Yes. Free, I tell you! But now for the details…
Te Tuhi lemon tree grove, Preston Road reserve, East Otara
I’m pleased to announce that the foraging movement is growing around New Zealand. ha. Growing. Oh, I’m hilarious.
Anyway… Auckland in particular is lush with free fruit and vegetables. The brilliant thing is that Councils are now supporting the movement (among many other fabulous people). East Otara is on it’s way to having the first Freedom Fruit Garden:
The inaugural planting of a Freedom Fruit garden will occur on Friday 25 June from 9.30am, at Preston Road Reserve, East Otara, Auckland. The day of planting will be celebrated with an official opening event, with performances including Rongomai Primary School’s Kapa Haka group and conclude with a hangi.
John Darroch, guerrilla gardener and general horticultural genius, recently appeared on Close Up talking about foraging in Central Auckland. If you want to give it a go but don’t really know where to start, there is a helpful google map of free food sources all around New Zealand. General foraging etiquette applies… in basic terms, be nice. Also, feel free to add your own secret spots to the map. In particular, if you have a feijoa tree and happen to live near Newmarket, I’d be pleased to see your input. Kthx.
I’m on a mission to do some guerrilla gardening of my own. I think the empty section next door would be infinitely more fetching with a giant pumpkin patch on it. Yusssssssss.