120 locals learn how to grow food

KNYSNA NEWS - The ninth Growing Upwards Gardening Skills and Entrepreneurial Skills training course took place from 5 to 6 June 2024 at the Hornlee Methodist Church premises.

Growing Upwards NPO, Knysna Methodist Outreach NPO and the Rotary Club of Knysna were delighted to welcome a large group of cheerful growers and potential growers who were undeterred by the recent weather and accompanying mud!

Growing Upwards' gardening guru, Sue Torrance, presented the organic food gardening component which includes practical work.

Local business owner Juanita van Rooyen, also from Growing Upwards, presented the entrepreneurial module of the course, which focuses on developing a small business centred on a vegetable garden.

Thanks go to the Knysna Methodist Outreach soup kitchen ladies for once again providing refreshments.

To date over 120 backyard growers from the greater Knysna area have attended the Growing Upwards course and they keep in touch with each other by a WhatsApp group.

Our three organisations are so proud of them all!

Seed of Hope
Seed of Hope is a partnership between the Rotary Club of Knysna, Knysna Methodist Outreach NPO and local permaculture NPO Growing Upwards, with our club acting as primary sponsor.

Seed of Hope Garden
The Seed of Hope 240m² organic food garden was planted in July 2021 at the Methodist church in Hornlee. It was designed by Torrance, a professional organic gardener and author.

It supplies the Knysna Methodist Outreach soup kitchen that operates three days a week from the premises.

Knysna Methodist Outreach takes care of the garden on a weekly basis. The soup kitchen ladies harvest. Knysna Rotary is informed of any problems/issues, and supports the seasonal replanting of the garden, which is arranged and overseen by Growing Upwards.

Seed of Hope Training Hub

Upskilling is a key component of the joint vision for the project.
In 2021 Growing Upwards developed a training curriculum for community gardeners.
This was supported and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Knysna, with input from Teen Entrepreneur.
Coursework focuses on food gardening skills and entrepreneurial development specifically relating to food gardens.
Two training manuals, the Growing Upwards Gardening Training Manual and the Growing Upwards Entrepreneurial Skills Training Manual are available in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.
The Growing Upwards Skills Training Course is supported by Knysna Rotary and held over two days at the Knysna Methodist Church.
The community gardening skills training session is presented by Torrance.
The business component is presented by Lizelle Genade, an environmental consultant also of Growing Upwards, and Van Rooyen.
At the end of the second session delegates are split into focus groups to discuss a business plan for a food garden-related project, which they then present to the class.
Along with the training manuals, each participant receives a starter kit consisting of seeds, trays, compost and organic fertiliser.

Participants with their newly planted seed trays on day one of the course.