.. title: Pukerua Bay Community Garden Food Forest Project .. slug: pukerua-bay-community-garden .. date: 2014/03/29 01:45:23 .. tags: .. link: .. description: .. type: restructuredText .. figure:: /assets/images/communitygarden-map.png :align: right :alt: Map of the proposed community garden site in the Muri Reserve. Map of the proposed community garden site in the Muri Reserve. Hi folks! If you're reading this, you've either searched for it on Google, or got here from the URL on the brochure at the School Gala. Either way - welcome to the website! I'd like to use this as a hub for lively discussions, organising events, planning sessions and working bees, and sharing of ideas and hopes and goals. Proposed garden site in Muri Reserve ------------------------------------ The Pukerua Bay Residents' Association have proposed a location for the community garden, in the Muri Reserve behind the closed Muri train station, as indicated on the map. There is a `Google map with more details here `_. The idea of a community garden in Pukerua Bay has been around for a while, but has gathered steam over the last couple of years. I'd like to really help us get it off the ground by gathering a quorum of interested and willing folks, to plan the next steps. Planning -------- There are several things that we will need to plan: - Site assessments of micro-climate, shelter, layout. - Ground slope and consideration of constructing swales for water retention. - Ground clearance and re-seeding groundcover. - Access to the site for larger equipment. - Orchard planning and plant selection. - Layout and construction of raised beds. Do we want to share the beds, or lease individual allotment space, or both? - Get a compost system started. - Plant and mulch the orchard trees. - Get local beekeepers on board and find a safe spot for some beehives. - Potential space for chicken coops. Contact us! ----------- To get in contact, come along to the next `Residents' Association meeting `_ or email `Jonathan `_. I will set up an email list from people who registered interest at the gala day. Links ----- - The excellent *Manual for creating a community food forest on public land* by Andy Cambeis of the Hawea Flat Food Forest Trust. The manual is very thorough, Creative-Commons licensed and available `online `_. - Tim and the resources on his site, `Pig in the mud `_. Tim helps to run a Wellington community garden at the top of Majoribanks Street. - The national `Permaculture Hui 2014 `_ is on 25-27 April in Island Bay and should be very educational.