Hakea

07/09/2026

So very excited for all the fruits to come 🙌 Citrus fruits have been great but seeing the blooms on plums and apples gets us very excited for the summer abundance 😊

02/09/2026

🌿🦋 Signs of spring at Hakea

A beautiful visitor joined us at Hakea last night — a huge green pepetuna (pūriri moth) came to the front of the house, drawn in by the light. She was even laying her eggs while she was here. 💚

These incredible moths spend years hidden away as caterpillars living inside trees, before emerging as adults for just a few days. Once they emerge, they have no functional mouthparts, so their short adult life is all about finding a mate and beginning the next generation.

And today we spotted another little sign that the season is changing — our āporo (apple) trees are flowering! 🍎🌸

The trees are blossoming, the days are getting longer, and the forest is beginning to wake up.

Spring is definitely coming. 🌱

Now we’re wondering… when will the pīpīwharauroa (shining cuckoo) arrive? 🎶

It feels like the first little pieces of spring are starting to reveal themselves around Hakea. ✨

16/08/2026

We’ve just made our fresh produce from Hakea's Food Forest available through Hua Whenua Whāingaroa
🥬🍅

It’s a click-and-collect system where you can find an amazing range of locally grown and made food. We have just jad a look through the range and was amazed by what’s available, all grown and produced locally in Whangāroa.

If you’re around, don’t miss out! 🌿
Get your homegrown produce 💚

https://openfoodnetwork.org.nz/hua-whenua-whaingaroa-shop/shop

07/08/2026

Locally grown food that's natural, fresh & by far the best for you!

Made even easier by the click and collect online system from Hua Whenua Whāingaroa. Jump in and get your supplies now 😎

Love your food & love your community 🌳🫒🥙

01/05/2026

It doesn't matter that we harvest bananas all the time, each harvest is just as much exciting!!

This bananas have such a decent size, you might confused with the ones that came from Eucador!

Don't be fooled tho, they are grown right here at Whāingaroa, Raglan in our food forest 🌴

23/02/2026

🌿✨ Hakea Gathering 2026 ✨🌿

This year marks ten years since the Hakea Gathering began — a decade of music, shared meals, learning, and regeneration on this land.

Ten years ago, the land was under conventional farming.
Around that time, a conscious shift began toward permaculture principles and long-term ecological restoration.

Since then, the focus has been steady: soil health, biodiversity, water care, planting, and connection with the whenua.
The work continues.

To honour this milestone, we are welcoming back Excalibur — a classic rock and roll band who played at the very first Hakea Gathering. Seasoned musicians, timeless songs, and a true rock and roll evening under the open sky.

We are also honoured to host Marcellus, who will speak on Sovereignty and Proclamations, introducing the foundational moments of 1835 and 1840. Marcellus has worked with hapū across Aotearoa, supporting communities in understanding constitutional history and legal standing with clarity, goodwill, and depth of experience.

Hakea Gathering remains intentionally intimate — yet full of experiences:

Music under the stars
Workshops on land, law, soil, and living systems.

Permaculture and regeneration in action.

Water wisdom and whenua connection.

Shared potluck feasts.

Storytelling and intergenerational kōrero.

Acoustic sessions and full-band evenings.

Children running barefoot.

Starlit conversations, astrology, and quiet reflection.

A space to learn, contribute, and belong.

There are 8 supporter tickets remaining for those who feel aligned with what is unfolding.

🔗 https://events.humanitix.com/hakea-gathering-2026

To celebrate this milestone, we are sharing a special video by Remi, who was part of Hakea’s early story.

The video captures the land 10 years ago, at the start of its transformation from conventional farming into a permaculture and regenerative system.

Imagine how much life and beauty have grown since then.

🔗 https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DfbJL9Gmm/

Ten years of gathering.
A living landscape.
The journey continues 🌿

Experience dipping your toes into a new world...

04/02/2026

What does it mean this ' Food Forest' ?
Is it where you pick your food?
Is it the new fancy word for orchard?

You will find many descriptions of food forest, but to us it's living ecosystems that can support each living being involved from bacteria to humans, from birds to trees. They are essentially human designed Forest, although they evolve & change while we stay part of it as participants. These systems are not only highly abundant but also resilient in the face of extreme weather or disease. When designed in a diverse way, they also provide for medicine, fiber, feed for animals, even timber...

It's, of course, where we go to pick our food when we need a snack, or sit under the canopy to center ourselves and connect to the natural world. It's my (Merve) favorite place to hide.

Can you imagine one in your backyard, your neighborhood or in that public park?

26/01/2026

It's hard times with all the extreme weather. While feeling sad & praying for all those affected, we find these times are all extremely valuable in reading the landscapes and reevaluating our systems for diversity and resilience.

We go out in the rain too watch, where the water is naturally overflowing. These patterns help us make decisions to plant for the needs of the land for one thing.

We planted Taros where we don't have gutters, and they have been loving all the water. They are probably a metre and half tall with big leaves. Taro is one of those special crops of New Zealand that fed people long time.

We also planted a little valley with bananas as we observed over a time how the water naturally flows there and it is damp even when it's dry elsewhere. It doesn't look much at the stage but over time they will make the banana forest right alongside the scenic reserve track.

Did I mention we love walking and harvesting food 😋