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.
Kia Kaha!
April Events
Tag Archives: permaculture
RetroSuburbia Property Tours
These events are free to attend.
Partial funding comes from Whanganui District Council.
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.
Permaculture Productivity
The growing season here on Kaitiaki Farm has been fantastic so far. Plenty of rain and plenty of sunshine have resulted in abundant yields in the orchards, paddocks and gardens.
At the moment we’re flush with plums, goat’s milk, avocados, zucchinis, green beans , silverbeet, and eggs among other things. We’ve been busy preserving plums, making cheese, and freezing green beans.
We’ve got a great group of permaculture interns helping with all this and enjoying the fresh, healthy kai.
*One note, however, our garlic season was a bit ordinary because of a fungal disease on the leaves.
We’re also looking forward to forthcoming abundance in basil, potatoes, pumpkins, chokos, peaches, apples, feijoas, pears, persimmons and citrus.
Peace, Estwing
And piglets born this week!
Signs of Spring
Despite a very wet winter the farm is looking fabulous and the animals are very healthy. These pregnant goats were shifted into this paddock for a good spring feed.
We’ve had a dozen kids born this season with one doe left to go. Sophie had twins on Sunday afternoon.
Mindy had a Mini-Me
The red shaver chicks we bought in the autumn have grown into hens and laying eggs with the longer days. Eight hens are laying 5 to 6 eggs per day.
The 100+ poplar poles we planted this winter are starting to leaf out.
The piglets are looking plump and healthy, while the sows and boars are keeping on top of the fast growing grass.
The garlic is up and going – almost ready to be mulched.
Plum and peach blossoms have been plentiful and we are hoping for good fruit set.
Avos are ready to be picked.
And tomatoes are ready to go into the ground.
So much more to report but also so much work to be done!
Kia kaha, Estwing
Free Programmes 2023
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.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
Kia Kaha!
Hedge Against Inflation
We’ve been practicing a form of permaculture we call “Eco-Thrifty” at our two homes in Whanganui for well over a decade. When we started our first blog in 2010 we thought the idea would catch on. It didn’t.
Twelve years later we are still at it and are reaping the harvests of avoiding the inevitable price rises in food and energy. Despite heading into winter and some seriously crazy weather, our farm is thriving and producing plenty of healthy kai while resisting the ravages of climate change.
Here is a visual update from yesterday.
Not bad for a blustery Sunday in June.
Peace, Estwing
Read All About It
Over the last few years I’ve been blogging less and writing for publication more. Below are some of those articles about our holistic approach for farming and home renovation that are available online:
https://www.buildmagazine.org.nz/articles/show/from-tent-to-toasty-home
Peace, Estwing
Kaitiaki Farm Weekend
Kaitiaki Farm Weekend
October 15-16
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.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
Programmes @ Kaitiaki Farm
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.
Register: theecoschool@gmail.com
2021 Workshop schedule
17th January: Reading the Landscape
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.
1-5 pm. $65
26th April: Permaculture ‘Show & Tell’ – POSTPONED
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
FREE
11th-12th September: 9th Annual Whanganui Permaculture Weekend
Farm Tour & Workshops including:
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 (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
Eco Thrifty Living 