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Fresh fruit and vegetables from local home gardens will soon be able to be shared around the community, free, via a range of new roadside stands.
The stands are simple constructions put in a publicly accessible area. Anyone can put their excess produce on the stand and it is free to take away. As well as sharing good food, this reduces the amount of fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste.
Mark Dennis of Helensville put up a stand in his local community early this year. He says it has been “full of amazing fresh fruit and veg ever since”.
Via Facebook, he began to get requests from other communities about how to get started. So far he has assisted with the setting up of stands in nine areas in and around Rodney, with another 15 stands under construction between Auckland and Lower Hutt.
Three are planned for the Hibiscus Coast, and due to go up in the coming weeks. One is on Otanerua Road, Hatfields Beach, another is to go outside Orewa Beach Kindergarten in Riverside Road, Orewa, which will be looked after by the children at the kindergarten. Another is planned for Whangaparaoa, with a definite location still to be confirmed.
Anyone can put up their own stand, but Mark provides advice on getting started, sponsorship, building and signs.
He says anyone wanting to put up a stand can contact him via Facebook so he can make sure no new stands clash with any that are planned.
