Transition Town Point Chevalier

Kia ora koutou,

Our kūmara book launch is this Thursday (6.30pm at the Bowlo, more details below) and we hope to see you there! Collect your copy at the launch, or from the garden next week.

We’re also looking forward to Pizza Sunday, which this month is a special Kai & Kōrero session co-hosted by our friends at 350 Aotearoa, giving us a look into their recent report on Aotearoa’s energy system.

🌧️ The weather forecast for Sunday isn’t looking flash so we’re crossing our fingers, and will send an email out on Saturday if plans need to change.

Also in this week’s newsletter:

• An invitation to a hāngi fundraiser next week
• A recipe for Luke’s preserved limes (for all the fermentation fiends)
• Your chance to reserve a copy of our book before the launch

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

Ngā mihi o Te Tau Hou Māori! We had the most special time celebrating Matariki at Dignan St, and we hope you were able to mark the occasion in your own way too, wherever you are in the country or further afield. More on our morning below.

Don’t forget, our kids’ school holiday session is happening tomorrow at 10am. We’ll be making things out of clay, munching on fresh sugarcane, going on a snail hunt, and checking out some of the giant worms living beneath our feet. If you’re one of our regular volunteers, we’d love you to come along too and add to the gleeful energy of kids in the garden. There’ll be plenty of small jobs to keep us busy in the background.

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

We’re in the final week before Te Tau Hou, the Māori New Year! You can really feel the cold settling in at the moment, as the tohu (signs) of deep winter make themselves known. Stay cozy, eat nourishing kai, and don’t feel bad if you need a little extra rest. Our bodies are linked to the rhythms of nature, and we encourage you to listen to them.

First, a quick notice: tomorrow’s Tuesday morning working bee is cancelled due to the poor weather forecast. We’re deep in Matariki prep at the moment, so if you’re able to come along to Thursday’s session instead (3pm–6pm), we’d love the extra hands to help get our mahi done together.

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

What a lovely afternoon we had in the māra yesterday! Ngā mihi nui to Rob for delivering, yet again, kōrero filled with years of wisdom. Our fruit trees will be all the healthier because of you. Thanks also to our volunteers who keep our Sunday pizza sessions running—lighting the fire, making and cooking pizzas, sharing kai, cleaning up, and being welcoming faces for new attendees. Enjoy some photos from the afternoon below.

This week, read on for reminders about our two upcoming events: our Matariki Dawn Ceremony and our Lil’ Green Thumbs school holiday session.

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

Our beloved kūmara have now been safely tucked between layers of mānuka and bracken fern in the seed shed. Ngā mihi nui to everyone who helped with this process across both the Tuesday and Thursday sessions. Your gentle hands, patience and care for this taonga crop mean a great deal.

We hope to see you in the māra this week. A quick heads up that Tuesday’s session will be hosted by Di, Ally and Jane while Bex and Rob are away or tied up with other commitments. And don’t forget our Winter Pruning Workshop and Pizza Session this Sunday, with Rob sharing his knowledge of fruit tree care before we gather around the oven for kai together.

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

We had a lovely day in the garden yesterday screenprinting as part of the Bowling Club’s big fundraiser day. Our activities alone raised nearly $300! Huge thanks to the volunteers who came along to help set up, man the stations and keep things running smoothly. We couldn’t do this without you.

This week we invite you to come along for our kūmara nesting session on Thursday from 4pm – 6pm. We’ll be sorting through the harvested tubers, selecting the best keepers for storage, and nestling them into onion sacks between layers of mānuka and bracken fern for storage. This is also the last opportunity to be in photos that will make it into the book 😉

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

The rain has cleared and left us with a crisp but sunny afternoon, yay!

We have two awesome events coming up this week at Dignan St Community Garden. Read on for the details below – plus a little dive into the health benefits of fermented foods – and make sure to either register or pop them in your calendar. We’d love to see you there.

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

Going by the Gregorian calendar, today marks the first official day of Winter. We’ve been seeing the tohu for quite some time now, but with the recent shift to rain, grey skies and cooler temperatures, it really does feel like the season is settling in.

With the change of season upon us, we’re excited to announce our Winter Events Program! We’ve packed the coming months with workshops, pizza gatherings, our beloved Matariki ceremony, opportunities to learn new skills, and plenty of chances to connect with the land and each other.

Have a look through the programme and pop a few dates in your calendar. We’d love to share Winter with you. Read on for a look at what’s coming up, plus a reminder about a couple of events happening very soon – including Di’s yacon kimchi workshop!

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

Settle in with a cuppa for this one, there’s plenty to read i tenei wiki. From the joy of our kūmara harvest to updates on the book and poster project, plus a call for support from our friends at the bowling club, there’s plenty happening around the māra at the moment.

<read more>

Kia ora koutou,

Things are ticking along nicely in the māra at Dignan Street. We’re enjoying the fact that all of our plantings are in, beds humming with growth during the still-warm days, and we have more time on our hands to sit back, reflect and enjoy each other’s company.

Read on for an important call to action about the Waitakere ranges, and a screenprinting announcement.

<read more>