Resources

[Megan]

This discussion is where we can all add our favourite contacts, eg: where we can get manure, where we can get mulch, offers of tool and/or equipment loan/use and any other useful food growing related items.

It need not be free of charge and feel free to include your favorite places for all to share.

To make it easy to find items, please start your reply with a description of the item or service.

Remember to obtain permission from the person to publish their contact details if it's a private individual.

[Megan]

Pea Straw - 2011 harvest ready by mid April, same price as last year. Will email Gorge Rd garden members to see who wishes to buy any, alternatively, contact the Huttons directly.

[Tony and Rachel]

hi there people. i have put a whole lot of clear plastic bin liners in the shed. They are ideal for making little green house or cloche things out of. If any wants one or two id be happy to trade for some seedlings, seeds, some compost or some old timber or similar for framing up a wee greehouse or if you dont have anything to trade you can have one anyways :)

[Megan]

Barley Straw.

The Grant's on Frankton-Ladies Mile have plenty for sale at $3.50 per bale. Please contact them on 03 442 3131 to order same.

[Peter Sundstrom]

There is an abundance of walnuts at the moment. I won't reveal my "secret" location in Quail Rise, but there are huge amounts of walnuts available in Walnut Grove in Lake Hayes Estate.

In particular, if turn into Crawford St and turn right onto an unamed road with no houses, you'll find a great location to start walnut hunting.

Best time to go is on a windy day, as you'll find lots of walnuts being blown off the trees.

The other great location is on Lady's Mile at the Lake Hayes end. You can also pick lots of Sweet Chestnuts (not to be confused with the more common horse chestnut, which is not particularly good for eating and isn't even a true chestnut).

Fresh walnuts are known as "wet walnuts" and do taste quite different to walnuts that have time to dry out. I personally prefer walnuts that have had time to dry out and usually put them in a wire basket in a warm dry place.

Freshly picked walnuts should last up a year, which is enough to tide you over to next season.

[Peter Sundstrom]

I rang the Hutton's today about getting some pea straw, but Wendy told me that the straw they had this year had too many weeds so they were going to use it as cattle feed.

The other places to get pea straw are from Slope Hill/Speargrass Rd (there's a sign with the phone number) which are $10 per bale and the Shotover Garden Center (which probably charge an arm and leg)

[Megan]

Thanks, we managed to buy some more of last year's crop for the community garden, guess it must have been the last of it.

[Megan]

Pea straw. New season's pea straw will be available by mid March at $8.50 per bale from Wendy & Ian Hutton, Dalefield. Pls message me if you'd like to order any and we can place a single order for the community garden.

[Megan]

Untreated sawdust. I have spoken to John, past president of the Wakatipu Woodcraft Guild and he is happy to give us all of his sawdust and if he has run out, he will refer us to other members of his guild. Call John on 03 442 7144 to check availability. The sawdust can be mixed with grass clippings and used as a mulch on your vegetable beds.

[Megan]

Mulch. QLDC have given permission for us to use the mulch stored stored in the paddock beside the Gorge Road community garden in our community garden.