Nine months ago the large backyard of a Southernwood non-profit organisation was a scrubby expanse of grass – but now it is a flourishing urban food garden.
Not many know that behind RuLIV’s pink St James Street facade in East London is a large organic farm of 28m-long elevated vegetable beds crammed with beetroot, leeks, spring onion, sweet potatoes, chillies, spinach, kale and lettuce.
Herb plantings of thyme, rosemary, basil and parsley prosper in this model edible garden as do fledgling banana, kei apple, citrus and avocado trees.
The thriving garden is cared for by RuLIV’s project officer Vincent Heathcote, 34, who began the project in September to prove agro-ecological farming is possible in high density inner city areas.
“Our aim is to show that urban spaces can produce food,” said Heathcote.
“We want to show that municipal open spaces could be used to grow food, as could public schools. It could make these spaces green and provide healthy nutrition.”
Heathcote says the garden, which is grown as far as possible in accordance with organic concepts, would not be difficult to replicate.
“This is not rocket science. I come from a social science background. I’ve learnt from action learning and reading books. I never imagined myself doing urban farming, but it has such value to community development.”
The enthusiastic city farmer, who tends to the 13 raised beds along with helpers Phindiswa Nami and Mzikayise Fisa, explained the garden subscribes to companion planting principles to ensure the soil’s nutrients are replaced and to control veggie-munching bugs.
“Also, we don’t use chemical fertilisers. We make our own compost and have six worm farms which produce vermi tea.”
Flowers like marigolds and wild garlic keep pests at bay, while others, like nasturtiums and Roman chamomile attract beneficial insects such as bees and ladybirds which pollinate the plants.
Much of the crop was grown from heirloom seeds bought in Cape Town and the project aims to harvest seeds from the crops.
A large nursery capable of housing 36000 seedlings is already in place alongside the garden, while a fish pond is in the pipeline.
“We are looking to stock it with tilapia and perhaps rainbow trout. Fish waste contains high levels of nutrition – it is a natural fertiliser.”
Twelve massive rainwater Jojo tanks harvest rainwater not only from RuLIV’s own roofs, but also from that of neighbouring buildings.
“Not once have we used municipal water to irrigate the garden.”
But, like any food-related pursuit, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and RuLIV’s farm has yielded delicious crops to the delight of its neighbours, a couple of the city’s needier retirement homes and a children’s home.
“People are impressed with the taste and say our vegetables taste amazing and better than what they buy in the shops. Organic tastes better,” said Heathcote.
Garden flourishes behind the scene
Nine months ago the large backyard of a Southernwood non-profit organisation was a scrubby expanse of grass – but now it is a flourishing urban food garden.
Not many know that behind RuLIV’s pink St James Street facade in East London is a large organic farm of 28m-long elevated vegetable beds crammed with beetroot, leeks, spring onion, sweet potatoes, chillies, spinach, kale and lettuce.
Herb plantings of thyme, rosemary, basil and parsley prosper in this model edible garden as do fledgling banana, kei apple, citrus and avocado trees.
The thriving garden is cared for by RuLIV’s project officer Vincent Heathcote, 34, who began the project in September to prove agro-ecological farming is possible in high density inner city areas.
“Our aim is to show that urban spaces can produce food,” said Heathcote.
“We want to show that municipal open spaces could be used to grow food, as could public schools. It could make these spaces green and provide healthy nutrition.”
Heathcote says the garden, which is grown as far as possible in accordance with organic concepts, would not be difficult to replicate.
“This is not rocket science. I come from a social science background. I’ve learnt from action learning and reading books. I never imagined myself doing urban farming, but it has such value to community development.”
The enthusiastic city farmer, who tends to the 13 raised beds along with helpers Phindiswa Nami and Mzikayise Fisa, explained the garden subscribes to companion planting principles to ensure the soil’s nutrients are replaced and to control veggie-munching bugs.
“Also, we don’t use chemical fertilisers. We make our own compost and have six worm farms which produce vermi tea.”
Flowers like marigolds and wild garlic keep pests at bay, while others, like nasturtiums and Roman chamomile attract beneficial insects such as bees and ladybirds which pollinate the plants.
Much of the crop was grown from heirloom seeds bought in Cape Town and the project aims to harvest seeds from the crops.
A large nursery capable of housing 36000 seedlings is already in place alongside the garden, while a fish pond is in the pipeline.
“We are looking to stock it with tilapia and perhaps rainbow trout. Fish waste contains high levels of nutrition – it is a natural fertiliser.”
Twelve massive rainwater Jojo tanks harvest rainwater not only from RuLIV’s own roofs, but also from that of neighbouring buildings.
“Not once have we used municipal water to irrigate the garden.”
But, like any food-related pursuit, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and RuLIV’s farm has yielded delicious crops to the delight of its neighbours, a couple of the city’s needier retirement homes and a children’s home.
“People are impressed with the taste and say our vegetables taste amazing and better than what they buy in the shops. Organic tastes better,” said Heathcote.
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