Food Growing Fundamentals

Wanting to feed yourself, your family and your community but don’t quite know where to start?

Looking for new ways for food growing to be more efficient? 

Are you desiring a more holistic approach? 

Does growing delicious, healthy, abundant food for all appeal to you?

Come along and learn Food Growing Fundamentals. We co-create with nature on 8ha of land just outside of Waihi, that encompasses vegetable and flower gardens, young orchards, as well as cows, chickens, agroforestry, and we cut our own balayage and hay. 

We have been fully certified organic since 2020, and harness the incredible power of biodynamics. Holistic grazing, regenerative agriculture, and natural farming methods are also prevalent in our system. 

We grow the majority of our food, whilst caring for the ecosystems we find ourselves in. Nutrient dense, delicious, abundant meals are our normal, and they can be yours too! 

Through the workshop we will witness different facets of our system, from seed raising, to no-dig methods in the gardens, to a biodiverse orchard, to holistic grazing techniques of the cattle to mimic their natural grazing patterns. We will explore the terms organics, biodynamics, regenerative agriculture, no-dig/no-till, holistic grazing, natural farming, permaculture. 

Deeply rooted in the power of the cosmos, we will also touch on planting by the moon, an ancient technology bringing ease to all. 

It brings me such joy to be able to cultivate this rich space for you - for the opportunity to see first hand a beautifully diverse intricate yet incredibly simple system. To witness in action, the fundamentals of food growing, that restores power to the land, and ourselves. 

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About your host…

As a holistic food systems facilitator, Monique Macfarlane of Natural Wisdom teaches a variety of workshops such as biodynamics, planting by the moon, no-dig food growing, seasonal approaches to gardening and self-sufficiency on the land she is immersed in. Her heartfelt passion for food, localisation, and thriving nature is the foundation of her incredible offerings. She also currently contributes a cosmic planting and gardening calendar each issue of OrganicNZ magazine.

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Feedback from previous workshops - 

"I loved attending the workshop! The time flew by as we wandered around the beautiful farm learning all about growing more veges and creating rich, beautiful soil with lots of worms and no weeds. Monique was so lovely, she really knew her topic and was so passionate about it, that you left energised and full of ideas for your own garden and wanting to begin straight away. I would totally recommend attending, it was the best day!" - Nicki

"What an amazing workshop, I have come away with so much knowledge. Learning about how to mend soil naturally was fulfilling. I am excited to start applying a more natural approach to the way I garden to produce greater yields that are healthier and full of nutrients for my whanau." - Alamein

"I would highly recommend Moniques workshop to anybody even remotely interested in this area. The presentation of the workshop was practical and relatable which made receiving the content so easy. I didn't come away from this workshop thinking, hmmm, what did that mean? I have come away thinking, that makes so much sense!" - Chanelle

"Monique has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to share. Her delivery is inclusive of all no matter what level of skills you might have in the garden. Monique’s mission is to support and empower people to become more connected to the natural world through sustainable and dynamic practice. At a time where supply chains are tentative, these workshops create confidence that we all have the ability to grow a lot of our own food, no matter what size property you might have." - Kate