.
Bringing the lawn mower to get fixed because the chord snapped, disposing of expired donated food in the pataka, or bringing in bags of sawdust to neutralise the rancid smell of piled-high grass clippings are just some of the gritty tasks that call for service above self. However, there are many small miracles that confirm the collective actions of individuals and organisations involved, and it is just enough to re-energise and persevere.
One recent confirmation that contributes to the ongoing success of the maara is 3 cubes of beautiful, black worm-filled compost made from the efforts of the ZEAL students and their KAItaiake Composting Collective supported by Simon and the Bishops Action Foundation. The students collected food waste from WITT hospitality, paper shredding from Professionals as well as untreated sawdust from Smithers Timber Mill every week. After an entire year of layering and diverting the waste streams, we now have an abundance of compost ready to be used in our community.
Another source of inspiration is a very special group who commits positive energy to the space every Wednesday. Linda Nicholls and Sara Karlsson lead a group of smiling faces down the hill to the maara before lunch. The Spotswood Learning Support students are always keen to mow, weedeat and help spread mulch. They are learning about the art of composting and a technique called lasagne layering, likening the layers of chaff, coffee grounds, grass clippings, cardboard and hay to cheese, meat, sauce, and pasta sheets. “What goes after the pasta sheet, I mean cardboard?” Enjoying lots of laughs and cuddles for our resident dog, Spud, the students always do the mahi and then reap the rewards after a good hour of work, often in the form of lemon bars, cookies, and oat slice.
Students leaning new skills and helping a LOT in the Marfell Community Garden.
“The students are enjoying the opportunity to learn new skills, such as lawn mowing, creating garden beds, and planting seedlings,” states Linda. They are learning about commitment to their families and communities this term, so the Marfell community garden offers the perfect learning environment for transferrable skills. “They are also loving that they are giving something back to the community.”
Carefirst Medical Centres and Marfell residents are joining together for a large-scale working bee. Burgers on the Weber will be served and the hope is to install raised beds and a cloche system kindly supported by Intern Abroad HQ, which follows on from a free Let’s Compost and Pallet Bay Building workshop held in January. Michelle from Crazy Pumpkin New Plymouth has also agreed to donate some winter seedlings. The Maara is always welcoming more volunteers and if you are your organisation or business would like to join in regularly or for a one-off event, please get in touch by emailing info@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz.
Students are enjoying their time spent in the Marfell Community Garden!
