Taupō Community Gardens is run by the amazing MaryAnne who volunteers more than 40 hours each week. She is supported by a dedicated board of trustees and together they ensure the community garden provides enough food for the people who rely on its produce.
MaryAnne is the link that pulls approximately 20 volunteers together, and as well as green thumbs – she has a knack for drawing out untapped skills from her volunteers to bring out the best in themselves – and in the garden. Whether it’s creating artwork, painting sign-posts, building shade houses, creating worm-farms, weeding or holding community workshops, MaryAnne will find that hidden talent.
She finds a use for any product that is offered to the community garden and wastes absolutely nothing. Recently, they received donations of raw sheep’s wool and found that if you plant potato plants in plastic pipe off-cuts filled with sheep’s wool, you can grow an amazing crop of potatoes! They also grow a large amount of fruit and vegetables from seed and even have a native tree bank that has been grown from seedlings.
MaryAnne says “The garden not only helps feed our community, but also provides a calming, physical space that creates a connection for people to feel a sense of belonging,”.
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