Hello, my dear Frankies!

It was one of those weeks where I felt especially lucky to live in our little corner of the world ♥

First, Waiuku Steel ’n Wheels rolled into town, and man, that was cool! The streets were full, the cars were shiny, the food was flowing, and everywhere you looked there were local businesses, community groups, volunteers and families making the whole town feel properly alive. It felt like one big, shiny (loud!!) street party!

Otto and I also went along to the Forage & Bake workshop with Franklin Food Forest and Your Local Bakery, and it was such a lovely reminder of how beautifully interconnected our local businesses and community groups are.

We wandered through the Franklin Food Forest on Glasgow Road with Diane and Helen, learning about this beautiful, slightly wild garden full of fruiting trees, flowers, avocados, kiwifruit, honeyberries and so much more. Then we took what we’d foraged and turned it into the most delicious little pastries at Your Local Bakery.

And how cool is that?! Some of the coolest things happening here aren’t huge or flashy (although those are cool too!) - they’re collaborations between generous locals who care about what they’re making, growing, baking, building, sharing, or creating. Steel ’n Wheels was full of that. The Forage & Bake workshop was full of that. And actually, this whole edition is full of that!

So this week, come wander through the Franklin Food Forest with us, bake focaccia with Sarah from Puffed, and meet Frankie Favourites Rohan and Nwe, their gorgeous little family, and their local painting business, RB Painting Services. ♥

Hope to see you all out there!

R. and the Frankie Team xx

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P.S. Speaking of foraging - check out the delicious pastries Otto and I made at the Forage & Bake workshop at Your Local Bakery!​

🌳 Franklin Food Forest: Pukekohe’s hidden little edible wonderland

Tucked away on Glasgow Road, on a piece of land shared with Pukekohe High School, there’s a calm, leafy place where nashi pears grow, honeyberries (?!) are being trialed, worms are busy in the worm farm, and locals are welcome to wander in and see what’s ripe.

It’s called Franklin Food Forest, and somehow, despite being one of the absolute coolest community projects in Pukekohe, it still feels like one of Franklin’s best-kept secrets! We were lucky enough to visit the Food Forest with Dianne and Helen - two longstanding volunteers helping keep this important corner of Pukekohe growing ♥

Franklin Food Forest began around 2015, when members of the Franklin branch of the NZ Tree Crop Association teamed up with Pukekohe High School to bring new life to the school’s disused horticulture and orchard area.

The idea was to create a local food forest: a place where food is grown in layers rather than rows. Tall nut trees, fruit trees, berry bushes, herbs, ground crops and nitrogen-fixing plants all working together, a bit more like a natural ecosystem than a traditional orchard.

The ongoing goal is to show that growing food this way can be productive, practical and possible right here in Franklin. And all of this was inspired and started by the late John Allen. Today, there’s a memorial seat on site in his memory.

When the NZ Tree Crop Association first took on the space, they inherited some older fruiting trees and vines, including a fantastic cooking apple tree and two nashi pears. Since then, they’ve added plenty more, including honeyberry trials, a new breed of mold-resistant avocado, a demonstration dye garden (yes! to dye fabrics!), compost bins, insect hotels, a worm farm, and a hugelkultur bed - basically a deep ditch filled with logs and covered with earth, which slowly breaks down into a rich growing area.

As volunteer Helen told us "when you see fruit in the supermarket, you don't realise it's undergone extensive trials throughout New Zealand." Hopefully honeyberries and mold-resistant avos will soon be available in supermarkets and nurseries around New Zealand, thanks in part to the work undertaken right here in the Franklin Food Forest!

Because the site began as a more traditional orchard, it isn’t yet a perfect example of a classic food forest. Parts are still laid out in rows, but the team is slowly developing areas to better fit the layered food forest idea.

And that’s part of what makes it special. This hasn’t been a glossy, overnight project. It’s been built through years of local knowledge, volunteer labour, donated mulch, working bees, practical experiments, and plenty of cups of tea.

Over the years, the food forest has hosted workshops on biochar, composting, grafting, pruning, natural pest control and natural dyeing. It supports a school children’s garden and has been part of national Tree Crops Association research, including a five-year trial growing the honeyberries.

It’s a working garden, a teaching space, a research site, a community pantry, and a peaceful little haven all at once.

Locals visit out of curiosity, to learn, or to harvest whatever is ripe at the time. There’s even an “urban backyard” area, designed to show what might be possible in a normal suburban garden. It’s a little overgrown at the moment, but there’s a plan to bring it back to life.

And that’s where the community comes in.

Franklin Food Forest has already been supported in wonderful ways. Pukekohe High School provides the land, water supply and mowing. Local businesses helped with early costs. The NZ Tree Crops Association supported the dye garden. Members have given years and years of time, machinery, knowledge and mulch.

But like so many community gems, it could do with more hands.

Right now, a dedicated group keeps things ticking along with working bees as needed, and regular Tuesday morning sessions. With more volunteers, the food forest could grow into something even better - more workshops, more school involvement, more food, more events, and more locals discovering this gorgeous little place even exists.

The recent “Forage & Bake” workshop collab with Your Local Bakery is a perfect example of what could happen here: people gathering from the garden, using what grows, learning something, sharing something, and enjoying the space together.

Franklin Food Forest is already a wonderful place. It gives food, knowledge, a calm place to sit, somewhere for children to explore, and a real-life example of how we can grow food in a way that cares for the soil.

And with a few more locals willing to lend a hand?

It could be absolutely magic.

If you're interested in helping grow Franklin Food Forest, or want to learn more, join the Facebook group here​! And consider joining the New Zealand Tree Crops Association for support, meetups, help and heaps of other perks!

brac splape

Unscramble the letters above to find the Franklin-related phrase! Answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

The Busy Mum's Guide to...

Meet Sarah Baker, market-stall treat maker, mum to Milo Bear, and the hands behind Puffed - where cookies, cinnamon scrolls, cheesecakes and choux buns are made with a lot of butter and a very optimistic amount of spare time ♥

You’re reading The Busy Mum’s Guide to…, a cosy little baking series for mums who miss the magic of baking but also have approximately twelve thousand other things to do. Each week, I’ll share a simple, lovely bake to help you bring a little sweetness back into family life - without needing a free afternoon, a spotless kitchen, or a child who isn’t hanging off your leg.

Sarah's Focaccia

I make this focaccia so much that it's just part of my personality at this point. It's so easy and faff free though that it makes it one of my busy mums hacks. There are a few other tips to make it fit into your busy schedule. Because even though you don't have to stand around mixing it you do have to leave it to prove.

I think a lot of people are put off by the multiple prooving (or resting) stages, but it actually makes it much easier to make! Just five minutes of work at a time and then you can get on with other jobs!

Dough Ingredients

800g Lukewarm water
1 TBSP Dried Active Yeast
50g Olive oil + extra for the trays and finishing
500g Plain flour
500g High Grade flour
1 TBSP table salt

Brine Ingredients

80g lukewarm Water
2 tsp Table Salt

Methods

1. Combine the water, yeast and oil in a large bowl. Put the flour and salt on top, and mix into a shaggy dough. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or doubled in volume.
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2. Prep the trays - two medium sized trays about 25x35cm, with high sides. spread with 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil evenly all over the trays.
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3. Once it’s doubled, deflate it in the bowl (stab it with a wooden spoon!) and then split it evenly to your two medium sized trays.
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4. Pour another 2 Tbsp of oil over the top and then gently spread the dough towards the edges. It will shrink slightly, that’s ok.
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5. Now leave the dough covered for 30 min. It will relax more and spread towards the edges on its own. if it’s not quite there after the 30 min you can spread again towards the edges. You can also leave covered in the fridge overnight at this stage if that suits your schedule.
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6. Make the brine by mixing the water and salt together until the salt has dissolved.
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7. Now dimple the dough with your finger tips and add the brine all over the dough filling the dimples. Leave for another 45 min to prove.
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8. 30min into the final proof, heat the oven 220C.
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9. Sprinkle the dough with flakey sea salt. Put into the oven and bake for 30min. You want a crispy golden crust.
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10. Let cool in the tray for 5 min then transfer to a wire rack, and enjoy!

Busy mum hacks

• This recipe makes a lot of dough so you can freeze half for later.
• I love focaccia pizza, it's a staple dinner in our house. So for this I miss out the brine stage and once proved you can add all your usual pizza toppings. We add the tomato base, then cheese, some cooked onion and peppers, some pepperoni. or for the kids just the tomato base, cheese and pineapple. I love to add pickles at the end after baking and some mayo.
• Or for a more grown up version I love is a potato pizza, instead of a tomato base you add ricotta then thinly sliced potatoes, and lots of rosemary and salt.
• Flavour variations - if you're feeling like being a little more boogie you could add pitted olives and rosemary sprigs. or if you don't have fresh rosemary you could use dried fennel seeds which is so delicious.

This is an absolute favourite of everyone who tries it! And it makes you look like such a baking goddess! So please give it a go and send me all the photos of freshyly baked foccacia!

A new husband-and-wife team, with Rohan on the tools 🎨

There’s something so satisfying about a fresh coat of paint - especially when it’s done by someone who actually takes pride in the details!

Meet RB Painting Services, a local husband-and-wife painting business working across Waiuku, Pukekohe, and the wider Auckland area.

Rohan is the one on the tools, bringing more than 15 years of experience across residential and commercial painting - from full home repaints and fresh interior finishes to exteriors, renovations, new builds, fences and decks.

Behind the scenes, his wife Nwe is helping grow the business locally, connect with homeowners, landlords and property managers, and let more people know there’s a trusted, experienced painter right here in the community.

The team are especially keen to take on more rental properties and investment homes, and understand how important it is to get a place looking fresh and ready between tenants. Nwe and Rohan focus on making the whole process easy and stress-free, with clear communication, tidy workmanship, reliable timeframes, and a clean, professional finish.

So whether your home needs a refresh, your exterior is looking tired, or you need a rental turned around quickly, RB Painting Services is happy to come out and provide a free, no-obligation quote.

📍 Franklin & Auckland
🎨 Interior + exterior painting
🏡 Rentals, investment homes, new builds + renovations
🌿 Fence + deck staining
📧 rbpaintingservices@outlook.co.nz​
📱 @rbpaintingservicesnz​

AKL Educators Market ​The AKL Educators Market is bringing together teacher-created resources, small NZ businesses, classroom goodies, stationery, wellness products, candles, apparel, jewellery and more for one fun community market. Head along to Nathan Homestead in Manurewa on Saturday 23 May from 10am–2pm to browse, shop, support local makers, and celebrate the education community! More info

Have you read Coffee News this week? Pick up a copy in your favourite café or scan the QR code to read on your device!

👉 Want a featured note on the notice board? - Simply book your feature here or just send us a quick email and we'll help you out!

Thursday

🍸 Cocktail Happy Hour Little Ed | 6–7pm
All your favourite cocktails, just a little bit cheaper!

🧠 Thursday Quiz Night Pukekohe Golf Club | 6.30–8.30pm
A fun weekly quiz night — grab your team and head along. Check it out!​

Friday

🎵 $kint Live at The Kentish The Kentish, 5 Queen St, Waiuku | 9pm til late
A live music night you won't want to miss. All the details here​

🕺 Kids Disco Pokeno Hall | 5.30pm
A fun night for the little ones with $5 entry per child and finger food available to purchase. More info here​

Saturday

🪖 ANZAC Service at Buckland War Memorial 18 Logan Rd, Buckland | 9.45am
A commemorative ANZAC service followed by morning tea at Buckland Hall — all welcome.

☕ Coffee & Cars Your Local Coffee, 173 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe | 8am–11am
A morning of cars, community and coffee in partnership with Pukekohe Hot Rods Club, with coffee tastings and goodies up for grabs. Check it out!​

🥃 Celebrate ANZAC Day with Pokeno Whisky Pokeno Distillery | 1–5pm
A free event with distillery tours, tastings throughout the day, a sausage sizzle and special surprises.

🎶 Aroha Meditation — Kirtan Karaka War Memorial Hall, 321 Linwood Road, Papakura | 7–8.30pm
A free, relaxing family-friendly evening of kirtan meditation with special guest Acharya das, plus free vegetarian refreshments. All the details here​

Sunday

🚂 The Ruapehu Scenic Daylight Glenbrook Vintage Railway — departing Waiuku, Glenbrook and Pukekohe | Multiple journeys
Travel through spectacular North Island scenery in beautifully restored heritage carriages — a really special day out. More info here​

🧵 Waiuku Sewing Repair Circle Waiuku Zero Waste | 1pm
Bring garments in need of TLC and get guided through simple repairs — machines, tools and experienced helpers provided, all welcome. Check it out!​

🎨 Pukekohe Spinners & Crafters Destash Day Pukekohe East Hall, 232 Pukekohe East Road | 10am
A great chance to pick up craft supplies and meet fellow makers. All the details here​

🏓 Franklin Country Market Pukekohe Park Raceway | 8am
A great Sunday market with homegrown produce, handmade crafts, antiques, food trucks and live music. More info here​

🎯 Rebel Sunday Showdown — Kids Paintball Asylum Paintball, Kingseat | 1pm An action-packed kids paintball event. Check it out!​

🧘 Sunday Stretch Sessions RxFitness235, 42 Belgium St, Waiuku | 9am
A 45-minute stretch session with The Stretch Collective — book your spot online. All the details here​

🎯 Open Airsoft Game Day 58 Bird Rd | 8.30am–3pm
An open game day for airsoft enthusiasts. More info here​

monday

🏃 The Wellness Run Club Your Local Coffee, West Street | 5.45am
A welcoming 5km loop run for all levels — come for the run, stay for the coffee.

🍳 Good Food, Bright Minds Cafe Queen, Waiuku | 7–9am
A community breakfast initiative providing nourishing morning meals for school kids — every Monday during school term.

🧠 Quiz Night at Appetite Appetite | 7pm
A fun Monday quiz night — head along for a great evening.

🧠 Quiz Night at Good Home Pukekohe Good Home, 65 Edinburgh Street, Pukekohe | 7pm
A popular Monday quiz night — booking recommended.

Tuesday

🎵 SIKA Sound Journey Sharda Centre, Tuakau | 7.30pm
An immersive sound journey experience. Check it out!​

🎨 Painting Club Franklin Arts Centre | 6–8pm
Two hours of dedicated painting time — bring whatever you're working on and connect with local artists.

🏃 STRIDE TRIBE Run Club 21 Martyn Street, Waiuku | 7pm
A free, fun and pressure-free 3km walk or run for everyone — all paces welcome. All the details here​

Wednesday

🔥 Fire Station Run Club Waiuku Fire Station | 5.30pm
A 2.5km or 5km run with spot prizes and bar menu discounts afterwards.

🏃 Flying Mullet Run Group Waiuku College Running Track | 5–6pm
Run technique, intervals and race prep with Carl Read for just $5 a session — contact reado79@gmail.com​

🎨 Anti-Social Social Club for Teens Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue | 3.30pm
A safe, inclusive after-school space for teens of all personalities — come as social (or not!) as you like.

🎵 Beats by Bingo Little Ed, Pukekohe | 7.30pm
A fun bingo night with great beats. More info here​

🍺 Malt N Steel Quiz Night Malt N Steel, Waiuku | 7pm
Teams of 2–8 compete for prizes at this popular weekly quiz — booking recommended.

🎤 Comedy Quiz Night The Village Bar, Patumahoe | 7pm
A free comedy pub quiz hosted by quiz master Jim — call 09 236 3571 to book your table.

Word Scramble answer: Crab Apples

p.s. If someone awesome sent you this email and you want to subscribe yourself, sign up here 👉 dearfrankie.co.nz​