 |
| Matt Coffey advises Margaret Newton about choosing native plants to attract pigeons and tui as well as trees for bees to ensure pollination occurs. |
The Riverton Harvest Festival was attended by people from all over Southland and beyond both during the day as people interacted with the many stall holders or attended workshops or enjoyed the Saturday night harvest dinner social occasion.
Coordinator Robyn Guyton said that the Harvest Festival event is going from strength to strength with over 100 registering for the various workshop options on offer and between 1500 and 2000 people coming to experience the atmosphere and learn from others.
"A full weekend of workshops, led by local experts as well as visiting specialists, alongside the sales tables, displays, sumptuous food stall options and fabulous choices from the cafe made this an event which was way beyond the expectations of us at the South Coast Environment Centre as the organisers," she said. "The enthusiasm, energy, knowledge and good will of people who contributed in so many ways, augurs well for next year."
Oreti Nursery owner Matt Coffey from Mossburn attended for the first time with his native plants and with appropriate species especially for riparian plantings and shrubs and trees to attract bees.
"It was very positive from my perspective as it gave my business exposure to a new group of people, raised awareness of the need for riparian plantings and included income from sales which made the travel and time spent there worthwhile," he said. "I had a steady stream of people coming to talk, made connections and realised the potential is huge."
He met a core group of people who intend to continue planting natives on their lifestyle block or are keen to get started so they were pleased to get ideas and advice from Coffey, including how to attract native birds such as tui and bellbirds.
"People had been talking to the hobbyist bee keepers there who highlighted the need for plants for bees for ensuring pollination," he said. "People are realising the significance from the loss of honey bees, hoverflies, native bees and other insects needed for pollination and are wanting to do something about it."
Co-organiser Robert Guyton said this has been the biggest and brightest Harvest Festival so far with the group members already thinking about next year and how they can build on the interest shown this year.
" We need to cope with the raised number of stall holders who have indicated they want to participate again next year," he said. "I noticed that people who came this year were very keen on the practical aspects of gardening, growing their own food and preserving the produce they have in abundance as a result of the bountiful harvest."
