Beets harvested for a good cause

In 2021, the silverbeet harvest produced 6000kg of silverbeet which was used in 7440 meals and assisted more than 6000 families. (Supplied)

It was a beet-iful week for volunteers at Werribee Mansion’s Parterre Garden who began the first harvest of the third annual Silverbeet Challenge.

1000 silverbeet plants are planted and grown by the local community, to be used in meals distributed to people at the Wyndham Community Centre.

“Parks Victoria rangers and staff were joined by GenU Disability Services and the Werribee Park Pride and Sikh group to help with the first harvest,” Parks Victoria area chief ranger James Brincat said.

“A huge amount of silverbeet – 250 kilograms – was collected, bagged and delivered to Sikh Temple for cooking up and will be distributed as fresh food packs to families in need.”

“The project is now an annual event, involving up to 120 people of all abilities from the local community, who plant, weed, harvest and deliver to local food relief centres in Wyndham.

“This year the entire project has been funded by the local Sikh community.”

The project was valued at about $4000 and the harvest will continue weekly until November when the summer display of florals will replace the silverbeet.