Technology, crafts triumph at home show
Enough about e-bikes, electric wheelbarrows are one of the latest things to hit New Zealand’s largest home and garden show in Hamilton.
Green thumbs and doer-uppers will have their work cut out for them at the 35th Waikato Home and Garden Show at Claudelands Event Centre this weekend.
With over 450 stalls from New Zealand and overseas more than 24,000 people are expected to peruse home building upgrades, landscaping, handmade crafts and futuristic technology.
Some may say it’s cheating, but mitigating the need for strength when it comes to lugging the heavy wheelbarrow filled with mulch and weeds after some hard yakka makes gardening more accessible, said Eric Beetz, owner of Electric Motion based in Karapiro.
‘‘It’s particularly useful for those with a bad back because now you don’t have to lift the load because it’s got wheels on the back. It becomes a bit more effortless so they’re not under that strain, they’re not having to physically exert themselves as much.
‘‘Even younger people with pavers it does your back in so this is technology kicking in. It means if you’re landscaping or you’re putting in a footpath all of a sudden this becomes a bit more effortless.’’
A four-wheeler that carries 200kg will cost almost $1000, and could be used not only for the common gardener but also in the trades.
‘‘It would just save injuries,’’ Beetz said.
Around the corner, Morrinsville man, Brent Paterson, sat proudly in his tent filled with sewing machines he transforms into machines such as tractors, diggers and helicopters.
‘‘I didn’t know what to expect, this being my first time here, I thought maybe people are here to buy paint or look at new tiles for their bathroom but a lot of people are taking cards.’’
The 48-year-old shift worker started tinkering in his shed about a year ago when knew he’d found a passion, starting up Paddy’s Metal Art.
Scrap steel yards, op-shops, dumps and TradeMe are his hunting grounds.
‘‘Thing’s just fall out of my brain, I build them and there you go. Being an ex engineer I stick with what I know which is machinery and moving things.’’
‘‘The diggers and the bulldozers I’ve sold to quite a few contractors because they like to put them in their office or their man cave and when clients come in it’s a bit of a talking point.
On Thursday’s opening, some stalls sold out of their products by 3pm, exhibition director Rebecca Hannah said, and with now more space to expand the show’s been looking to bring something special to its punters.
‘‘What we’re trying to focus on is new features for the show, anything that’s going to add that wow factor to the show which is what the Waikato Home and Garden Show is known for, and one of the reasons for its 35 years of success.’’