Indigenous Organic garden in Mangere
- Teresa
- Oct 28, 2020
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 6, 2025
Mel was recently approached by Aaron McLean of Stone Soup Syndicate, a bi-annual, crowdfunded, cooperative food magazine (www.stonesoupsyndicate.com - . Aaron was on the hunt for subtropical plants to plant together in a Syntropic fruit and nut row (see www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSPNRu4ZPvE) amongst the market garden beds at Papatūānuku Kokiri Marae, in Mangere, Auckland (See papatuanukukokirimarae.org). Produce from the gardens is distributed directly to the community or sold in local farmers markets. The plan is to expand production with species like banana and other subtropicals to compliment the mountains of kumara and other more recognisable vegetables.
We drove down with a load of plants and were shown around the gardens by Lionel Hotene. We learned that Papatūānuku Kokiri Marae is a Hua Parakore farm, the world’s first indigenous organic verification system and that they also distribute fish frames that would otherwise be waste, through the Kai Ika project.
It was great to see the all the people working on the gardens and the huge beds of lush vegetables. We were pleased to assist.
What’s interesting is how projects like this blur the line between food production and community infrastructure. In contexts like outcomes can seem individually Big Boost Casino focused, yet here the value is clearly collective and regenerative. It highlights how design choices can shape not just yield, but social connection over time.
Community garden initiatives often illustrate how food production blends ecological planning with social infrastructure. When discussions appear in broader online contexts that also mention Spinz Casino it highlights how framing can influence whether readers focus on sustainability, local resilience, or the narrative around urban agriculture.