Far South Coast community invited to invest in veggie garden allotments

Artichoke flowers burst with purple blooms, zucchinis awaited harvesting, scratched soil revealed sebago spuds beneath.

Previously picked garlic bulbs nestled on a chair, yellow poppies invited and attracted bees, the veggie gardens were lively with organic produce.

Rae joined the gardens close to a decade ago because her property didn't have suitable soil for growth.

Fellow member Jim Eberbach said it was his passion for gardening and his vastly changed living arrangements that inspired him to purchase an allotment in the heart of the picturesque town.

"From 180,000 square metres to 432 square metres, now that's some transition isn't it?," Jim said, having moved from a 16-hectare farm in Wolumla to a unit in Pambula.

"I think being outside in the environment helps your sanity in a modern world, and the other thing is, if you garden reasonably well, you can cut down on your weekly bills.

"Coming here, just being by myself is great.

"[I come here] probably every couple of days especially when it was dry, you had to be down here to water, when it rains you don't have to come down, you know everything is taken care of," he said with a laugh, thankful for the recent weather.

Rae said the Community Gardens had six plots available. Though currently planted with larger communal produce including watermelons, rock melons, and pumpkins, she hoped other residents would consider purchasing and utilising a garden bed.

Annual fees cover the rental of the land, water and insurance.

Members will be provided access to the allotments when they want, with free rein on how they would like to utilise their vegetable garden, while support from existing growers is provided.

They will also have access to the large wooden and tin shed, filled with spades and forks hanging on the wall, a post driver, watering cans in blues and pinks, and rakes, gardening tools to assist with their veggie garden visions.

"It's an achievement," Jim said with a smile, having collected 35 garlic bulbs and a large beetroot from his raised garden bed.

"To put in a seed and at the end of whatever the time is, to be picking produce, that's the basis of human life."

For more information, contact president Rae Joyce on 0413 294 897

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