Opening of new Martinborough Cricket Pitch celebrated in style

The new grass cricket pitch located within Considine Park was officially opened on the 17^th of November by Martinborough Community Board Chairperson Lisa Cornelissen, by the cutting of a ribbon strung between wickets at each end.  The pitch block has been properly prepared with the removal of topsoil and laid with clay, and also has had an in-ground watering system installed.  

More than 50 people attended the opening, at which pitch Co-Convenor  Matt Fenwick said the new pitch was the result of a lot of hard work and generosity from so many within our community.  Thanks were given to Helen McNaught of SWDC Parks and Reserves; Martinborough Community Board; South Wairarapa Pony Club; Martinborough Top 10 Holiday Park; Jim Brasell and Dinny Pearce for the supply of clay; Taylor and Hawkins Contractors, Trevor Petersen, Billy Herrick, and Lewis Herrick who all donated machinery for the pitch preparation; Chris Sparks of PGG Wrightson for the grass seed; Cotter & Stevens for irrigation advice; Red Horticultural; and members of the Uncles 11 cricket team who put in a lot of time and dedication.  Co-Convenors Carl Petersen and Matt Fenwick have put in a substantial amount of time and effort too! … Continue Reading

Reduce unnecessary waste this Christmas

Christmas can be a time of excess – especially waste, so why not instead make it an excess of all the good things – love, joy, good food and sharing special times together. With a bit of pre-thought and a small amount of effort you can easily reduce your waste this Christmas. Here are some ideas and tips to help get the ideas flowing:

• Reusable wrapping – wrap your presents in reusable items such as t-shirts, tea-towels, a Boomerang Bought-to-Support bag… even sheets! These can be great presents in themselves;
• Recycled wrapping – if t-shirts or tea-towels aren’t your thing, try reusing some old magazines or comics as your wrapping paper – stylish and unique! As an added bonus – tie presents up with string or ribbon avoiding sticky tape so everything can be recycled or used again;
• Buy pre-loved or re-purpose second-hand items – people will love the thought and effort that goes into these gifts;
• Make it yourself – homemade gifts are super special – with the internet world at your fingertips, the opportunities (and how-to’s) are endless…. chutneys, jams, gingerbread, shortbread, cordial, body scrubs, infused olive oil, cleaning products etc;
• Give someone the gift that’s living or keeps on giving – give plants, memberships or courses, such as sewing, upholstery, cooking or gardening give people the chance to develop a skill as well as indulging in a hobby or passion;
• Make memories – opt for giving an experience gift like gig tickets, a fancy meal out, wine tasting, or spa day rather than material things for an unforgettable gift;
• Make your own vouchers and give your time or and experiences as gifts e.g. gardening, a picnic etc;
• Help others be plastic free by giving cloth shopping bags (a Boomerang Bought-to-Support Bag even?), beeswax lunch wraps and stainless steel drink bottles and straws;

… Continue Reading

Regional Council notes

Floods and droughts are nothing new to the Wairarapa and nor are articles on climate change and its predictions.  What has changed though is the reliability of our weather forecasts and our use of them in organising our lives.

In the old days weather forecasts were really a best guess, people prayed for favourable weather and they dealt with what they were delivered.  We had predictions based on when the Pohutakawas and cabbage trees flowered, if the chooks went off the lay or old granny’s arthritis starting playing up.  Senior men in the family tapped the barometer and made solemn announcements about taking your raincoat to school.  

Today, we still have to deal with what is delivered by nature but our forecasting is so much more accurate.  This has been made possible with the use of extremely powerful computers for modelling and satellites supplying real-time information as weather systems track across the globe.

We are now able to access any number of long term weather forecasts which enables us to plan events, be safe in our recreation and off course carry out businesses like horticulture and farming that are reliant on the weather, with greater accuracy. … Continue Reading

Small Village – Big Impact!

Lets celebrate the changes that were made in our village in 2018 with banning plastic bags! It is heartening to see so many Martinborough Bags out and about. Both Pain & Kershaw and the Jellicoe Street dairy have done a splendid job in transitioning from plastic, and customers don’t seems to bat an eye, in fact the change has been well and truly embraced by locals.Ok, so what is next? How can we continue on this journey of reducing our waste and our environmental impact. One local business has reduced its takeaway coffee use by 50% by offering customers the reusable alternative – wow! This is especially awesome considering that takeaway coffee cups, even though they may say they are compostable, are in fact not as easy to compost as you would think.  … Continue Reading