Rewa students embrace urban farming
In a day and age where most consumers only know of one or two varieties of fruits and vegetables, this south Auckland teacher is encouraging students to grow their own produce, ethically.
Manurewa High School teacher Daniel Pilling’s idea just won the school a $5000 grant from Z Energy and the Royal Society towards the Garden and Modern Horticulture programme.
They also received $3000 from Honda to plant fruits trees around the school.
‘‘We should be eating 15 different types of tomatoes,’’ he says, adding that because supermarkets decide only one type is profitable, consumers don’t have other options.
Pilling, who grew up in Australia, moved to London for 15 years where he worked as a teacher, has now settled in Pukekohe. He has garlic and tomatoes planted in his garden.
After noticing a void in the availability of affordable fresh food produce, he has decided to pilot and head the project at school.
Apparently, south Auckland used to be the ‘‘market gardening capital of New Zealand,’’ he says.
There’s plenty of land here, so, ‘‘why are we growing grass?’’ he says.
‘‘We have a longer season. A lot of people have massive amounts of land, and they keep mowing the lawn. This [urban farming] is the solution. We can feed ourselves.’’
With about 16 students from year 12 in tow, it is a joint venture with the technology, social science, and science departments.
A patch of land has been made available at the school for the programme. Additionally, the students will have weekly visits to a farm in Waiuku.
His plan takes tips from the book The Urban Farmer by Can- most money. That’s the injustice of society. The best should be available to everybody,’’ he says.
Pilling’s vision is to involve Manurewa, and eventually the wider south Auckland community in this initiative. He sees potential for a regular farmer’s market at the school in the future.