Donations of tools or shipping container

This fundraiser is aiming to replace the cost of our power tools (approx $3000 stolen this time and $2000 last time). We’re also looking to buy a small shipping container if we’re able to raise sufficient funds. This time round, our office door lost to someone’s sledgehammer, so a shipping container will be a more secure option for our tools. If you’re able to make a material donation (or willing to sell to us!), please contact us!

Sharing among your own networks

If you want to tautoko but money is tight, the most powerful thing you can do is share our fundraiser among your own networks - emails, facebook, chats over the office water fountain are all really helpful ways to spread the word!

Our first goal is to raise $10,000 of the approximate $12,500-$13,500 (not including stolen cash) costs the theft has created for Crooked Vege. If we reach that goal in time, our final target is $12,000. Anything raised in surplus of $12,000 will be used to subsidise next season’s Ōtaki Vege Bag’s for whānau who need a little help.

Any support we gather from the community is hugely helpful!

Approximate cost of replacing tools ($4000)

1. Powertools - approx $1200 (we’ve already replaced these once after our first break in!)

2. “Little bits” (drill tips, scales, hand tools, etc taken) - approx $300

3. Mist-blower (used for spraying fermented fish fertiliser and microbial inoculants) - $1500

4. Mower - approx $1000

Security upgrade costs (approx $8500-$9500)

1. Upgrading of commercial locks on buildings and gates - $1500

2. 20ft shipping container + roof - approx $6000

3. Security camera and alarm installation - TBD (awaiting quotes), approx $1000-$2000

Our cash safe, battery AEG power tools (drill, impact driver, circular saw x2, angle grinder, reciprocating saw), Oleo-Mac mist blower (for the spraying of fermented fish and microbial inoculants), lawn mower and a long list of ‘little things’ (drill bits, tips, scales etc).

So approximately $5000 in tools stolen over both break-ins (it’ll take about $4000 to replace things this time - this was our 2nd set of power tools!)

Without documenting it too publicly (given recent events!), alarms, cameras, lights, better doors, much beefier locks are the immediate changes. We’re also looking for a small shipping container that we can alarm and store our tools in (please reach out if you happen to know of a disused one!)

We’re a certified organic, non-profit market garden based in Ōtaki. We started a little over two years ago, with the belief that everyone should have access to fresh, locally grown and environmentally friendly vege.

We run a pay-what-you-can vege bag service with Ōtaki College’s Ahoaho māra kai - Ōtaki Vege Bags. We also work with rangatahi from a few education programs.

We are a registered charity, and have received funding in the past to help with infrastructure and staffing costs, but the vege bag kaupapa is funded entirely by the community (members can choose to pay-it-forward) and our own wholesale work to restaurants and other outlets.

Alongside this, we do some education work with local rangatahi groups.

Crooked Vege has been made possible through many thousands of unpaid hours by a core group (Tae, George, Bella and Jon), and thousands more from the wider community volunteering their time in establishing the farm over the last two years.

The police have taken finger prints and have some (not particularly insightful) CCTV evidence. If they do manage to recover our tools. We obviously still have approx $8500-$9500 in security installation costs, but the blow will be less significant with our tools returned. If our tools are recovered will reach out to everyone who made a donation to ask if they’d like it returned.