Saturday, January 9, 2010

Tales from Fig Tree

Happy New Year Gardener,

What can you say about 2009 at the Fig.  There are so many layers, so many people and so many stories that it is hard to offer a summary of a year in a few words.  There are exciting statistics on groups that visited, food produced, waste composted, hits on the website and events held.  Amazing tales of support from individuals who turned up at the right time and place (too many of these to mention).  But when I reflect on the year I think of stories. 

There were moments in the garden when I felt really privileged to be there.  Like the time a young Philippino woman walked through the garden with me, pointing out common plants and telling me how her mother treated various ailments with them when she was a child.  She said that she never went to a doctor growing up the Philippines.  Or like the time a group of hearing impaired kids got stuck into the sound garden.  I’d never seen anyone bash that percussion with such enthusiasm.  There were pets buried, trees planted for people passing, kids born (not in the garden) and birthdays celebrated (in the garden).  There is a lot of meaning in a community garden.  I suppose I state the obvious by saying it is a place where you grow a community. 

Community Kitchen Friday 15 Jan 5pm
Following on from a committee meeting there is an impromptu community kitchen in lei of the one we didn’t have last week.  This is an easy quiet cook up with the pizza oven, BYO food and grab a beverage from the bar.   Can you think of a better way to ease out of the festive season?  For future reference they are always on the second Friday of the month.

Working Bee Sunday 31 Jan 10am-lunch
There is some work to do folks.  The garden is very forgiving but it has been ravaged by dry, heat, weeds and neglect (can’t blame people for not wanting to weed in this heat).  Not too much to recover – it’s probably better than this time last year.  Lunch is provided.

Coming Up
Seniors Week Open day – late March
Cheese making workshop
Bee Keeping workshop
Food Preserving workshop
(dates tba)

I’m sure the year ahead will offer some great stories.  If you have dared to take only a few tentative steps through the garden without becoming too involved, I recommend you cut loose this year, light the pizza oven with a few friends, pick an entire feed from the garden (even if it is chips and eggs), meet a bocce player, make a bean trellis/ sculpture, create a story...