Join us on Saturday 21st March from 10am–3pm for our Harvest Festival — a special launch event in partnership with Upper Hutt Food Week. It’ll be a little different from our usual Open Days: more stalls, more food, and more of our community involved. Expect fresh local produce, regenerative farm tours, kai tastings, nature play for tamariki, a Pumpkin Competition, and more.
About Food Week:
Upper Hutt Food Week is coming to life for the first time, 21st–29th March 2026 — a celebration of local food, culture, and community. Think of it like the Upper Hutt Arts Trail, but with kai. All across the region, organisations, cafés, foodbanks, schools, community groups and marae will be putting on a rich spread of workshops, shared meals, foraging walks and events. We’re proud to be kicking it all off at Mangaroa Farms.
It’s a moment to mark the changing of the seasons, celebrate the harvest, and deepen our connection to kai grown here in Whakataka / Upper Hutt. Whether you’re a grower, a cook, a food lover or just curious, this is your chance to meet others who care about where our food comes from and where it could go next.
Then from 22nd–29th March, Mangaroa will continue to host a range of food-focused workshops and experiences across the week — with some wonderful guest facilitators. Details to come.
Come be part of this growing movement toward local food resilience, shared learning and community connection. Nau mai, haere mai. Let’s get amongst it.
📍 Hosted at the Mangaroa Farm Shop / Kete Kai 98 Whitemans Valley Road
Volunteer at the Mangaroa Farms Harvest Festival:
Please fill out the form here if you’d like to volunteer on the day.
Watch this video from our 2024 Open Day:
Open Day Activities include:
Local Mangaroa Lunch / BBQ
Live music & good vibes with Carlos Riegel & Casual Healing
Garden tours (Very Limited Spaces — Sign Up Now)
Permaculture Orchard Tours
Kids Zone with face paint & craft activities
Local vendors & marketplace
Coffee cart
Sheep dog demos
Sheep shearing
Farm Trail Loop
Garden Tour Times:
Garden Tour 1: 10AM - 10:45AM
Garden Tour 2: 11AM - 11:45AM
Garden Tour 3: 1PM - 1:45PM
Garden Tour 4: 2PM - 2:45PM
Permaculture Orchard Tour Times:
Permaculture Orchard Tour 1: 11AM - 11:45AM
Permaculture Orchard Tour 2: 1PM - 1:45PM
About Preserves Competition:
Do you think you've got the best pickles, preserves or baked goods in Upper Hutt or Wellington? Well get those heirloom recipes out and bring them to our first ever harvest festival competition and let others see! Judging is 50% by public vote, so bring your friends and whanau and come enjoy a family filled day. Judges announced on the day. All judging final. Prizes in the form of a Mangaroa Farm Shop Voucher.
Two categories:
1. Best Preserves (Pickles & Chutney)
2. Best Baked Goods
You need to enrol to receive a copy of the rules and regulations, which mostly are around food safety. Information will be emailed to you after signing up.
About Mushroom Log Inoculation Workshop:
Secure your log and join us for hands on mushroom log inoculation workshops hosted by Earth School Aotearoa at our Harvest Festival. Learn about the history of inoculated fungi logs while participating in a fun filled activity, price is per log, families welcome to participate as a whole.
Tickets
Please note: kids come free for tours
General Admission - FREE (no garden tour included)
Garden Tour - $20 for a timeslot of your choice. Limited spots available! Kids are free with adults
We look forward to sharing the Mangaroa Farms gardens, kai, community & trails with you. Please get in touch with events@mangaroa.org if you would like to be involved.