Our first Living Local evening

On a warm spring evening on 4 November 2020, 42 Māngere Bridge residents gathered at The Barn at Ambury Regional Farm Park keen to learn more about their community.

Friends of the Farm (FoF) facilitator Jane Gravestock welcomed everyone and talked about FoF’s caring connected wastewise vison for Māngere Bridge, highlighting various its activities.

Jane then introduced the first speaker Fraser Alaalatoa-Dale from the Māngere Mountain Education Centre (MMEC) who talked about our maunga and Centre’s work.  Volcanic eruptions happened around 70,000 years ago forming the current craters. Originally the maunga had a large pā that housed up to 3000 people during a 300-year occupation. Later the site became a quarry and in the 1980s used by the Manukau Works Depot. 

 “Learning is what we’re are all about,” said Fraser.  “We have three guides who provide guided hikoi on the maunga.  A half-day tour can focus on Māori history or archaeology and include the hikoi, kai and a workshop on either flax work, gardening, Māori medicine, or poi and kite making, as well as a walk around the traditional gardens. Several years ago, the MMEC relocated one of cottages of prominent Māori leader King Tāwhiao to the site, where it is now open for visitors. As a community facility, the MMEC can be hired for special events or birthday parties.

Fraser’s informative talk and friendly manner set a convivial tone for the evening. Next up, was an “Icebreaker”. Jane asked everyone to figure out who were the most recent arrivals and the longest residents. People jumped up and met other locals, jostling to find their place on the imaginary timeline Jane had marked out. It was fun hearing how long people had lived in the area, with residency ranging from six months to 50 plus years.

Watercare Environmental Scientist Liam Templeton then introduced the idea of a Circular Economy that can produce, use, then reuse water in an environmentally friendly and less wasteful manner. “It’s time we were all aware of the true value of water and became more ‘water literate’,” he said, advocating for better understanding of the implications and costs of water usage.  “We drink the same water that the dinosaurs drank,” he quipped, “and in London water you drink has been recycled through eight users!” 

Watercare has a comprehensive plan to make its site more efficient by generating energy through biogas and solar panels. Several pilot schemes underway produce useable material from waste, high in phosphorus and nitrogen, and could be used as fertiliser.  “Treated waste water is used in countries like Singapore, Australia and Namibia,” said Liam “and in 20 years we may look back and think it was crazy to use fresh water in toilets and on gardens.”  Work on Puketutu Island will eventually fill the existing quarry and create the biggest regional park in Auckland. Ambury Farm Rangers are working with Watercare to reduce pests and help return the habitat to its natural state. Liam advised the coastal walkway is temporarily closed to allow for drainage work and will reopen in June 2021. Participants from local schools and kindergarten thanked Watercare staff for providing resources for children. 

The next speaker was Val Payne, chair of Mangere Bridge Residents and Ratepayers Association (MBR&RA). She explained the Association was established decades ago to challenge Watercare about the impacts of the treatment plant on the harbour and on local residents. Today MBR&RA also works with Auckland Transport, Auckland Council, the Local Board and MB Business Association to deal with lighting, access, footpath and similar problems on behalf of locals. It meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm in the St James Church Hall.  All are welcome and the annual sub is $5.00 per year.   

Jane invited representatives of local groups to talk about what they do. The groups were: Ambury Park Centre; Māngere Bridge Kindergarten; Waterlea Primary School; Māngere Bridge Vipers Netball; Māngere Historic Society; Māngere Bridge Walking Group; Auckland Chinese Community Centre; Māngere Boat Club; Girl Guides and Brownies; Bridge Cycles and Mangere Bridge Library.

Before leaving, people enjoyed supper and meeting locals, and spoke to representatives of groups.

Feedback on a “Gratitude Board” which asked “Why I love Mangere Bridge” produced touching insights such as: “Living next to a farm and sheep”; “A great community”; “Because all my friends live here”; “Great walks” and “The people, the maunga, the harbour, Ambury Farm.”

All up a great night with plenty of laughter. Helping people connect and learn about local groups supports them to become part of the community, and to contribute.

Two more Living Locally gatherings are planned: Wednesday 11^th and 18^th November at 7.30pm, at Ambury Farm Barn, with different speakers at each meeting. Come along!

Community Orchard Working Bee

Community orchard working bee

In the days leading up to our country’s unprecedented state of emergency, Friends of the Farm managed to squeeze in a productive community orchard working bee on Saturday, 23 March 2020.

Being outdoors for a couple of hours, with a dozen local, like-minded people, passionate about our community and the environment, turned out to be a nicely social and calming experience during the nation’s build-up to lockdown. Everyone was super vigilant about staying two or more metres apart from one another to avoid any possible community transmission of the virus.

Our committed community volunteers, including immediate neighbours of the orchard, collectively contributed around 24 hours of volunteer time. They pruned trees, removing dead wood and thinning small branches to allow in light. They also mulched around the base of trees and did other preparations for winter.

Held twice a year, these working bees aim to support the establishment of the orchard in anticipation of bumper crops in the future. The orchard has a variety of trees including various citrus, walnut, almond, avocado and even banana trees. There are guava berries and espalier apple and pear trees being carefully trained to grow along a freestanding trellis.

A local Z service station has a policy of allowing employees to do community service as part of their work time, and one employee joined the working bee as part of that scheme.

Auckland Council is a key partner in this community-led initiative and values the way in which it fosters community connections, wellbeing, resilience and volunteering as well as teaching practical gardening skills that people can apply in their home gardens.

In the coming months, Friends of the Farm are planning to offer a root stock grafting workshop and develop a project that maps heritage trees in Mangere Bridge.

The community may now be in lockdown but many residents seem to be making the most of the warm weather by walking in our beautiful area, where the mountain and the farm meets the sea.

Community volunteers looking after our patch

A bumper crop of mangrove seedlings led Friends of the Farm in Mangere Bridge to host a pop-up mangrove seedling pull on Saturday, 29 February 2020.

With the support of Ambury Farm Rangers, more than 25 community volunteers of all ages turned out to weed the harbour. Seeking to maintain existing bird roosts and the beautiful harbour vista enjoyed by so many residents, walkers and cyclists along the Esplanade, these hardworking volunteers gathered 65 bags of seedlings – a record number – within two hours.

“Usually we do the mangrove pulls in May but this year the climate and tides produced the perfect storm that swept in thousands of seed pods into our little bay. If you wait too long the job becomes overwhelming,” said Meredith, a long-time community volunteer and local resident who organised the event. “For Friends of the Farm, it’s all about looking after our patch and creating opportunities for local residents to do the same.”

Most volunteers worked by the old bridge and in the first bay, but others worked further along the Esplanade, near where they live.

For new resident Luisa and her family, taking part in the working bee was a way to connect and give back. “We’re new to the community and I’m currently at home looking after our baby. Our family wanted to do something in the community to help out and meet other local people. The working bee only takes two hours, so it’s doable, and it’s environmentally friendly.”

Corinne came with her two daughters, Emily and Charlotte. “We swim a bit further along the Esplanade, so for our family the harbour is an extension of our home. The girls try hard to show manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga in what they do, so a working bee is a great opportunity. And, it’s fun to get muddy! People walking by stop to ask what we’re doing, so there’s a chance to also educate them.”  

Long-time resident Karen has been helping out at Mangrove working bees for years. “I came today because I’ve never seen such an intense lot of seedlings. Before we began, it looked like a green carpet on the seabed.” Karen sees an opportunity to harness the interest and commitment of others to help look after the harbour. “Having more of a media spotlight could help attract other residents, community groups, school students and companies who want to be helpful and do some good in the community.”

Don is a member the Mangere Bridge Residents and Ratepayers Association, which has been a long supporter of the working bees and in earlier times organised them. “I enjoy my involvement in the community and do other things such as removing the invasive moth vine plant,” he said. “We’ve lived here for five years and I want to see our bird habitats protected from mangrove encroachment. I like the idea of community getting together to do something good for the benefit of the community and others who visit this beautiful place in which we live.”

Ben brought his two sons, who enjoyed playing in the mud and searching for crabs. Ben is also a member of Mangere Bridge Residents and Ratepayers meetings and is keen to do further mangrove maintenance and get others involved.

There are so many ways to contribute. A resident on Kiwi Esplanade got out his hose so muddy volunteers could wash down. Darren, another long-time community volunteer, helped out at the welcome table where volunteers received gloves, buckets, bags, sunscreen, advice, and health and safety instructions. He recognised a Cook Island family who are regular walkers along the Esplanade. They stopped to ask what we were doing and offered their encouragement before continuing on their way. They later returned with a few dozen bottles of water for the volunteers. “We would have got in the mud with you, had we known about the working bee,” they said. “Keep up the good work!”

Ambury Farm Rangers brought heaps of moral support, worked alongside volunteers pulling mangroves and collected all the bags of seedlings for composting.  All up, it was a very satisfying morning, looking after our patch. Two further mangrove pulls are planned for May 2020 – and details will be posted on the Friends of the Farm Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/FriendsoftheFarmMangereBridge) or interested residents or groups can email FoF at: friends@fof.nz to find out how to join in.

Little and Brave

Recently I had a conversation with a friend about being a mom of three pre-school aged children, and the cooking, the feeding, and cleaning that comes with this busy stage in life. It seems to never end!  It can be overwhelming at times, and we were swapping stories about what works, what doesn’t, and how to keep everything ‘in balance’ when things get a bit chaotic.

We both try and be very conscious of the waste our families produce, and it’s not always easy. In New Zealand nappies make up about 45% of household waste.  My friend told me about Little and Brave, a commercial nappy composting company that is based in Penrose, Auckland, right here in New Zealand.

Hopeful that we could further reduce our waste as a family, I was excited to give these nappies a try with our two year old. After about a week, it was obvious these nappies were a great fit for my young son.

After further research I was impressed by Little and Brave’s easy online ordering and delivery system, as well as tips on using their products for young children still in nappies. They also have their products in select Countdown and Huckleberry stores all around the country, to make purchasing their product as easy as possible.

Little and Brave also has clear information about how to drop off used nappies at their composting facility in Penrose (it’s super easy!) and if that’s too tricky there are other drop-off points around Auckland city. And if that’s too tricky they also offer a door-to-door collection service---great for busy parents!

One day I had a bit of time to spare so was able to visit the Penrose facility and got a tour of Little and Brave headquarters by Semisi Hutchison, the owner of Little and Brave. Semisi was able to answer all my questions about composting--- how it happens, where it goes, what kind of quantities they produce… it was fascinating!!

I was really encouraged by Little and Brave- what an inspiring story of a family-owned New Zealand business that knows what it’s like to have kids and want to also care for the environment.

I am so happy to support this business, and I hope you will too!

Learn more about how to order compostable nappies here.

Listen to the RNZ Radio Program featuring Little and Brave here.

Written by Rachel Kitchens

November Pop Ups

"Can I have a ride?" This was the question we heard from lots of children when we brought our pedal-powered sewing machine to the Mangere Bridge Kid's Market in October.  The machine is available for people to ride, to generate electricity for our sewing machine as it whips up reusable bags for the community.  It's a popular draw-card for people walking past and is a great way to creatively spread our waste minimisation message. 

Over the last couple of months, we've also popped up at the Mangere Bridge Library, and we're back there again this Saturday 16 November between 11am and 12pm and at the Mangere Bridge Market on Sunday 17 November between 11am-12:30pm. We'll be making reusable bags for the Mangere Bridge Tote All Recall Bins
 

Friends of the Farm members will be on-hand to keep Mangere Bridge locals up-to-date on how you can do your bit for the planet.  We'll have our oral hygiene collection box for toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste (any brand) that you'd like to recycle, and our battery box where you can drop off household batteries for recycling.
 

Come on down and say hello and ask us those hard-to-answer recycling questions. Or just come down to ride the bike! See you there.

Wastewise Clothing Swap- 17th May 2019

About 25 members of the local community took part in the Friends of the Farm inaugural Clothing Swap Event on 17^th May, 2019 at Ambury Farm. I was very happy to be part of the team organizing this fun event.

Friends of the Farm promoted this event via flyers, emails, and social media prior to the Clothes Swap and, on the night, a team of dedicated volunteers set up the space with changing rooms, fairy lights, mirrors, flowers, and music.

The idea was simple: we invited registered attendees to come with some second-hand clothing in season and in good condition, and ‘swap’ their items for new items to add to their wardrobe. While attendees enjoyed some drinks and light supper, Friends of the Farm volunteers organized the donated items to look like a ‘swap store.’

Once we opened the store, folks were speedily sifting through items and trying them on in the newly created changing rooms. Thanks to the keen volunteers, enthusiastic participants and a great energy, the swap was a great success; everyone went home with something “new.”

The remaining items were donated to the St Vincent de Paul shop in Mangere Bridge.  We have them to thank for the loan of the clothing racks and, thanks to a koha basket, we raised $60 at the end of the night.

This was an entertaining and enjoyable event that helped raise awareness in the local community of the impact of over-consumption and offer some ways to combat this mindset. In addition, Friends of the Farm was able to share details of other initiatives coming up throughout the year. We had such a good time, we’re hoping to replicate the event as we approach summer.

Special thanks to all the donations and to the volunteers that made it happen. I’ll definitely be coming back and encouraging my friends to do the same! 

Written by Rachel Kitchens

Sarah’s Street Clean-up- 27th April

Last month, local resident Sarah was feeling very sad about the amount of rubbish lying in the streets around her house.  Friends of the Farm offered to support Sarah and her family to organise an event; Sarah’s Street Clean-up day. 

Our plan was for people to clean up an area around their house, then bring the rubbish they’d collected to a central location, where Friends of the Farm volunteers were stationed with bins and a BBQ.   

Around 30 families pitched in and arrived with rubbish they’d collected from neighbouring streets.  A lot of the rubbish collected was recyclable, so Friends of the Farm member Caroline was on hand to help sort it into the right bins.  This also gave us an opportunity to provide some education on what can and can’t be recycled.

Once again, Māngere Bridge locals Steve and Gemma from We Compost pitched in and supported our efforts, by delivering bins for us and then taking all the different waste streams away- such great community support!  Fresh Choice kindly donated the sausages and bread, and Paul from the Fruit Shop made a fruit hamper with Sarah’s help, as a free raffle for clean-up participants. Māngere Bridge Pharmacy also supported with a $30 gift voucher.

Feedback from participants showed that people liked this low key event and found it easy to join in, even if they had younger children.  Participants were excited by the opportunity to contribute to their community, and Friends of the Farm really enjoyed the community partnership with local rangatahi.  Together, we’re helping to care for our patch!