Project leads to harvest of fresh kai

Programme to help Maori grow vegetables and eat healthily continues to thrive

Aunty’s Garden was established in the spring of 2010. Funding became available from the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board under the project name of Kahungunu Hikoi Whenua.

This programme was instituted to assist Ma¯ori to learn how to grow vegetables and eat healthily. It was a very generous offer I thought, so we went for it. Most marae schools and other groups had the opportunity to apply for this same funding and were successful as we were.

During this time I became aware of the cruise ships coming into Napier in increasing numbers and I thought that it would be a great resource to tap into for the marae.

I put together a plan by writing my creative thoughts on paper. I took my simple drawings to a very talented artist and together we created something quite fantastic. I put the plan into action and with the help of a team from Corrections Community workers, the tractor and grader blade, we fashioned Aunty’s Garden into raised beds, limestoned the pathways and began to fill the beds with plants.

As spring continued the plants grew quickly and were soon ready for harvesting.

And so we have continued with Aunty’s Garden, planting, nurturing, weeding, watering and producing beautiful fresh kai.

A koha system or honesty box was put in place to help assist in the purchase of plants, seeds, compost, tools and other things necessary to help keep the garden sustainable and well kept.

A man named Charlie came from Portland Oregan in the US and liked what we were doing and asked how he could help. After learning that we had no irrigation, he soon set everything in place from local merchants and we have irrigation to this day.

People or customers, school children and many others have come to learn and purchase good fresh organic fruit and vegetables from our marae.

Thanks must go to those that have given to assist with the progress and development of Aunty’s Garden. Z Service Station, Corrections Department, Te Puni Kokiri, Te Taiwhenua of Heretaunga, Tahuri Whenua, Te Aranga Marae, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, Hastings District Council, Mitre 10, Planters, Bunnings, Massey University, and the volunteers and groups that have given of their time and talents — are all to be acknowledged.

We at Aunty’s Garden have gone from strength to strength and in late spring when everything is ready, it looks a real picture. As far as the cruise ships are concerned, well that hasn’t happened yet, perhaps on someone else’s watch.

On June 28, I visited the Agricultural Field day at the Tomoana Showgrounds. The Turners and Growers store had beautiful fresh fruit on display.

We were able to gather apples, mandarins, tomatoes and bananas. By adding some more fruits I made an almost fresh fruit sponge dessert, which is our recipe for this month.