TUMG (Tāmaki Urban Market Garden) is an emerging community-initiated urban farm, or ‘CSA’ (Community Supported Agriculture). The produce which is grown on the land, is distributed on a weekly basis to households who subscribe and pay a fixed amount in advance for their food. The land is kindly provided by the Elstree Ave Family Doctors surgery.

This type of urban farm presents a positive future for food in our cities. Locally grown, organic, nutrient-dense food which has a very low carbon footprint and food miles. The site, kindly provided by the Elstree Ave Doctors surgery, has been converted from a carbon producing grass ‘desert’ requiring mowing, to a ‘living soil factory’, resulting in a real win-win.

The vision holder, Lucy Pierpoint, has Permaculture Design Certificate and is  a graduate of ‘For the Love of Bees’  Earthworkers Programme, (check out FTLOB own CSA at  OMG, (Organic Market Garden) in the heart of the city).

Lucy has used her training and experience to design a beautiful and productive farm system, which takes advantage of the slope of the land, and the adjacent roofs, to gather water. Composting is done on site, and the garden holds a relationship with The Recreators, who run regular workshops on how to make things from waste materials, such as making worm bins from pallets.

This garden is a truly superb example of ‘Gardening as Climate Action’, giving us all hope for the future.

TUMG’s Goals are:

• Grow great quality food as efficiently as possible

• Keep our beds full with no bare soil

• Add a tunnel house to grow high quality seedlings

• Support and empower our community to do what we can for the climate crisis

• Create a friendly space where all are welcome