Whiringa-ā-nuku Pānui | October Newsletter 2021

Kia ora Koutou,

Our team is excited to bring to you an abundant array of events this Spring. The Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail kicks off tomorrow, and we hope you will take the time to attend some of the talks and demos happening all around the region. From eating insects to regenerative farm design, we know there is something that will get you excited about digging your hands in the soil. For more inspiration, events, and workshops in the coming weeks, keep scrolling and follow us on social media for regular updates.

Greenbridge Talks and Demos

Bena Denton and Daniel Woolley are among several "backyard" farmers throwing open their gates at the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail which is taking place starting tomorrow! Listen to their story and be sure to visit their property this weekend! Here are their talks and demos:

Friday 29th October - Food Forests & Edible Gardens 10 am; Intro to Permaculture 12 pm; General Guided Tour 2 pm

Saturday 30th October - General Guided Tour 10 am; Regenerative Farm Design 12 pm; Sustainable Lifestyle Block Design 2 pm; Wastewater and Greywater 4 pm

Sunday 31st October - Intro to Permaculture 10 am; General Guided Tour 12 pm; Earthworks, Terracing and Swales 2 pm; Food Forests & Edible Gardens 4 pm

Friday 5th November - Regenerative Farm Design 10 am; Wastewater and Greywater 12 pm; Food Forests and Edible Gardens 4 pm; General Guided Tour 6 pm

Saturday 6th November - Sustainable Lifestyle Block Design 10 am; Earthworks, Terracing, and Swales 12 pm; General guided Tour 2 pm; Growers Gathering Main Event 3 - 5 pm (a few tickets left, see the article below)

Sunday 7th November - General Guided tour 12 pm; Food Forests and Edible Gardens 2 pm

~ $2 coin entry & any koha is kindly appreciated

School Property Covid Guidelines

As we are in Level 2, schools are unable to be open for the Trail during the school week but will be open on the weekend days that are listed on the event brochure and website, as detailed below. Masks are mandatory on school grounds. Check out the Garden Info webpage for updates and closures due to Covid during the Trail.

Growers Gathering at Greenbridge

Saturday 6th November 3 - 5 pm at Greenbridge, 321 Hurford Road, Ōmata Our main event for this year’s Trail, this is the perfect opportunity for those at the start of their gardening journey. A ticket includes beverages and light nibbles. Speakers are Bena Denton-Woolley, architectural landscape designer and horticulturalist, as well as co-founder of Green Bridge; Pounamu Skelton, Permaculture Māori Educator; & Franziska von Hunerbein, founder of Bumblebee Bakery and Crop Swap.

Garden Inspiration: How to Convert a Grass Patch into a Jungle

By Marsha Khoo, WITT Communications Intern There is a belief that gardens, with their fragrant florals and delicious vegetables and fruits, require great maintenance and can be a burden, but they do not have to be! You can ease into gardening by following these tips.

New Blog Post by Goldbush Micro Farm

Michelle is counting down the days to the Sustainable Backyards Trail — check out her latest blog post about Trail preparations and what’s in store this year for visitors to South Taranaki.

Opening Hours: 29th - 31st Oct, 9 am - 5 pm; 5th-7th Nov 9 am - 5 pm Tours, Talks & Demonstrations: Property tours on open days Talk: "Human-Scale" Agriculture, Using Hand Tools to Grow Food Efficiently: 30 Oct & 6 Nov at 11 am

Take the Backyards Trail Survey and Win!

It’s important to us to learn about our visitor experiences, so we’ve put together some locally sourced prize packs for 5 lucky winners. Take the survey after visiting some backyards on the Sustainable Backyards Trail for your chance to win.

Junction Workshop

This is your chance to get inspired and make a world of difference in your own backyard. Start your garden and composting journey with us at the next Junction Workshop. Only 15 spaces are available so be quick!

Kiwi Sustainable Way - New Sustainable Education Program for our Migrant Community

Wednesday 10th November 5:30 - 7:00 PM at the Methodist Church Hall, 60 Liardet St. Are you from overseas, and are you interested in the environment and sustainability? The perfect opportunity to learn more about sustainability is coming this November for our migrant community as we kick off the Kiwi Sustainable Way program. The Kiwi Sustainable Way program supports the Taranaki migrant community to learn practical sustainability skills.  Learn from local sustainability experts, share your views on what sustainability topics you would like to learn about as part of the program, and chat with speakers over nibbles and drinks. Please RSVP below if you would like to attend. It’s free! We also have a survey link where migrants, both more recent or long-term residents, can give feedback on what workshops they would like the program to include. Let us know your preferences!

Real Food - Real People - Kai Resilience in Pātea

Saturday 13th November 3 - 5 pm Online - Registrations essential for Zoom link To empower and inspire our communities in South Taranaki with the emphasis on ‘Real Food - Real People’, several community groups are getting together for an online wānanga and discussion around kai resilience. We are also running a colouring-in competition where there are some great garden prizes up for grabs. This is open to all ages. If you are after a copy please collect from the Pātea or Waverley Library Plus or look out for them at your local school. You can also email ttb.lowersouth@gmail.com for a copy. The competition closes on Wednesday 10th November.

October Sustainable Business Champion - Proof & Stock

We are paying homage to Proof and Stock for the environmental steps owners, Adrianna and Tane, are actively taking in the background of their vibrant coffee business at 40 Cutfield Road. If you are too busy on the straight and narrow to town, then you are missing out on this little gem. They’ve got several initiatives on the go, and we hope others will be inspired by their actions.

• Lending a hand at the Marfell Community Garden working bees

• Making coffee grounds available to local gardeners

• Converting tetra paks to saveBOARD building materials

• Proof & Stock reusable flasks (pictured) - Buy it once & bring it back for $20 refills, again & again

• Supporters of the Reuseable Container Campaign

Fresh Air Challenge!

The 2021 Fresh Air Challenge starts on Monday, 1st November! Simply by reducing the kilometers that vehicles travel by 10% per year, we can cut cumulative carbon emissions by 75% by 2050. Make a commitment to change just one car trip a week to a trip on foot or by bus, e-scooter, bike, skateboard, ride-share, or even skipping the trip altogether by having an online meeting.

Combine the Fresh Air Challenge with the #OneBusAWeek challenge and try out your Bee Card! You can sign up as part of your school or workplace, or as an individual. If you need an extra incentive, Taranaki Regional Council is offering $25 top-ups of Bee Cards, Blip scooters are offering 20% off hireage, and Torpedo7 are offering 40% off purchases in-store for participants. Visit the website for more details and to sign up!

We are Hiring a Communications Manager!

Read the full role description for responsibilities and desired skills & experience. Please submit an Expression of Interest as soon as possible but latest by Monday 1st November 2021, by emailing steve.francis@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz.

Events Calendar

Are you passionate about sustainability and supporting our growing community? Follow us on Facebook, join our Sustainable Taranaki Community Facebook Group, and get involved in local events and educational opportunities!.