Jade Temepara has some food for thought for local residents as she plans to bring her mission of helping families grow their own fresh vegetables to Tauranga.

The 2012 Gardener of the Year winner spoke at the Urban Rooftop Garden yesterday about her mission to prove filling your garden with nutritious vegetables can be both pretty and precious as part of the Garden and Art Festival.

Jade Temepara spoke about her ‘Hand over a Hundy' project at the Urban Rooftop garden yesterday.

When she was 18-years-old Jade ripped up her family's 150 rose bushes to replace them with her vegetable garden, beginning her ‘Hand over a Hundy' project.

The project sponsors families $100 of start-up credit to buy everything required to start a vegetable garden - including a mentor.

As part of the project families are to grow their own vegetables for an entire year and Jade says the challenge is to grow enough food for themselves and either save or generate $100 to get another family started.

'It's like a Koha. They do this then they pass on the $100 to a new family so it just keeps on going and going.”

Last year 22 families in Mid Canterbury registered for the year with a very successful outcome. This year 30 families are involved in the project.

'It's working really well. We have a whole variety of families just to prove that anyone can do it.”

Each family is paired with an older mentor in an attempt to show the link between intergeneration's which Jade says is now non-existent.

'There is a huge importance in that. There is a real need for our older people to give something back. Just spend some time.”

Jade's favourite vegetable to grow is potatoes, after her grandfather passed on to her seedlings about five generations old.

''I am a spud freak. My grandfather handed me over some of his seeds when I bought my own house eight years ago. It really just started my life for gardening because there was a story to tell.”

Jade's grandfather, who lives in Christchurch, had his potato patch wiped out by the September earthquake.

He has recently asked for a supply of his granddaughter's potatoes.

Jade appreciated the honour of giving something, which had been given to her so many years ago, back to the man who gave to her, her love for fresh food.

'I thought this is a part of our history that could be lost forever. I felt so responsible.

'It passes on the tradition. That just really gives me my first understanding of keeping seeds and keeping our heritage. The story really touched my heart.”

As she tells the story of solo father Sam, Jade says growing your own vegetables can be very rewarding no matter who you are.

Adorned with tattoos, a heavy metal tee-shirt and a shaved head Sam was trying to feed his two children and himself on the Domestic Purposes Benefit.

Sam's garden was full of weeds and was too much for just Jade on her own to tackle. Jade called for help from her friends who each worked to clear the mess.

A team of men unearthed a beautiful black soil which Sam worked to grow fresh vegetables for his family for the remainder of the year and years to come.

'You can't judge anyone at all. You can look like a bit of a ‘ruffian' but we all eat don't we? Food breaks all the barriers.”

Jade says growing your own fresh food can unearth a lifetime of enjoyment.

'A lot of younger people are quite keen to do it, they just lack confidence. This is just a really good way to say give it a try.

'It can potentially change your life. It's real. It's also important for us as parents to teach our children where our food comes from.”

Jade plans to bring the ‘Hand over a Hundy' project to the Bay of Plenty.

'There is a need for it. There is curiosity for it, particularly for families with young parents.”

Future plans include the launch of a ‘Hand over a Hundy' cookbook.

'It's one thing to grow it but you have got to learn how to cook.”