Grower's dream realised

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 18, 2 October 1984, Page 25

Grower's dream realised

Following the speeches by Ohakune's Mayor, Bill Taylor, and Ohakune Growers Association president Peter Hammond (see elsewhere in this issue), King Country MP Jim Bolger congratulated "the Growers and the citizens of Ohakune on this outstanding achievement." He said that he had always found Ohakune to be one of the most diverse communities in his large electorate. It had going for it, among other things, forestry, grassland farming, tourism and market gardening.

"No mention of market gardening would be complete without an acknowledgement of the contribution made by the Chinese in the early days right through to the present time,"he said. They were and still are outstanding citizens of NewZealand. Mr Keith Jousey, Assistant President of the Vegetable Growers Association of New Zealand, said that he had personal knowledge of just how good Ohakune's vegetables are ..."only my own home grown brussel sprouts are

better!" He said that Ohakune's vegetables were making a contribution to the health of the nation. Charlie Ives, local representative of the Tourist and Publicity Department also congratulated the people of Ohakune on the "fantastic achievement of putting all this together...I will certainly be doing my best to promote this region." Errol Sue, Deputy Mayor of Ohakune, said that he was proud to be associated with this project which he felt sure would benefit Ohakune.

"People will surely remember their visit to Ohakune now that we have our Giant Carrot," he said. The Carrot was then officially unveiled jointly by Mayor Bill Taylor and King Country MP Jim Bolger with a great deal of help from Lisa Patterson who hovered overhead in her Wanganui Aero Work helicopter to lift the huge plastic cover from the bright orange edifice. Peter Hammond 's and the Growers Association dream had been realised.