Organics expert Kiritahi Firmin, along with her son, John Jnr. Panatahi, have been using the level 4 lockdown period to release educational videos on the vegetable gardening process, with an emphasis on self sustainably and
Covid 19 coronavirus: Upokongaro organics expert making videos on gardening and sustainability
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The "less is more approach" is something Firmin said was important to focus on.
"I'm really hoping to inspire people and to inspire parents, in particular, to grow your own kai, instead of just relying on the supermarket.
"You don't need to buy a whole lot of new stuff, it's all right there in the soil and in the land."
Firmin previously taught organics through Agriculture New Zealand, before founding the Kimiora Trust a decade ago. Kimiora is a social service that focuses on suicide prevention, domestic violence prevention, and mental health awareness. She is also a senior adviser at Barnados.
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Firmin said it was a "no brainer" to share some of the gardening skills she'd learned over the years, especially since people would have a little bit more time over the lockdown period.
"One of the purposes (of the videos) is to encourage people is reconnect with one another, and with our busy work schedules put on hold at the moment, this could be the time to do it," Firmin said.
"We need to get back to basics and get back to the land.
"For those of us who have learned these skills, it's an obligation to share them with the next generation."
When the lockdown period ends, Firmin said she was looking forward to connecting with those families who have watched her videos and used some of the skills she has shared.
"We want to say to our community that there are pockets of people here that are amazing organic growers," Firmin said.
"Covid-19 won't just suddenly go away, and its effects will resonate for a long time.
"We need to create an environment that protects us, and focus on a circular economy, not just using things and throwing them away."
Firmin encouraged everyone to share her videos and to "move away from such a consumer society".
"It's all right there at our fingertips, let's reuse the stuff we have and protect those who come after us."
To visit Kiritahi Firmin's 'Grow Kai Organic' Facebook page, go to facebook.com/kiritahishome/
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website