By Kate Green of RNZ
In Hawke’s Bay, food trading platform Magic Beans is doing its best to combat the rising cost of food and interpersonal disconnection in some communities.
It has been going strong on social media for the past seven years, providing a space for people to swap or donate their homegrown fruit and veggies, or even trade a wheelbarrow of compost for some gardening advice.
Magic Beans has 5000 local members and its co-founders hope a new app will take it nationwide.
Clare Plug has lived in her house in Maraenui, Napier, for more than 40 years and her garden is teaming with life – from a huge feijoa tree to salad greens, chillies, apples and mandarins, and plenty of birds.
Clare Plug has been working on her garden for 40 years. Photo / RNZ / Kate Green
At times she said she found herself with more fruit and vegetables than she knew what …