Māngere Bridge – A Busy and Rewarding October 

Māngere Bridge – A Busy and Rewarding October 

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October was a busy month for Friends of the Farm (FoF) at Māngere Bridge with three exciting events. Whilst different in activity, all were focused on reducing waste, stretching resources, saving expenses and celebrating community cooperation & environmental care.   

First was the Seedling Swap at the Ambury Farm Barn on 4 October.  Locals arrived bringing seedlings, packets of seeds, cuttings and plants. There was an air of enthusiasm and energy, as people looked at the green line-up and chatted about the plants.  Local Brendan said “This is a fantastic networking opportunity.  We’re riding the wave of a resurgence in gardening, and people jump at the chance to be involved”.  

The Giant Pumpkin Competition was launched at the Seedling Swap.  .  Co-organiser Meegan Jade had planted out 100 Giant Pumpkin seeds and kept them warm and watered in readiness. FoF look for opportunities for free family fun like this pumpkin growing competition, it gives families the opportunity to grow something together.  

56 people collected a seedling. It takes about four months to grow a giant pumpkin, so judging will take place late January 2026. The Giant Pumpkin judging will be combined with a harvest swap, sharing the extra food grown from the swapped seedlings. The farm’s cattle scales will be used to weigh the pumpkins. The main prize will be for the heaviest. Public votes on the day will decide on the prettiest and the ugliest (pumpkin that is :o), plus guess the weight of the winning pumpkin.

Giant Pumpkin growing competitions around the world can get quite serious! FoF are still working on great prizes.  The winner will definitely get all the glory, and maybe a photo in the Onehunga Community News!  

reducing waste, stretching resources, saving expenses and celebrating community cooperation & environmental care

Next up for FoF was the Mangroves Clean-up on Sunday 12 October on the foreshore of Māngere Bridge at low tide.  It was the fourth and final working bee in 2025 to remove thousands of seedlings along the esplanade, involving more than 200 volunteer hours work.  The volunteers saw the benefit of their labours as they watched the birds roosting on the lava outcrops.

Lastly on Saturday 18 October at the Māngere Bridge Library was the 11th Repair Cafe, marking International Repair Day. 120 items were brought along for repair.  

Sewing experts Cheryl, Janice and Millie were kept busy, eg overlocking the ragged hem of a prized Elsa dress, fixing a ripped jacket and repairing a sun dress.  Local electricians Mark Swords and Bernie Corston worked on a variety of items, including lamps and toasters. Tech experts Josh and Trent tackled IT queries and repairs, while handymen Alan and Kevin glued, nailed and mended.  Alan fixed several much loved family heirlooms including a beautiful vintage box and 2 dining chairs, all nearly 100 years old. Local bike expert Luke serviced 10 bikes, while knife sharpeners Celeste and Schulk offered expert knife and garden tool sharpening. Yvonne, Claire and Jaz mended and darned jerseys and children’s toys.  

Thanks to local cafe Phnom Penh for providing free drinks to the hard-working volunteers. Visitors enjoyed tea, coffee and homemade cookies while mingling and learning from the skilled volunteers who are happy to share their knowledge. Koha donations are welcomed and help to fund lunch for the volunteers and future Repair Cafes. 

As part of the waste wise/recycling focus, FoF had a recycling table at both the Seedling Swap and Repair Cafe, with stickers, pamphlets and examples of recycling correctly, which prompted great conversations about what, where and how. 

Sincere thanks to all those who attended these events, demonstrating their care and concern for the environment and to the Library staff for their continued support.

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