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Harvesting for CNY: Urban farmers bond over dishes made from the fruit of their labour

Every morning, a group gathers on the roof of Block 372A Jurong East Street 32 to prune, water and grow a variety of vegetables, fruits and plants. The Straits Times joins the volunteers as they celebrate their harvest and Chinese New Year.
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
(From left) Mr Asari Rafie with his wife Hadijah Adnan, 60; Madam Chan Kieu; Madam Ong Bock Hoe (partially hidden); Madam Tee Sek Eng, 65 (partially hidden); Madam Kamisah Atan (partially hidden); and Madam Rosemary Ong, 58, tossing yusheng, also known as lohei, at the roof garden last month.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
(From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamisah Atan and Madam Rosemary Ong preparing nian gao using tapioca and yam from the garden; they then wrap it in popiah skin and fry it.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
Edible flowers for lohei such as roses, torenia, wild cosmos and butterfly-pea flowers being placed on banana leaves for a plate of yusheng. The Chinese New Year dish is for a party for volunteers of the community garden, Sky Garden @ Jurong Central.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
(From left) Madam Rosemary Ong; Madam Aileen Karim, 69; Madam Chan Kieu; Madam Tee Sek Eng; Madam Ong Bock Hoe; Madam Hadijah Adnan; Madam Hajjah Hamidah, 74; and Mr Asari Rafie preparing for their Chinese New Year party.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
Madam Kamisah Atan covering plants with a net to prevent pests and birds from pecking at the seedlings and destroying them. She heads the community garden that she started in 2002.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
Madam Kamisah Atan (left) harvesting snake gourd, with the help of Madam Rosemary Ong, seen at left plucking a banana leaf big and nice enough to line a plate of yusheng.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
Madam Lau Suan, 66, watering lettuce at the Sky Garden @ Jurong Central. The garden was started in 2002 but had to make way for a multi-storey carpark. The garden reopened in 2012 and sits atop the carpark. (From left) Madam Ong Bock Hoe, Madam Kamis
Madam Kamisah Atan harvesting snake gourd, with the help of Madam Rosemary Ong (above), seen at left plucking a banana leaf big and nice enough to line a plate of yusheng.ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Urban farmers bond over dishes made from the fruit of their labour at community garden

Published: 
Feb 4, 2019, 5:00 am SGT
rachelq@sph.com.sg
deswee@sph.com.sg

The sounds of children laughing from a nearby primary school fills the air. At 7am, Madam Ong Bock Hoe peers over the rooftop railing to watch the pupils chase one another at a basketball court below.

She changes into her boots, picks up a pair of scissors, and examines a paper lantern that she made from Chinese New Year hongbao.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 04, 2019, with the headline 'Harvesting for Chinese New Year'. Print Edition | Subscribe
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