Trusty Trailer Solves Water Problem

Waiora Trust has been a long time user of Waste Exchange, and their property in Harewood is testament to the benefits of recycling, reuse and innovative thinking. The most recent addition acquisition from Waste Exchange was an old trailer that had past its peak for the open road, but is literally bringing life to the Waiora Trust property.

Garden Manager Jenny Hodson has made good use of the old trailer to move equipment and materials around the large seven hectare property, and also to transport irrigation water. The property includes a market garden, nursery, and extensive native tree planting. Irrigation is not available everywhere on site, but by putting a large water tank on the trailer water can be taken to the native plants, which are then watered by hand.

In recent years the Trust has used Waste Exchange to source potato sacks, egg cartons and cardboard inners from apple boxes for mulch. Carpet has been used extensively on the property as weed matting, sheep manure has provided fertiliser, and sawdust has been added for compost. Not only have all of these items been saved from landfill and reused productively, the ability to access them through the Exchange service has saved significant financial resources for the Trust.

“We have certainly sourced quite a lot through Waste Exchange” says Jenny. “It has been a great help.” Waiora Trust is a horticultural based organisation that works with the long term unemployed. A regular team works the gardens as a co-op, and they share in the produce and gate sales based on time they put in. “People come here to learn work skills based around horticulture, as well as good general work habits. This is somewhere for people to come and be part of something” says Jenny.