Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

In 2010 Mandy McMullin, on behalf of Grey Lynn 2030, successfully won the support of the old Western Bays Community Board to fund a community orchard on Francis Street reserve. Although the project didn’t go ahead as the soil was found to be too contaminated for fruit trees, Grey Lynn 2030 received the remaining funds ($2400) as a contribution to its own tree planting initiatives particularly through the Wilton Street Community Garden. 

The Grey Lynn 2030 steering committee has decided that the most effective way to ensure that the money is well spent is to contribute to the Fruit Trees for Auckland project. With our sponsorship of $1000 we will see 33 fruit trees planted in the wider Grey Lynn area.

 ‘Fruit Trees for Auckland’ is run by  transition town group Mount Eden Village People  who want to see our parks, reserves, schools and grass verges planted with fruit trees so that there is free and healthy food available for everyone in our community. They are aiming to raise $30,000 by March in order to plant 1000 trees in 2012.

If you wish to plant a fruit tree in front of your house or, if you would like to see more fruit trees in your children’s school or kindergarten or in our parks, reserves and next to playgrounds check out their website.

Unique to the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is the community trading table. Back garden growers can bring their excess produce to sell at the table. It works on an honesty box system. Bundle, label and price your produce to leave at the table with a container for coins. Come back at the end of the market to collect your earnings and anything unsold.

The table started at the market in April 2011 as a bit of an experiment to fill the gap left when the Ooooby ended their stall to focus on weekly food boxes. It has become a much loved and popular part of our market that goes beyond just selling home grown veges for extra pocket money. It is a central place to meet, exchange ideas and marvel over the wonders of what can be grown in a back garden.

It is therefore of huge concern that the trading table, as well as the market as a whole, is under treat because of the onerous food regulations proposed in the draft Food Bill. The bill aims to update 30-year-old legislation to better protect consumers and create a new framework for food safety. We  support a review of the Food Act 1981 as it needs to be updated, unfortunately the Bill as drafted:

• Places onerous and potentially expensive compliance costs on small operators. This is particularly worrying for traders at farmers’ markets who already operate within limited margins
• Requires small growers, people who sell food directly to consumers, and those who barter or swap food to have a “national safety plan”. It is unlikely the trading table would be able to continue with these requirements
• Includes seeds for cultivation and food seedlings in the current definition of “food” thereby extending the scope of the Bill to seed exchanges
•  Gives excessive powers to food safety officers to  to enter and search premises without a warrant in some circumstances and use any force necessary, while being immune from civil or criminal liability.

Food safety is a paramount consideration at the farmers markets and we recognise the need to take a best practice approach to keeping our customers healthy. There are many aspects of the Food Bill that improve the approach of the current legislation. However we want to ensure the Food Bill does not have the potential to threaten farmers markets and the unique role they play in encouraging local food production and access to reasonably priced produce.

The GLFM will be calling on the Minister for Food Safety, Kate Wilkinson to respond to the genuine concerns about the Food Bill. There is still time to make amendments to the Bill so we can look forward to keeping our trading table operating within a vibrant farmers market providing fresh, local and seasonal produce to our community.

Pippa Coom, Chair Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market Management Committee

Grey Lynn Farmers Market featured on a Campbell Live item on the Food Bill, 22 November 2011 

Petition opposing the Food Bill

Interested in using the Trading Table? Free for Friends of the Market or $3 per casual user . More details here

We wish Wilton Street Community Garden founders Mandy McMullin and Dave Gilbert the best of luck in there move to the new orchard (and home)in the garden of Eden. Your constant passion has given birth to a flourishing haven for bird,bee and community in Wilton Street and beyond. From humble beginings of a jungle infested carpark you have managed to create a garden for Lizards, native trees, composting bays for the local recycling of waste, a water tank from the roof tops of The Vault and Gypsy Tearooms, beds for vegtable growning,applications for funding to council for basic needs of the garden, cups of tea for those in need , and all out of the love in your hearts !!!

This is not good bye, but an acknowledgement of your devotion to the garden and the compost !! See you with a sunhat soon.

From the gardeners of Wilton Street Community Garden.

Grey Lynn 2030 Green Screen presents: The Garden

From the ashes of the L.A. riots arose a lush, 14-acre community garden, the largest of its kind in the United States. Now bulldozers threaten its future. If everyone told you to give up, would you?

Sunday 1st May

7.30pm in the Garden Room, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road.
$2 entry

http://www.thegardenmovie.com/

The Grey Lynn Community Gardens are nestled in the Saint Columba Church grounds in the heart of Grey Lynn. It is a Living Communities Trust project that began in 2000. The Saint Columba Church and Community have provided a safe place for the Community Gardens to grow.

The intention of this Garden is for it to be community building and connecting with the earth and seasons. Permaculture and organic gardening are the approaches applied in the garden.

We gather each Sunday at 2pm to care for the whole community garden, and also have monthly discussion meetings on the 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm. There are collective resource areas, worm farms, water tanks, compost areas, peripheries, communal plots, individual plots, trees, meeting room, tool shed etc, which we all look after.

We are very open to new members, and invite people to enjoy and learn more about community gardening by
coming along!

·         Gardening every Sunday from 2pm onwards;
·         Meetings on the 4th Sunday of every month at 2pm.

Contact:

Peter Wham:  361-2520

Kathryn Goodman:   021-031-9032  /  kathryn1844@gmail.com

Fionna Hill:  fionnahill@xtra.co.nz

All over Auckland working bees are happening with the community taking the lead on climate solutions. There are almost 6000 work parties registered world wide. Find out about the huge number of events in Auckland here to get involved in a fun familyday of action.

Where do you plan to be? At Shed 1 , 101 Halsey Street, Viaduct Harbour from 10am – 4pm you can take part in two different work parties

Get Growing Auckland

Growing your own organic food is great for you and great for the planet. We want to show Aucklanders how easy and enjoyable urban gardening can be and challenge them to give it a try.

Come along to:

• Plant a seed to take home
• See creative container gardening displays
• Hear from experienced urban gardeners
• Learn about how you can upcycle materials for a truly environmentally friendly garden
• Win prizes
• + more!

Bring the kids. We’re planning some fun activities

350 Big Bike Fix Up

Between 10am and 4pm this Sunday 10th October Shed 1, 101 Halsey Street on Auckland’s stunning Viaduct Harbour there is a huge fix-up happening and a whole lot more:

Tonzu sausage sizzle and Kokako Organic refreshments available at the venue in support of the Grey Lynn School cycle trail project. All Good bananas will be handing out fairtrade bananas between 11- 2pm.

The Big Bike Fix up has been made possible with support from the Road Safety Team Auckland City Council, Cycle Action Auckland, Tumeke Cycle Space, Adventure Cycles, T.Whites Bikes, Nextbikes, AvantiPlus Waitakere, Cycle Store and Castles Marquee Hire.

Make a day of 10/10/10 by bike
Devonport – HANDS On sustainable living skills fair
Mt Eden  – Community Garden Working Bee

Find an action near you or start your own one. Over 6500 now registered worldwide http://www.350.org/en/map#/map/-36.847385/174.765735/10