IT is not hard to notice the vibrant veggie patch growing next to the Kerang Baptist Church as you drive past.
But this garden is about more than just growing veggies.
“It’s known as The Grow Collective, as in growing vegetables and fruit, growing friendships and relationships, and growing community,” said Judy Smith, one of the volunteers.
The Grow Collective was, in part, an idea brought to life about six months ago by Kerang local Brendon Steel.
“I suppose for me it was out of frustration if I’m honest,” Mr Steel said.
“You see so much need in society now. For some people, its physical things like food, and for other people it could be loneliness or being a bit isolated.
“So it seemed like a good concept where we could serve people with tangible things like food.”
The concept behind this project was that while people meet up between 10am and 12 noon on Saturdays for maintenance of the garden and some coffee and a chat, the produce is available for anyone to come and pick at any time.
“Some of us like building things, some people like growing things, other people like cooking, other people like serving people tea and coffee. So it’s just a way to bring all those things together be able to serve other people,” Mr Steel said.
No matter what your preferences were when it comes to gardening, The Grow Collective caters to all ages and abilities.
Kirstie Ford and her toddler Adam are now some of the collective’s regular volunteers, despite their hesitancy at the very beginning.
“I think it being a project-based thing, there is a tendency to feel like it’s about being productive, and I know I felt a bit self-conscious coming at first because I wasn’t productive, I was just chasing Adam the whole time,” Ms Ford said.
“But I think Judy said to me, ‘thanks for coming for as long as you could, it’s just good to be together’, and I think that’s what’s really cool.”
The response from the greater Kerang community had been phenomenal, with the project being entirely privately funded through donations from the community.
The group have many expansion plans in the process, such as an undercover area, a front fence with a metal arch-way, a fire pit and seating area, as well as eventually creating an outdoor cafe area.
A Facebook page is also in the works as a way of letting people know which vegetables were ready to be picked.
“There is still lots to happen here, it’s not as though we planned everything, built everything and then started growing, we thought we would grow first,” Ms Smith said.
A smile grew on Mr Steel’s face before quipping, “We’re making it up as we go”.
But just how big will The Grow Collective get? Mr Steel said was for the public to decide.
“It’ll grow as big as people want it to” he said.
“If people don’t want to get involved then it will stay at this. If they do get involved, we just keep going.”
To get involved, head down to the Kerang Baptist Church between 10am and 12 noon every Saturday.
