Kia ora

This growing season, I marvelled at our self-seeded peach trees, heavy and laden with golden fruit. This is the season of abundance!

We gathered them by the wheelbarrow, and started on the yearly bottling. From what was left, we gave some boxes away, swapped some, and put the rest by our gate. What wasn’t picked up went into food parcels, shared where it was needed most.

The shelves are slowly filling up with preserves—earthquake-proofed this time, after a strong quake in 2017 sent jars tumbling in a colourful, sticky disaster. 

The tea jars are full too, with my evening and morning tea mixtures, herbs gathered across the year and dried, more than enough to last through the seasons. No tea bags needed—nature provides more than enough.

Gathering nuts is always one of my favorite activities this time of year. The cider vinegar is bubbling away, and some of the apples are already picked, wrapped individually in newspaper, stacked neatly in trays under the house, where it stays cool and they keep for many months.

Now all that remains is the pinto bean, potato, pumpkin and yam crops, holding on a little longer before the full pause of autumn sets in.

So we can nearly sit back, take a deep breath, and feel gratitude for the abundance, for the seasons, and for the rhythms of nature.

And always, this rhythm of nature draws our attention to the bigger picture around us.

I looked up the definition of food security: "All people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food." We all know too well that this basic need is not being met for far too many in our communities. But amidst the challenge, stories bloom, and seeds of change are being planted...

I recently met Beverly Jack, and learned of the seed she planted at the Wairarapa Community Centre. What started as a dream—to use organically grown food to nourish those in need—has become a thriving Food Resilience programme. One kitchen, thousands of meals. A garden, a team of volunteers, and a ripple effect of learning and support.

Just like the peach seed that quietly became a tree, Bev’s vision took root and now bears fruit for so many. You’ll hear more about her and the Wairarapa Community Centre Trust in our next newsletter in April.

We're also delighted to welcome two wonderful new trustees to the Toru Trust whānau—cultural advisor Denis Grennell from Ōtaki and science communicator Loo (Elizabeth) Connor. Our recent round of sharing stories, interests, skills and hopes was so uplifting. We each bring something different, and together we weave a stronger thread.

Learn more about Denis and Loo and what they bring to Tour Education Trust here (scroll down a bit when you get there).

As always, our mission is simple: to support learning and connection here in our bioregion—through story, through action, and through shared moments of wonder.

So take a moment to check out the beautiful offerings blooming across March and April—workshops, events, and opportunities to learn, connect, and grow together.

Ngā mihi o te wā,

Hella, for the Toru Education Trust

P.S. If you’re feeling inspired, pass the word along. Forward this to a friend or neighbour—there’s a little something for everyone.

At Matt and Carys Brenin’s off-grid home in Ōtaki, the March Toru Trail offered a hands-on look at building a sustainable lifestyle through small, steady steps. Thirteen years ago, their land was just a bare paddock—now it’s a thriving food forest full of black tomatoes, purple beans, and barefoot kids weaving through the trees. With features like windbreaks of Mexican sunflowers and a clever wheely bin compost system, their space shows how intentional design can turn simple systems into lasting abundance. 

Instead of rushing, Matt and Carys model a slower, more mindful way of living—where observing, adapting, and letting things unfold are core to their approach. Even watering becomes a moment to slow down and connect. Visitors left not just with ideas to try at home, but with a fresh perspective: that real change often starts small, and grows quietly over time.

"Taking a slow, balanced approach to building a sustainable lifestyle was the theme of the day. One of the main take-aways was how much abundance can be created by living in this way.

The land we visited was..."

- Story by Holly Norton

Will be at Hella and Joep Coenen's place, west of Masterton on Sunday 27th Apr from 10am - 2pm, including lunch.

We're excited for the next Toru Trail event in Wairarapa hosted by Hella and Joep, who retired their land from grazing 15 years ago. We'll explore the transformation of a landscape and the power of nature’s regeneration.

Expect a short walk to the outdoor classroom, where we'll enjoy a shared morning tea under the Kahikatea trees. Trevor Thomson from QEII will introduce the native trees and their covenant. We'll also take a foraging walk through the regeneration areas, exploring the food forest and shelter belts, and participate in hands-on activities like shelling beans and harvesting seeds.

Lunch will be served in the old scout hall, followed by a sharing circle. For those keen to explore further, there's an optional 1.5-hour loop walk to finish the day.

Spaces are limited, so book your spot soon! We look forward to seeing you there.

Doris

We have a humble request of you (yes, you!): please share this newsletter with folks who would like to receive it. We would love it to be read by folks right across the lower north island. 

If you like our vision to connect those who want to learn and get involved in their community projects with those creating and hosting beautiful local events please take a moment to forward this newsletter to all your friends and family who you think might be interested AND ask them to sign up to receive it each month. 

And if someone forwarded this newsletter on to you or sent you the link? Are you interested to stay up to date with our events? Would you like us to promote your events (for free)?

Sign up now! ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

Fiona shares what is inspiring her about our partner organisation: Homegrown Botanica.

Felicity Joy is a forager, slow/folk herbalist, gardener, and natural dyer, known for her deep connection to the land and passion for edible and medicinal plants.

Based on the Kāpiti Coast, she cultivates a thriving garden, forages daily, and shares her knowledge through Homegrown Botanica, inspiring others to embrace a slower, more sustainable life.

She also crafts botanical skincare, naturally dyes upcycled clothing, and leads foraging workshops. Every summer, she travels NZ in her van, discovering wild plants and deepening her bond with nature.

The next event with Felicity will be a Wild Edible Weeds Foraging Workshop in the Innermost Community Gardens in Mount Victoria Wellington. 

More Toru Partners! 

Grow Your Own Groceries: 

A one-day course comprising theory and practical sessions to give you the tools to grow nutrient dense food by teaching you how to build beds, feed soil, sow seeds, transplant plants, deal with weeds and mulch.

Mangaroa Farms Living Systems Masterclass

Bringing together a team of expert minds from our local community, we’re building on the momentum of “regenerative agriculture” in Aotearoa, as farmers, gardeners, and hobbyists seek to create a deeper understanding of the interconnected world that lies beneath our feet.

This newsletter has come into being because we saw a disconnect in our bioregion. We knew there were many great locals with knowledge to share, and some of them were already creating great opportunities for learning, connection and community spirit.

We also saw that many folks didn't know about these amazing opportunities to wānanga together and grow connections in their own back yards. 

To address these needs, we have started with a few interconnected 'small and slow solutions': our new website to host and promote events (among other things), our series of Toru Trail events across our focus area of Kāpiti, Te Whanganui-a-Tara - Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa, as well as this monthly newsletter tying it all together and telling the story. 

If you resonate with our vision, we would love you to be involved, this can be in many ways!  

- Please share the good news far and wide, Sharing really is caring, and we want to find our people!

- Do you have an event or educational opportunity? - check out our guidelines and if it fits in with our kaupapa, then sign up and list your event with us! We are promoting local events for free.

- Join one of our events! Learn with us and our partner organisations. Invite a friend along and learn together.

- Do you have ideas for us? Reply to this newsletter or email us at info@toru.nz with your bright spark!