Some Waiheke news and events

A "Place"
A small group of people have been actively pursuing a lease on a building and property which could serve as a hub for all the amazing projects and initiatives which the Waiheke community is putting commitment and energy into (some but not all of which are noted here). We imagine it being a focal point for education and sharing of information, celebration, films and presentations, food exchange, offices for Transition Waiheke and Transition Aotearoa, and more. Watch this space.

The Food Hui at the Marae
This was a well attended full day event. The ideas and outcomes which sprang from it are already bearing fruit. You can visit the Waiheke page of the Transition Towns site to read all about this event. www.transitiontowns.org.nz/waiheke

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
One of the conversations from the Hui was around a goal to meet Waiheke's fruit and vegetable needs from local island production. A meeting was held on August 28th to explore this and 25 people came. The evening was characterised by great energy, urgency, generosity, humour, respect and honesty. You can read more about it here. www.transitiontowns.org.nz/waiheke

Pruning days
At the CSA meeting Margaret Bell of Waiheke Fresh Food Produce offered about 800 trees to a "Virtual Orchard" project and a few days later on Sep 1st a group of people led by Ken Clark (of the Square Foot Gardening fame) and Simon Thompson (along with his High School Hort. class) did some urgently needed pruning (urgent because of the season and timing). There is more to do and another visit is planned for Monday. If you want to help and learn some pruning skills at the same time, please contact Ken on 5258.

Alcohol as Fuel and Complimentary Currency meetings
Lively and informative meetings were had last month on growing biomass as a fuel source and to explore a complimentary currency model. If either of these subjects touch on your passions, then please get in touch as they need a driver to move them along now. There is abundant help but someone will need to lead them.

People's Ferry
There has been lots of talk about ferry prices over the last few weeks. It has also caused some people to begin or re-enliven past conversations about alternatives. In the last week I have spoken with three different people about the intiatives they have been exploring. The common thread is a vision for an appropriately priced ferry service that would offer something different and give them an edge over the current service.

Electric Assisted Bicycles
It is better than I thought. A 10cent charge (just plug it overnight, just like a cell phone), is all that is needed to fully charge the big Lithium-Ion battery and give about 70Km of assistance on the Waiheke hills. No more fatigue. Yes, you have to pedal and you get a cardio-vascular workout, but you don't get exhausted. It's made cycling on Waiheke a real pleasure. If you want to try it out, give me a bell on 8737.

DIARY
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Sunday 7th - 9:00am at Piritahi Marae - putting down the Kumura seed beds - all welcome
Sunday 7th - Friday 12th - Reel Earth Film Festival - www.waihekegreenmap.blogspot.com for programme
Monday 8th - 1:00pm - Pruning learn and do - all welcome, call Ken on 5258

James