Otepoti Urban Organics is a not-for-profit network of gardeners, community groups and businesses who have an interest in fostering and engaging in organic food growing activities, and other sustainable practices, in the Dunedin area. 

 

This network exists to share information and resources, to help increase the quantity and quality of food grown by people in their own back yards or other locations, and to make these activities more enjoyable, productive and efficient for all involved. We also run a seed savers exchange for open pollinated and heirloom vegetable varieties for Otago gardeners. To be kept up to date with what we are up to, join up to our mailing list.

 

This site is the hub of Otepoti Urban Organics. Here is some more information on the main sections of the website to get you started. These can be navigated to from the top of any page or from the left hand navigation menu.

A web forum where we can discuss ideas and methods of obtaining the best yeilds, sustainable gardening practices, what to grow here and when to grow it, creating new gardens, guerrilla gardening, etc. Here you can ask any question you have about veggie growing in the Otago area.

A 'wikipedia' style system whereby ideas and concepts that come out of discussions from the web forum or elsewhere can be compiled into user friendly instructional resources for the home gardener. Anything from the most basic beginners advice, to ultra-geeky gardening methods, companion planting, mulching, composting, seed saving, etc. Kind of like an online gardening book, that is made by all of our members, and is continually refined and improved over time as we learn more and experiment with new methods.

We have established a seed savers network in Dunedin, whereby we collect and distribute seeds from open pollinated and heirloom vegetable varieties suited to growing in Otago and Southland. The network is run by voulnteers and we rely on you - local gardeners - to continue to save seeds and donate them back to the network to keep the seed stocks strong.
Listing of contacts who may be useful in your gardening endeavors. From places to aquire seeds, soil, and other gardening resources, to experts you can turn to for advice, to project coordinators who are behind various interesting grass roots initiatives in our fine city, etc.

Contact person is Bart Acres. He can be reached at otepoti.urban.organics@gmail.com  

 

Symbiosis Seed Exchange: Spring Seed List 2011

Wed, 28/09/2011 - 17:06 — bart

Click HERE To read our latest newsletter which includes the official release of the spring seed list! Enjoy.

Winter Update: Seed donations, crop planning and more

Thu, 04/08/2011 - 17:52 — bart

Click HERE to read the online version of our latest email newsletter, Winter Update 2011.

Autumn Seed List

Thu, 24/02/2011 - 11:56 — bart

Hey there!

Well, although to many it may feel like summer has barely shown its face this year, it is now time for us to turn our thoughts towards the crops that will be succeeding our summer crops as those are harvested, or simply die off from a lack of warmth and too much wind! In many ways, this is actually a relief for the southern grower... the more temperamental warm-weather crops which have not preformed too well this year, can be replaced by the old reliable staple crops that will see you in to the autumn and winter.

Updated seed list, crop trials, summer planting

Sun, 28/11/2010 - 13:39 — bart

Howdy gardeners!

Things are progressing well with Otepoti Urban Organics, and we look forward to building on existing projects in the coming months to continue to facilitate the exchange of seeds and information for food growers of the lower South Island.

New Seed List released, 'Adopt-A-Crop' initiative launched!

Thu, 09/09/2010 - 14:59 — bart

Hello food growers of the South!


Call for seeds, and other news

Sat, 14/08/2010 - 17:53 — bart

Now that we are past the threshold of winter solstice and they days are again getting longer, it's high time that plans for the spring and summer, distant as they may seem, start swirling around in our heads...

AUTUMN SEED LIST AVALIABLE NOW

Fri, 05/03/2010 - 23:05 — bart

Well folks, it has been a busy summer for many of us on the gardening front, with a rather below average early season picking up for a decent 2nd half of summer. I hope that your veggies are growing well and that you may potentially have some plants going to seed to save and contribute to the Otepoti Seed Exchange! If you do have seeds to donate, just email us at otepoti.urban.organics@gmail.com, and we'll give you an address to post to or arrange to pick them up.

Otepoti Urban Organic's 'Dunedin Seed Exchange' update

Wed, 26/08/2009 - 02:05 — bart
DUNEDIN SEED EXCHANGE

For the past few months we've been laying the ground work for a new seed exchange based here in Dunedin, through Otepoti Urban Organics.

Closing the Loop: Composting with local restaurants and cafe's

Wed, 26/08/2009 - 02:03 — bart
CLOSING THE LOOP: COMPOSTING WITH LOCAL RESTAURANTS & CAFE's



A couple of Otepoti Urban Organics members who reside in a flat on George street, have begun a great initiative to encourage restaurants to compost their vegetable scraps.

350 Spring Food Festival: 24th October @ Dunedin Train Station!

Wed, 26/08/2009 - 02:01 — bart
Coming up on October 24th is the 350 Spring Food Festival. It's happening in conjunction with the Otago Farmers Market, down at the train station. 350 is part of a global day of action centred around awareness raising about climate change. The number '350' refers to the threshold of CO2 (in 'parts per million') that we can safely have in the atmosphere without risking serious climate chaos. Unfortunately we're already at 382 ppm so the whole world needs to act fast to turn this around.
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