Since its first hui in November, the Marfell Community Garden has made considerable progress and has brought together neighbors near and far to help develop the space. With 24 fully planted rows of vegetables, a kumara patch, corn clusters, teepees of runner beans and sunflowers as well as a perimeter of native trees…

How can we come together to address food security?

This was the main question that guided our actions in organising and promoting our Food Resilience Talks event on Thursday, 3rd of December. Given the importance of this topic and its growing relevance in the post-Covid context across Taranaki and Aotearoa, Sustainable Taranaki is now involved in the facilitation process to co-create a food secure communities plan for our region.

What is food resilience and how can we address the challenges that it implies? The conversation around food resilience in Taranaki is getting more relevant every time, as more and more actors, those who wish to enact positive change, start to engage in ways to secure our access to healthy, nutritious and affordable kai.

During this period of uncertainty, people are starting to wonder where their food comes from, along with how to support their whānau. A very high percentage of the fresh fruit and vegetables available in the supermarkets come from overseas and can be at risk of undersupply. So how can we as a community remain resilient in these challenging and unpredictable times?

Food event specialist, market gardener and garden-to-table cook, Maria Lempriere has used her past experiences as well as her passion for food and sustainability to develop an inspiring business model.

Darlene Gibson lives in Lepperton. In 2016 she and her family purchased 1.7 acres of fence-free land and a self-care house with shrubbery gardens. Thank you, Darlene for sharing your story with us!

Thank you to Claire Mullin, who is the first to share her family’s sustainable initiatives with us. Claire is based in rural Opunake. Her family produces their own meat and milk; they have pigs, sheep and cows; and are trying to reduce their home expenses by producing more of their own food.