How would you like to learn about gardening at work?

The Workplace Edible Garden could very well be a key to food resilience in 2021. It’s the best way to set up a regular crop swap, seed swap, recipe swap — or perhaps a microgreen growing challenge for the sporty and competitive workplace?

Great idea, but how would it work?

That’ll depend on your workplace dynamics, but here are two initial ideas to take to your next staff meeting:

Option 1

Call Blue Borage in for a mobile workshop — in five weeks, you will get lessons on: seed sowing, making potting mix, growing microgreens, composting, worm farming, herb gardening and basic biodynamics. All materials brought to you without any plastic packaging.

Just three trestle tables is enough space to teach SO many gardening techniques.

Inspired

I attended the Blue Borage gardening course which met over a number of weeks. I was quite disenchanted with gardening and facing a tangle of weeds in my garden after being away from it for a while. Katrina’s workshops inspired me to look at gardening in a completely new way. I have made friends with weeds (and other gardeners), discovered hot composting and developed new skills and a love for gardening again and it shows in my bountiful garden. Highly recommend.

Stirring biodynamic CPP (Cow Pat Pit) is a quick way to get acquainted with biodynamics.

Option 2

Build a permanent garden.

You could have something like this:

Three raised beds at the Auckland Women’s Centre in Grey Lynn

Or perhaps like this:

Container garden in Ponsonby at the Icebreaker Office

Your staff will then have a space to pop out for a bunch of fresh flowers to brighten up the office, or some basil to pop into their toasted sandwich for lunch. Just imagine picking edible flowers and knowing they cannot actually physically get any fresher.

Garden maintenance might become a bit of a challenge for your staff team… which is where calling Blue Borage to pop in for regular garden coaching, maintenance and replanting will help keep everyone inspired to care for what will become a treasured asset — co-created by all who tend it.

My hope is that someone in your team will enjoy the garden so much that they start making your potting mix to avoid single use plastic packaging, composting your food waste, and growing plants from seed. Whoa, Katrina, let’s take it one step at a time!! [Sorry, got carried away there for half a second]

Workplace Edible Gardening Presentation at Icebreaker December 2020

To get started with either Option 1 or Option 2 (or maybe even something bespoke to your team) see my blog post on workplace edible gardening with a free download planning tool.

Happy gardening!
~Katrina🌱

Ideas for innovative edible gardening solutions using biodynamic methods to make ‘soil with soul’ is what New Zealand needs right now. For tips, advice and online courses go to www.blueborage.co.nz or get in touch by email at katrina@blueborage.co.nz