Festival targets food sustainability
Top line-up of speakers, workshops, entertainment on offer
“If you’re interested in becoming more sustainable by growing your own food, Saturday’s Grow On Katikati Harvest Festival at St Paul’s Church in Katikati will be music to your ears”, says festival co-ordinator, Diana Donker.
“We have a fabulous line-up of speakers and workshops, so make sure to come early!”
The Long Lunch will be the highlight of the day. More than 50 people have already signed up for the Long Lunch where guests bring a homemade dish to share. Diana says she’s so excited to see everyone enjoy great food and laughter, make new friends, and connect with neighbours.
“The Lunch caters for everyone — nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, you name it we’ve got it.”
“We’ve been very lucky to have so many people put their hand up to help us out during the day. Two’s Company has kindly offered their time to play at the festival. This local duo is passionate about gardening, as well as making music together.”
The Harvest Festival is a free opportunity to learn how to build healthy soil to grow healthy food and get to know people over a community shared lunch — “a great way to be together whilst enjoying good food”, says Tessa Mackenzie, who’s been involved with Grow On Katikati from the beginning.
“This community event is a celebration of Grow On Katikati’s achievements to move toward food security in Katikati, even during global emergencies.”
“The idea for Grow On
Katikati started when the Covid-19 lockdown in March played havoc with our supply chains. People had to line up to go shopping and supermarket shelves stood empty of the most essential items,” says Anne Billing, who started Grow On Katikati.
“The lockdown catalysed a new interest in growing food. Packets of seeds and seedlings were flying off the shelves.
“I realised, as a long time food grower I could help by growing and distributing seedlings so families could still have access to their own food supplies.”
Tessa says that she became a willing guinea pig to grow on seedlings, and network with others.
“Looking to the bigger picture of
resilience when faced with disruption to supply chains of food, we developed what is now the Grow On Katikati circular community food system for Katikati. so anyone can have access to healthy, home grown food regardless of whether they consider themselves a gardener or not.”
Grow On Katikati coordinator, Jizzy Green says they hope to encourage more people to join as a member.
“It is such a wonderful movement, and if we work together as a community we can really make a difference.”
Grow On Katikati is a communityled development (CLD) project supported by Katikati Taiao and Whirihia te ara ki mua, a CLD stewardship group.