At Village Agrarians, we were excited to learn about the work of Grow Wanaka, a new organization contributing to the growing community food system in Wanaka and the Lakes District. While their physical space is a small approximately 28 meter by 17 meter garden, their vision is far reaching. Their desire to create a vibrant educational hub where community members can learn, connect and grow drives the group's action. As Chairperson Chloe Rowe explains, once you have an idea, you just need to start and see how it goes. Preparing to enter their first growing season, this is exactly what Grow Wanaka is doing.
“It’s crazy that people who need food can’t afford it, and there is so much empty space (to grow food)” Chloe said to me as she explained her personal motivation for her work with Grow Wanaka. After Covid Lockdown in 2020, some community members connected over the idea of starting a community garden as a way to produce nutritious food and bring community members together. While there are a few market gardens in the Wanaka area, the group saw a gap for a community garden that could divert organic waste from landfill to produce nutritious food for the community, so they took up the project.
Their journey to find their small plot of land was not without roadblocks. In looking for suitable land, Grow Wanaka was surprised to find some community resistance from potential neighbouring properties. However, the support the group has found outweighs any objections they faced. They were approached by a private landholder who was open to their goals to build a community garden. With community support to go ahead, Grow Wanaka is making a conscious effort to leave the site better than they found it. They are in the process of designing and building a beautiful garden which will be lovingly cared for.
They are aiming for a “template hopefully others will be able to recreate,” Chloe explained. And their vision is not just for producing food, but for creating a system which gives back to the earth. Currently, Grow Wanaka is setting up a vermicomposting collection program. This will divert food scraps from the landfill, and build healthy soil to grow nourishing food. They have both Iwi and district council support for the project, and are currently seeking consent from the regional council to get vermicomposting activities underway. Many local businesses and organizations have already provided great support for the project and they look forward to connecting and collaborating with many more throughout the process.
Part of our ethics at Village Agrarians is a belief that equitable food systems include fair compensation for those working on the land and Chloe told me that Grow Wanaka share this vision. They hope that the vermicomposting program will be self-generating employment, charging businesses a fee for collecting scraps. The castings can then go into the garden, and the plants will go back to people. This circular system will simultaneously generate employment, reduce waste to the landfill, provide an education space for community members, and give back to the community in the form of fresh veggies.
Because Grow Wanaka is not focusing on growing for the seasonal market, it gives them more flexibility and diversity in what crops they can grow. They are able to plant long growing crops such as pumpkins and broccoli, and experiment with methods such as the Three Sisters to grow beans, corn and squash together, creating a fun and relaxed growing and learning environment.
In the future, to guarantee sustainability and longevity of the project, they would love to be able to employ a garden manager whose purpose is in keeping the garden managed and looked after, and who can focus on managing the volunteers and visitors to the space.
And who will eat the food that Grow Wanaka will produce? Ideally, whoever needs it. Right now, their vision is that food will be available to those who volunteer, and surplus will go back to the community. Grow Wanaka will be partnering with Food For Love, the Community Food Hub and the Foodbank to distribute produce and increase food resilience in the area.
When I asked Chloe about her personal interest in growing food she replied, “hands in the dirt is my solace. Put me in the dirt, I’m happy.” As Grow Wanaka enters its first growing season, we hope more people can experience the joy of putting their hands in the dirt and contribute to this little garden making a big change.
Because Grow Wanaka is a new organization and still growing, they are looking to build capacity and resources in a couple of areas. If you have any skills in funding applications, vermicomposting, or are interested in supporting the work that Grow Wanaka is undertaking, please get in touch with them at wanakacommunitygarden@gmail.com.
Written by Naomi Morgan
Photos from Chloe Rowe
