Pānui Noema | November

He kai kei āku ringa

I have food at the end of my hands

Kia ora e te whānau

There is a lot going on at the moment that threatens what we care about, what makes Aotearoa special. Supporting local food systems is necessary, showing up and supporting Te Tiriti is necessary, standing against loosening laws on crop genetic modification, fossil fuel exploration and fast track consenting for ‘projects’ that will damage the environment, is necessary.

Now is the time to get together, let our voices be heard and take action to create a better future. To garden is to have hope! Read on to get inspired.

Ngā mihi - Kaicycle team 

Our October Community Open Day was a roaring success, with 30 people at our working bee and many more popping by throughout the day to join in our workshop, browse our seedlings, produce, and compost for sale, or just to soak up the vibe, meet and kōrero with likeminded peeps and enjoy a cup of coffee. We’re back for our next Community Open Day on Saturday 2nd November. Join us at:

• 9am for our Community Working Bee,

• 12:30pm for coffee, tea, and snacks, BYO picnic.

• 1:30pm for a farm tour

• 2pm for our Regenerative Gardening 101 koha workshop.

Pop along anytime between 9am - 3pm to enjoy time at the farm, purchase seedlings, produce, and compost. Please sign up in advance for the working bee and the workshop so we know who to expect!

PĀNUI | NOTICES

Group experiences

Want to do something meaningful with your team this Christmas? We can host groups for an awesome hands on experience at our Newtown Urban Farm! Our urban farm group experience offers your team the chance to get out of the office and into nature for two hours to a full-day. You’ll get to explore our urban farm, engage in a gardening or sustainability workshop of your choice, get your hands in the dirt, support local food resilience, and most importantly have fun! Book now to get in before the summer break! All details can be found on our website.

Shout out to…Commonsense Organics

At the Farm this month

We recently cleared the area by the roadside fence and sowed it with organic oats. This will become our own organic straw, to use as mulch around plants and to use as a carbon source in the farm static compost piles.

The bees swarmed out of their hive a few weeks ago. That was a noisy whirlwind of energy. They settled on a tree and the beekeeper came to put them into a different hive.

The beds we sowed with carrot, calendula and coriander seeds saved from the farm are coming up nicely. What a wonderful cycle of life!

Sadly our broad beans have a bad case of chocolate-spot. We’ve managed to get some beans from the plants, but now the only thing to do is clear them all and remove the debris from the farm. Such are the ups and downs or gardening!

Verb Readers and Writers Festival ticket give-away

The Verb Readers & Writers Festival is coming up between 7 - 10 November. One of their exciting events is with conservationist, activist and scientist Mike Joy, discussing his memoir, The Fight for Fresh Water, chaired by Forest & Bird’s Lynn Freeman. Mike will reveal why and how he has dedicated so much of his life to get successive governments, councils and citizens to care about the health of our freshwater taonga. Saturday, 9 November 2024, 11:15 am. Tickets can be purchased here.

We have a pair of tickets for Mike’s memoir conversation to give away to a lucky subscriber. Just email us at community@kaicycle.org.nz, subject: Mike’s memoir, and we’ll pick a winner by 4th November.

ĒTAHI KAWEPŪRONGIO | OTHER NEWS

We have gathered some useful info on resources, events and actions you can take.

• Together for Te Tiriti

  informative background resources about Te Tiriti o Waitanagi, The Treaty Principles Bill, Tino Rangatiratanga and more Together for Te Tiriti | Resources

• Future Proof, by the Spinoff. A hopeful (but honest) dive into what's happening in the environment to keep you informed, empowered and inspired about our natural world.

  Sign up here: https://thespinoff.co.nz/newsletters

• Defend Aotearoa’s Farms: Say No to GE Deregulation

  GE deregulation could allow genetically engineered crops to be grown in an open environment with little oversight, jeopardizing organic and heritage growing for ever.

  Read more: https://www.oanz.org/new-blog/farmers-for-a-ge-free-future-fundraiser

• Wellington Community Climate Adaptation Programme, lead by the City Council, invite you to be a part of shaping a climate resilient future for Pōneke | Wellington.

  See: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/climate-adaptation

  _______________________________________

  Things going on at the Newtown Community Centre – Te Whare Hapori o ngā Puna Waiora

• The Wellington Heritage Festival runs 26th October - 17th November and there are 11 awesome events in and about Te Whanganui-a-Tara's best lil 'burb! Events hosted or being run at the Community Centre are: https://www.newtowncommunity.org.nz/news-events/newtown-showcased-in-heritage-festival

• Free Soup Fridays - Everyone is welcome to join them for some kai reka lunch. As well as soup, there is often some hearty salad and tasty garlic bread. Pop along for chats at this free community lunch: https://www.facebook.com/events/332550472686574/332550559353232/

• Quick Kai! - The Quick Kai crew preps and cooks meals every Thursday (including Kaicycle veg), they are ready to pick up around 1pm. The freezer is then stocked with healthy ready to "heat and eat" meals made for and by the community! Anyone that needs or wants one can purchase at $2 a pop! Head to the Centre Monday-Friday, 9am-4:30pm, to grab a healthy and tasty bite. https://www.facebook.com/events/702923781910353/702923891910342/?active_tab=about

  _____________________________

• Te Aro Zero Waste’s Xmas market Make your Xmas a zero-waste one and get along to the market. Secondhand, preloved and upcycled treasures all looking for a new home. Saturday 30th November 11am – 3pm. Te Aro Zero Waste, 2 Forresters Lane, Te Aro. See: https://sustaintrust.org.nz/our-events

• The Free Store’s Festival 2024 annual fundraiser. 3pm - 9pm Sunday 24th November, Southern Cross. The Free Store - the shipping container on Willis Street that redistributes $4.6 million worth of quality surplus food from 60+ inner-city eateries to those in need each year. See: https://www.facebook.com/share/nAQHBkAnJLyGLb8p/

• Sustainability Trust is looking for more sewers for its curtain bank. Go to their website to register your interest to volunteer. https://sustaintrust.org.nz/wellington-curtain-bank

• Zero Waste Solutions to Planetary Crises: Expert & political perspectives. Join the Zero Waste Network (of which we are a proud member) and the Aotearoa Plastic Pollution Alliance for not one but TWO panels, facilitated by legendary broadcaster, Kim Hill, to discuss some of the most challenging issues facing our planet. Monday 18 November, 5:15-7:30pm, at Rutherford House. Find out more and ticket link here.

• The Kākano Seed Library aims to encourage beginners into backyard gardening through the supply of small quantities of free seeds! See more here Kākano seed library (wcl.govt.nz)

• Wellington Time Bank new member orientation, Tue 5th November. 10.30am - 12pm. Newtown Community Centre. Email Ro at info@wellingtontimebank.org.nz for more info.

TŪTAKI AI I TE TĪMA | MEET THE TEAM

Meet Kate

Kate is a Compost Manager and has worked at Kaicycle for nine years! She’s our composting super-hero.

Your favourite food/recipe and why. (Tell us what influenced your decision: flavour, nourishment, a memory) 

Right up there is tahini. I first discovered tahini sauce when eating a kebab in New Delhi - it blew my mind and I finished up most of the nearly-empty bottles in the restaurant.

3 things you enjoy doing?

1. DJing, mainly with friends and at house parties. Discovering new music is the best part.

2. Getting out to plenty of gigs, mainly electronic. So many talented musicians in Pōneke and across Aotearoa!

3. Just did my first (very short) bikepacking trip and absolutely loved it. Seasoned bikepackers would have had an allergic reaction to my stuffed panniers and massive pillow jankily tied on with rope, but it worked!

What sound or noise do you love? 

One of my absolute favourite sensations is stepping on very dry leaves. The crunch is just delicious. I will go out of my way for a nice dry leaf (but I save the snails).

An exciting reminder that we are officially a registered charity!

This means that when you donate $5 or more to support us, you can claim tax credentials.