2009 Otago Spud in a Bucket

Following on from the successful launch of the Tahuri Whenua initiative in Otago in 2008, Jim O'Gorman and Dirt Doctor have co-ordinated this year's Otago Spud in a Bucket programme.

This year 22 schools throughout Otago participated and 1800 individual potatoes where distributed. Maori potato varieties included huakororo, karuparera, moemoe and urenika.

Dirt Doctor hopes that the success of this programme will extend to an 'Adopt a Plant 'initiative to begin in 2010, whereby participating schools care for a heritage plant and grow it for seed to be shared amongst other schools also in the programme. We are excited by the prospect of NZ's rare and endangered heritage vegetables being in the inquistive and caring hands of future generations.

2008 Spud in a Bucket

2008 was the United Nations Year of the Potato and in recognition of this the Spud in the Bucket programme was extended to the Otago-Southland area. Launched in 2006 in the Hawkes Bay, 13 schools in Otago and Southland took part in the programme initiated by Tahuri Whenua and led by co-ordinator Jim O'Gorman.

Using several varieties of Maori potato, pupils were each given a bucket, compost and a potato seed to plant. They were then responsible for taking care of their Spud in a Bucket until harvest.

(For larger image please click on photo.)

Balmacewan Intermediate, Dunedin.

St Patricks, Dunedin.