The gardens, maintained by a group of volunteers in
association with St Stephens church, boast a range of
produce free for visitors.
CREATIVE JUNCTION
“We welcome people from all over the world,” says
volunteer Fred Tito. “Recently we’ve had visitors from as
far away as Hungary.”
Fellow volunteer, Wendy Giffin says the piece of land now
hosting the garden on the corner of Whimp Ave in Onerahi
was once an eyesore.
“It was a hang out for local hoons, covered in litter. So it’s
amazing to see how far we’ve come.”
Wendy and Fred were part of the original group of volunteers
who had completed NorthTec’s horticulture course.
“We wanted to create a positive space in our
community,” she says. “More people heard about us
and generally if they come to gather produce, they
help out with a bit of weeding here and there.
PAGE 21
Everything within the garden has been donated, from
fruit trees to rocks surrounding each bed.
“The council have been really supportive and put
running water in for us too,” says Wendy.
Previously the group had been carrying water from
the stream in buckets.
For more information visit the Wai a Ariki Food Forest
Onerahirahi on Facebook at https://www.facebook.
com/waiaarikifoodforestonerahirahi
L
ocal volunteers have created a
haven of peace and tranquility in
the middle of Onerahi. The Wai
a Ariki Food Forest Onerahirahi
celebrated their second anniversary last
Saturday.
Birthday for Food Forest