Frequently Asked Questions

Who is J9?

Ko Beinn Mac Duibh te maunga, ko Deathan (river don) te awa, ko Kōtarani te iwi, ko Ogg raua ko Ross na whānau tipuna. I tipu ana ahau ki Whakaoriori, kei konei tōku turangawaewae. Kei Whakataki ngā pito whenua ō oku tamariki. Ko Hamuera (Sam) Ludden taku hoa rangatira, ko Janine taku ingoa.

Kia ora :) I'm a local Masterton girl with family connections to Danniverke and Otautahi/Christchurch and before that Scotland, through grandparents on both sides. The small hamlet of Towie near Aberdeen is one of the places our ancestors came from, a charming but barren land of granite and celtic stone circles 🪨🪨🪨 One ancestor was a gamekeeper, perhaps a connection to my love of the ngāhere, and another a green grocer, though I suck at gardening annuals (working on it 😂) .

When it comes to syntropy and food forests I don’t see myself as an expert, more an enthusiastic early adopter with a passion for sharing what I’m learning, warts and all. I have completed courses in Permaculture Farm Design and Syntropic Food Forestry and spend the last few years applying learnings to the land we care for here at Rangiwhakaoma/Castlepoint. I may not have the answers to all your questions, but I can share my mistakes and learnings so far and connect you to the resources you need to get started or deepen your own journey.

Together with Sam and our two girls Bella and Molly, we have a vision to support and accelerate the regeneration of our 43 hectare bush block near Castlepoint, and to share the learning journey with as many people as we can along the way.

What is a Syntropic Food Forest and Why Grow One?

A food forest is a way of growing kai that mimics natural forests, with diverse planting of edible plants and patterns found in nature. We’ll learn more on the day, but here’s a few of my favourite reasons to give food forests a go:

• it’s good for the soul to design and plant a food forest ✨️ It takes you outside and connects you deeply to your environment, an everyday reminder that we are not separate from nature but part of it.

• You don’t need heaps of space to get started - a small syntropic ‘nest’ will fit into most NZ backyards. If you have plenty of room, you can go BIG!

• Biomimicry is at the heart of syntropy and it’s super cool - there’s something about learning how to mimic natural eco-systems that just sings for me. Our ancestors did it and so can we.

• A syntropic food forest is like a regular food forest on steroids. Biodiversity, food production, soil health and fungal networks accelerate at an incredible rate in a in a syntropic system - it’s hard to believe at first how quickly it can regenerate the soil. Abundance at its best

• This way of growing is more resilient to the challenges of climate change - syntropic systems require less water, little to no external inputs, are more resilient to pests and as a forest system, are far more resilient to extreme weather events.

• You’re not just creating a vegetable garden, you’re creating a wildlife habitat! Better still, your design can easily and successfully incorporate NZ native trees and plants

  Ko ahau te taiao ko te taiao ko ahau - I am the environment and the environment is me

What is a tree tent and what are they like to stay in?

A "tree tent" is a new and exciting way to camp. Tree tents are designed to be suspended above the ground and supported by surrounding trees, essentially combining the comfort of a hammock with the protection and capacity of a standard tent, allowing you to sleep elevated off the ground in a forested environment. Our tent sleeps 3 people, and you can climb into it from underneath using a small step, or you can slide in from the door on the side (we’ve situated our tent next to a terrace so it’s easy to access). These tents are fully enclosed with a high quality water-proof fly and protection from insects - if the weather is good we recommend removing the fly so you can sleep under the night sky 🌟🌟🌟

What if we get bad weather?

Part of spending time in nature is embracing the elements, for better or for worse! All our accommodation options are waterproof and safe to stay in during rainy weather and we have a fire in the hut if we need to snuggle up and get warm. We’ll keep an eye on the weather forecast and let you know if you need to bring your gumboots! The only situation we may consider cancelling is in the event of dangerously high winds.