Garden Name: Janine McVeagh

Address: 48 de Thierry St, Rawene

Property Description: 

1 hectare home garden and orchard.

We grow a very wide variety of vegetables, fruit and nuts, mostly to support our family of four. We preserve and give away excess. Some features include an olive grove of 19 trees that produces around 40 -45 litres of oil a year, macadamias, almonds, apricot and a small sub-tropical food forest of bananas, cherimoyas, sapote, sugarcane and tamarillos. We like to experiment with new things: dragon fruit, pineapples, pomegranates though these are not staples. Our two toilets go through a wormorator. We keep a few chickens and ducks, for eggs and pest control. We have a worm farm, a hungry bin and other ways of creating soil nutrients such as composting chook house litter, barrels of horse manure liquid, biochar and ramial woodchip. We do a certain amount of seed-saving and try to grow most annuals from seed. We grow a lot of shrubs and trees from cuttings.

Janine has 50 years experience growing her family's food organically in the Hokianga.

Opening Days and Times: 

Sat 3 Feb, 9am to 4pm  

Garden Name: Liber’terre 

Address: 368 Omanaia Road, Oue, South Hokianga

Property Description: My partner and I took on this “bare block” about 8 years ago with the intention of working for what we could create rather than what we could buy. It was a mix of lusitanica forestry and grazing. Since then we have had a couple kids, built a small house from recycled materials and lusitanica roundwood, and diversified as much as possible.

Our kitchen garden is about 400 sqm which is connected to a sprawling orchard where anything goes, but bananas and peaches are favourites. The chooks free-range everywhere except the garden itself, while the pigs prepare new garden or orchard areas. Then we have sheep, goats, cows and horses further afield. In summer we milk 2 goats by hand to make cheese every other day and 1 or 2 cows are usually milked throughout the year.

We are inspired by the natural world to waste nothing, to have at least 3 reasons for everything, and to never carry an empty bucket. We love to share our experiences, (including our many mistakes) and encourage others to pursue meaningful, productive lives.

Opening Days and Times: 

Saturday 3rd Feb 9am - 4pm 

Garden Name: Waimamaku Community Garden

Address: Taita Road, Waimamaku

Property Description: 

Waimamaku Community Garden has been operating for three years in South Hokianga; set up by community, for community.

Providing food support for our local community is a high priority of this project. Our community is located an hour away from any supermarkets, and we have a high rate of unemployment, and food insecure homes.

We hope to make a step towards a food secure and kai resilient future by providing locally grown vegetables and fruit on a regular basis to our local schools, Marae, Kōhanga Reo, Pātaka kai and community events. Access to kai comes with a lot of barriers for many people, so we hope we can alleviate some of that pressure for our Waimamaku whanau. 

We also offer regular workshops, seeds and seedlings, a compost hub, and share knowledge on low cost, long lasting solutions to gardening. 

Opening Days and Times: 

Saturday, 3 Feb, 10am - 2pm

Working Bees each Monday, 9am to 12 noon  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063850487772

Garden Name: St Francis Farm

Address: Whirinaki, South Hokianga. Go to the end of Jackson Road, and then continue 2km along the rough farm drive along the river until you get to the end.

Property Description: 

At St Francis farm we intentionally live in voluntary simplicity. We cultivate our crop gardens using horses and bullocks. 25 or so people live in the property growing food together. Our crop garden, which we cultivate  communally, is a 3 acre section with about 2 acres in crop and 1 in fallow each year. Our crops include kumara, potatoes, maize, beans and pumpkins. Each household then has its own 'kitchen' garden where we grow greens, winter vegies, tomatoes etc. 

We also have cows, chooks, olives, fruit, composts, riparian plantings, natural buildings, plantations and scything if you have any interest in any of those things.

You are welcome any time. There will be someone from the farm to walk around at 10am then 12 and 2pm.

Opening Days and Times: 

Saturday 3rd Feb 9am - 4pm 

Garden Name: Graeme Kettle

Address: 19 Oromahoe School Rd, Oromahoe

Property Description:  "The Northland family whose food forest feeds - with 250 edible plants - sustains them"  - Stuff News, June 2023 

Over the last 5 years at Oromahoe Graeme and Debbie have created organic edible landscapes where their young children free range, where wildlife is welcome, and where the Mauri (life energy) flourishes. They have developed diverse productive food forests and sustainable garden systems that are resilient and can even thrive in a drought without the use of irrigation or town water supply. They grow practically all their own fruit and vegetables and their food forests sustained the family of 4 within just 1 year. They are passionate seed savers, particularly of heritage varieties. There is a lot to learn from their gardens, set amongst some lovely rock walls, and there is a new experimental syntropic agroforestry garden.

“The integrated orchard and vegetable gardens at Oromahoe were enlightening... Graeme has been experimenting with permaculture and biodynamics for over 15 years; the success of which was evident.” – Northern Advocate, 19 Feb. 2022

"Beautifully planned and planted edible garden and food forest" -  NZ Gardener Magazine, June 2023

Talks/Demonstrations: 

Guided Tour - 2pm Sunday 

Opening Days and Times: 

Sat 3rd Feb 9am - 4pm

Sun 4th Feb 9am - 4pm

Garden Name: Paul's Garden

Address  19 Oromahoe School Road, Oromahoe, Bay of Islands

Property Description:  500m2 (1/8 acre) property with a vege garden, fruit trees and a chicken tractor.

As well as a vegetable garden Paul has 2 avocado, 1 orange, 1 tamarillo, 1 pineapple, rhubarb and 2 blueberry bushes. His 4 chickens in the movable chicken run and house is used to break in new areas of garden and the vegetable gardens help feed the chickens. Bumble bees have  made an underground home in the chicken run which pollinate the vegetables. Paul has made a bird feeder to encourage more birds to visit his garden and he has also built a kid's tree house on the property, nestled between some bamboo which he planted for bean stakes. All of this is on his small 1/8 acre property.

Opening Days and Times: 

Sat and Sun  9am - 4pm

Parking: Use the same parking and entrance as Graeme Kettle's property.

Garden Name: Down to Earth NZ

Address: 852 Waimate North Road, Kerikeri 

Property Description: Regenerated farmland ecologically enhanced over 8 years of planting and infrastructure with a spring fed gravity water system, native forest restoration, and wetlands built. 

This beautiful property has permaculture designed productive gardens including water cress areas, and just so many creative projects on the go! It's a large garden so allow an hour to explore and have a picnic. Designed by Landscape designer Simon Berry and built with love from many helping hands!  Tours and talks will be available on the day.

Accommodation: Available in our eco caravans or private campervan parking. Search Facebook for Down to Earth NZ or use the link  https://www.facebook.com/downtoearthnz/

Opening Days and Times: 

Sat 3rd Feb 9am - 4pm

Sun 4th Feb 9am - 4pm

Garden Name: Vicky and Ian Barrett - 

Address: 2 Urutawa Drive, Kerikeri

Property Description: Vicky and Ian settled in Kerikeri  Feb 2019  initially setting up the kitchen and herb garden near the house. Now, 4 years on, the citrus area is being under planted with herbal tea and medicinal plants. The orchard has evolved into a fruit forest with herbal leys and veggies in guilds amongst it. This is partially covered in netting to protect ripening tomatoes and future berry planting. There’s a mix of subtropical, native and Mediterranean planting. New this summer are flower picking gardens. Our berm on Shepherd Rd has become an experience for walkers as fruit trees emerge amongst a dry Mediterranean planting for picking as they pass by. 

While I have a background  of Landscape Design and running community gardens, our Kerikeri garden is an expression of fun and creativity, our retirement dream. I'm passionate about holding workshops, sharing organic food growing skills. Ian is developing his humorous succulent garden and uses our garage as an art studio to play with paint. 

Opening Days and Times: 

Sat 3rd Feb 9am - 4pm

Sun 4th Feb 9am - 4pm

Garden Name: Growing Quality Food

Address:  38 Waingaro Lane, Kerikeri

Property Description:  A 1000sqm. food forest that follows an approach of "working" with the weeds. 

It was set up 2.5 years ago and has now started producing a mix of bananas, sugar cane, citrus and many other plants. Ideas that are now being experimenting with are things like alley cropping and onsite mulch building, water and moisture retention (swales and mounds) and using weeds for soil building. The next step now that the trees are established will be using animals (sheep) for grazing and further improving fertility.

Plant Sales: Banana, Sugar cane, Bana grass and Ice cream bean seedlings

Opening Days and Times: 
Closed Saturday

Open Sun 4th Feb 9am - 4pm

Garden Name:  Wharepuke Subtropical Garden

Address:  190 Kerikeri Road, Kerikeri

Property Description:  

2 hectares of beautiful garden landscaped by Robin Booth since 1993 and awarded National Significance 5 stars  by the NZ Gardens Trust.

The mature subtropical garden contains many rare and unusual plants including edible fruiting trees such as jaboticaba, Davidson's plum, kei apple, cherimoya (custard apple), casimiroa (white sapote), cinnamon, lucuma and grumichama. All trees have a name tag and there is a list of them in the nontoxic printmaking studio where the koha box is. Part of the garden is also a sculpture trail which is designed to complement the exotic plants.

Talks/Demonstrations: A team member will be available for questions.

Opening Days and Times: The gardens are open all day, everyday. Admission by koha.

Food:  MĀHA Restaurant   https://www.maharestaurant.co.nz/

Check website for opening hours

Garden Name: Kerikeri Mission Station Garden 

Address:  246 Kerikeri Road, Kerikeri

Property Description:  Aotearoa, New Zealand’s oldest European garden nestled on a delightful riverbank with two of NZ's oldest buildings; Kemp House and the Stone Store.

The gardens have been continuously cultivated for more than 200 years, first by Ngāphui iwi (local Māori people) with crops of kumara (sweet potato), potato, yam, taro and aruhe (fern), the garden has evolved over time, but the layers of history are revealed as you explore the grounds. Discover millstones from the 1820s, the site of the first grape vines planted in  NZ, a 100-year-old Mulberry tree, and a well-kept gorse hedge are just some of the surprising elements to this garden. These days, it is lovingly maintained by a hardworking gardener and volunteers, and includes a heritage orchard. You can purchase a lovely garden guide booklet for $10 at the Stone Store which is open from 10am to 5pm. 

In the Plough & Feather's car park just across the road is NZ's oldest fruit tree: a 205 year old pear tree which is also still going strong.

Opening Days and Times: The gardens are always open. Free admission, but koha is very welcome.

Food:  The Honey House Cafe  https://www.facebook.com/TheHoneyHouseCafe/

Garden Name: Rick and Zoe

Address:  25 Te Rore Lane, Waimate North

Property Description:  

2.5 acre food forest - wild by design. 

Over the past 2 years, Zoe and Rick have been working away to convert their blank canvas of ex-grazing land, into a biological paradise.  Planting 1,000's of individual trees by hand, many of  which they had established earlier from saved seeds or cuttings from friends and whanau. Species range from a variety of edible fruit and nut trees, berries and herbs to rare and exotic subtropical and tropical plants. Rick is an experienced and knowledgeable horticulturist and can tell you the full history of every single plant on their land! They have done it all without irrigation, just roof feed tank water and lots of mulch and ground cover plants, letting nature do the teaching. 

Their two sons will be selling different plants on the day and drink refreshments. 

Opening Days and Times: 

Sat 3rd Feb 9am - 4pm

Sun 4th Feb 9am - 4pm

Garden Name: Kerikeri Kindergarten

Address:  42 Hone Heke Road, Kerikeri

Property Description:  Winner of the Northland Regional Council 2023 Award for Environmental Action in Education, the Kerikeri Kindergarten has a great edible garden which has many good ideas that could be used in any sized property.- urban or rural. 

They have a glass house made from recycled windows, compact efficient compost and irrigation systems, a fire pit that even young children can safely cook on, and much more. 

Sustainability is central to kindergarten decisions and everything it does, and the kindergarten is proud of both its ‘carbon negative status’ and the green-gold Enviroschools status that it achieved in 2022. They are a shining example of bringing the community together to care for the environment and show us that by working together we can create a better future for our planet. 

Kerikeri Kindergarten is a member of the Northland Kindergarten Association.

Opening Days and Times: 

Closed Saturday

9am - 2pm Sunday

Garden Name:  Alaina and Terry Ellis

Address: 138 Doels Road, Kawakawa, Bay of Islands

Property Description: It's amazing how much can be grown in a 5m long poly house.

Fully organic, well organised. and growing produce all year round - tomatoes, salad, veges, herbs, potatoes, strawberries and a flowering frangipani. Worth visiting if you are interested in investing in a small poly house.

They also have 13 Khaki Campbel ducks, 6 chooks and a Polish punk rock rooster.

Open Day and Times:  

Sunday 4th February, 9am to 4pm

Garden Name: Arohanui Harris

Address: 6b De Merle Street, Kaikohe

Property Description: A small urban garden which sprung up from composting food waste.

Arohanui has lived here since 2005 and the garden has been a great help with her recovery from a car accident. This year she completed Kai Oranga level 3 to invigorate values of organic principles and to join Te Waka Kai Ora for future guidance. The garden has a large plum tree, is very sheltered and receives excellent light. She has utilised two alleyway gardens for morning and afternoon conditions. Arohanui uses the principles of Hua Parakore and is very keen in mulching and succession planting in the garden.

Arohanui is an indigenous Toi Maori artist and will have examples of her basket weaving on display, including a special kete taewa to store seed potatoes in.

Sales: Refreshments

Opening Days and Times:   

Closed Saturday

Open Sun 4th Feb, 9am to 4pm  

Parking: Please park on the road and walk down the short drive 

Garden Name: Kerikeri Organic

Address: Kerikeri Organic, 1188 SH 10, Kerikeri

Description: A 32 ha property growing & marketing organic fruit, vegetables and other products. The orchard and gardens, pasture and cows, native bush and farm forestry, community are our vision to becoming a self-sufficient environment

Organic shop will be open all day on Saturday 3rd Feb. https://kerikeriorganic.co.nz/

Additional activities: 

Saturday 3rd February, 3pm until dusk: Māra Tui Community garden will be open.

Directions: Go down the driveway till you get to the Kerikeri Organic shop on the corner. Turn left, passing the shop. Continue down the track and follow the signs for parking. The parking and fayre is to the right.

Saturday 3th February, 4pm until dusk: The gazebo build at the community garden will continue with work on the reciprocal pole roof, which will support a living garden. SerendipiDay Fayre with great music and organic food will also be open at the same place. https://serendipiday.weebly.com/

Workshops - Biodynamic Regenerative Agriculture

Thursday 8th February 2024 

10am , "Introduction to Biodynamic Regenerative Agriculture"

7pm  "Introduction to the Biodynamic preparations and how they can be used in practice on any garden or farm"

Venue: 19 Oromahoe School Road, Oromahoe

Presenter: Rachel Pomeroy, Hawke's Bay, NZ

Rachel is a leading expert in this field and has run numerous workshops in NZ and around the world. She has just spent 1 month running Biodynamic Regenerative Agriculture workshops in India.

Check out more about  Biodynamic Regenerative Agriculture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyO9SyeO4ww&authuser=2

Workshops - Exquisite Compost and Intuitive Gardening for Children

Thursday 8th February 2024

10am Intuitive Gardening for Children &

2pm Exquisite Compost

Venue: 19 Oromahoe School Road, Oromahoe

 Presenter: Katrina Wolff, Waikato, NZ

Cost: Koha

Katrina runs courses for gardeners of all ages and levels of experience and is passionate about ensuring that we can all have good food grown in healthy soil. 

Check out her Website and FaceBook:

https://blueborage.co.nz/

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=855315566599432&set=a.452697763527883

Korero on Hua Parakore Principles

Wednesday 7th February 

9am to 11am

Venue: 19 Oromahoe School Road, Oromahoe, Bay of Islands

Cost: Free, koha if you like.

"Hua parakore is a kaupapa Māori (Indigenous) system and framework for growing kai (product and food)) developed by Te Waka Kai Ora (National Maori Organics Authority). It is based on the infinite richness and wisdom of whānau and hapū. There are six key hua parakore kaupapa that we can work with in the māra; whakapapa, wairua, mana, māramatanga, mauri and Te Ao Tūroa. All of these kaupapa (principles) are interconnected and are drawn from the mātauranga (Māori knowledge) continuum". - Jessica Hutchings

Come and share your experiences with using Hua Parakore. If you are new to this knowledge then you are most welcome to come and learn with everyone else.

Wild Wonderful Edible Weed Walk

Friday 9th February 2024

3 - 5 pm 

Venue: Maara Tui Garden, Kerikeri Organic, 1188 SH 10, Kerikeri

Presenter: Anna Dudson of Abundant Landscape Design - Northland NZ

Cost: Koha, which goes towards supporting the Maara Tui Garden.

Join Anna on an exploration of the Maara Tui Education Garden where we will discover this season's diverse range of edible weeds. We will observe, draw, taste and discuss their ecological roles and multiple uses including how you can incorporate them into your life nutritionally and medicinally.

Bring: sketchbook, pen, cushion for outside use, sunhat, water and your whanau  .

 https://www.facebook.com/Abundantlandscape