Te Radar rocks Enviroschools tent

By Nicola Easthope

25th March 2012

Kapanui and Raumati South school students enjoyed a Q & A session with comedian and sustainability meister, Te Radar, at the Sustainable Home and Garden Show last weekend.

 

During the half-hour conversation (with questions coming as much from the TV star as from the children), topics ranged from the importance of building community to attain sustainability, to tar sand mining in Canada, to Te Radar’s favourite vegetable: peas (for which there was much agreement from the young crowd).

 

The children, who ranged in age from 6-11, were particularly interested in Te Radar’s experiences while living in a paddock for ten months, for the Off the Radar television series.

They discovered that winter and summer were the most difficult seasons for living off the land (there was either too much or not enough rain), and that Te Radar raised sheep, chickens and pigs for meat. Although he grew up on a farm, Te Radar, also known as Andrew J Lumsden, was quick to admit he is a good, reassuring example of someone who does not have very green thumbs. To the question about how much power he generated while riding his stationary bike, he said, “not much!” but added how it was good fun living without electricity, and challenged the children to try it for a whole day.

While he joked that he doesn’t have children of his own as “I find them too annoying!”, Te Radar clearly enjoyed engaging with the young environmental leaders.

He was also very impressed with the displays from local enviroschools and preschools, who were also key contributors to the Council’s garden and recycled garden art competitions.

Earlier in the day, Tessa Mackay and Holly Middlemiss, both aged 8 from Raumati South School, told me about theirclass’

weta house exhibit. Holly explained, “We’ve been breeding them, and here we are showing everyone how to make a weta home.”

Tessa explained how they are a native, helpful part of the environment, and “we need to get the numbers up”. As adult weta can eat the babies after a week, the Room 7 children separate them. “When they’re big enough, children can take them home if they want to, and release them after another week”. The weta exhibit proved a real magnet for all-age visitors to the tent, and on Sunday, one was spotted sleeping at the back of the habitat.

With worm juice sold out, a weta appearance, hundreds of visitors interested in all the displays and produce, and the two Te Radar special guests, the Enviroschools tent was abuzz at the Sustainable Home and Garden Show this year. We’ll be back!

The winner of the Te Radar look-a-like contest was also spied in the Enviroschools tent, but was a little more wary of the paparazzi than the larger version…

Her mother Marie, a big fan of the man, read about the competition that morning via a Facebook post, and, suddenly noticing the likeness, made a late decision to enter. “Laila’s always wanted a beard”, she said.

 

With worm juice sold out, a weta appearance, hundreds of visitors interested in all the displays and produce, and the two Te Radar special guests, the Enviroschools tent was abuzz at the Sustainable Home and Garden Show this year. We’ll be back!

(With special thanks to Kapiti Coast District Council for funding the Enviroschools programme on the Kapiti Coast. For more information, contact Nicola Easthope nic.e@paradise.net.nz)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(With special thanks to Kapiti Coast District Council for funding the Enviroschools programme on the Kapiti Coast. For more information, contact Nicola Easthope nic.e@paradise.net.nz)