This non-profit regenerative market garden in Ōtaki needs YOU
Crooked Vege Ōtaki is launching a market garden with a simple but radical kaupapa in Ōtaki. Their mission is to improve access to locally grown, sustainable kai using regenerative growing techniques. To get the project off the ground, they’ve launched a DIY crowdfunding campaign online now at www.crookedvege.co.nz
Founder-farmers Tae Luke-Hurley and Jonathan Mines believe access to regeneratively grown vege shouldn’t be prohibitively expensive. To that end, they’re collaborating with Ahoaho Māra Kai, a market garden and education project at Ōtaki College, to trial a “pay what you can or pay it forward” CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vege bag subscription, launching in late spring.
“We’re growing in one of Aotearoa’s best veggie growing areas, yet it’s hard for locals to access sustainably grown kai - there aren’t too many options outside of the supermarket here, and typical sources of organic veggies aren’t affordable for so many whānau - we’re hoping to change that.” says Mines.
They hope that by building a community around the two farms, customers who are able will “pay-it-forward” to support whānau who want to eat sustainably but face financial barriers. Customers who are able to pay it forward can be confident their money is addressing two problems - by providing healthy food for others in their community while supporting sustainably grown kai.
The CSA vege bag model creates a win/win for growers and consumers. Customers receive a share of each week's harvest, according to the rhythms of the season. Because the kai is seasonal (and might have the odd bird bite), harvested within 24 hours of reaching the customer, and hyper-local, there are less costs in storage, packaging, delivery trucks and middle men.
Because customers commit ahead of the season, the growers know how much to grow - bypassing the volatility of the wholesale market and minimising food waste.
“We have to change the way we grow kai in Aotearoa. We have to move away from industrial, monoculture practices that are rapidly devastating our climate, waterways and native biodiversity, while eroding topsoil at an alarming rate” says Luke-Hurley, “but if that food is only accessible to the few, we’re not making meaningful change.”
Tae and Jonathan became mates while working together at another regenerative market garden in Taranaki, Kaitake Farm. Over their years there, they hatched the plan for localised kai resilience that became Crooked Vege Ōtaki. They’ve been living simply - unpowered caravans without running water - to support the project financially and to be close to the whenua they’re working on.
The “pay-what-you-can” experiment won’t be Crooked Vege Ōtaki’s only output. To help support the project, they’re working on offering salad, baby greens and niche vegetables to higher end restaurants, and launching a self-serve vegetable fridge in The Arcade, on Main Street in Ōtaki.
Crooked Vege Ōtaki are currently crowdfunding for essential infrastructure costs. Supporters have the option to name a tree or garden bed, support specific infrastructure projects (such as the installation of professional irrigation) or directly “pay-it-forward” and buy a seasonal vege box subscription for a local whānau.
The campaign runs until September 22. Their primary goal is $25,000, but they hope with the support of the community, they can push on toward their stretch goals, hastening the infrastructure building and investment phase of the project.
You can check out the campaign at www.crookedvege.co.nz
Contact Details
Jonathan Mines - co-founder and grower
022 063 2108
kiaora@crookedvege.co.nz
