We’ve just passed our 10-year anniversary on the farm and want to celebrate by sharing some of our successes.
Our kaupapa is ‘eco-thrifty’, which means we do everything to a high environmental standard but keep to a lean budget, saving money by sticking to the fundamentals of good ecological-design. We have applied this approach to renovating an 80 year-old home, building a high performance new building, managing our orchards, growing a productive garden, bush and wetland restoration, animal husbandry, and earning multiple incomes on the land.
Join us Labour Weekend to see what we’ve accomplished.
Come for one session or for the whole time.
Sunday 27th October
3:30 – 4:30 The high-performance and low-cost approach to building. Learn the basics of simple and effective design along with plenty of tips for building in New Zealand.
4:30 – 5:30 First and best investments for renovation. We have renovated our 1935 bungalow to improve its energy performance by about 400%. In other words we heat double the space using half the firewood. The home also never overheats in summer.
6:00 Shared Meal. Bring a plate to share along with stimulating conversation.
Overnight ‘B&B’ available: Camping or marae-style $20 p/p. Or find a place to stay in Whanganui just 4 km away.
Monday 28th October
This morning focuses on water management in both winter and summer.
9:00 – 10:00 Tour of gardens and orchards. Learn about our low-input and high-productivity systems for growing plentiful and healthy food.
10:00 – 11:00 Tour of bush regeneration, wetland restoration and stream corridor protection. This is a walking tour of our regeneration projects that include over 4,000 native trees and over 300 poplars and willows.
12:00 – 3:00 Nature Play Reunion! For children and whanau that have come to our Nature Play programmes over the years. Bring a picnic lunch and come on back for more great fun by the stream!
Kaitiaki Farm is located on the outskirts of Whanganui.
Free to attend. Registration essential. theecoschool@gmail.com.
We are excited to offer an extensive programme for April thanks to our partners and funders. Some events require registration and some do not. Please see below for details.
Join us for a tour of restoration projects along with speakers on water quality, sustainable land management, and regenerative agriculture.
Kaitiaki Farm hosts a wide variety of landforms, site conditions and micro-climates within its 5.1 hectares. Holistic, integrated, and regenerative approaches are applied across the challenging landscape alongside extensive wetland, riparian and bush restoration work.
Speakers
Phill Hodges is Horizons land management advisor for the lower Whanganui region. The land management team works with landowners to aid with the mitigation of hill country erosion and sedimentation in waterways. We achieve these results through our Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI) program, assisting with space planting of poplars, retirement of land and afforestation.
Scotty Moore is the Horizons Freshwater Coordinator for the Jobs for Nature Stream Fencing and Riparian Planting programme and is based in Whanganui. The Horizons Freshwater team work with landowners, farmers, iwi, hapū, trusts and community groups to improve water quality and native fish habitat in Aotearoa waterways and wetlands primarily through stream fencing and riparian planting grants.
Richard Pedley is a research student at Massey University studying if spiders are suitable biological indicators of soil health in the context of New Zealand pastoral farms. In particular, if spider diversity demonstrates a sensitivity to the impact of grazing practices associated with regenerative farming on soil health.
Coffee and Tea Provided. Please BYO lunch.
Notes for attendees:
Requires walking up and down hills.
Dress for the conditions, including sun hat.
Bring a water bottle.
Draft Schedule
10-10:30 Arrival and Morning Tea
10:30 Welcome & Safety Briefing
1045-12 Session 1
12-1 Lunch – BYO
1-215 Session 2
215 Thanks & Farewell
Free to attend. Registration essential: theecoschool@gmail.com
These events are free to attend. Partial funding comes from Horizons Regional Council, the Whanganui River Enhancement Trust, and Whanganui District Council. Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
RetroSuburbia Property Tours An introduction to permaculture and how it can be used to improve the resilience of suburban properties. Saturday 25th March at 2:30 pm. 9 Tainui St. Castlecliff. Sandy and windy site. Monday 10th April 2:30 pm. 37 Downes Ave. Springvale. Large site Sunday 16th April at 10:30 am. 6 Plunket. Durie Hill. Clay soil and gully.
Bike or Bus to the Market
22nd April, 11:00-12:30.
Let’s embrace active transport & public transport with our tamariki.
Come down to the market for some kai and a good play with others.
Small and Large Block Permaculture
23rd April. 1-3 Permaculture on a Small Block. 3-5 Permaculture on a Large Block
Family Planting Day
25th April, 1-3 pm. Join us for a fun family day on the farm exploring, playing and planting native trees to protect te whenua and Te Awa Tupua.
Healthy Homes for Healthcare & Social Workers 25th May Whanganui Regional Health Network This programme helps healthcare and social workers to empower families improve the health and comfort of their homes. Register with Angela Weekly at the Whanganui Regional Health Network.
Saturday 2 – 5 pm: Farm Tour of Gardens, Intensive Orchards, & Farm Buildings (Permaculture Zones 1-2). Includes integrating farm foul into fruit & veg production and what are the best tools to use for low-input/high performance systems.
Sunday 9:30 – 12:30: Farm Tour of Paddocks and Hillsides, Non-Intensive Orchards, Stream Restoration, Bush Restoration, and Browse Block (Permaculture Zones 3-5). Includes water management, preventing slips, managing gorse, silvopasture, integrating poplar and willow, managing goats and kunekune pigs.
Sunday 1:30 – 4:30: Eco Design/Build for Sleep Outs, Tiny Homes, Minor Dwellings. Includes passive solar design, ‘super-wall’, retrofit double-glazing, building code changes, wastewater compliance, compost toilets.
Choose any combination: $50 each or $130 for all. (Couples $240)
Meals and accommodation also available – please enquire.
Celebrating a decade as the region’s leader in sustainability and resilience programming.
Brown Bag – Green Home 27th July, 12-1. FREE Whanganui Learning Centre, 232 Wicksteed St. BYO lunch and learn about the best options for home retrofit and renovation. Funding provided by ACE Aotearoa
Pruning Fruit Trees 27th July, 1-2. FREE Whanganui Learning Centre, 232 Wicksteed St. Outdoor workshop pruning pip fruit and stone fruit. Funding provided by ACE Aotearoa
Hands-On with Poplar Poles& Tree Lucerne(Tagasaste)
August 14th, 2-4: pm. Funded by Horizons’ Pūtea Hapori Urapare Āhuarangi – Community Climate Response Fund
Poplars and tagasaste are the fastest and cheapest ways to get sizeable trees established on your land. Both are fast-growing, drought resistant and inexpensive to buy. Both respond well to pruning and make great stock fodder. This hands-on workshop includes planting poplar poles and propagating tree lucerne from seed.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
The Low-Carbon – High Efficiency – Affordable Home
September 18th, 2-4: pm. Funded by Horizons’ Pūtea Hapori Urapare Āhuarangi – Community Climate Response Fund
This workshop helps demystify the home-building process for climate resilience and affordability. Topics include passive solar design, super-insulation, high performance windows, and where to claw back cost savings.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
Kaitiaki Farm Weekend
October 15-16
Saturday afternoon 2 – 5 pm: Farm Tour of Gardens, Intensive Orchards, & Farm Buildings (Permaculture Zones 1-2). Includes integrating farm foul into fruit & veg production and what are the best tools to use for low-input/high performance systems.
Sunday morning 9:30 – 12:30: Farm Tour of Paddocks and Hillsides, Non-Intensive Orchards, Stream Restoration, Bush Restoration, and Browse Block (Permaculture Zones 3-5). Includes water management, preventing slips, managing gorse, integrating poplar and willow, managing goats and kunekune pigs.
Sunday afternoon 1:30 – 4:30: Eco Design/Build for Sleep Outs, Tiny Homes, Minor Dwellings. Includes passive solar design, ‘super-wall’, retrofit double-glazing, building code changes, wastewater compliance, compost toilets.
Choose any combination: $50 each or $130 for all. (Couples $240)
Meals and accommodation also available – please enquire.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
Climate Camp for Teens 29-30 October TBC Funded by Horizons’ Pūtea Hapori Urapare Āhuarangi – Community Climate Response Fund
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
Family Climate Fair 12 November TBC Funded by Horizons’ Pūtea Hapori Urapare Āhuarangi – Community Climate Response Fund
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
Permaculture Design Certificate
January, 2023, Dates TBD
Love Your Land Day February 16th, 10-4: pm. BYO Lunch. Funded by Horizons’ Pūtea Hapori Urapare Āhuarangi – Community Climate Response Fund Kaitiaki Farm is a thriving regenerative farm on the outskirts of Whanganui. The day will be split between a farm tour and presentations by Horizons officers along with specialists in other aspects of land management.
Once again we are running the Whanganui Permaculture Weekend alongside The Festival of Adult Learning Ahurei Ākonga in cooperation with Adult and Community Education Aotearoa. A draft schedule is below.
POSTPONED – PLEASE WATCH FOR UPDATES
Workshops & Farm Tours
Saturday, 11th. 3:00 – 5:30
Getting the most from your Renovation
This workshop covers all aspects of healthy home performance including windows, doors, ceiling, subfloor, bathrooms, ventilation, high performance curtains & blinds, heating & cooling, and hot water.
Growing Great Garlic, Terrific Tomatoes and Perfect Pumpkins
This workshop covers innovative ways to grow these staple crops with less effort and better results!
$30
Sunday, 12th. 1:00 – 5:00
Permaculture ‘Show & Tell’
We’ve put together a list of some of the core components of a permaculture property and arranged a ‘Show & Tell’ walking tour. Topics include: no-dig gardening; potting bench and plant nursery; vertical growing & small spaces; preventing pests and diseases in fruit trees; best tools and how to use them; hot composting; compost toilets; tree lucerne (Tagasaste); chicken tractors; browsing goats; creative reuse in building; outdoor kitchen including solar cooking, rocket stoves, and solar dehydrator. There will also be a discussion of our diverse income streams.
$55 or couples for $90. Includes afternoon tea.
Minimum numbers required for workshops to run.
Registration and non-refundable deposit essential. theecoschool@gmail.com
RetroSuburbia: A Whanganui Case Study
What are the best strategies to renovate an old home and an old section? This workshop covers the do’s and don’ts for home renovations as well as edible ‘foodscaping’ on suburban sections.
$40 or couples for $70
Minimum numbers required for workshops to run.
Registration and non-refundable deposit essential. theecoschool@gmail.com
On Kaitiaki Farm we’ve spent the last six years developing strategies to ‘climate proof’ our farm against the extremes of both drought and flood. These include: protecting slopes; planting the riparian corridor; wetland restoration; soil improvement; integrated plant/animal systems; multiple approaches to water management; diverse income streams; and more.
Because of a diversity of land forms, slope aspects and micro-climates Kaitiaki Farm is an ideal place to learn many different and holistic approaches to land management. It is a walk-through textbook in permaculture.
24th April, 1-5pm. $60 or couples for $100
Followed by a permaculture design presentation by our PDC Intern and a shared meal.
Registration essential: theecoschool@gmail.com
Tutor: Nelson Lebo has been practicing permaculture for over 20 years.
Join us for a relaxed walk through the farm ‘reading’ what the land is telling us about soil, water, life and past events. How can this knowledge help us make the most of land restoration efforts?
3-4:30 pm. Bring boots and appropriate clothing. $20
14th February: Goats 101
Goat curious? This hands-on workshop explains what we have learned about keeping goats and the land healthy and productive. Includes diet, trimming hooves, worm management and milking.
2:30-4:30 pm. Includes milking and clipping hooves. $30
21st March: The Affordable Eco Home
This workshop covers key aspects of designing and building a new home in an urban or rural location including: orientation; energy performance; ventilation; windows & doors; insulation; minimising construction waste; designing for expansion; self-build options; waste water and composting toilets.
1:30-5:30 pm. Includes afternoon tea. $70
18th April: Building Garden Beds & Hot Composting
Less effort for a better result: this hands-on workshop explains how to build and manage low-maintenance vegetable beds, as well as a simple method for hot composting.
3-4:30 PM. Come prepared to get dirty. $20
24th April: The Resilient Farm Tour
Extremes of climate put pressure on farmers worldwide. This tour explains some steps we’ve taken to ‘climate proof’ our farm over the last seven years and the amazing results.
We’ve put together a list of some of the core components of a permaculture property and arranged a ‘Show & Tell’ walking tour. Topics include: no-dig gardening; potting bench and plant nursery; vertical growing & small spaces; preventing pests and diseases in fruit trees; best tools and how to use them (stirrup hoe; broad fork; scythe); hot composting; tree lucerne (Tagasaste); chicken tractors; browsing goats; creative reuse in building; outdoor kitchen including solar cooking, rocket stoves, and solar dehydrator. There will also be a discussion of our diverse income streams.
2-5 pm. $50
16th May: Two Gardening Workshops
Building Garden Beds
Less effort for a better result: this hands-on workshop explains how to build and manage low-maintenance vegetable beds.
2-3 pm. $10
Growing Great Garlic
We have been growing amazing organic garlic for two decades. This workshop explains how to ensure a great crop.
3-4:30 pm. With a free bulb of seed garlic and small bag of compost. $25
13th June: Sorting Through the Double Glazing Options
What are the pros and cons of each approach to double glazing and which is best for you? Don’t waste your money on the wrong options! This workshop is a must for anyone considering upgrading their windows and doors.
3-4:30 pm. $25
19th July: Eco-Thrifty Retrofit
What are the first and best investments to make to a home to improve comfort and health? This house tour identifies the ‘low-hanging fruit’ which provide the best return on investment as well as warn against wasting money on expensive marginally effective products.
5:30-7:30 pm. $40
August: TBD
6th-12th September: Festival of Adult Learning
Gardening, Fruit Tree Care, Composting, Bicycle Repair, and Healthy Home Workshops TBC
We’ve put together a list of some of the core components of a permaculture property and arranged a ‘Show & Tell’ walking tour. Topics include: no-dig gardening; potting bench and plant nursery; vertical growing & small spaces; preventing pests and diseases in fruit trees; best tools and how to use them (stirrup hoe; broad fork; scythe); hot composting; tree lucerne (Tagasaste); chicken tractors; browsing goats; creative reuse in building; outdoor kitchen including solar cooking, rocket stoves, and solar dehydrator. There will also be a discussion of our diverse income streams.
$50 or couples for $80.
RetroSuburbia: A Whanganui Case Study
What are the best strategies to renovate an old home and an old section? This workshop covers the do’s and don’ts for home renovations as well as edible ‘foodscaping’ on suburban sections.
$40 or couples for $70
Design & Build for High Performance Buildings.
This hands-on workshop will focus on the Five ‘Must Haves’ for building energy efficient new homes or cosy sleep-outs.
$40 or couples for $70
Minimum numbers required for workshops to run.
Registration and non-refundable deposit essential. theecoschool@gmail.com
On our farm it takes a month to cut down a tree, six months to build a garden bed, and two years to plant avocados. That’s how we get more done with less effort.
Before and After
Building Beds
Time is the 4th dimension, and using it to our advantage saves effort, money, and fossil fuels while establishing and operating highly efficient and regenerative systems. Designing in 4 dimensions maximizes the value of available resources and minimizes waste as well as the need for heavy equipment and a fat wallet. It’s working smarter instead of harder.
4-Dimensional design thinking is the ‘next step’ that many permaculturists may be waiting for. We have dozens of examples to share during this Master Class.
In five years we have transformed a worn-out horse property into a fully integrated permaculture farm on a shoestring budget and essentially without the burning of fossil fuels. We engage a regenerative approach to food production on 5.1 hectares on the outskirts of Whanganui. The farm provides excellent examples of permaculture Zones 1 through 5.
The programme includes: water management; soil enhancement; wind protection; bush restoration; animal management (chicken tractors, browsing goats, grazing kunekune pigs); annual gardening; successional planning; integrating systems; off-farm inputs and outputs; and more…
CANCELLED
4-Dimensional Design: Master Class
23rd April, 2020. 1 pm to 5:30 pm. Afternoon tea included.
Eco Thrifty Living 