Grow your own food
Name: Christina Bellis
Age: 33
Occupation: Community Projects Manager at Sustainability Trust
Place I call home: Wellington, but Canada will always hold a pretty good percentage of my heart.
My passion is: Creating positive change
My hero is: Anyone who has ever fought for something they believe in, no matter what forces were against them.
If reincarnated I’d be: A Tyrannosaurus Rex.
What is your nationality and family background?
I’m first generation Canadian. My British parents moved to Canada for two years and never went back. I’ve spent a fair amount of time abroad.. I came here at the beginning of 2007 to WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) and with a working holiday visa. I’ve now got residency, a dog, and a job I love. My parents aren’t too thrilled with me living so far away, but they also realise that I followed in their footsteps.
What is urban agriculture?
Urban agriculture is producing and distributing food within urban centres. It isn’t limited to vegetables and can include animal husbandry. There might not be abundant room for cattle but with a bit of space one can raise chickens pretty easily.
How can food production be localised and what are the advantages?
By more people getting actively involved in growing food, whether it be at schools, backyards, community gardens and orchards, planting fruit trees on public land, green rooftops, etc.
Advantages are a resilient and sustainable city with food security, healthy people and connected communities, skill building and sharing, access to nutritious and affordable food and lower food miles.
Tell us about community garden projects in inner Wellington?
There are community gardens in Island Bay, Mt Victoria, Newtown, Aro Valley, Owhiro Bay, and Tanera Park.. They’re great opportunity for people to grow food if they don’t have their own space and/or want to learn gardening skills. Operation Green Thumb has also established heaps of garden plots at City Housing complexes.
How can inner city residents eat healthily and cheaply? Grow your own with a community garden. Describe your garden?
I’ve got a raised bed out front with amazing soil in it. Seriously, you could spit in it and it would grow a spit tree! The back yard is two-tiered. We grow of herbs, beans, brassicas, squash, root vegetables, tomatoes, leafy greens, and edible and ornamental flowers. We’re also lucky to have space for relaxing after good gardening work!
What are your three top tips for Wellington gardeners?
1. Planting a variety of things (or changing them every couple ofyears) helps keep the soil rich in nutrients (borrow a book on companion planting).
2. Mulch to retain moisture in the soil and limit weeds.
3. I use crushed eggshells around new seedlings to keep snails away.
Do you have a favourite vegetable recipe?
I have lots! Leek and feta quiche is a top.
Please finish these sentences:
The biggest vegetable I’ve ever grown ... is a marrow. It was about two feet long when we finally harvested it.
When I’m not digging the garden ... I dig riding my 1970s Raleigh Bermuda bicycle.
The Rhizome Effect, Central Library Mezzanine Community Room, 3 August, 6-7.30pm.









Have Your Say
1 Comment
Patrick Morgan at 1:26 p.m. on 3 August said
Great project, great story. Keep up the good work.