Cultivating Connections: The Transformation of Goodman Community Farm

"Much of the current environmental movement is driven by fear of doom and disaster. That cannot be the right motivation for a truly sustainable future. Love and reverence for the Earth will automatically result in sustainability, coherence and harmony.“

- Satish Kumar
Soil, Soul, Society: A New Trinity For Our Time

During my recent visit to Singapore, I was struck by the power and impact a shared space can have. This is no ordinary shared space, it is a shared green space, a space with a strong purpose, a space grounded in earth care. A space known as the Goodman Community Farm which has recently undergone a remarkable change.

This transformation is the result of a group of wonderfully enthusiastic volunteers and master gardeners. Guided by the mindful application of various permaculture design principles and the understanding that meaningful positive change to our environment is rooted in connection - amongst us and with nature.

Gaining Momentum

Since my last visit in August 2022, the Goodman Community Farm has undergone an incredible evolution. From March to May 2023, the community initiated an array of improvements. They laid down proper pathways, rejuvenated the foragers and ulam patches, increased the capacity of the banana swale circle, created a market garden, implemented a three-stage hot compost cube system, and even built a hugelkultur mound.

What Sparked It?

The Goodman Community Farm was conceptualised and created at the end of 2019 as a small 530sqm permaculture garden. That garden was called a Forager's Patch. The soil was unbearably dry, degraded, hard, filled with rubble and in need of regeneration. Over a period of two months Nova,  the founder of Cultivate Central, and the team layered large amounts of organic matter in the space and worked with the Goodman Art Centre to get more dried leaves, cardboard boxes, used coffee grounds and compost to create a healthy and productive patch. The space made a turnaround just in time for the Goodman Open House 2019.

During the pandemic period, nature took over and the space thrived in a wild manner. As restrictions eased and group activities resumed in an on-and-off manner, Nova spearheaded efforts to spruce up the space. With the support of dedicated volunteers, the farm was restored. Subsequently, plans were set in motion together with the Goodman Arts Centre to expand the ecological and creative footprint of this urban permaculture demonstrative site and learnscape. The Goodman Community Farm doubled in size and the farm's vibrant tapestry of life - plants, birds, animals, insects including humans benefit from and enjoy the flourishing joys of nature and art - flowers, vegetables, ecosystems, installations by artists, sun and soil daily. 

By the end of 2022, the new space was doing well, with various permaculture elements such as the hot compost heaps, a forager and ulam patch, a leaf litter patch, and small pond systems to attract beneficial bugs and organisms that help manage mosquitoes. It was then that Nova took a step back to observe the space and the ongoing activities. There was a diversity of activities which ranged from volunteer days for seasoned gardeners and permaculturists to  activities for newbies. Workshops on soil, composting, biodiversity, and the arts for children and adults, and school visits were also becoming more regular onsite. Collaborations with other technical experts and artists were shaping up strong too. It was fast becoming a busy space, but now reflection was required.

Observing Patterns

While it might seem to be a swift transformation, it was a culmination of continuous efforts over time.

In permaculture design, principle 7 is ‘designing from patterns to details’. It’s the idea of taking a step back to observe and understand the larger patterns at work before jumping into the nitty gritty and creating detailed plans for any space or community. I saw this being practised during my visits.

Nova took in the space and observed the patterns, plants and people that pottered around it weekly. Then she made a plan; to foster something she had always intended and which was already brewing in the space - connection. In 2023, she implemented this plan, and with the careful nurturing of these connections, magic has come to pass at the Farm. Of course, this magic is deeply grounded in a few practical steps.

Ownership and Growth, No Attachments

To enhance productivity and strengthen the bonds between people and the space, groups of two to three volunteers and master gardeners were entrusted with the care of specific sections within the farm. They took responsibility for the old and new areas such as the banana swale circles, composting cubes, and market garden.

This ownership not only boosted productivity but also deepened the personal relationship between individuals, their assigned plot of nature, and their fellow volunteers. Bonds of friendship, support, and shared interests flourished within these smaller, focused shared spaces. As they work in their spaces, weeding, mulching, fertilising, pruning, harvesting, and gathering compost materials they are thoughtfully observing the plants and creatures in it. Each mini-plot has become an opportunity for collaborative decision-making on interventions for the betterment of the element they are nurturing. Together they, with Nova’s guidance, decide on what interventions are necessary and then how to implement them.

This culture of taking small, consistent and carefully considered steps to ensure their mini-plot thrives has meant that the whole farm is happily thriving. 

After several months of working on one space, volunteers' roles in the space rotate. This is something different from other community farms where people get too attached to a "plot" or "task". This is so the space gains from different perspectives and skills. And volunteers get to practice with, interact and contribute to different permaculture elements on-site while shaping the space together as a community. After all the permaculture practice allows us to be a generalist while cultivating a niche concurently. 

Results and Impact

This sense of ownership and collaboration led to remarkable results. Volunteers, together with seasoned permaculturists, have found fulfilment within the farm. Some volunteers have even created their own niche within the space. For example, entomologists and bug enthusiasts who document the garden's critters, have logged a total of 150 species on the Goodman Community Farm's iNaturalist page. Others are exploring the farm-to-table aspect, experimenting with recipes using the collective harvest. One volunteer created a wonderful concoction of ginger beer from a harvest of mango ginger. Another has created purple sourdough bread using butterfly pea flowers. And the Cultivate Central team has used the herbs to ferment and create herb salts and more for their workshops with children. Creativity and fun abound!

The farm has not only provided an opportunity to connect with nature but also serves as an outlet for creativity and passion. Moreover, the impact extends beyond the farm, as volunteers apply their newfound knowledge in other spaces, spreading the permaculture ethics of earth care, people care, and fair share.

All this has led to rather big results for the space, some quantifiable, others less so. But it’s safe to say that the Goodman Community Farm is an ecosystem not just of plants and animals but of people. The sense of camaraderie created and empathy learned or deepened, and respect for mother earth being created here are difficult to convey in writing. This is why every neighbourhood should have a permaculture space. It’s an experience that I hope more of us living in cities can experience.  

Want to join us in creating eco-positive change?

Tamanna Patel

Tamanna enjoys reading, writing, yoga, being outdoors, and of course gardening. She's on a mission to grow as much of her own food as possible and get composting on a balcony right! It's all a work in progress for her and she dreams of one day owning a piece of land far, far away from the hustle and bustle of cities to cultivate veggies, maybe rear some animals, and watch the stars sparkle in light pollution-free night skies. In the meanwhile, she's happy being content cultivator at Cultivate Central.