Taree Community Garden is growing more than garlic, leeks, kale, dill and celery. It is growing community and its second working bee on September 11 saw new people visit the garden in Wynter Street to help weed, water and join a growing group of volunteers.
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Sue Finlayson of Cundletown learned of the working bee in the Manning River Times and was one of the first to arrive at the garden at 9.30am. She worked with around 10 other volunteers under the direction of the garden’s horticultural planner, Darren Harrison, to weed and water the rows of garlic beds and raised garden beds.
Sue laughed and talked with other volunteers while working in the early morning sunshine and was rewarded for her contribution to the garden with an armful of freshly picked celery, lettuce and leeks.
“It was a lovely morning and I will be back for the next working bee,” Sue said.
Taree Community Garden is holding regular working bees to try to ensure its success in the long term and to ensure its first crop of garlic is given every advantage to deliver a great yield.
“I want this place to hold its own. I’ve been growing garlic for years in Elands and so I decided to put in a test crop of different varieties.”
His hope is that Taree Community Garden will “become famous for growing incredibly tasteful garlic”.
“If we were to grow 150 kilograms of garlic and sold it for a minimum of $20 a kilo that’s a couple of thousand dollars and also gives seed for next year. It would be wonderful if this garden could be sustained by an annual crop.”
Darren says ongoing funding is critical but also cites the need for the community to claim the garden to ensure it thrives.
“Gardens need daily attention. It is easy for a garden to fall into disrepair and when that happens people will lose heart, they’ll look to the space and think it’s too hard and over time it can be abandoned.
“This garden has everything. It’s absolutely amazing – location, location, location. It’s here and our town and community needs what it offers and that's not just food.”
The garden is located in the heart of Taree and continues to be a hub of construction as the Australian Government continues its investment with various Work for the Dole projects.
The Taree Community Garden Facebook page promotes its working bee events and will advertise the date of the October event.
