Posted on

Kaiapoi Food Forest Open Planting Day

planting-fruit-trees

Growing food – Growing community

The Kaiapoi food forest will be enduring through its values –
connect, nourish, educate and inspire.

On the 16th September we are having a Kaiapoi Food Forest Open Planting Day
Location – corner of Cass and Meadow Streets, Kaiapoi.

10am – Gate opens
10.30am – Welcome and blessing
10.45am – Planting fruit trees and plants, spreading compost and mulch
12.00 noon – Picnic lunch

Wear closed-in shoes or gumboots and bring your own shovel and gloves if you’d like to get hands-on.

Please bring along a bundle of newspapers which will be used between the layers of compost and mulch, this will assist in keeping weeds at bay.

Bring along a blanket and picnic, or visit one of our wonderful cafes and purchase a coffee and food and bring that along.

People and businesses have asked if they can purchase a tree and plant that?… we love this idea as we believe this would further connect the community, the businesses and the people to the food forest…

We only have one condition and that is we have some trees that we have lots of .. so call us first before purchasing a tree and we will give you a list of trees that we would like you to bring along and plant. Call (03) 3270066 or (027) 2224767 or email brent@kai.net.nz

Background:
Establishing a food forest was a popular request during the community consultation phase of developing the Waimakariri Recovery Plan. The WDC and The Kaiapoi Food Forest trust will work together to bring this legacy community project to life, because Kai in is our name.

Creating a food forest is an exercise in connecting people, increasing resilience and sustainability, reducing net migration, improving living quality, creating jobs, strengthening mental and physical health, up skilling youth, attracting tourists and generating profit for Kaiapoi and the Waimakariri District.

Growing food – growing Community –
Want to learn more about Food Forests visit http://kai.net.nz…
Look forward to seeing you on the 16th September 2017.

  • This will be the first food forest in Waimakariri.
    This will be a legacy project, providing food for generations.
    We will grow many heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables.
    Repurposing fruit trees from the neighbouring red zones, trees going from feeding one family to feeding a community.
    The food forest will be a destination, bringing tourists and visitors to the district
Posted on

Red Zone trees are moved to Food Forest

Treetech moving fruit trees

Today the 28th August and tomorrow we have Treetech moving trees that are growing in the Kaiapoi east red zone to the Kaiapoi Food Forest.

Fruit trees go from feeding one family to feed a community.

Whilst it is costing $7500 which is coming out of a promised $30K from Council, we think that it is money well spent.. for a number of reasons.

  • The families that moved off their land, leaving behind a wonderful legacy…lots of fruit trees…mature fruit trees.
  • The fruit trees are in areas that in time will be sports fields and in the way…so more than likely would be cut down and mulched.
  • The trees are mature and will provide fruit straight away.
  • The moving of trees will provide a kick start to the food forest, so we can start having students visit and soon after events.

If you would like to learn more about food forests, permaculture, would you like to help care for the food forest, donate trees and plants or donate some funds.. please make contact[Form id=”7″]

 

 

Posted on

Kaiapoi Food Forest vision

The Trust have developed the following ethos to ensure the food forest is enduring – connect, nourish, educate, and inspire.

Connect –

The food forest will be a place for people to gather, forage and eat food,
Volunteers working together will maintain the area,
Sheltered areas will foster picnicking and great places for children to play,
The food forest will be a tourist destination,
We will grow food and medicinal plants traditionally foraged by Maori,
Food related events will be developed i.e. harvest festivals and
Community groups will be invited to hold events.

Nourish –

Food forest layers work in harmony to remove the need for harmful sprays,
Medicinal plants along with food will be grown,
Trees and plants many being heritage will be grown for taste and nutrition,
The food forest design and layout will nourish the mind, body and soul,
Food Forests bring birds into the urban area,
Will be beneficial to insects and bugs, i.e. bees,
Utilising multiple layers and making the most of both horizontal and vertical space,
Diverse variety of plantings grown and
Plantings will be chosen to provide a range of food on a 12 monthly basis.

Educate –

A learning centre will be developed for adults and children to learn,
Participate in the growing of plants without chemicals,
Provide a healthy and safe volunteer environment, i.e. completion of a hazard review before working in the food forest,
Website (http://kai.net.nz) and Facebook to share ideas,
Signage, website and labelling will educate about the plants
Native and Heritage plantings will provide alternative food,
Traditional plants and trees to educate how Maori traditionally used these plants,
What to eat and how it can be prepared and
Cooking of food.

Inspire –

Artworks will be found scattered throughout the food forest,
Creative seating will be throughout,
Access to the food forest will be unlimited,
Food security and sharing of resources,
Great place to meet people, learn new skills and enjoy food.
Growing of Kaiapoi fruit salad trees,
The design requires less labour, no pesticides, no fertilisers, no digging,
The design will inspire visitors to grow food in a different way,
The design will off-set climate change,
Duplicate the design and concept,
Layering allows more food produced in small area, with less intervention and cost
The design will use less water and
The design works with mother nature.

An enduring food forest will be a valuable legacy for the entire Kaiapoi community.