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 Edible gardens were set up and funded through collaboration between the Cancer Society and Community and Public Health. The project was driven by a motivated group of health promoters from these organisations with the objective of supporting ECCs in Christchurch to grow their own raised gardens.
These have been very much a feature of the activity in Early Childhood Centres over the last year, teaching the children where food comes from and how to grow various vegetables. Some fruit trees have also been planted to expand the teaching around supplying our own vegetables and fruit.
Twenty two centres were involved in the pilot project encouraging children to grow and eat their own fruit and vegetables since eating fresh produce is one of the basics of good nutrition and encouraging children to eat healthy meals is one of the challenges facing all families. All five Kohanga Reo in Canterbury (for children aged 0 to 5) have edible gardens full of fruit trees and vegetables. The project has had spinoffs in the wider community too, with 68% of the pupils' families from the Kohanga Reo now growing vegetables at home.
The Ministry of Health's 2002 National Children's Nutrition Survey identified that only 57% of children ate the minimum number of servings. Knowledge and education around where vegetables come from and how to grow them will hopefully encourage an increased uptake in children's consumption of fruit and vegetables.
 As part of this project a Gardening Guide and Planting and Growth Calendar were produced. These are available in limited quantities from the Community Health Information Centre, and includes content for schools as well as early childhood centres.
An Edible Gardens Network is also being established so that information can be shared between those involved and the development of a seed exchange programme. If interested in joining, please contact Eru Waiti.
Documents
 NZ Food, NZ Children: Findings of the 2002 National Children's Nutrition Survey (Section C: Frequently Eaten Foods)
Make Half Your Plate Vegetables
Colourful Eating
Links
5 Plus A Day
Vegetables
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