Waitakere Garden Sharecroppers

It's Friday, June 28 today. That's Matariki Day, if you live in New Zealand.  This day, which celebrates the Maori New Year, has been celebrated for ages, but only since last year has it been officially listed as a national holiday.

I've done posts about it in the past so I'm not going to repeat myself and show you pictures of the day. Instead, I want to show you the status of our sharecropper's gardens.

During the winter here, which runs from June through August, our gardens naturally produce much less.  You'll see in some of my pictures, how low the sun appears to be at almost 10:30 in the morning. Lower temperatures also contribute of course to slowing down production.  

Well, as usual, Jeanne is always thinking.  This time it was how to increase our supply of vegetables to supply the Monday and Thursday veggie-stand in our Atrium. If the supply decreases because of limited light and cooler temperatures, the only way to increase production would by planting more area. Even if it all grows more slowly, more will be growing and eventually be ready to harvest.  

If you've been reading my posts then you know that our retirement village, besides having community gardens, where the veggies and flowers are grown by volunteers for our above mentioned weekly 'market,' also makes small individual sized plots available to those who sign up for them. During the summer, those folks plant their own mini-gardens and harvest whatever they decided to grow.  Most however, let their plots lie dormant during the winter.  

It was to those folks whom Jeanne made this proposition:

"If you're not using your garden plot anyway because of the winter, why not let me use it during that time. I'll plant something in it and when the crop in your plot is ready, I will harvest it and contribute it to the community veggie-stand, but I will share a portion of it with you as well.  You will get a  small crop of winter veggies without lifting a finger and the community will benefit because of your generosity. In addition, I will return your plot to you in the spring in better shape than it is now.  I will dig in compost and have your seed bed ready to go."

As you'll see from my pictures below, a number of people decided to take her up on her offer.  In fact, she had to turn a few people down when they offered their plots, because she quickly got all the offers she could manage. 

This first one is Jeanne's own garden plot.  She contributed carrots to this past Thursday's 'market.' 

Pukekoes are a real threat and so many gardens need to be covered, especially while the plants are small.  In many of the following pictures, Jeanne has removed part of the protective barriers so I could get a better photo.  

This shot illustrates how low the sun is. 

 

 

Several of the sharecroppers have asked Jeanne recently how their plot is doing. One asked,  "Are my carrots ready yet? 

As you can see, the carrots have quite a ways to go yet, but then, winter is just beginning. They're off to a very healthy start though and they'll grow to harvest size eventually. I think this plan is a brilliant way to benefit everyone concerned. 

I have to bring up to to date as well on Jeanne's asparagus bed. After two years of work planning, building, filling, planting, and fertilizing, it will soon be producing. I think the folks who come down to the Monday and Thursday veggie-stand will be pleased to see bundles of asparagus spears being offered.  

There are only a few at present, but just you wait.  

One last picture. The tree-pruning company is coming next week to trim our palms.  They need it, as you can readily see.

That's it for this week. Let's give Jeanne a round of applause, wherever you are.  -djf