Katikati orchard project nurturing fruit trees, people and connections

Todd Jones and Sean McCarthy mucking in. Photo / David Hall

A Tauranga-based construction leadership team got their hands dirty last month to help Grow On Katikati tend to a fruit tree orchard, which will one day see children able to pick seasonal fruit to eat on their way to or from school.

Seven of Colliers’ Project Leader team, who usually lead construction or development projects from start to finish, turned up at the Beach Rd/Park Rd corner reserve-come-orchard on May 20, armed with spades, wheelbarrows and trowels to edge, weed, and add mulch to trees that will bear fruit for future generations.

Grow On Katikati coordinator Jizzy Green said the orchard was part of a Town Food Resilience plan, which the non-profit group was working toward achieving.

“Seven fruit trees were planted in collaboration with GOK, Katikati College’s GrowHub and Mana Kai Mana Ora in November 2023,” Green said.

“The trees are part of the plan, along with 48 fruit trees in Kati KaiWay, which was a Katikati Kindergarten initiative many years back.”

Green said SociaLink put GOK in contact with Colliers’ Project Leader team, who wanted to give back to the community by doing something meaningful.

“They left their desk-bound jobs to weed, edge and spread the huge mountain of tree mulch kindly donated by local business, All Terrain Chipping.”

Green said the patch of grass and trees was more than just a corner reserve.

“It is a living, breathing community space where we get to nurture not only fruit trees but also people and connections.

“This place was created to support and uplift our community through sustainable growing of kai, shared knowledge and good old-fashioned teamwork.

The working bee underway on May 20. Photo / David Hall

“This is our community asset, and we invite interested parties to step forward to help care for it.”

In the years to come, the patch would need more weeding, feeding, edging and mulching, Green said.

A Colliers team member talks to Jizzy Green (right), about Grow On Katikati. Photo / David Hall

“There will come a time when the trees are mature and they’ll need pruning, and pest and disease management – and we look forward to a time when children walking to school can pick seasonal fruit to eat.”

Green said the Colliers team “really mucked in to give our little community fruit tree orchard the TLC it needed”.

“After the hard work, we shared a morning tea together in the sunshine.”

To learn more about Grow On Katikati and their food resilience work, visit: www.growonkatikati.com