Land-based skills provide ‘real world’ benefits

Land-based skills are providing ‘real world’ benefits to students at NorthTec’s Ahipara site

Students on NorthTec’s horticulture and sustainable rural development programmes in Ahipara are learning the ‘real-world’ skills they need to feed their families, earn money, and set up their own small businesses.

The Ahipara site was established in 2006. Since then a wide range of people from the area have learnt horticulture skills at the site. “We’ve developed the site here from scratch and have cleared the kikuyu, set up raised bed gardens, built a propagation and shade house and automatic irrigation – it’s a great place for learning,” said NorthTec tutor John Tilson.

The raised bed gardens were set up at a height that’s disability-friendly so that all learners can be catered for.

“My aim is to provide people with the opportunity to learn skills that allow them to get work, set up their own businesses and help to develop their land.”

Students work on an enterprise model as part of their course to set them up to make the most of future economic development opportunities in their communities.

“I’ve really enjoyed it and have learnt so much more than I expected,” said current student Glenyce Smith. “I want to set up a native nursery on my own land and I now know how to propagate my own seedlings. I’ve learnt about organics and companion planting – it’s also a great stress relief for me. If I’ve got something on my mind I just go into the garden.”

Glenyce has already enrolled for Sustainable Rural Development (level 2) at the Ahipara site in semester 2 – starting in July. “It’s been excellent, that’s why I’m coming back to the next one, to stay focused.” Glenyce said that her experience has inspired others in the community to get back into gardening, as has the work that’s been done in her local Manukau community by NorthTec tutor Walter Leef.

“Many people in our communities have the vision of converting as much of our land as possible into productive land. We want to be sustainable – it’s about going back to how it used to be. We all realise that as petrol prices rise we won’t be able to just pop into the supermarket in town, we’ll need to grow as much of our food and plants as we can locally.”

“Our whānau all grew up with gardens and all of us are now going back to growing our own produce. It makes you feel more grounded and connected to the whenua, which is important. I’m also finding that we’re eating much healthier food now and are coming into contact with a whole network of people who are growers. We share our surplus with each other.”

Classmate Erena Hodgkinson has also enrolled for the Sustainable Rural Development course at Ahipara in semester 2. “I enrolled on the horticulture programme in Ahipara this semester because I’m a sole parent and I needed to learn how to grow food and reduce my food budget. One day I’d like to have my own rural property and be completely sustainable.”

Sonja Holloway wants to set up a nursery on family land near Taipa. “I would like to see us planting out more orchards and gardens there. I’ve enrolled in next semester’s National Certificate in Horticulture in Kaitaia so that I can continue the great learning I’ve been doing here.”

Stephen Woollen says that he’s keen to use his new skills to get a job. “I’ve really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. It’s particularly great to watch how the plants grow without the use of fertilisers.”

Sue Foster is finishing her fourth programme with NorthTec this semester, having completed Sustainable Rural Development (level 2 and level 3) and Horticulture (level 2 and level 4). “The programmes have helped me an awful lot. I was a city-dweller and didn’t know much about plants. I’ve learnt the basics that I needed to use on our rural block. I’ve also learnt a lot about organics which is where we want to go more and more in the future.”

Students learn a range of skills from soil preparation through to harvesting. They cultivate their own rows on-site as well as undertaking class-based learning on-site. Students have come from as far away as Broadwood in the Hokianga to study in Ahipara.

“I really want as many people as possible to learn the land-based skills being taught here because they are so valuable for whānau and the community,” said tutor John Tilson. “I have seen how the courses can be transformative for people. They can provide a positive focus for people and help them to improve their lifestyle in a meaningful way.”

John added that the Ahipara site is for the community. “We have an open gate approach here. If we have surplus produce or seedlings then we give that to the community.”

Next semester students can enrol with John Tilson for Sustainable Rural Development (level 2) in Ahipara and the National Certificate in Horticulture (level 2) in Kaitaia.

NorthTec’s Sustainable Rural Development and Horticulture programmes are also offered at other sites throughout the north. For more information on courses in the Far North phone NorthTec’s Kaitaia campus on 09 408 6117.

ENDS

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