The Village Collective

22/03/2026

Thank you to everyone who came along today with their pumpkins and to those who came to join in on the fun.
Clara took out the largest pumpkin for a second year in a row with a whopping 68kg.
Olivia won the children's category with her pumpkin at 32.5kg.
And Caleb's pumpkin won most unique for trying to grow itself through an old tyre!
A special mention to Miles for the most beautiful orange and well shaped.
And to Meliane for her largest pumpkin in the unofficial category at 9.5kg.
Thanks so much to Michelle and Mountain Folk Cafe for hosting us today. It was a brilliant atmosphere with wonderful community spirit 😀
Guess the weight of the pumpkin winner will be contact tomorrow.

21/03/2026

19/03/2026

Come and check out the pumpkins Sunday morning at the Mountain Folk Cafe.
Guess the weight of the largest pumpkin while you are there.

14/03/2026

It's time to weigh in your pumpkins Pirongia.
Next Sunday at Mountain Folk Cafe, come down and have a look even if you don't have a pumpkin.

17/11/2025

It's the annual Pumpkin growing competition and seeds are now available to collect.
This year you can collect your free pumpkin seeds from the team at Mountain Folk Cafe Retreat. They are open Tuesday - Sunday from 8am to 3pm. Just ask and register at the counter.
Last year's heaviest pumpkin was 11kg. If you think you can beat that call in and pick up your seeds and all the details.
Get the kids involved as well and enter them in the children's category.
Weigh in is usually towards the end of March, so get planting Pirongia.

13/11/2025

Hey Pirongia
We are after some spray free silage (spoiled is fine) to cover our potatoes.
Please get in touch if you can help, thanks.

10/11/2025

Our seed potatoes have finally arrived and we have more Agria than we need.
These are quality seed from EUROgrow New Zealand.
They are available from The Hive in Pirongia, $8 per kg.
Let the digging begin!

21/08/2025

Although we have ordered our seed potatoes for the coming season we are still digging the potatoes that we planted in January.
We thought we would try storing them in the ground this year, and it has worked a treat.
No sprouting, yet, as all the frosts have kept the soil nice and cold. And no rot from being too wet, just delicious fresh, organic potatoes.
So you will have more of these guys in your vege boxes this week.

18/07/2025

Some of these delicious Pink Lady's will be finding their way into your vege boxes over the coming weeks.
Newstead Orchard, established in 1963, is known for its Pink Lady apple production, a variety developed in Australia by John Cripps. The orchard, initially on Silverdale Rd and later expanding to Newstead, has a long history of apple growing, with some trees from the original orchard still producing.