“Thou shalt reap what thou sow”, although meaning something far deeper, is a biblical inscription that comes to mind when looking at the lush nutritional greens of the Gabriel Road Area Project Association (Grapa) community garden in Plumstead.
The garden has come a long way and is the product of a united community of residents and businesses that set out to transform the Public Open Space (POS) on the corner of Gabriel and Bardia roads that previously posed many concerns at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now it has blossomed to a point where Grapa is hosting a Spring Market Day on Saturday 30 September, from 09:00 to 14:00.
This will give many the chance to see for themselves the sheer oasis that has sprung up here.
Commenting to its tremendous strides, Grapa exco member Lauren Hoard said: “With the tireless support of community volunteers, Grapa prepared the land for gardening through a process that involved clearing, levelling, composting and securing with fencing.”
At the start of the year, Hoard said, the greening group acquired compost and treated the soil. “Our first plantings consisted of three chilli plants and some corn. We undertook wall painting projects in communal spaces and established rock and pavement gardens.”
A mobile CCTV camera set up for security and installed solar lighting within the garden area have seen it produce carrots, parsley, coriander, kale, spinach, beetroot, Italian parsley, thyme, spring onions and coriander by the end of August. An orchard comprising lime, lemon and olive trees was also planted.
Additionally, Grapa organised monthly clean-ups and greening with volunteers, planting over 100 trees in the area.
“Our clean-ups are no longer monthly but have developed to be rather ad hoc as and when needed,” Hoard said.
“The last one was held on Saturday 16 September. Grapa volunteers helped pick litter up, weed, trim grass and branches and water plants.”
Such fruitful progress was born out of a concerned local community and businesspeople who devised a strategy to convert the area into a civic asset, which involved beautifying it and securing it once again.
Before, this patch of public land next to the Shell petrol station had been occupied by a group of street people. According to Hoard “Grapa worked closely with Law Enforcement and Social Development” to address the homelessness situation.
She indicated the former occupants were taken off the streets and reunited with their families or placed in shelters or safe spaces and granted opportunities for rehabilitation/reintegration to regain their place in society.
“The initiative led to the establishment of Grapa in 2020, and we became a public-benefit organisation (PBO) at the end of July 2022.”
In due course, Grapa submitted an application to the City seeking permission to use the 3 000-m² POS as a community vegetable garden.
“Securing the City’s permission to safeguard the field against unauthorised occupation proved to be challenging and demanding.
The Grapa garden project aims to enhance food security and biodiversity, and encourage social cohesion by providing a space for interaction and community connection.”
As one of the owners of The Homestead, a Constantia Main Road wedding and special-functions venue, Elaine Rousseau, a member of Grapa, called this a fantastic testimony to witnessing what can be done when a community works together.
“Looking back to 2020 and where we are now, it’s not only a new chapter but a brand new book! The project is growing so fast, to the point where we are wondering, ‘what now?’ We wish to employ many more to tend the garden and find ways of using this transformed space to educate people, young and old, on the importance of composting and the benefits of growing one’s own food, to name a few examples.”
The market garden sells fresh produce at greatly reduced prices to the community most Saturdays, from 09:00 to noon, and donates excess veggies, herbs and fruit to the elderly and most vulnerable.
“We have recently employed a full-time gardener, as well as employ ad hoc, casual labour creating employment opportunities for those in need.”
Grapa currently runs a lucky draw to raise funds for the garden to cover ongoing costs as well as bigger once-off costs like irrigation, security and continuing the rollout phase two of the garden.
“Businesses in the area donated prizes for the lucky draw totalling over R27 000 in value,” Rousseau said. “Tickets are R20 each or R100 for six tickets. The draw will take place on Sunday 1 October.”
Members of the community and their family and friends can buy tickets to stand to win prizes and in turn, support garden.
- Those wishing to get involved or to support with donations can email info@grapa.org.za or call 082 530 1161.
