Kai Rotorua

29/08/2026

🌱 A big milestone in the garden! 🌱

Our nursery irrigation system is now complete in the greenhouse — a great indoor winter project and what a fantastic addition to our garden infrastructure. A huge go Cath!! for your dedication and hard work in completing yet another task. Look at the height she is working at!

We also want to give a special thanks to our regular volunteers, Karen and Sebastian, who faithfully come along to lend a hand with all the projects like this on the ground. We really appreciate your time, energy and commitment. 💚

With spring just around the corner, we’re now getting ready for the coming growing season and beginning to plant in the greenhouse. There will be lots happening across the whenua - in the food forest, vegetable garden, greenhouse and beyond.

🌿 Want to get involved?
Our garden working days are Mondays and Fridays, and everyone is welcome to come along and join the team. There are always diverse and rewarding jobs to get stuck into. Come along, get your hands in the soil, learn something new and be part of the growing community!

17/07/2026

We've been delighted to spot two kererū spending time around our papakāinga at Kaharoa. They even seem to be vying for each other's attention! We have a feeling they have decided to make this their permanent home...Ka rawe! 💚

Did you know the kererū is one of Aotearoa's most important native birds? As one of the only birds large enough to swallow and disperse the seeds of native trees like tawa, miro and karaka, they play a vital role in regenerating our forests.

Seeing them settle here feels like a real blessing and a sign that together we're creating a place where both people and nature can thrive.

Nau mai, kererū!

12/07/2026

Magical Matariki celebration. Thank you to Lux Organics for creating this reel. It captures the wairua of the event. Mānawatia a Matariki everyone!

03/06/2026

Aotearoa Growers' Hui – Only Three Weeks to Go! 🌱

Excitement is building for the Aotearoa Growers' Hui in Rotorua (23–25 June), with over 80 people already expected to attend and registrations continuing to come in.

This is more than a gathering for growers. Chefs, distributors, food businesses, community organisations, researchers, educators, and anyone passionate about strengthening local food systems are warmly invited. The programme includes sessions on local markets, grower-chef relationships, food resilience, organics, storytelling, business models, and wellbeing.

The kai promises to be a highlight, with Kaitahi Catering showcasing local produce, including kūmara grown by Kai Rotorua. There is also an optional field trip on the final day to Kai Rotorua, Lux Organics, and Tikitere Farm.

Registrations close on 17 June. Full hui and day tickets are available:

https://events.humanitix.com/aotearoa-growers-hui-2026

We'd love to see you there!

27/05/2026

Exciting progress on the hāngī pit as we prepare for Matariki. 🔥

The pit is now being lined with firebricks before the stones are placed, helping take some of the heavy lifting out while still honouring the essence of the process. Instead of wire baskets, kai will be held in harakeke baskets — a return to older ways.

The cover over the pit is now complete and things are beginning to take shape. Watch this space as the vision unfolds.

A special thank you to the whānau from Kohutapu Lodge Galatea, who came to help, share wonderful kōrero and kai before returning home to Galatea, Murupara and Kawerau. We are so grateful for these moments of connection, knowledge sharing and collective mahi. 💛

22/05/2026

Following our recent post on the kūmara harvest, this beautiful episode from RNZ gives a much richer sense of the day. 🌿

It weaves together the stories, relationships, history, and values held within the harvest — from mātauranga Māori and connection to whenua, to the importance of passing traditions on to younger generations through shared mahi and kai. It also speaks to the deeper role food sovereignty, community, and collective effort play in strengthening wellbeing and belonging.

A beuatiful listen. Ngā mihi nui to RNZ for featuring us and sharing the kaupapa. 💛

Every year, Kai Rotorua's kumara harvest attracts a group of volunteers keen to connect with sustainable practices and te ao Maori. This year, the harvest circle widened even further, with students from across South Asia joining the mahi on a spring day.

13/05/2026

At the beginning of April, we gathered for a deeply significant moment in our māra journey — the unveiling of our pataka kūmara. 🌿

Te Kete Rokiroki a Whakaotirangi (The Secure Basket of Whakaotirangi) stood proudly above, marking a special occasion rich in meaning, whakapapa, and connection.

Guided by the wisdom and presence of our Kai Rotorua kaumātua Papa Paora Tapihana and Te Rangikaheke, alongside the beautiful mahi of Te Arawa Mahi Whakairo master carver Te Rangiuekaha Kingi, we honoured both the physical and cultural foundations of this kaupapa. The opening of the pataka stands as a powerful symbol of protection, sustenance, and intergenerational knowledge — a place to hold not only kai, but the stories and practices of our tūpuna.

Following this, our hauhake brought everyone together in a spirit of kotahitanga and manaakitanga. After months of preparation, planting, and nurturing, it was incredibly rewarding to harvest our first kūmara and rīwai crops — a reflection of collective effort, shared learning, and the strength of community. 🧡

04/05/2026

Want to stay in the loop with all things Kai Rotorua? 🌱

Our Māra Moments newsletter is the first place we share upcoming events, wānanga, and what’s been happening in our māra and community each month. It’s your way to stay connected, hear our latest stories, and be part of the journey.

May newsletter coming out soon. Sign up and don’t miss out — pm us your email address or via our website in "join the movement": https://kairotorua.nz/ 🌿

20/04/2026

Seeking helpers for our kūmara harvest this Thursday!
9am start. Please message us if you can come. Kia Ora!

19/04/2026

🌱 Calling all growers across Aotearoa NZ! 🌱

Are you growing vegetables, fruit, or nuts? Join us in Rotorua for a Growers Hui — a space to connect, learn, share, and enjoy delicious local, seasonal kai together.

We’re bringing together growers from across the motu to explore what matters most:

🌿 Strengthening our local food systems
🌿 Exploring business & community growing models
🌿 Building a strong, supportive network of growers

This hui is for you, so we want your input too!
When you register, you can suggest topics — and we warmly invite you to present, share ideas and offer support.

Get in touch: [email protected]

Early bird tickets available until 18 May — prices increase after that!
👉 Secure your spot here: https://events.humanitix.com/aotearoa-growers-hui-2026

Let’s grow something strong together 🌱

Ngā mihi, from the organising committee

Jenny, Alison, Sarah, Tom, Georgia, Brit and Alex