Befitting its name, the Oasis Community Garden is a quiet haven welcoming people from across Glen Innes. The Garden’s Coordinator is Cheryl Rudd and Michelle Gaynor is the Secretary. They report that people come to the Garden for many different reasons: for example, there are newcomers to Glen Innes who want to learn more about gardening in a cold climate; there are people living in units who do not have their own garden – or just have a pocket sized garden – who enjoy being able to grow their own veggies.
The Oasis Community Garden was set up just six months ago with the support of the Oasis Church New England. The Church provided the land for the garden which is located at 70 Grey St, just behind the Church. The Church has also contributed financially to the creation of the garden. Currently the garden is open on Sunday afternoons and Mondays.
How it works is that people who come and work in the garden can take fresh produce home. There are jobs to suit almost everyone but people are also welcome to relax and have a picnic, to enjoy this outdoor space together. A Mums and Bubs playgroup and homeschoolers and their kids are among those regularly enjoying the garden.
When there is an excess of crops the gardeners can share the bounty with their families and neighbours. Excess crops are also sold at a small op shop called Out The Back Treasures, which the Church runs every Friday from 8:30 am. Michelle described her favourite things about the garden as “Seeing things grow, and the enjoyment you feel when picking the produce and then being able to share it with family and friends.”
When Glen Innes News visited, the garden was spilling over with many types of tomatoes, butterbeans, rocket and silverbeet as well as a mini orchard of nectarine, olive, fig, and apricot trees and also a blueberry shrub. One of the more unusual plants was a thriving stevia, a natural sweetener which can be used instead of sugar.
The Oasis Garden is truly a community garden. Local people have generously donated necessities such as wheelbarrows, garden furniture, seedlings and soil. The Men’s Shed has donated bags of manure. Not surprisingly there are a few more things the gardeners would love to have, so if you can spare any of the items on the following list, please contact Cheryl: a glasshouse, a garden shed, mulch, soil sifter, hose nozzles, shovels, garden forks. She adds “Please come and enjoy the Garden too.”
The Oasis gardeners have big plans to hold foodie workshops on pickling, cheesemaking, herbs, beeswax wraps and school holiday activities. If you would like to find out more about the garden or the workshops, please phone or text Cheryl on 0401744359.
