Save Our Seedlings! Our tunnelhouse got smashed in the storm!

Disaster struck Newtown's Kaicycle Farm in May of this year, when our beautiful tunnelhouse got destroyed in the Code Red southerly storm. The Kaicycle team ran down there when we realised it had blown over, but the wind was so intense that even paving slabs and a solid wood picnic bench would NOT hold it down. We did all we could to save it, but unfortunately, it was destroyed beyond redemption - RIP tunnelhouse.

Our tunnelhouses are essential for us to give seedlings the best chance to make it in our chilly Te Whanganui-a-Tara conditions, and to grow those plants - such as kūmara - that really prefer a warmer life. We've done the research and have found that the best option will be a wider, sturdier tunnelhouse, with good ventilation to let wind through, so it's less likely to be blown down - this will cost around $8,000 and there are lots of other costs around this mahi. Acts of Tāwhirimātea were not in the budget for this year, so we'd love our community's help.