Friday 29 March – Monday 1 April
During the Easter break Robina ran a workshop at Eben’s farm in the Kauaeranga
valley, for most of the crew it was time out but Robina’s tireless enthusiasm was
appreciated fully by those attending the course. Thanks to Eben for having us all to
stay on his special place.
Thames market on Saturday, a lively market vendors line the sides of the pavements
and we met some interesting stallholders, one of those was Caroline Marriott whose
citrus products were extremely popular. The children loved the urn of lemonade
she brought along, the day was hot so it all went quite fast. Her marmalades and
other preserves and sauces sell well and when we visited her after Easter she was
preparing to go to Auckland to give tastings. She makes her products at home in an
approved kitchen and her husband tends the growing trees. He was kind enough
to give us a conducted tour of their well managed farm They are known as Omahu
Valley Citrus.
Travelling back to Thames we visited the Supported Lifestyle Trust.
www.suplife.org.nz They have five vocational venues of which we went to three:
the Café, Bright Smile Gardens,and the Farm. Lifestylers may work in these or go
fishing, camping, and for bush walks, as well as enjoying outings and entertainment.
Peter Rutherford was kind enough to take us out to Kerepehi to see their farm which
is mostly run by Matt and Jurgen, but they have a huge amount of help from Paul
and Clinton who love to work on the farm. Matt’s indomitable spirit and sense of fun
encourages lifestylers to really enjoy their time working there. Lifestylers love to work
with the animals; a horse, cattle, pigs, turkeys and chickens all need looking after.
The fowl run in the orchards where a bumper crop of apples await harvesting. The
pigs in immaculate pigstys looked very healthy as did the vegetables in the gardens
grown as they were with compost made from animal dung and all the weeds,etc from
the gardens.
The animals are slaughtered for meat and the vegetables picked and put into bags
for the lifestylers to take home as the café is closed Friday to Monday and lifestylers
encouraged to cook healthy food for themselves. Vegetables also go to the café
for use there, and there are gardens around the café too. Some vegetables and
fruit also come from Bright Smile Gardens, a community garden in Thames where
lifestylers also work. Every so often they have open days at the farm and busloads of
lifestylers enjoy all the fun of the farm.
Shelley who helps run the Organic Shop in Thames supports local growers
whenever possible buying their fruit and vegetables. The shop used to be run as a
cooperative but has changed slightly in recent years but still provides a great service
for those wanting to buy organic food.
During the Easter break Robina ran a workshop at Eben’s farm in the Kauaeranga
valley, for most of the crew it was time out but Robina’s tireless enthusiasm was
appreciated fully by those attending the course. Thanks to Eben for having us all to
stay on his special place.
Thames market on Saturday, a lively market vendors line the sides of the pavements
and we met some interesting stallholders, one of those was Caroline Marriott whose
citrus products were extremely popular. The children loved the urn of lemonade
she brought along, the day was hot so it all went quite fast. Her marmalades and
other preserves and sauces sell well and when we visited her after Easter she was
preparing to go to Auckland to give tastings. She makes her products at home in an
approved kitchen and her husband tends the growing trees. He was kind enough
to give us a conducted tour of their well managed farm They are known as Omahu
Valley Citrus.
Travelling back to Thames we visited the Supported Lifestyle Trust.
www.suplife.org.nz They have five vocational venues of which we went to three:
the Café, Bright Smile Gardens,and the Farm. Lifestylers may work in these or go
fishing, camping, and for bush walks, as well as enjoying outings and entertainment.
Peter Rutherford was kind enough to take us out to Kerepehi to see their farm which
is mostly run by Matt and Jurgen, but they have a huge amount of help from Paul
and Clinton who love to work on the farm. Matt’s indomitable spirit and sense of fun
encourages lifestylers to really enjoy their time working there. Lifestylers love to work
with the animals; a horse, cattle, pigs, turkeys and chickens all need looking after.
The fowl run in the orchards where a bumper crop of apples await harvesting. The
pigs in immaculate pigstys looked very healthy as did the vegetables in the gardens
grown as they were with compost made from animal dung and all the weeds,etc from
the gardens.
The animals are slaughtered for meat and the vegetables picked and put into bags
for the lifestylers to take home as the café is closed Friday to Monday and lifestylers
encouraged to cook healthy food for themselves. Vegetables also go to the café
for use there, and there are gardens around the café too. Some vegetables and
fruit also come from Bright Smile Gardens, a community garden in Thames where
lifestylers also work. Every so often they have open days at the farm and busloads of
lifestylers enjoy all the fun of the farm.
Shelley who helps run the Organic Shop in Thames supports local growers
whenever possible buying their fruit and vegetables. The shop used to be run as a
cooperative but has changed slightly in recent years but still provides a great service
for those wanting to buy organic food.