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Old bike rims, broken shopping trolleys and even unwanted skis are getting a new lease of life as vegetable gardens in a programme to boost food security in Queenstown and the wider region.
KiwiHarvest Queenstown and Central Lakes has launched the KiwiHomeHarvest programme this week in which it’ll provide up to 100 households with modular, self-watering vegetable planters for free.
KiwiHarvest branch manager Gary Hough says the programme complements its work rescuing surplus food.
“KiwiHarvest responds to immediate food insecurity by rescuing good food and getting it to local organisations supporting people who need it.
“This programme will help households become more food secure themselves.”
About 95% of the planters will be made from waste materials including reclaimed pallet timber, bicycle rims and handlebars, brake cables and levers, broken shopping trolleys, Ecostore drums, surplus irrigation pipe and old skis.
The materials have been collected from Frankton’s OneBike Hub, Alexandra’s Up-Cycles and Wānaka Wastebusters.
Three planter designs, catering for different spaces and physical needs, have been designed and tested by Sherwood Queenstown gardener Theo Richard.
Successful participants will receive a planter, compost from Waste to Wilderness, starter seedlings from Harvest Community Gardens and frost cloth.
They will also receive instructions and six months’ support from an experienced gardening mentor.
The planters will be put together at six assembly events that’ll be held across the region in October and November.
Hough says success won’t be measured by 100 planters leaving the assembly events.
“Success is those planters still producing food six months later and people who previously didn’t think they could grow food saying, ‘Actually, I can do this’.”
Hough says research suggests that less than 5% of the food calories consumed in the Central Lakes is grown in the region, while a major emergency cutting transport links could leave the region with only about three days’ food supply.
The project’s main funder is Queenstown council’s Waste Minimisation Fund, with businesses, community organisations and volunteers also contributing materials, tools, venues, expertise and practical support.
Registrations are now open for the assembly events in Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell. For more information see: https://www.kiwiharvest.org.nz/khh
