Sophia Grodes working in the vegetable garden at Marine Primary School in Ocean View.PHOTO: Natasha Bezuidenhout

With patience and in Sophia Grodes’ case, “green fingers”, a once bare vegetable garden targeted by vandals has been transformed into a thriving garden feeding learners as well as the frail and the elderly.

The vegetable garden, situated at Marine Primary School in Ocean View, produces seasonal vegetables such as spinach, turnips, radishes, carrots and herbs.

“The vegetable garden is 50% for the school and 50% for a soup kitchen but it was vandalised. The women who ran the garden said their spirit just died after the vandalism,” she explains.

Four months ago, Grodes stepped in to assist with planting and crop rotation.

“What we are growing goes straight into the pot for the soup kitchen; there’s an agreement with the school that the rest goes to school children.”

The Hope for Frail and the Elderly is a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) that caters for 11 elderly people between the ages of 60 and 80.

“Most of the elderly are bedridden, so the food is being delivered to their homes.”

Grodes is no stranger to gardening. She is one of the founding members of the Ocean View Organic Farmers kos gangster’s initiative.

“I have since moved on but I’m still in the community. I am moving between Marine Primary and Kleinberg Primary to assist with their gardens, which form part of Neighbourhood Farms.”

She adds that she is working on the fertility of the soil.

“The variety of vegetables is small because you need to do a crop rotation, which is tricky. You need to know how, where and when to plant. For now, we are working on the fertility of the soil.”

Margaret Pontec, who assists with peeling vegetables at the NPO, says she also enjoys working in the garden.

“The founder of the soup kitchen is currently cooking from her budget.

“With the help from the veggies, less is spent on purchasing dry ingredients.

“The elderly residents then receive a warm, cooked meal.”

Grodes says they hope to assist the elderly with a Santa shoebox for Christmas.

“Our dream is to do a Santa shoebox for the 11 people which are five women and six men, just to give them a Christmas gift and do something special.

“All they do is spend time in bed and some can’t walk or even talk.”