Feeding Team

By turning their garden into a harvest for their community, a Hout Bay couple is sharing the gift of organic nutrition

Across the road from the Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Hout Bay lies Sacred Ibis, a community gathering space for consciousness and compassion, run by husband-and-wife team Michelle Reid and Gordon Aeschliman. While its sweat lodges and drumming sessions bring joy to many in the community, it's the abundant garden at the back that's making the most difference to peoples' lives. ‘Almost four years ago, we started planting a small bed in what used to be a dry paddock,’ explains Michelle, ‘and now it's the size of a rugby field.’

This fully-organic garden of broccoli, turnips, kale, marrows and more has become the heart of the couple's notfor-profit venture, Gracie Love in a Bowl. Through it, they have turned a simple plan to grow food for their community into a project that last year supplied 60 000 meals, mostly to children and the aged living in Imizamo Yethu and the Hangberg fishing community.