Visitor from Newzealand

Last update: 26.03.10 First posted: 15.01.10 by Estelle in Random

Simon finds out how we go Incredibley Edible

Today we had a visit from Simon Williams who lives the other side of the world in Newzealand.
Simon is an ‘Education for Sustainability’ facilitator and educator based in Wanaka on South Island, so he already gets the importance sustainable communities. While visiting mum in Yorkshire he came to see what Incredible Edible was all about, and Mum being involved with education and also interested in sustainability came too.
We met up at the high school and Tony explained the schools commitment to growing food and to buying locally produced meat and eggs. Back home one of the schemes Simon works with is enviroschools so we are already on the same wavelength.
Lots of note taking,

Explaining the food hub, Tony showed Simon the planned layout for the aquaponics and hydroponics units that will be behind the school, and the existing polytunnel veg beds

We then met Headmaster Patrick Ottley-Oconner who explained about the school making the land for the food hub over to the community while retaining title to it.
He also talked about the new environmental land based studies diplomas, and student exchange schemes. (NZ is a long way from Tod though).
We said goodbye to Patrick and Tony and went across to Ferney Lee and found Nick busy in the new greenhouse.

I always find it usefull to talk to, and listen to visitors. (Nick here).

Compairing notes about civic gardening styles it seems the eco image new zeland has in my mind is not the whole story. Sprays seem to still be in vouge as here to some extent, but worse, poison for the possoms! Tidyness is the motive force in gardening style.
Discussing local food,it seems NZ lamb is much easier to get here than in NZ, they get the cheap chinese version and send us the good stuff! Local food even in an agricultural country is tough to get off the ground.
Simon said it seems that the council still want to own everything. Reluctant to let go. The council were doubtfull about the future of recycling, so the “eco hippies” took it up and two years later the buisiness employs 35 people.

Velly interesting, sounds like we are not doing so bad in the olde country!