Mangaroa Farms is a resilient community food hub and “living laboratory” for regenerative agriculture located in the Mangaroa Valley, Upper Hutt, Wellington. Operating as part of the Biome Trust, the farm is transitioning a former dairy farm and pine plantation into a high-diversity regenerative system that integrates market gardening, sheep and beef, and large-scale forest restoration. Their work is grounded in soil biology—treating the soil mycelium network as “underground livestock”—using diverse pastures and regenerative grazing to boost photosynthesis, build soil carbon, and strengthen drought and flood resilience. The Mangaroa River is central to their stewardship, with ongoing efforts to restore significant areas of pine back to native forest to support birdlife and aquatic ecosystems.
For the community, Mangaroa Farms runs Kete Kai (their farm shop/food hub) and hosts volunteer days, planting events, tours, and farm-to-table experiences to grow local food resilience and connection to whenua. Visitors can also stay on-farm in eco-luxury accommodation or book venues for events immersed in the farm’s regenerative lifestyle.