Last month, Wellington was the first city in Aotearoa to sign up to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, a global movement for sustainable urban food systems.
This month, Council funded food groups Seeds to Feeds and Growers of Wellington are hosting events and workshops around Pōneke, and Wellingtonians will be able to visit some of the city’s best kept secret gardens on Community Gardens Open Day.
Growers of Wellington is hosting workshops around learning food skills like composting, seed swaps, and growing your own edible mushrooms, and Seeds to Feeds has started its summer-long festival celebrating locally grown, naturally grown, community-building food.
Much of the produce comes from local Community Gardens, and Community and Neighbourhood Advisor Vondy Thornton says they are the hidden gems of the city.
“You can find them tucked behind bowling clubs and nestled in-between houses from Brooklyn to Karori, Mount Victoria to Miramar. They are amazing places for people to go and connect with others, or simply to take some time out to improve their mental health.
“We want to showcase and celebrate our amazing community gardens, and that’s what this Open Day is all about.”
The inaugural Community Gardens Open Day is on Saturday 27 November, where everyone can visit the Miramar Prison Gardens, discover the tucked away plots of Innermost Gardens in Mount Victoria, the hidden orchards of Brooklyn, and the brimming beds and compost heaps of Kaicycle – Newtown’s very own urban farm.
You can get stuck in with working bees, learn new skills or just take the kids along to meet some of the city’s most seasoned gardeners.
When: Saturday 27 November 2021, 10am – 4pm (rain day Saturday 4 Dec)
Where: Multiple locations across the city
Why: To showcase the community gardens Wellington has to offer, and teach people more about how to get involved with community gardening.
Cost: Free