FEASIBILITY STUDY
THE ORIGINAL VISION OF THE WAIHEKE CSA PROJECT
- Provide, for all sectors of the Waiheke Community, access to locally grown, organic and nutrient dense food
- Reduce the environmental impact resulting from the production and transportation of food products.
- Help combat the twin threats of Climate Change and Peak Oil.
- Revitalise and safeguard our land and soils, and enhance biodiversity
- Grow and nurture the connection between people and food.
- Educate people in ecologically sound and ethical food production
- Provide local employment
THE PROJECT DESCRIBED
In true Waihekean fashion, our model in October 2009 was a bit different to the standard CSA set up. We started without a farm or the farmer, just a vision, but then we got both farm and grower.
While the Waiheke CSA vision includes providing a wide range of foods, we are presently dealing with just one small area of land to grow vegetables.
In the first season the CSA aimed to provide to each member with regular produce up to the total value (pro rata) of their subscription. It was (and will continue to be) both a cooperative venture and a partnership between grower and consumer. It involves shared risks and shared benefits.
Further consideration is now being given to future models as part of the feasibility study.
SETTING UP
We are starting from scratch and breaking new ground. It is probably the first time in NZ that a CSA project has been set up in exactly this way. The first six months the project was a ‘pilot scheme’ - an opportunity to find out what works and what does not. We are confident that we can build a platform for a greatly expanded Waiheke CSA in the future.
THE FIRST SEASON
Crops grown in the first season were potatoes, pumpkin, cucumber, corn, courgettes, beans, beetroot and kumi kumi.
JOINING
For more info on joining and memebership click here.