| 25 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Ashburton Business Awards - Tiny Space Greenz Get in touch today and see how we can help support your staff’s wellbeing. hempfarm.co.nz | info@hempnz.co.nz Hemp Farm® delivers nutritious, great-tasting hemp products that support your wellbeing and the environment. Our secure, fully traceable supply chain ensures consistent quality from seed to shelf. 0800 330 880 | info@hotelash.co.nz | hotelash.co.nz HOTEL ASHBURTON Located in Ashburton, our hotel offers premium accommodation and versatile event spaces set among tranquil gardens. Perfect for conferences, functions, and weddings, we cater for groups from 10 to 400+ guests, with modern facilities, outdoor areas, and a swimming pool, all supported by seamless service and expert planning. ACCOMMODATION • DINING • FUNCTIONS EAT. DRINK. RELAX. Your local bar & restaurant 360 West St, Allenton, Ashburton Open daily, 10am–9pm 03 307 7032 ASHBURTON’S LOCAL HANGOUT www.phatduck.co.nz Tiny greens, big impact T T Emma Bailey Tiny Space Greenz were finalists in the Emerging Business, Primary Industries and Environmental Sustainability categories at the 2026 ANZ Ashburton Business awards. Having been finalists for multiple awards at the 2026 ANZ Ashburton Business of the Year Awards has given the owners of Tiny Space Greenz the opportunity to reflect on how far they have come in three short years. Now the microgreens company is also set on helping others on their growing journeys. Tiny Space Greenz were finalists in the Emerging Business, Primary Industries and Environmental Sustainability categories at the awards. It is the brainchild of Campbell and Lara Duncan. Their microgreen farm is based in Ashburton producing spray-free microgreens for local cafes, restaurants and they are regulars at the Ashburton Farmers Market. The sustainable, high-quality microgreens can be pre-harvested or they offer a “live swap-a-tray” system. The microgreens are soilgrown rather than hydroponically and they have never used single use packaging. The Ashburton Business Awards held in February were a real highlight. “We had a really good night and made lots of connections. We were most pleased with being a finalist in the sustainability award,” Campbell said. “Just to be a finalist was amazing. We were shortlisted from 116 entrants down to 50 and the calibre of the businesses was really high. We were sitting at a table with so many amazing businesses which we have wanted to connect with for a while. “We have been heads down doing this for three years so it was a good opportunity to look back at what we have achieved,” Lara said. It has been a journey getting to where they are alongside a busy family life with their 13-year-old son Keanu and five-year-old daughter Leilani. The microgreens are grown in a recycled truck body which is 7 metres long and is fully insulated, using lights during the night to keep the container at the right temperature. They use heat pads for germination and everything is offset by solar. The microgreens come in a wide variety from radish, sunflower, purple kohlrabi (Campbell’s favourite) to coriander and Thai basil. They also do blends and in spring supply seedlings like tomatoes, edible gourds, Asian eggplants, squash and cucumber varieties. They focus on foreign varieties, culturally relevant or shorter crop cycle varieties. “We use Bootstrap Farmer air pruning punnets to get the best root health possible and only supply seedlings when it is the right time to plant them out.” The business has continued to expand. “At the Ashburton Farmers Market we have met lots of people that want to grow their own microgreens and we are really keen to help,” Lara said. “We came across Bootstrap Farmer trays from the US, which are amazing compared to the cheap ones which just end up in landfill, and have become the New Zealand stockist for them. The trays can be used for multiple plants in modular garden systems.” Lara is also passionate about natural products that look after your body inside and out. “I am allergic to so much stuff so I have experimented making soaps, lip balms and body butters as well as products made from local botanicals kawakawa, dandelion, hemp oil and calendula.” They have also started stocking NZ hemp products with plans to add to the skin care range such as beard oil. Visit www.tinyspacegreenz.co.nz
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