Deep Connections

Eat New Zealand’s mission is to reconnect people with our land and ocean through our food. It feels pretty special then to support this food and farm festival in my home region of Canterbury.

My family bought the first sheep to the South Island, intent on feeding Ōtautahi Christchurch. I think about that often, and wonder what they would make of the current situation for our sheep farmers. Like them, I’m determined to see the food we grow, find and catch celebrated on our plates throughout our region and the country.

I also understand the power of listening to Māori who have been on this whenua for much longer, and their manaaki in allowing us to be here. It’s important we work in partnership to realise our food stories and aspirations collectively.

When we are connected back to the earth or soil, when we stand together with our ancestors behind us, we are a force.

Kia whakatōmuri the haere whakamua. I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.

Angela Clifford

CE Eat New Zealand. @eat.newzealand

Find out more about Aotearoa NZ's Food + Farming Festival!

Underground Festival 2025

Something unique is brewing in North Canterbury this summer.

UNDERGROUND is a pilot festival celebrating soil, food, farming and music, taking place on 19 and 20 February 2025 amongst the vines of our country’s leading regenerative organic vineyard, Greystone.

The two day event will feature an unrivalled line up of international and local soil, food and farming legends covering a diverse array of topics from soil microbiology to agroforestry, regenerative viticulture, seed saving, local food systems, and more.

Inspired by the popular UK regenerative farming festival, Groundswell, there’ll be field walks and workshops, talk tents, on-site camping, evening beats, and Food By Fire serving up some delicious homegrown kai.

Tickets and speakers released soon. Sign up to their newsletter for updates and to find out more: www.undergroundfestival.co.nz

Sustainable Table Conversation

We are not the only organisation in the world engaged in food systems work, seeking to reconnect people to their food and those who produce or find it. As part of our journey to our 10 Year Hui and celebration we’ll be having a series of online 'CONVERSATIONZ' with some amazing people both here at home and around the world, starting with Jade Miles from Sustainable Table in Australia.

More details to follow about our series of online webinars, but for now:

Save the Date!

Sustainable Table Conversation

Thursday 31st October at 7pm

Online Webinar via Zoom

We look forward to holding space for this exciting series of conversations!

Soil, Seed & Sovereignty Workshop

Join Jessica Hutchings (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Huirapa, Gujarati) & Jo Smith (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha), editors Te Mahi Oneone Hua Parakore: A Māori Soil Sovereignty and Wellbeing Handbook as they discuss the stories of hua parakore (Māori organics framework) growers from around the country, delve into the GMO debate, and explore the connections between soil and food security within the context of rangatiratanga with Juanita Hepi (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngātiwai, Ngāpuhi)

Te oneone, te kākano me te kai: Soil, seed & food sovereignty & wellbeing

Monday 25 November 2024

6pm - 7pm

Toi Auaha, 5 Worcester Boulevard Ōtautahi / Christchurch

FREE - Bookings essential!

In te ao Māori, soil is taonga. It is also whanaunga - it holds ancestral connections and is the root of turangawaewae and whakapapa. It is the source of shelter, kai and manaakitanga.

What role can matauranga Māori play in looking after soil and its relational elements of seed and kai? How can we elevate the mana of these resources? And what about the GMO debate? What do soil, seeds and food mean in terms of sovereignty? Find out more at this kōrero here.

Book your FREE tickets to the Soil Workshop in Ōtautahi

Mapu at Sea

If you're still thinking about the 3-night private charter with Fiordland Charters Manager/Eat NZ Kaitaki Katherine Mitchell and Eat NZ Founder/Chef Giulio Sturla of Mapu taking place from the 21st - 24th Feb 2025...

Email Katherine@fiordlandcharters.co.nz to book or find out more about the adventure of a lifetime here.