Mangonui garden teaching self-sufficiency

Media release: Mangonui garden teaching young and old to be self-sufficient

Mangonui couple Jim and Cheryl Sanders are working with NorthTec horticulture tutor Evan Wood and students on the local OSCAR (Out of School Care and Recreation) programme to grow a community garden. In the process the Sanders and the children are learning how to be more self-sufficient.

After a lifetime of gardening Jim decided he still had things to learn about sustainable practises and enrolled on a level 2 horticulture paper this year. The programme has completely changed his outlook. “I used to be a ‘straight row’ gardener,” said Jim. “I’ve learnt that that’s not necessarily the best way to go about it.”

A visit to Koanga Gardens near Kaiwaka as part of the horticulture programme was an eye opener. “When I arrived I couldn’t believe how untidy it all looked but then I saw what they produced there and learnt about their use of heirloom seeds. Now I understand about companion planting and letting things go to seed so that you can gather the seeds and don’t have to buy them. At 62 my mind’s changed completely. I’ve learnt that a good garden doesn’t have to look like a picture.”

Inspired by what he learnt on Evan’s course he decided to establish a garden so that he could encourage children on the OSCAR programme to get into garden. “I wanted to teach the children about what goes into growing something and give them the satisfaction of being able to eat what they grow.”

Four raised bed gardens have been established on the Ministry of Education property from which the OSCAR programme is run. Numerous fruit trees have also been planted.

Children on the OSCAR programme are on a roster for gardening duties and arrive fired up after school to do their bit in the garden.

Jim’s now decided to enrol in a level 4 horticulture programme with NorthTec and his wife Cheryl has enrolled on the next level 2 horticulture programme in Mangonui. The couple are also starting a ‘food forest’ (a multi-tier gardening system including ground cover to canopy plants) on their 100-acre property using skills that Evan has taught them.

“Evan runs a really good course,” said Jim. “It’s about changing attitudes as well as gardening. You don’t have to be a greenie nutter to get involved in permaculture and organics. With a bit of thinking you can get your desired result, improve animal health and soil fertility and do your bit for global warming.”

Jim believes that getting involved in working on the land provides a great boost for people’s self-esteem and sense of wellbeing.

“It’s about changing people’s thought process,” said Cheryl, “not just those who are working in the OSCAR garden but their whānau as well.”

In addition to using the OSCAR garden as a location for practical work for their course, Evan and his horticulture students have also put time and energy into other community projects such as tree planting at the Mangonui Primary School, and planting as part of the Taipa coast care project. Next year his focus will be on the propagation and planting of native trees and plants. Evan would also like to see a food forest established at the primary school.

“I see my course as a seed sower,” said Evan. “I’ve realised that there are a lot of great community projects around but not a lot of community volunteers. If we can do our bit by providing some labour and knowledge then I’m delighted.”

NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Dargaville, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

ENDS

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