Weather was beautiful and Haare met me at our first stop, Maxine, for a garden pre visit. Haare knew Max from somewhere else and they chatted easily. She has a huge back lawn with a massive feijoa tree. She talked about getting a few more fruit trees in. She had missed the compost collective meeting as it was the children’s last sports day. She had a few potatoes in tyres but nothing else and keen to start.
Next stop was Teresa, for a chicken pre visit. A lovely big grassy lawn out back and a sunny corner that will be perfect for the chickens. I noted there was a moth plant twining round the neighbouring fence and she is going to pull that out. Not much there but possibly toxic to chickens so important it goes before fruiting/flowering. She thought I was bringing the extended fencing but Hubby is a builder so she didn’t see a problem with getting that sorted. We need to have an area extra to the coop, like Carla has, that allows chickens time out of that tiny space, while still safely confined. Just an hour or so each afternoon.
Had an hour to spare so coffee at McDonalds gave Haare and I time to chat. She’s very open about her whanau, past and progress. We have a lot of laughs. Haare is pretty keen we do a tik tok. Me and her…Hmmmm.
Next we delivered seedlings to Souran. These people have huge gardens and provide almost all their own veg. They were rapt. Husband has built a hen coop of sorts and they have two new hens also. Been at that house 15 years and in NZ 18 I think. Beautiful couple. I explained to Haare why we won’t be doing homes like this anymore. Those who have resources, skills and knowledge. It’s not that they aren’t appreciative, or that they won’t make good use of it, but more that we are depriving a whanau like Max’s who need to get on their own kai journey.
Last visit for the day was planting at Mariyams. I couldn’t understand why the soil in her box was all humpty doo but think her husband had moved the box and soil from where Whenua Warrior had placed it. Mariyam was at the Drs with their son and we decided to plant rather than wait or postpone. Mariyam has been a lovely helper for me and texted a thank you later. They also had a bunch of chickens the husband proudly told me they were eating. All good! Just not MY chickens…hahaha!
Ma te wa!
Rākau Tautoko 