Ōhaupō based business Quality Mushrooms donated over 200 bags of its mushrooms to a community food cart. Photo / Supplied
Ōhaupō based business Quality Mushrooms donated over 200 bags of its mushrooms to a community food cart. Photo / Supplied
The advice given by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to be kind during the current Covid-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown has been taken on by a local mushroom farm.
A Ōhaupō community food cart was left overflowing on the weekend after Quality Mushrooms, a family owned business, decided to donatehundreds of their 500g bags of mushrooms to the cart.
The business' general manager, Daniel Van Schie, said they first left 150 bags at the cart that sits on Forkert Rd opposite Ōhaupō Rugby Club, and then due to an overwhelming response they went back later and left another 80 bags.
"We at Quality Mushrooms had a busy weekend picking good volumes of mushrooms. We felt that we would take the advice of the Government in being kind," says Daniel.
"Being aware there is a rest home with a lot of older people living in Ōhaupō, we decided it's a kind gesture to donate some mushrooms to our community.
"We wanted to also do something positive and give people something to be happy and thankful for."
Quality Mushrooms general manger Daniel Van Schie restocking the community food cart in Ōhaupō after positive response to first batch being donated. Photo / Supplied
Word of the donated mushrooms travelled quickly with a few posts made to the Ōhaupō Community Facebook page.
In their own post, Daniel said they asked the community to continue practising social distancing and rules currently in place to combat Covid-19.
He said the response they received to their kindness was very positive.
"People were very happy and it wasn't long before the first batch was all gone and I was asked to re-stock, which we did," said Daniel.
One person wrote on the post "can't complain about mushrooms and bacon on toast for lunch. Thanks Quality Mushrooms" which was accompanied by a picture of their said lunch.
Another wrote "thank you so much for the mushrooms, they look wonderful, can't wait for lunch today. Blessings on you."
And one simply wrote, "such good people".
Quality Mushrooms is a family owned business based in Ōhaupō that started in 1988. Photo / Supplied
Those who got their hands on a bag of mushrooms might be pleasantly surprised to know that Quality Mushrooms are now a certified organic business.
Daniel said they are announcing the good news by releasing a video this week on their Facebook page and will shortly start selling their products with organic labels on them.
The mushroom business began in 1988 and is owned by Daniel's parents, Frans and Hilda Van Schie.
