Features

In the picturesque seaside town of Riverton, west of Invercargill, a school garden is proving to be a fertile ground for the cross-pollination of learning, as Hollie Guyton and Rebecca Perez show here in words and pictures.  Photos: Hollie Guyton and Rebecca Perez  The content below is available with a print or online reader subscription [memberonly} At the edge…

Moko Morris talks with Kelly Francis, a Kai Oranga graduate and the catalyst for over 250 food gardens that have been planted since last spring. The content below is available with a print or online reader subscription The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.

Aotearoa New Zealand is seeing a groundswell of regenerative agriculture. Martin Freeth finds out just how complementary the new thinking and practices are with our longer tradition of organic farming.  Southland farmer Tim Gow smiles to himself when regenerative agriculture (regen) is discussed. This organic sheep and beef farmer has been building soil quality, growing nutrient-dense feed for well-adapted animals, and concerning himself…

We need to lead the way By Noel Josephson, CEO of Ceres Organics  The growth of the organic market is significant such that within a relatively few years every major food retailer has felt compelled to have an organic offering even though organics is still a very small percentage of the total food market. Organics is…

By Anissa Ljanta I’ve seen many small family-run market gardens in my time but none aspiring to an annual turnover of $100,000. I remained skeptical until I visited Niva and Yotam Kay from Pakaraka Permaculture. In their first season, the annual turnover was $20,000. The second season brought in $50,000 and last year it was…

Sharon Stevens looks at the connection between local, regenerative food production and homegrown currencies such as her local ‘Loaves’. From local markets to direct farmer-to-consumer relationships, regenerative agriculture is bonded with place-based economies. To support local food and other relocalisation initiatives, many communities have turned to homegrown currencies. In the rural Pohangina Valley and in…

A new film shines the spotlight on our organic and sustainable heroes. Philippa Jamieson finds out more. Climate change… la la la la la. Environmental destruction – I know, it’s terrible! Social breakdown, economic collapse, help, what do we do? Living the Change is a documentary that features courageous Kiwis with practical solutions to these…

Organic NZ Magazine: March/April 2016 Section: Features Author: Frith Chamberlain Frith Chamberlain outlines a system that uses money in a fair and reciprocal way. In November 2015 I had the pleasure of attending New Zealand’s first national ‘savings pool’ hui. This was held in beautiful Opotiki and hosted by the wonderfully talented team at the Awhi Tautoko Trust…

Organic NZ Magazine: March/April 2016 Section: Features Author: Rebecca Reider and Robina McCurdy In 2012 and 2013, a team of New Zealand permaculture educators hit the road for an ambitious teaching and filming tour: the Localising Food Project. They found a bounty of creative organising across Aotearoa, and captured the stories of 250 different local food initiatives…

Franziska von Hünerbein writes about a movement that’s about sharing excess produce, community connection, and so much more. It all began with a tree, a big lemon tree full of bright juicy fruit. There it was, radiating beauty and offering abundance – unfortunately not to us, as it was growing in a neighbour’s garden down…

Organic NZ Magazine: Jan/Feb 2015 Section: Features Author: Kyra Xavia   Many of us are mindful about what goes into our body and, as an extension of this, are also careful with what we put on our skin. This increase in awareness has caused a boom in organic and natural personal care products, with New Zealand…