Urban farm helping youth, reducing waste and providing fresh food in Christchurch

Thursday, 26 September 2019

Social enterprises like Cultivate's organic waste collection are hitting the investment market for much-needed funds.

An urban farm helping young people get into education and work will have a presence among the global brands and boutique eateries at Christchurch's newest central city market.

Cultivate Christchurch has attracted nationwide attention for the opportunities it provides young people struggling to get ahead.

Co-founded by ecologist Bailey Peryman and youth advocate Fiona Stewart, Cultivate delivers organic produce to 22 restaurants in the city, in return collecting their food waste to feed the soil and grow more plants.

Cultivate Christchurch co founder Bailey Peryman estimates about 50 tonnes of food waste from the city still goes into landfills every week. He urges more Christchurch businesses to give their food waste to Cultivate instead.

Cultivate collects about two tonnes of food waste each week, which it uses to rejuvenate soil and grow produce on about an acre of CBD farmland.

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Peryman estimates about 50 tonnes of food waste continues to make its way to landfills and urges more Christchurch businesses to get involved.

Cultivate Christchurch co-founders Fiona Stewart and Bailey Peryman.

'We provide a service which reduces the amount of waste that people are sending to landfills and redirect that resource into something that is a great benefit to the city.'

Riverside Market developer Mike Percasky and general manager Mike Fisher explain the ideas behind the development.

Those who support Cultivate will also support its work rehabilitating troubled youths and providing homes with much needed nutritional produce, he said.

The social enterprise is also eyeing up expansions into the red zone and at Hilmorton Hospital.

Punters can soon pick up Cultivate's produce for their own kitchens from its stall at the city's Riverside Market, opening next week on the corner of Cashel Mall and Oxford Tce. The market features 30 food outlets and 40 market stalls.

Peryman said he was both 'excited and nervous' to be opening a stall in the market.

'Many people have helped us to become sustainable financially and be a real genuine social enterprise and so [opening in] Riverside represents our five-year plan coming to fruition.

'To have so many people around us to support really makes it very rewarding [and we are] super excited.'

The social enterprise is also eyeing up expansions into the red zone and at Hillmorton Hospital.

Those unable to make it to Cultivate's Riverside Market stall can also get their fresh produce through online orders, which can be delivered within the CBD or to its Peterborough St farm.

'We want to make this food accessible –what you get at a supermarket doesn't compare to the real potential of what a healthy soil can produce. We want to get that out to people and make that as easy as possible,' he said.