Training

[WIC Garden Project]

Find out about gardening, cooking and related training - mostly in Hamilton & Tokoroa, Waikato, NZ - including workshops and demonstrations run by WIC. 

Over the coming months WIC is looking at running a range of workshops including:

* Growing vegetables from seed and container gardening
* Basic garden design
* Basic gardening skills
* Get Cooking! Healthy cooking techniques for what you grow.

If you have ideas for workshops, let us know - post a reply or contact Kathryn at K'Aute Pasifika Services (07-834-1482) or the Grandview Community Garden Mentors, Tim & Clare, (ph 021 0387623 or 021 2243109).

If you need an interpreter or help with transport, please let us know.

[WIC Garden Project]

Change of Date:

The WIC Windup celebration dinner will no longer be held on 5th December - it is cancelled!

Instead, we will have a Harvest Hooley (party) in March 2013 where we get to see what has been growing in eachother's gardens...

[WIC Garden Project]

PRESERVING WORKSHOP

 

A preserving workshop will be run by WIC on Thursday 8 March, 7 pm – 9:30 pm.

This is an opportunity to learn the principles of preserving your surplus crops so you can enjoy them out of season.  Preserves also make great gifts.

 

 

 

In this hands-on workshop you will be bottling tomato based recipes with migrant chef, gardener and food/garden writer, Alison Worth. 

You are welcome to bring any surplus tomatoes, beans, capsicums, etc to add into the pot. 

Take home recipes and your share of the results of the night's cooking to enjoy!

We are taking bookings now – there are limited places: contact Kathryn at K'aute Pasifika Services if you would like to attend. 

[WIC Garden Project]

There has been enough people asking us to repeat the free WIC Preserving Workshop that we will run another one on Wednesday 19 May 6 – 8:30 pm. The tutor this time will be by Iranian chef Sotudeh (Soti) Vafsi, who worked as a chef in Cyprus before moving to NZ.  She is also a member of the WIC Advisory Group.

** This workshop is now full**

[WIC Garden Project]

NEW PLANTS FOR FREE Workshop

One of the key skills for gardening at no cost is to know how to propagate (make new plants) from old plants.  This includes seed saving and growing new plants from cuttings or by division. 

Our next free WIC workshop, New Plants for Free, teaches these skills.  It is being held on Wednesday 22^nd February 2012 from 6-8 pm – please contact Kathryn to book a place.  If you want to go to the workshop but cannot go at the time we've arranged, please let us know and if there is enough interest Kathryn will arrange a repeat session. 

The workshop will be led by Cheryl Noble from the Hamilton Permaculture Trust.  

This time we will also have a genuine seed and plant swap: to get seeds/plants you must bring a few spare seeds or a seedling to swap with the rest of the group.  We will be inviting other members of the community to attend the seed swap.

[WIC Garden Project]

WIC Workshop: Winter Gardening & Crop Rotation

It may surprise you, but we don't melt in the rain :-) If people can wear shorts to play rugby outside in a NZ winter, you can definitely dress warmly and get outside in the fresh air to feed your family through gardening! 

There are many crops that you can harvest and grow through our Waikato winters: come to our next free WIC workshop on Winter Gardening & Crop Rotation on Wednesday 21 March, 6 pm – 7:45 pm to learn more.  The workshop will cover:

• Storage of some autumn crops
• Crop rotation for a healthy garden
• What crops grow during winter
• Companion plants for winter crops
• Frost protection
• An introduction to Ooooby.

Have something to eat before you come.  As we are not providing dinner, no bookings are required for this workshop.  It will be held at K’aute Pasifika Services on the ground floor, 517 Anglesea Street, Hamilton City.  The Winter Gardening & Crop Rotation workshop will be repeated on Monday 7^th May from 10 am – 12 noon at Hamilton Gardens in the Rotary Lounge if you cannot come to the March one.  As with all our workshops, there will be an opportunity to share/swap seeds, plants and surplus crops.  

This workshop is good preparation for our WIC winter gardening competition: more information to come!

[WIC Garden Project]

Reminder:

For those of you who were not able to make it to the last free WIC Winter Gardening & Crop Rotation workshop we are repeating it on Monday 7 May 2012, 10 am – 12 noon.   You do not need to book, just turn up: all members of the new migrant, Pacific and refugee communities are welcome.

 

The workshop will cover:

• Storage of some autumn crops
• Crop rotation for a healthy garden
• What crops grow during winter
• Companion plants for winter crops
• Frost protection
• An introduction to Ooooby.

 

Venue: Rotary Lounge, Pavilion Rooms, Hamilton Gardens, between the river and Cobham Drive (SH1), Hamilton East.  For directions on how to reach Hamilton Gardens from your location visit www.wises.co.nz and click on 'Get Driving Directions'.

Map of gardens: http://hamiltongardens.co.nz/74/map-of-hamilton-gardens

Bus route: No. 17 Hillcrest/Gardens – every alternate bus.   See: http://www.busit.co.nz/    

Bring: Comfortable shoes and wet weather gear – some of workshop will be in the kitchen garden.

 

Why not bring a picnic lunch?  It is a beautiful place to spend some time.  The themed gardens represent different cultural gardening traditions, have a walk and see if yours is represented...

[WIC Garden Project]

Free WIC Workshop: Tools - Selection, Care & Maintenance, Thurs 19 Apr, 6-8:30 pm

 

This workshop will cover:

• Buying garden tools – examples of good and poor quality tools
• Using tools safely
• Maintenance –bring a spade (or other garden tool) to sharpen
• Storage – how to make your tools last a long time
• Repair – bring any broken tools to see if they can be repaired.

 

This workshop is being led by members of the Men’s Community Shed in Seddon Road (opposite Marama Street in Seddon Park), Central City.

Contact K’aute Pasifika Services for more information and to book your place - ph [phone].

[WIC Garden Project]

Career Expo

If you are enjoying gardening enough to think about horticulture as a career, WIC is working with Migrant Employment Group (MEG) on the free Migrants Working Expo on Saturday 5^th May 2012 at the Atrium, WINTEC House, corner Anglesea & Nisbet Streets. 

People from the horticulture industry (including employers) will be speaking 12:45 - 1:15 pm.  Several horticulture training providers will be there for you to talk to.  You can register on the day or online at : www.wmrc.org.nz/info/megform

For more information about the horticulture speakers, contact Kathryn (ph 834-1482), or to find out about the event more generally phone [phone].

[WIC Garden Project]

This is a good time of year to plan what fruit trees to plant.  Learn about planting an orchard at our free WIC workshop led by our Community Garden Mentors, Tim & Clare: Grow Year Round Fruit in Hamilton.

An orchard planning workshop Saturday may 19^th 1pm to 2.30pm at  Grandview Community Garden:

Enter through the gate opposite 183 Grandview Rd and walk across the grass. Look for the WIC sign.

The best bus route is Frankton (no.8), but the Dinsdale (3) or Nawton (9) routes also cross Grandview Rd – see http://www.busit.co.nz/

 

Wear shoes or boots and bring a raincoat or umbrella. We will be outside.  The workshop will cover:

 

• Choosing the right plant –What do you like? What will grow? How big will it grow? When will it fruit?
• Site selection – soil, aspect, shelter, access, space
• Varieties, rootstocks and pollinators – making it easy
• Where and when to source plants  
• How and when to plant
• The first year - getting your new fruit tree off to a good start.

 

All welcome, no need to book!

[WIC Garden Project]

Free WIC Being a Healthy Gardener Workshop – learn how to:

•         Get fit through gardening – do the garden ‘gym circuit’

•         Take care of your body (especially your back) when gardening

•         Match your gardening exercise (energy output) to your eating (energy input)

When:  Saturday 9 June 2012, 3-5 pm

Venue: Grandview Community Garden. 

Our tutor, Jo Macky, is a qualified personal trainer, experienced cook and keen backyard gardener. 

Places are limited, please contact Kathryn to book by Thursday 7 June.

[WIC Garden Project]

As with all WIC workshops, the Being a Healthy Gardener Workshop will go ahead rain or shine. It will only be cancelled if there is a Met Service Weather Warning. 

[WIC Garden Project]

WIC Pruning Demonstration

Who said winter was a quiet time in the garden?!  This is the time of year we prune most fruit trees, vines, berries and fruiting shrubs.  We can also sometimes grow new plants from the wood we cut off.  Learn how to do this with Tim Newton – a trained arborist (person who looks after trees).

When: Thursday 28 June, 9:30 am – 11:30 am.

Where: Hillcrest – back yard garden with lots of variety – you will get the address when you contact me to book, email me or phone [phone]