Te Whanake - Our Blog
Growing and gardening in Motueka: yesterday, today, tomorrow
The soil beneath our feet in Motueka is unique, its rich nutrients and nourishment from the Motueka River makes our whenua (land) ideal for growing food crops. Motueka has a long history and strong future of food growing and gardening and it’s something the community is proud of.
This is a brief kōrero on the yesterday, today, and tomorrow of food growing in Motueka and how it all stems from our tūpuna (ancestors).
Yesterday
Before Europeans arrived in Aotearoa in 1840 our tūpuna would work and cultivate gardens together in the fertile lands of Motueka, known to us as Te Maatu (the Big Wood). Together we owned these gardens.
It was our tradition to garden with a strong biodiversity approach where we didn’t eradicate all other species in the area. So above the gardens stood rimu, southern rata and totara, while beneath the canopy were nikau palm, mamaku treefern, fuschia and many other fruit-bearing and edible plants. Our crops co-existed with these giant trees.
These gardens produced huge volumes of potatoes, including Māori potatoes and both the early and recently introduced European varieties, along with kumara, kamokamo and other crops. These crops were taken to Nelson and traded at Auckland Point and further afield, which fed the waves of incoming European settlers.
Early map of Motueka: the shaded area represents Te Maatu, the fertile land our ancestors negotiated to keep in Maori ownership during European settlement – this did not happen.
Today
The exceptional soil fertility and the suitability of the surrounding land for small-farms were one of the main reasons that European’s settled here in 1842, but Te Maatu was quickly divided up and sold to settlers, and so our approach for the gardens to co-exist with the forest ceased to exist.
Moving forward 100 years Motueka was New Zealand’s tobacco-growing centre. However, since the government removed the requirement for locally produced cigarettes to have some New Zealand tobacco in them the crops were no longer profitable.
Apples, pear and kiwifruit orchards, and hops are what is mainly grown today. Many residents are also able to easily grow and sustain a range of fruit trees and vegetable crops in their own backyards.
Now a new annual event is coming to Motueka, the Motueka Kai Fest, which will mark and celebrate the summer harvest as well as bring all of Motueka’s gardeners together, including home-based and commercial growers and food producers.
It’s also an opportunity to make Motueka and its food better known to New Zealanders and provide education to young and old about the value and importance of producing food locally.
With the strong connection between our ancestors (the first gardeners) and today’s celebration of food, the Trust is getting right behind the Kai Fest in April 2017.
Tomorrow
Growing and gardening in Motueka will continue to be part of the community’s fabric and culture. The future of our growing and gardening here presents opportunities to find innovative ways of addressing the challenges.
With the abundance of orchards our community’s harvest season brings many people to Motueka, but out of harvesting season the numbers drop away. As well this our gardening and growing industry is at the mercy of potential new fruit specific viruses or insects, the weather, and international markets. These all could have a drastic impact on the local economy.
However, Vision Motueka’s ‘Motueka 2030’ study has shown that the community recognise the important role growing and gardening has in Motueka, and that this and other food producing industries should be valued and supported. The study suggested that this could be achieved by building on current strengths and expertise to add value, such as through education, innovation in food science, and research and development.
At the ground level there are more and more opportunities for people to learn and develop careers in horticulture, such as at the new nursery started by Tiakina Te Taiao in Motueka (level 2), the Motueka High School (up to level 2), or the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (up to level 6).
At the end of the day – growing and gardening food for our whānau, our community and our economy is here to stay in Motueka.