Pages

AddThis

Bookmark and Share

26.1.11

Open Garden Forum

The signed document is now in the hands of the Garden’s Trustees! Well done
Neville White. Now it is time to discuss how the Stage 2 extension will be
implemented.

5.30pm, Monday, 31st January 2011 @ the Riversdale Community House, 131
Budge Street, Blenheim.

An open forum will be held allowing attendees input into the strategic planning
of the Stage 2 extension. Some items to be discussed; extension of composting
system, a dedicated composting person, addition of a worm farm, small shelter
area to work under, layout of Stage 2 land, etc. Anyone who has an interest in
the Gardens is more than welcome to attend.
There will be a BBQ, please bring a plate of goodies for the table, savoury or
sweet. Wine and juice will be available. A big thank you to Phil Creswell for his
kind donation of the wine for any Garden social occasions.

Reminders

Stage 2 extension Open Forum
Monday, 31st January 2011
5.30pm @ Riversdale Community
House, 131 Budge Street, Blenheim

30.4.10

Snail Mail Newsletter April 2010




Autumn
                                                                                                                                                                         APRIL  30, 2010          SNAIL MAIL NEWSLETTER

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 5-year Vision Presentation.  The harvest table looked magnificent, the home-made soups, sandwiches and scones made with produce from the Garden’s, was delicious and the Garden’s presented beautifully for the Garden tour with the attendees.

All the extra effort was well worth it, as NMIT CEO, Tony Gray was very impressed by the presentation and what has been achieved to date, indicating that Stage 2 may now progress forward. YAHOO!

There was also a little snippet of information that the pathway has been signed off by NMIT, so Marlborough District Council will be able to go ahead with laying the path.  The Trustees have asked to be involved in the plantings around the path as it winds its way through Stage 2.

Neville White, Chairperson, summary notes of the Key Attendees meeting is on the reverse of this page.
Please contact Tina 579 3599 if you require a copy of the 5-year Vision Presentation.

TREASURER POSITION
Two applicants replied to the advertisement placed in the Marlborough Express. Both have been interviewed by Neville and Tina, and recommendations will be discussed at the next Trustee Meeting.  The position is a paid position, Financial Controller, and will be contracted until the next AGM in September 2010.

JOHNs KITCHEN
Over the garden fence we heard 100kg of potatoes and 25 kg of beans made their way to John’s Kitchen. That is wonderful! Please let me know what is happening with your edible goodies so I can inform the newspapers when they ask me for comment. Bev & Hay’s lovely big pumpkins are now well travelled and we are looking at saving their seeds for the children to grow some of their own next season.

ALLOTMENT CHANGES
John Soper has relinquished his two allotments and the people on the waiting list will now take these over. The allotment which was originally Don Cross’s has also been let.  The pumpkins have been harvested on the Community Garden and will be replaced with six raised garden beds for Marlborough Youth to utilize.  Groups have shown an interest in becoming involved.  The picnic table on the Riversdale Community House allotment is a lovely addition. A large laminated copy of the allotment plan will be placed in the Tin Shed along with allotment holder’s names and contact details.  If you are not comfortable with your details being displayed, please let me know. Tina 579 3599.

GARDENING TIPS
Jim Gilchrest had a great idea to include tips for gardeners on; what to plant, to harvest, where to get your seeds from, tips on gardening, etc.  I would like to develop this idea.  Please give me a call if you are interested in contributing.
e Marlborough Farmers ‘Market with support from local groups, Marlborough District Council, School Edible Programme, NPA – NMPHD, Marlborough Farmers’ Market, A&P Association and Horticulture Groups. It will be viewed as a public ‘flagship’ for the school gardens, the Marlborough Community Gardens and other Regional edible gardens.

Working Edible Garden @ the A&P Showgrounds – Tina F to co-ordinate the construction of an edible garden beside the Marlborough Farmers ‘Market with support from local groups, Marlborough District Council, School Edible Programme, NPA – NMPHD, Marlborough Farmers’ Market, A&P Association and Horticulture Groups. It will be viewed as a public ‘flagship’ for the school gardens, the Marlborough Community Gardens and other Regional edible gardens.

Sheps Park, Severne Street
If you have the opportunity, pop down and view this piece of land.  The Trustees have registered an interest to the Marlborough District Council that a Community Garden area should be included in their planning for
Sheps Park.   

      Reminders

Next Trustee Meeting 
6th May 2010, 5pm @
Riversdale Community House

Next Working Bee
TBA

Autumn Harvest Festival
June – need to plan

Next Allotment Meeting and BBQ
Saturday, 22nd May 2010
8.30am start
A ‘Think Tank’ meeting, input of ideas for Stage 2 of the Gardens, followed by a Garden walk-thru and a scrumptious BBQ.

13.4.10

Marlborough Biggest Pumpkin could not be stolen !


Garden thefts
DEREK FLYNN/Marlborough Express
BIG ISSUE: Donald Oakes, with an unusually large pumpkin, keeps watch at the community garden in Blenheim.
Thieves have been "helping themselves" to immature produce from Blenheim's community garden for the past few months, an allotment organiser says.
Donald Oakes, president of the Riversdale Community House and organiser of the Community Edible Gardens, said the recent thefts meant new security measures would be put in place.
"These people, whoever they are, have no idea about gardening and are taking things that are immature," he said.
People were doing a good job growing food for themselves and the community and the thieves were wasting the gardeners' hard work, he said.
Chris Fortune, a member of the community garden trust, said it would be "disappointing" for people who had invested their time growing their produce to find it had been taken.
Water timers had also been ripped off the taps, ruining them.
The community garden would be fenced more securely, and police and community patrols were being considered, Mr Oakes said.
"We don't really want to start wielding the big stick; we want to get these people on our side and get them to see the benefits of working with us and helping rather than stealing ... because it's their community."
If the thieves needed the food, they could get in touch with the gardeners to arrange something, he said. "That's the general idea of the community gardens ... but we can't have people just coming in and helping themselves."
Mr Fortune said the trust welcomed anyone who wanted to use the gardens, but they had to respect what others were doing.
The allotment gardens are on land owned by the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology..
They are less than 12 months old and are rented by individuals and community groups who don't have the room to have vegetable gardens at their homes or premises.
The produce from the 12 allotments was eaten by those who held the allotments or given to the less fortunate by organisations such as John's Kitchen, Mr Oakes said. He urged anyone who saw people stealing from the allotment to get in touch with Riversdale Community House or the police.

17.11.09

Commuinty Gardens Opening Day 28 th Nov - 1 to 3 pm

OPEN DAY
All Things Garden

Bring the family along
Celebrate the Official opening of the
Marlborough Community Gardens


1 – 3pm
Saturday, 28th November 2009
Rain or shine
End of Ballinger Drive, off Budge Street

Local Iwi welcome and songs
“Cutting the Ribbon” ceremony
Enjoy a walk through the edible gardens
Introduction to the Learning Garden
Tool maintenance workshop
Stalls selling “All Things Garden”
Sit and relax with Devonshire tea
 & other refreshments
Children workshops – garden art & sunflower planting,
Storytelling & Face painting
Pony rides
Farm Machinery Display
Live Musicians

For more details contact
Coordinator, Tina Fortune 579 3599

12.6.09

Marlborough Community Garden Tool Drive Great Sucess


The Annual tool drive was a great sucess and thank you to all who helped out on the day and donated tools. If you would to tools to be picked up please contact Tina Fortune 5793599 or Karen Walshe 579 5765.