Clean green living at Lara Lodge

Facility Manager / Owner from Lara Lodge Care Home

At Lara Lodge we aim to provide green leafed herbs and vegetables straight from our very own organic kitchen garden. We produce our own herb teas and medicinal remedies too! We operate on a 0% waste policy in the commercial kitchen and have reduced commercial waste by 55%.

In our garden you will find worm farms and composting methods such as Bokashi, where all living waste material is shredded and then used to provide nutrients for our organic garden.

By the end of this year, we aim to have minimised the use of chemicals and to be the first commercial business and building with zero footprint!

Our staff are so excited about this aim and vision that they are actively participating and learning by taking some of these principles home to their own families. Our direct neighbours are joining in and assisting also and we are actively exchanging ideas on how our small group can make a big difference.

We have won Auckland Council garden competitions and aim to be an exemplary Dynamic Backyard. Check out the Dynamic Backyard facebook page for our garden's past achievements.

Every day our residents benefit from and taste the difference of our fresh garden produce. Find out more!

More messages from your neighbours

Local Highlight

1 day ago

Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑

Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.

We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

Want to read more? The Press has you covered!

🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

53.9% Human-centred experience and communication

53.9% Complete
14.4% Critical thinking

14.4% Complete
29.1% Resilience and adaptability

29.1% Complete
2.6% Other - I will share below!

2.6% Complete

347 votes

16 days ago

Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.