the sowing machine

Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua. 

Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.

There is more than one way to cook a potato – and there is more than one way to create a food resilient community.  

With the hurt of rising food prices and growing need for those requiring food assistance, impacting on overall community wellness, there are many champions throughout Aotearoa looking for innovative ways to strengthen their rohe. 

One approach taken by Healthy Families Far North Lead Systems Innovator and former chef, Paul Condron, is to minimize reliance on supermarkets by guiding others on how to grow their own kai. 

Through listening and working with whānau, Paul discovered that knowing how to grow fresh kai has become a thing of the past, and healthy kai is seen as “posh”. Paul, also known as Paora in the Far North, wants to make good kai available to all and to revitalise knowledge by teaching tamariki through play.  

Through multiple workshops with whānau, and many trials, the kaupapa has taken shape in the form of a ‘Sowing Machine' - a vending machine for growing seedlings.  

This sowing machine makes growing fresh kai a simple and fun activity, while also embedding healthy practices into the spaces where tamariki already interact and play. 

Stocked with seasonal seeds, potting mix, and recycled paper cups, tamariki use the recycled cups to plant the seeds, which they can take home to their māra kai or keep in the whare kākāriki (green house) until they are ready to plant in the local community māra.  

Paul said it's about making healthy kai available for all. “Playgrounds are a place of learning, so why not utilize that space to teach our tamariki how to grow healthy kai, while also making healthy kai more available for the community,” he said.  

 “The tamariki love it and the best part is they don't feel like they're in a classroom… they’re just getting their hands dirty and having fun!” 

Ngā mihi nui, Paul, for your important leadership and nurturing innovative solutions that feed local community. We appreciate the cultivation of spaces for growth while having fun with tamariki and learning together.