It comes after the couple moved from their sheep and beef farm in North Canterbury to Travis Country in April 2022, following a health scare.
“My father had a brain bleed and died suddenly in 2020. Shortly after, I began to get intense headaches. I thought it was depression,” said Hamilton.
“But, the headaches kept getting worse so I went in for a scan. The doctors found a brain tumour and operated on it.
“They are happy with its progress and I’ve begun working again, for a farming bank. With a health scare like this, it makes you think about what is important in life.”
Hamilton said spending time with his family and “making sure to live every day” was his focus now, as well as spending time in his vegetable garden.
“The share pantry idea started with Megan, as we had an overabundance of all sorts of things.
In Amberley, there was a similar pantry which was quite successful,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton went to the Waitai-Coastal-Burwood-Linwood Community Board last year with his proposal.
He has been working on a design, with help from builders in the area.
Said Hamilton: "I can swing a hammer, but I’m no builder.
"I would like the pantry to be built well and serve the community for many years to come as excess produce would be put into a green bin otherwise."
He said there was a need for it with the cost of living.
Community board member Greg Mitchell was supportive of the idea.
He said St Paul’s Lutheran Church has offered to host the pantry in the church car park.
The local primary school and kindergarten have also expressed interest in helping with the project, Mitchell said.
“There are so many bad things going on – it is nice to see good things, like this initiative, happening.”
Hamilton hopes the pantry will be up and running by spring.
• To help with the Travis Country share pantry project, get in touch with Nick Hamilton at omihiham@gmail.com
