Northland gardeners throw open their gates for third edible garden trail

Graeme Kettle and his children Theo (left) and Tamsyn love getting out in their Oromāhoe garden, which is featured in the upcoming Northland Edible Garden Trail. Photo / Jenny Ling

The Northland owners of 30 inspirational edible gardens are throwing open their gates to inspire others to grow their own to boost food security for themselves and their whānau.

The third Northland Edible Garden Trail is being held from February 2 to 11, an event that showcases the best vegetable, fruit, and community gardens from Whangārei to the Far North.

Co-organiser Graeme Kettle, who cultivates an edible forest garden on his 1ha property in Oromāhoe, said previous events were successful despite tropical cyclones in February 2022 and last year, and the disruption of Covid-19.

This year he’s hoping for settled weather so people can learn how to be more self-sufficient, particularly post Covid and the cost of living crisis.

“After Covid lockdowns and inflation, a lot more people are interested in growing stuff and people don’t know where to start.

“There was a lot of fear from people and it’s a reasonable fear, they had no security for their food.

“You’d go to the supermarket and the shelves were empty after a couple of days [during lockdowns].

“On the trail, people can walk around and get inspired as to what to do.”

Kettle is organising the not-for-profit event with Whangārei resident Blair Johnson.

The pair started the trail after being inspired by the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail held each spring.

On the Northland trail, people can pick and choose which gardens they want to visit from the descriptions on the website.

Mid North gardens are open on February 3 and 4, Far North gardens on February 5, and Whangārei gardens on February 10 and 11.

They can meet the gardeners, have a chat, learn, and be inspired to grow fruit and vegetables in a sustainable way.

The trail features small urban gardens, to rural lifestyle blocks, to commercial growers, and includes demonstrations and workshops.

In all, there will be 30 gardens for people to visit, including Kettle’s, which he looks after with his wife, Debbie Raphael, and their two children Theo, 6, and Tamsyn, 8.

Northland Edible Garden Trail participants from Paul Gilligan (left) and Leah Starbati, with Graeme Kettle and his wife Debbie Raphael and their children Theo and Tamsyn. Photo / Jenny Ling

The family grow 250 varieties of fruit, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, including 14 varieties of apples and 12 varieties of tomatoes.

Kettle is a fan of companion planting, permaculture and syntropic agroforestry, and has an array of fruit trees, kūmara and potato beds, along with beans, beetroot, carrots, and even peanuts.

Another plot featured in the trail is the Waimamaku Community Garden in south Hokianga that was set up by the community three years ago.

The garden provides food support for residents, helping them move towards a food-secure and kai-resilient future with vegetables and fruit provided to schools, marae kōhanga reo, pātaka kai and community events.

St Francis Farm in Whirinaki, south Hokianga, is another one Kettle recommends visiting because they cultivate their crop gardens of kūmara, potatoes, maize, beans and pumpkins using horses and bullocks.

There will also be eight workshops including intuitive gardening for children, and hua parakore, a kaupapa Māori system and framework for growing kai within the boundaries of whānau.

Tamsyn with some of the tomatoes and capsicums she helps grow on her parents' property. Photo / Jenny Ling

Charles Dowding will lead a workshop called no-dig gardening, which promises more food, fewer weeds and less effort, and Aaron McCloy, of Far North Tropicals, will teach people how to grow tropical fruit plants.

Other workshops include regenerative agriculture, exquisite compost and syntropic agroforestry, a live virtual tour of a food forest by Arthur from Twin Falls Nursery, Te Tai Tōkerau.

Entry is $3 per person per garden, and children get in free.

More info at northlandediblegardentrail.org.nz/home

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering health, roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.