Cashmere Home residents enjoy garden harvest

Cashmere Home residents Keith (left) and Maurice check out their rhubarb crop.


Residents at Enliven’s Cashmere Home in Johnsonville are taking advantage of spring and harvesting delicious vegetables from their garden.

“We promote ‘garden to table’ where what we grow in the garden is then harvested by our residents, cooked and prepared by the residents and then tasted by all – the residents and staff,” explains Cashmere Home and Cashmere Heights Home recreation team leader Linda Lankshear.

Two residents in particular, Maurice and Keith, take special care of the home’s vege gardens and put in a lot of the work, Linda says.

They both moved into Cashmere Home about three years ago and work with the staff when it comes to any planting or maintenance needed with the garden.

Recent tasty creations that have been made from the garden’s produce have included leek and potato pies, and an apple and rhubarb crumble.

“Our residents generally pick what they want to make or let us know what is ready in the garden, so we can suggest different recipes they might like to try,” Linda explains.

The cooking sessions take place in the home’s main lounge so more residents can help.

“A cooking session can take all afternoon, and the aromatic smells that waft down the hallways make your mouth water!”

Linda says Cashmere Home recreation coordinator Flo Noonan guides the residents with the preparation and cooking process.

“She does an amazing job getting all of the residents involved in some way.”

Enliven’s Cashmere Home and sister site Cashmere Heights Home, both on Helston Road, Johnsonville, offer rest home, hospital and short-term respite and health recovery care. To learn more visit www.enlivencentral.org.nz. You can also call directly on 04 477 7067 (Cashmere Home) or 04 4778 9051 (Cashmere Heights Home).


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