How did you come to teach others to garden?
In the Grey Lynn Farmers Market I was involved with teaching children things like Easter egg painting, growing microgreens, entering veggies in the Ponsonby News veggie and more. As a community gardener, children sometimes arrived with their parents to garden and loved being involved. My nieces came to stay and community gardens were always included in our holiday activities.
Where did you train?
I’m self taught, with influence from the organic gardeners who I met when I first joined Grey Lynn Community Gardens and also as a child when I absorbed lots from my parents who were great Kiwi gardeners, although I never helped them - just ate the produce. I published a book about my first year at the community garden as a novice - ‘A Green Granny’s Garden, a Year of the Good Life in Grey Lynn’.
Next I wrote ‘How to Grow Microgreens, Nature’s Own Superfood’ which is now in five languages and many countries, and my latest book ‘How to Grow Edibles in Containers, Good Produce from Small Spaces’. Both of these books have a children’s chapter. I also did Northtec courses in horticulture and sustainable rural development.
What took you to the Grey Lynn School Garden Club?
At the community gardens I met a teacher, who brought a group of year two and three students from Grey Lynn Primary School to look at the organic edibles garden. I left the garden shed to greet them, showed the children around the gardens, listening to their questions, tasting greens and sharing my enthusiasm.
From this opportune moment developed a germ of an idea - we kept in touch and when the teacher asked if she could bring a group of children to ‘weed’ I invited the children to have a small dedicated plot of their own if they would come every week to tend it under my supervision.
What are your favourite things about teaching?
Children who enjoy what they are learning are great to be around. They are a ‘breath of fresh air’. I had children queuing waiting to be allocated their next job because I couldn’t keep up with them. I saw children eating the produce they grew and trying veggies that they had never eaten before. These children had also interest in more than veggies - they were fascinated by bugs, worms, mice, fungi, compost and seeds and pretended to hate smelly comfrey tea even though they willingly diluted it and watered it around plants and then helped to make another batch.
What were some highlights of your teaching experience?
Children often took some produce home - this endorsement via a parent says it all: “Catherine absolutely loved it! She took her carrots and mountain pawpaw to the teacher and showed the class. She wanted to bring her carrot home for dinner, but she waited until daddy was home so he could see it before she broke the green tops off.”
Auckland Council gave ‘the plot’ a grant of $300 and they bought smart metal frames and stakes and some cloches.
Some adult volunteers came regularly to help out.
What was a low point of your time teaching gardening?
Sadly, I closed the Grey Lynn School Garden Club's plot when it was about to be unnecessarily demolished and replaced with raised beds made from H4 timber which has been treated with, among other things - arsenic. Not a good spot for children to garden or eat the produce. The Bio-Gro Standards which OFNZ (Organic Farm NZ) uses restricts the use of H4-treated timber in organic systems. Organic growers and viticulturalists are encouraged to find alternatives to the use of chromium/copper/arsenic treated wood. There are many safer alternatives.
My friend Guy Howat said it all - "Well, re the arsenic, literature or not, young kids should not be exposed to even the slightest risk re the food chain. Also it's about the role modelling we pass to a future generation, a better tomorrow comes from raising awareness for young kids and having integrity and standing for what we believe in. There is a huge legacy component here and that is really important for little kids; mentorship and integrity of the highest order.”
How would other teachers describe you?
“Fionna showed an endless supply of energy and dedication married with her vast knowledge of organic gardening. On wet days she was always prepared with indoor activities related to the garden and the students were always eager to get to the sessions. She would be an asset to any organisation promoting healthy eating and gardening.”
How would your students describe you?
I don’t know verbally, but the contagious enthusiasm from the children who enjoyed the sessions was rewarding. Handmade Christmas cards were plentiful. I heard that there were children waiting to be invited to the Friday sessions.
If you could wave a magic wand in your 'classroom'...
I’d like to have more volunteers to help during class time.
Five tips for mums and dads who would like their children to learn to garden - or who would like to learn themselves
1. Community gardening is a good way to start.
2. Choose easy-to-grow plants at first so that you’re set up for success early on.
3. Parents can usually take children along to community gardens ‘for the ride’ and they can learn together.
4. Herbs in pots at home are a good start. They don’t take much effort - a bit of soil, lots of sunlight and watering. They provide rich flavour for families’ meals.
5. Microgreens are good to grow from seed as they produce edible, healthy shoots quickly - no opportunity to give up.
FIONNA HILL www.fionnahill.com