We're about to do a big restock of the Seed Library so we thought we'd do up a quick guide. Check in at the Ashhurst Library (where the Seed Library station is located) as we have a whole lot of fresh, locally harvested seeds for your Autumn/Winter gardens.

Kia ora koutou from RECAP

An update on our projects, services and upcoming activities: 

Crop Swap - The RECAP Crop Swap continues in 2025 on the first Saturday of each month. Join us at the Ashhurst Community Library 11am-1pm. The first one for the year is this Saturday March 1st. For those unfamiliar with the Crop Swap - this is an open sharing event where anyone can give or take items for free (‘swap’ is a bit of a misnomer as you don’t need to exchange things). Things we welcome at the Crop Swap: excess produce/fruit, seedlings, seeds, home baking, preserves, small gardening items, cuttings, small trees, plants, fertilizers (e.g. worm wee), fresh herbs e.t.c e.t.c. There’s always a lot of great kōrero around gardening topics as well. It's a great way to meet others in the community. 

Summer Pruning - Our always-popular pruning workshop is happening on Saturday March 1st from 1pm at the Olsson Community Orchard in Ashhurst. Learn by doing under the tutelage of two knowledgeable instructors. This workshop is free, but we appreciate koha if you are able. Registrations are a must and can be made at  recap.org.nz.

Volunteer Library Gardening happens most weeks led by our wonderful deputy chairperson Suzanne. She updates facebook/Ashhurst Chat each week, so if you’re keen to get involved you can get in touch there or email: schelius@hotmail.com. Everyone - all levels of experience and ability - welcome. Come along as a one-off or as a regular.

Ashhurst School Garden Club The kids are back in the garden with Mondays for juniors and Thursdays for seniors. If your tamariki are keen on garden club (and you wish to keep their uniform shirts clean) please feel free to pack an old tee shirt - we do tend to get a bit muddy!

The Ashhurst Sharing Shelf - has a new facebook group you can join HERE. We are closing down the current facebook page as pages do not allow anyone outside of an admin to post. Groups are open so anyone can post what they've shared on the shelf. For those unfamiliar - the Ashhurst Sharing Shelf is a pātaka kai run by RECAP situated in the Ashhurst Library garden on Bamfield street.

UPDATED COMMUNITY KAI INFORMATION for 2025

We provide free rescued kai to people in the Ashhurst/Pohangina area each Tuesday from 3:15-4:15 from the back room of the Ashhurst Library.

If the weather is good - please queue outside, if it is raining you are able to queue inside the library.

Depending on donations, some weeks we are able to serve anyone who comes no questions asked. On weeks where donations are low we need to see a current community services card to access kai. We post on facebook/RECAP Community Kai at approximately 2:30 pm Tuesday to let you know.

You are able to come through and pick up what you need from what has been donated that week. Some items have limits so please read the signage.

Unfortunately we can no longer set aside bags for a later pick up. And only one bag per whānau, please. We can also no longer offer more than one bag for those picking up on behalf.

Kids and teenagers are not allowed to pick up kai unless a parent or caregiver has contacted us (you only need to do this once and we will note their name down) and on the weeks where a community services card is needed you will need to send a photo of this. Email: chris@recap.org.nz.

Please note that as this is rescued kai - many of the items will be past their best before date. We dispose of any items that we deem unfit for human consumption, but many items past best before are still good to eat. Please note, however, that this is at your own risk. Please use your eyes, nose and common sense if you are unsure. Please also note that use by dates are stricter than best before dates, so if an item says 'use by' this will need to be consumed asap. We will endeavor to let you know if items have been previously frozen or can be frozen.

Please be respectful of everyone else collecting kai and our volunteers. And please be honest when taking kai and do not exceed any limits that are on the signs - we are trying to be as fair in the distribution of this kai as possible.

Ngā mihi nui to our donors and volunteers, without whom we could not provide this service.

Chris Love

RECAP coordinator

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(Image from the Ashhurst School Garden)

The RECAP Permaculture Garden Tour is back! We run this event once every two years and our date for 2024 is Saturday October 26th 10am-4pm.

Registrations are open now and can be made HERE. The cost is $25 per person, with free entry for those 12 and under. 

This is an opportunity to learn more about RECAP projects (The Ashhurst Community Garden, Olsson Community Orchard, McCrae’s Bush and our new māra rongoā) and visit a wide range of private properties and gardens. Enjoy a self guided tour around locations in Ashhurst and the Pohangina valley with access to discounts at local eateries and businesses.

This is our main fundraising event with all proceeds assisting our community projects, services and education. Ngā mihi nui for your support.

Permaculture principles:

Observe and interact.

Catch and store energy.

Obtain a yield.

Apply self-regulation & accept feedback.

Use & value renewable resources & services

Produce no waste.

Design from patterns to details.

Integrate rather than segregate.

Use small and slow solutions.

Use and value diversity.

Use edges & value the marginal.

Creatively use and respond to change.

Kia ora koutou 

We have two new workshops now up for registrations at recap.org.nz.

Winter Pruning: our popular Winter Pruning Workshop is scheduled for Saturday June 29th 1pm-3pm (with July 6th as a rain date). This is a practical, hands on guide to winter fruit tree pruning for optimum next season fruiting and tree health. Join us for this opportunity to get stuck in with the loppers with guidance and support. This is a free workshop, although koha is appreciated.

Death without Debt: This workshop is a little different to our usual output, but something we believe will be of huge benefit to many in our community. Fergus Wheeler guides people through the financial challenges surrounding death, and Death Without Debt NZ is ‘dedicated to creating a future where the cost of dying doesn't add to the burden of grief.’ This takes place on Saturday August 3rd 11am-2pm. The cost is $10 waged and $5 unwaged (these workshops are usually $30, but we have subsidized this price).

You can learn more about Fergus’ work at deathwithoutdebt.org 

McCrae’s bush volunteering: McCrae’s bush is an area of native bush with a stream and walkways which can be accessed via steps at the end of the Terrace, or from River road.  The small team that have been kaitaki of this area has gotten smaller of late, but the work to weed the invasive plants to ensure the existing and newly planted natives thrive is ongoing. If you would be interested in helping keep this wonderful taonga healthy for both our current community and its future generations, please get in touch. There’s volunteering on Monday mornings (both casual and regular volunteers welcome) and opportunities for working bees on other days. If you are a business or group that would like to donate time to the community, we can accommodate. Email chris@recap.org.nz or text/call 021755314. 

Ngā mihi nui to both current and former volunteers who have put their time and energy into this wonderful space. 

The RECAP Seed Library now has a team of three and a shiny new facebook group. They’re a driven lot who have managed to access a bulk lot of seeds to distribute, as well as making plans to expand the library. All seeds are FREE, we just ask that you only take three packets per month and fill in the sheet at the Seed Library Station within the Ashhurst Community Library. We always greatly appreciate donations, especially of locally grown and collected seed as these are acclimated to the growing conditions specific to our area. 

The greenhouse at the Ashhurst School garden is now up and full of growing potential for the tamariki. Ngā mihi nui to the caretaker Richard and Aaron and Harvey from RECAP for construction and anchoring, and to Noel Birchall for the raised beds. The anonymous donor that made this possible has offered a further $1000 which will be used to purchase another vegepod, compost bins and other supplies. The focus at garden club is on food gardening, which we hope will strengthen resilience for these kids. We’re thrilled that others in the community see the importance of this kaupapa, and thank the donor for their generosity.  

Volunteer Library Gardening happens most weeks led by our wonderful deputy chairperson Suzanne. She updates facebook/Ashhurst Chat each week, so if you’re keen to get involved you can get in touch there or email: schelius@hotmail.com. Everyone - all levels of experience and ability - welcome. Come along as a one-off or as a regular.

The RECAP Crop Swap - happens on the first Saturday of every month, 11am-1pm at the Ashhurst Library. This is a sharing event where people can give and take freely with no cost. It’s always a friendly group that gathers, with helpful kōrero on a variety of gardening related topics. 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful regular volunteers and donors at RECAP Community Kai. Ngā mihi nui to Angela, Gwendi, Marilyn, Dianne, Helen, Aryanne, Kaye, Jo (and all previous and casual volunteers) Just Zilch, Mission for Men, Lunch by Libelle, Bonnie and Neal Rider, Jenny Annand, DKSH (and Dan for transport) and to Ross and Jill at the library who accommodate us on Tuesdays and provide space and shelving for storage and freezers. 

Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi

With your basket and my basket the people will thrive

Ka kite anō

Chris Love

RECAP coordinator