Te Rau o Rongo Charitable Trust

27/09/2026

03/08/2026

Te Rau o Rongo Charitable Trust is dynamic team of wahine toa committed to the mauri ora of Papatūānuku, bringing decades of governance experience, sustainable education, Iwi relationships and research expertise to our organisation. We all have our hands in the soil whether is growing Kai, Flowers, natives or chickens and share this passion through the education and research mahi that the trust does.

02/08/2026

“No one was hungry" Rawinia Leatherby grew up along the coast of Taranaki and recalls the hauhake of Mahinga Kai that was distributed to Pāhake, and whanau so that no one was hungry. We knew how to feed ourselves, and had our own kai distribution systems!
Check out the full episode on The Māra Session podcast brought to you by Te Rau o Rongoa Charitable sponsored by NPDC and available on Spoitfy and Appl podcast.

29/07/2026

The Māra Session podcast is now LIVE 🍐🍊🍋‍🟩🍠🧄🥒

The Māra Sessions is a podcast about coming home to the whenua. Each episode weaves storytelling, practical wisdom on growing kai and stories of hauora and healing by reconnecting to whenua, growing kai and rongoā Hosted by Pounamu Skelton and special guests.

Our first episode is called: How reconnecting to tūpuna Kai can revitalise Iwi and community Kai Sovereignty: An interview with Rawinia Leatherby Toia (Taranaki, Te Ati Awa, Ngati Toa, Maniapoto) 🩷

🌱 In this episode of The Māra Sessions, Rawinia shares her lifelong journey growing kai and reviving tūpuna practices within her iwi and across the Taranaki hāpori.

Her heart is full of manaaki and aroha for all whānau — and it shows in every story she shares. Her kōrero is about more than māra kai — it's about whānau resilience, reconnecting to the ways of our tūpuna, and building food sovereignty within her workplace, her kainga and within her hāpori. 🥒🧄🍠

Nga mihi ki a NPDC mo te tautoko

Happy growing 🍋‍🟩

The Māra Session · Episode

03/12/2025

Huia and Cory getting plants ready for the plant sale today

03/12/2025

Every year our Calla Lillies look so majestic when they bloom as they are now! We have Calla Lillie’s available in the plant sale tommorow

07/11/2025

Due to unforeseen circumstances our gardens are now closed for the weekend. Arohamai

27/10/2025

Thinking of growing your own Kai?
Come and visit us at Te Rau o Rongo in Onaero opening this weekend Sat and Sunday 10am till 4pm

19/10/2025

We're thrilled to be featured in this month's Kia Ora magazine! ✨
It's an honour to promote the Sustainable Backyards NZ and share our story of Kai sovereignty.
Come visit us at Te Rau o Rongo in Onaero, North Taranaki. We'll have seedlings, a new product range, and refreshments waiting.

A huge thank you to the Air New Zealand and the Kia Ora magazine team for this feature.