Cost of living crisis: Bay of Plenty families growing their own fruit and veges

The price of fruit and vegetables in New Zealand has skyrocketed over the past year, with 1kg of tomatoes at $10.14 in February compared to $4.68 12 months ago. But Bay of Plenty people are taking matters into their own hands. Luke Kirkness reports on how some are growing their own groceries and speaks to experts about how to get started.

People across Tauranga Moana have been “screaming out for help” to feed their families as food prices skyrocket.

But those who grow their own vegetables and fruit avoid being stung at the checkout and eat better too, gardening experts say.

Kahureremoa Smallman is a full-time mum living in Pāpāmoa with four children under 3.

The grocery bill for her family is $400 and she felt for families in a harder position than her own.

“That’s not my rent, gas, that’s just groceries for the week for my family. Before that, it wasn’t cheap but it was cheaper than this.

“With four kids I wouldn’t say it’s a struggle because we’re in a good place but it would be for many other families.”

Smallman, her partner who works fulltime, and their family live in the Manawa subdivision, social housing for Ngā Pōtiki whānau that was registered on the Ministry of Social Development’s housing register.

It’s here they learned to grow fruit and vegetables with the help of Poutiri Trust’s māra kai initiative.

It involves providing a kiwifruit bin, soil and plants to a family, backed up with ongoing support to make sure the growth is on the right track.

Smallman said it was beneficial to their whole family.

Mum of four Kahureremoa Smallman. Photo / Alex Cairns

“They smash the fruit, the veges, they love it.

“With costs going up ... the cost of a bag of apples is too much and I could be spending it on my kids. It’s beneficial to know how to grow it as well so it can continue for generations to come.

“My partner has expertise in vegetables and growing and I’ve just got expertise in cooking.”

Smallman said the family couldn’t have done it without the help from Paora Tuanau, who runs the initiative.

“Him coming in, getting my kids outside and learning, it’s good to know these things and I can teach my kids too.”

Stats NZ figures show food prices increased by 12 per cent in the year to February – the biggest rise since 1989.

Tuanau, the māra kai facilitator for Poutiri Wellness Centre, said people across the Western Bay of Plenty had been “screaming out for help” to feed their families.

Through the programme, Tuanau worked with more than 150 whānau, households and several schools to grow their own vegetables, reduce the outlay on fresh produce and increase their access to healthy kai year-round.

One of the families Tuanau helped had at least 40 people living at the property due to the rising cost of living, he said.

“That’s how they have to live now because everything’s so expensive. They’ve done an awesome community garden on their property in the ground. It’s just perfect for them.”

The programme made the most of kiwifruit bins that were perfect for renters who weren’t able to have a garden, as the bins could be moved around.

Growing a garden was tough but rewarding and helped people reconnect with Papatūānuku — Mother Earth, Tuanau said.

“It’s good for exercise but it’s a good way to let off steam too. You can use your garden as a space where you can filter out all the negative thoughts into your garden and by the time you’ve finished you’re pretty much good to go for the next few days.

“You’re nurturing your garden and your garden is nurturing you at the same time and that’s where your headspace needs to be when you’re actually gardening out there.”

Māra kai — translated as gardening for food — was originally for families from Otamarakau to Pāpāmoa but Poutiri Trust chief executive Kirsty Maxwell-Crawford said there was “huge demand”.

Ngā Pōtiki tenancy manager Traci Wepiha said the initiative was hugely beneficial given “the cost of living is absolutely a problem”.

“Our families are really determined in their living – they just make things happen.

“It’s going to get worse but I don’t think they realise that because they’ve always done it hard and know how to budget without even knowing it. We want to lessen the stress on the whānau.

“In amongst their lives, a lot of the time they’re caught up in other things and sometimes the garden is not a priority.”

Ngā Pōtiki tenancy manager Traci Wepiha. Photo / Alex Cairns

Māra kai was helping bridge the gap between the current generation and those from the past.

Wepiha said gardening was “part of their lives”, education on it was important and brought whānau closer together.

Decor Gardenworld owner Ginny Clark said when people began growing their own fruit and vegetables, other than using good-quality soil, putting in time and effort was key.

“The more people get into it the more they get out of it,” Clark said.

“When you’re growing from home it’s tasty, you know what you’ve done and where it comes from.”

She said younger people were “almost intimidated to grow things” and there was “definitely a gap” between their grandparents’ and parents’ generation.

Decor Gardenworld owner/operator Ginny Clark. Photo / Alex Cairns

A useful cost-saving tip was growing lettuce. Clark grew her own in a trough-raised garden where she planted a punnet of lettuces and picked what she needed each day.

“When you’re paying $6 or $7 in the supermarket for lettuce, it’s really easy to grow your own. I can pick it yesterday, today, tomorrow and the next day for the next six weeks until it’s time to refresh and replant.”

Clark said the soil was still warm enough to plant directly into but when it started cooling down, anything growing from seed would need to be planted in raising trays positioned somewhere like a greenhouse.

Carrots, parsnips, leeks, beetroot and broad beans could be planted directly from seed at the moment, and cabbage, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, spinach and spring onion seedlings would grow too.

Those in smaller spaces could take advantage of planting dwarf fruit trees in pots or gardens, and food such as lettuce, broccoli, spring onions, and herbs like thyme, rosemary and parsley all grew well in pots.

Clark had heard stories of people paying upwards of $15 for cauliflower and said growing your own was “way cheaper”.

However, it was a tough time for growers after a “really difficult” season.

“The rain and the floods, there’s been issues with transport and labour and all the rest. To be fair the growers are really struggling and not getting a huge amount for their vegetables.

“And the supermarket costs are going up - it’s a big never-ending story but you can be at home and grow your own.”