We are always active in the community. Keep up to date with what's coming next.

Kaipatiki Project has again been successful in receiving Auckland Council funding to carry out free backyard consultations in the Local Board areas of Albert/Eden, Puketapapa, Waitemata & Gulf, and Orakei.

Properties that include or adjoin a stream/creek, native bush or reserve in these areas may qualify for this service, which includes a free on-site consultation, information on the best species to plant in your garden, advice on effective weed control, some free native plants and a one-off garden waste collection.

The Nature For Neighbourhoods programme is delivered by our Natural Heritage Co-ordinator – for enquiries and to see if your address qualifies please email or phone 482 1172.

Curious about what Kaipatiki Project has been up to lately? Keep up to date with what’s happening with us by reading our monthly newsletter. Sign up to receive these monthly e-newsletters at the foot of our home page.

June 2013

Our new-look enewsletter focuses on all the good, green things that are happening in our local Kaipatiki community. Weed-busting, water-testing, tree-planting and a Massy Uni student who’s busy tracking down lizards and geckos in our reserves. Beautiful!

May 2013 (2)

Dig in with our Community Planting Days this winter and treat Mum to a special Mothers Day chutney class. We also reveal our new EventFinder facility on our home page and say bye bye to some special people.

May 2013 (1)

Introducing Pantry Power – the new series of Nana-Technologies classes covering home-made preserves, bread, pasta and cleaning products. Time to learn all about hot composting too, for free, at Kaipatiki Project’s teaching gardens.

March 2013 (2)

A mid-EcoFest issue highlighting some great events that have happened already. Also a call-out for volunteers in our Birkdale plant nursery and local reserves – we cannot do all this without you!

March 2013 (1)

Over 100 events to enjoy for EcoFest including a chance to come together (in the pub!) for an EcoFest Pub Quiz. We also talk up our Open Day some more.

February 2013

EcoFest is shaping up very nicely thanks to all our contributors and supporters! This issue says Hello to some new staff, and highlights our upcoming Open Day on 23 March.

December 2012

Welcome to EcoFest and a look back at a very productive year.

November 2012

This past month our volunteers have gained horticultural qualifications, woven harakeke in a shopping mall, helped kit out our new van, conquered masses of weeds – variety is the spice of life! Read all about it in our enewsletter, you can sign up for it on our Facebook page.

October 2012

This issue is packed with info on our Bush Blitzes, bush walks, school holiday eco-activities, plus courses on creating a summer vege garden and bee-keeping Bzzzzz!

September 2012

Kaipatiki has once again scooped up the ‘silver’ in the Community category of the Sustainable Environment Awards run by Auckland Council! In this issue, read about our new native plant nursery in Hobsonsville, Nana technologies: Italian style, and the 8th time around for the free Nursery Bites workshops!

August 2012

The August newsletter is overflowing with information about free workshops, community tree-planting, Project Possum, how to become a member of the Kaipatiki Project and so much more. Enjoy reading!

June 2012

Aside from a brilliant photograph from our recent Kaipatiki Kids session, the June newsletter contains wonderful things such as our June courses and workshops, Weed-busters, and the answer to a common question: where do all the plants go?

May 2012

The weather is cooling down, but the silver lining is that it’s planting time again. Our May enews has info about joining us on Community Planting Days.

April 2012

Check out more of our great courses, our new Facebook page, and learn about our prize competition!

Back in the day, as if by magic, our Nanas could always reach into the pantry and pull out a jar of home-made sauce, jam or chutney that she had prepared many months before, knowing that the contents would be nutritious and fresh-tasting. She also rolled up her sleeves to make her own bread, and got the elbow grease going with home-made cleaning products that were cheap to make and free of nasty chemicals.

Thankfully for today’s generation these skills needn’t be lost arts as Nana’s knowledge is being harvested again in the form of Pantry Power, a new series of Nana Technologies, good old-fashioned home cooking classes organised by Kaipatiki Project, the environment centre of the North Shore.

Pantry Power classes are all taught by local mothers and grandmothers who are passionate about passing on traditional skills, and practiced in the art of blending the thriftiness and economy of yesteryear with a sprinkle of today’s gourmet-flair and cool creativity. For that extra homely touch some classes are taught in the tutor’s own kitchen.

This winter topics will include making preserves such as relishes, bottling tomatoes, preserving lemons and making limoncella. Participants will also learn to make bread and pasta, including an Italian winter feast masterclass with tutor Raffaela Delmonte who has even taught the All Blacks to make pasta!

“Nana-Technologies isn’t just a catchy name”, says tutor and award-winning author, cook and gardener Dee Pigneguy, “it really sparks people’s imagination because it harks back to the days when being able to provide for your family’s nutritional needs was as simple as going into the backyard for your greens and fruit, or sharing eggs across the fence with your neighbours.”

“With the price of food these days, many people are probably wishing they had listened to their nanas when it comes to being economical and making ends meet”, she says, “these classes are aimed at filling that gap and inspiring a new generation to become a bit more health-conscious, thrifty and self-sufficient”.

Bookings are essential as places are limited (cost from $20 per person with early bird specials available for all classes) and can be made online at www.kaipatiki.org.nz/courses, by phoning 482 1172 or emailing admin@kaipatiki.org.nz.