Getting a photo in front of the carrot and beetroot patch
Young Labour members woke this morning to warm sun and beautiful day. With many clothes still wet and dirty from the rain and track clearing in Wellington, it was a perfect opportunity to leave some clothes to be washed and dried as were out and about. With what we thought was plenty of time we headed for Motueka Community Gardens… but there was a problem…. we had the wrong address.
As we doubled checked the directions as we approached Motueka it became clear that a mistake had been made; we were not meant to be heading for Motueka or Motueka Community Gardens, but for Golden Bay and Golden Bay Gardens, another 50 minutes or so away. So with a few quick calls to inform the Community Garden coordinator that we would be late and the media that we would be in another location that originally thought, we were on our way.
The drive was full of bends but very beautiful. We went up over the a mountain range and had great views until we descended and headed into Takaka and the gardens.
The Clarion Tour team grabs some well earned drinks
The gardens we impressive though in many parts very overgrown. A drought followed by a dense period of rain and allowed weeds to take over many of the gardens. We descended on one such garden carefully working our way around the delicate carrots and beetroot and trying not to stand on anything. Another group of us went to harvest garlic.
After much work in the sun we broke for lunch which included some of the fresh cucumbers and rocket straight from the very gardens we were helping to grow. Then it was back into the carrot and beetroot patch to remove those pesky weeds.
As the day wore on a local reporter arrived to interview us and take our picture. After a friendly chat we were all glade to be under the shade of a large tree as he took a photo of us. One final stint after the reporter left and it was time to taste some of the fruit the gardens had to offer.
Having a BBQ dinner with Maryan Street
We picked many different plums, apples, and narshy pears and packed them in a box to take with us. We enjoyed talking we Paul and learning about the work he did in the gardens and how he came to live in the area.
After the gardens we felt like we needed a bit of a break. Both one of our members and the reporter had recommended a nearby bar so we headed there for a well earnt drink. There were many unique beers with the Captain Cooker being rated the only 10/10 beer by one man who toured the country in search of the better beers. It was the chilly beer that was the Clarion Tour favourite however.
Another scenic drive backed to Nelson and it was time to pick up our now dry stuff and head to a barbeque organised by Maryan Street and the local LEC. A non-takeways meal was great and it was soon time to hit the hay so we could be ready for another day of putting our values into action.