Community Garden
At BGI, we know that food knowledge starts with a relationship with the whenua (land). This is an indigenous philosophy that Head Chef Michael acknowledges – he’s leading the development of Te MĀRAmatanga and our orchard, which are both just up the road from BGI!
The name Te MĀRAmatanga is a fusion of two Māori terms: māramatanga, which means enlightenment or understanding, and māra, meaning garden. Our very own Mana Hokianga came up with it! Naturally, it describes a community space dedicated to learning about our local taiao (environment) and the foods which grow well within it.
In the māra kai, we're planting herbs and fast-growing vegetables, which are perfect for beginners learning about producing food. And the orchard is now full of young fruit trees! We're looking forward to seeing our rangatahi grow into a more prosperous food future alongside them.
Any kai we harvest in these spaces gets distributed among volunteers and neighbours or used in our kitchen, where locals can learn about the best ways to cook with seasonal fruit and veg.
Our edible green spaces are less about producing mountains of food and more about cultivating care. While community gardening benefits physical health (with nutritious food), it also uplifts mental, spiritual, and social wellbeing.
If you're interested in reconnecting with the community and urban whenua through gardening, please get involved! Click the volunteer button and like us on Facebook to hear about regular working bees or follow us on Instagram
For more information, please sign up to the Garden newsletter or get in touch with Michael today!
