THE Karragarra food-for-all community garden has a problem.
Its gardeners have grown heaps of produce but locals are too shy to take the free vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers.
Kitchen garden spokeswoman Helen Daintree said the garden had been going for about a year, during which time it had gone from a bare block of compacted earth into an oasis.
“During that time, more than a quarter of the island’s population of around 160, have been involved in creating much more than a vegie patch,’’ she said.
“What Brisbane suburb has generated such a high level of enthusiasm and participation for a community project?’’
Ms Daintree said the garden also had become a must-see for gardening groups like Redland Organic Growers and had hosted community events like Bushcare’s Trees for Weeds and birthday parties.
She said it had become so popular that residents from the other three Southern Moreton Bay Islands also visited. Local bird life was turning up, with even a pardalote nesting in a pile of soil.
People had built waist-high gardens and local artists had done up old post boxes, water tanks and hand tools to add another dimension.
An area also had been set aside at the nearby tip for grass clippings to recycle.
Ms Daintree said money from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund would be used soon to buy a mulcher to help reduce green waste and conserve water.
The group was designing a second “food forest” garden on a site towards the eastern end of the island which already has mango, mulberry and other trees while plants were being grown to sell at the Sea Market held annually on Karragarra.
The market will be on October 2 from 8am to 2pm and details are available on on 0411 447 732.
Ms Daintree said the garden was open all hours and scissors are left in post box No 2 to help visitors snip what they needed.
