Day 1, Wednesday: 18.09.2024
On our first day of the training, we joined the group at a place called SchraubenFabrik where we all met and began our introductions. Cordula and David from the Gartenpolylog association were on hand to explain how the week would unfold.
After lunch, David took us on a tour of a garden called Kinogarten. It’s located next to the Austrian Film Museum. It’s an area divided into several parts: here an old cinema, there a place to watch films in the open air, an area dedicated to bees and tools to help the public understand how the beehive works. I particularly liked this reproduction of a tree trunk with a beehive set up inside and its face opening out so that I could understand how bees are organised. We also saw the shared garden, which was tucked away in a corner out of sight. The site combines artistic activities with access to biodiversity and plants.
Day 2, Thursday: 19.09.2024
The second day was very full.
We went to LoBauer:innen. Helen was our guide in this place, which is made up of twenty associations.
The morning was devoted to the Kleine Stadfarm urban farm. If I’ve understood correctly, it consists of a few employees, 3 or 4, and was created in 2012 with government aid. We met Kim, who looks after production. The aim of the garden is to promote short-circuit food production. The produce is sold on site at the grocery shop in the centre of the site.
In the afternoon, we continued our visit to the associations present on the ground. It was wonderful to see all the different gardens. It shows that we all need to cultivate our connection with nature and that we can do so in the way that suits us best: permaculture, for refugees, women, linear governance models, etc.
This place was very complete, there was even a horse-therapy centre and a food court. An artist residency and a mushroom !
Day 3, Friday: 20.09.24
This third day began in the city, with Helga talking about the history of the working-class district of Reumannplatz and the creation of the allotments. I really enjoyed learning about the history of this district.
We then went on to explore the Laaerbergbauer agriculture project, a garden located in the middle of conventionally farmed fields. A small oasis of greenery in the middle of a ploughed field. Around ten members of the association are heavily involved in the project. The concept of this place is to create a community where everyone can come and where sharing the space is central.
At lunchtime, we attended a demonstration of solar cooking, with different tools for cooking or heating food. It was a really interesting experience!
The afternoon was dedicated to creativity. We made all kinds of finery and hats to parade in the earth procession the next day. All using natural elements, it’s really fun!
Day 4, Saturday: 21.09.2024
Back to Laaerbergbauer*innen to /finalise the equipment for the procession, followed by the start of the earth procession at 1pm. Around twenty of us marched through the streets of the district. This initiative was a real source of hope and joy for me, because at first I thought we were going to join a bigger movement, like a march for the climate. But no, this was a small initiative by a small association that believes in its actions and dares to carry them out. Really inspiring.
Afterwards, we visited a city garden initiative: Schienengarten. As I understand it, this project, which is located between a railway line and blocks of flats, is struggling to get off the ground and looks more like a neglected garden.
In the afternoon, it was time for the debrief and conclusion of the week spent in the community gardens of Vienne.
I’ll be taking home ideas for a nature event, tools for landscaping the garden using recyclable materials and ideas for installations for schools.
Thanks to Cordula and David for organising this week of meetings.
Day 5, Sunday: 22.09.2024
The last day.
The last visit of the week was in the middle of the city, at Tigerpark, the garden is called Tigergarten. He is run by an association called the Asphalt Pirates. Plants are grown in containers at human height. The annual subscription is 30 euros per person. One tub is divided into 3 and each person grows around 4 square metres. All this in a very small space. It’s really nice to see this set-up in the heart of the city.
