Cultivating Community: How Grow Te Puke is Helping Us Build a “Backyard Supermarket”
Te Puke is a town of abundant resources, and we believe one of the greatest is our ability to grow our own food. At Grow Te Puke, we’re a community initiative with a simple but powerful mission: to empower local residents to build a more resilient food system, one backyard at a time.
Born from the Vector Group Charitable Trust’s commitment to community resilience, our work is a direct continuation of the passion for local food systems we’ve seen flourishing since our first food forest installation in Samoa in 2011. We’re inspired by the legacy of Owen Mania Takuira-Ngaropo and the Rock community gardens, which have shown us the incredible power of growing together.
What We Do: Sharing Our Way to Self-Sufficiency
Our core principle is sharing. We’re dedicated to making gardening and food production accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, we’re here to support you with our knowledge, skills, seeds, and seedlings. We’re all about fostering a supportive environment where you can learn to create your very own “backyard supermarket”.
We are proud to be part of a wider network of Vector Group’s kai resilience initiatives. These include unique projects like the tropical urban food forest and nursery initiative, Troppo, and the community-driven Crop Swap Te Puke. Our collaborative efforts are all aimed at the same goal: empowering you to put fresh, homegrown food on your table.
You can learn more about our ongoing projects and partners at our website, https://www.growtepuke.com/. We’re continuously growing this resource to showcase the incredible work being done in our community.
Join the Community: Let’s Get Growing!
Growing food is more than just a hobby—it’s a way to connect with the land and with each other. We host regular workshops and events designed to help you get your hands dirty and learn new skills, from composting and seed saving to tackling common garden challenges. These gatherings are a fantastic opportunity to meet fellow gardeners, share your successes, and get inspired.
Are you ready to start your growing journey? It’s easy to get involved:
- Attend a Workshop: Learn new skills at one of our upcoming events.
- Share and Swap: Bring your extra seedlings or seeds to a swap meet and discover something new.
- Connect with Us: Follow us on social media and join the conversation.
We believe that by working together, we can cultivate a more resilient, connected, and delicious future for Te Puke.
Want to collaborate on a project? Get in touch with us at steve@vectorgroup.org.nz.
