Last year’s Featherston Organic Week. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Eli Hill
Calling all green-thumbed gardeners and organic food devotees.
Featherston Organic Week is on this week.
Now in its second year, the event has blossomed, organiser Claire Bleakley said, although with covid-19 they’ve made most of the events hands-on, and in open areas.
“We’ve now got little properties that are doing all kinds of things in organic week.
“A lot of people were invigorated by the organic week last year. And with the lockdown, and not being able to get outside, there was a raised awareness.”
Organic growers have also been able to find support.
“We’ve been celebrating people who’ve done it on their own, and suddenly all the people who’ve been doing it on their own are part of a community. It’s really exciting.”
Today a biochar workshop will be held by Stephen Andersen–Clay on 1 Cundys Rd from 9.30am to 2.30pm.
Later on in the day the film, Seed: The Untold Story will be showing at Pae Tū Mōkai o Tauira, 23 Soldiers Settlement Rd [the old golf club], from 7.30pm to 9pm.
Tomorrow people will be building a spring eco-garden at St Teresa’s School on Bell St from 10am to midday.
There’s an eco farm garden tour at 260 Moroa Rd, Tauherenikau on Saturday from 10am to midday.
Veggie and seedlings will be for sale.
People can register for the tour online. Entry costs $10 for adults and $5 for children.
On Sunday from 10am to 12.30pm people can learn the tikanga of picking harakeke, the kawa of raranga, and how to weave a kete [basket] at Fareham House, 80 Underhill Rd, Featherston.
The weaving will be followed by cooking with Ant North and an organic vegetarian potluck to celebrate the week from 12.45pm to 3pm.
All events are free with an optional donation unless otherwise indicated, and people are able to just turn up.
For outdoor events, people are asked to bring gumboots or outdoor shoes and gardening gloves if they have them.
- For more information people can follow the group on Facebook at Featherstonorganics, or contact Claire Bleakley on 06 308 9842, or Josje Neerincx on 06 304 8116.
