Jubilee Farm NZ

13/06/2026

As organic farmers, these Bills could end our industry and forever change New Zealand's unique ecosystems. Almost 15,000 submissions were received by the Government on the Gene Technology Bill last year. I was one of nine hundred who were allowed to speak to the Health Committee. The Gene Technology Bill has stalled due to lack of support. Now we have two Amendment Bills to a different Committee, proposing the same intent being snuck through the back door while the GT Bill is stalled. Please submit by tomorrow evening or they will achieve the same outcome to deregulate gene technologies in NZ. It takes just 5 minutes to let them know if you agree/not with the proposals to allow GMOs or gene edited organsms to be released in NZ. OANZ has a great resource on the links below if you want to go into the details or just let them know if you want the Bill to proceed/not, or if you want gene technologies excluded from the proposals. Closes Monday night. Act now!

URGENT CALL TO ACTION!
Four days. Two bills. Two submissions. The HSNO and ACVM Amendment Bills would give regulators new powers to bypass public oversight and fast-track overseas-approved agricultural products into New Zealand, potentially opening a backdoor for GE inputs into our food system.

Download our free templates and submit before Monday 15 June, 11.59 pm. We've made it so easy, it will take you less than 20 minutes for both submissions.

Here: https://www.oanz.org/new-blog/four-days-to-protect-organic-and-ge-free-farming-submission-template

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

05/06/2026

These little shrubs, ready for planting on the farm, are part of an ambitious project to develop a new superfood for New Zealand gardens. They are Honeyberry plants and represent a huge amount of time and research by members of the New Zealand Tree Crops Association. The bright blue berries are much higher in anthocyanins than blueberries, although they are juicier and less transportable (and some have an awkward shape described like a rat dropping), with the flavour combo of raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. We haven't tasted one yet as we are about to plant ours now. The fruit picture is from the Life & Leisure Magazine who ran an article on the Tree Crops trials. The Honeyberry project started in Nelson with seeds, 2500 original seedlings, then trials of selected plants around NZ over the last few years. Now some of the trial plants have been made available to members of the NZ Tree Crops, and we are going to see how they go here in Northland along with other Tree Crops members. You can check out the NZ Tree Crops Association at https://treecrops.org.nz/ and if you are near Whangarei, the Northland Branch has our annual Plant Swap on 21 June, which is definitely worth being a member for!

12/05/2026

Every year we try and grow one more crop that we normally spend money to buy. Last year we decided that would be kumera. The ground has been pretty wet and it has taken us a while to get them out of the ground. Some of them are massive! It is not a whole year's worth by any means but it feels like success for a first go.

25/04/2026

There is a lot of worry in the world right now. A lot of "what ifs", lots of online click bait and AI too. I find the best way to beat stress anytime for myself is to plant a tree, sow some seeds, grow some food. No matter what is going on in the world, our kids will be fed well. Can I encourage you to grow some food yourself (mung beans and herbs on your windowsill are easy and will give you a feel-good and vitamin boost), and get to know your local farmers and growers. We grow most of our food, and three years ago we gave ourselves a five year goal to give up the supermarket entirely. That doesn't mean we grow everything we eat, it means things that we don't grow we source from organic wholesalers or local growers. I picked up the supplies below from a local farm shop for $16.50 this morning. That is our grocery shop for this week. Go and check out your local farm shops and roadside stalls and farmers markets. If you are local to us, go and check out Muriora Farm on Hailes Road on a Saturday. Support local growers and supply your table with beautiful fresh food. Real food security is local supply, yours and your local growers.

18/04/2026

We had a tour of the farm and our Dexter herd with the Northland branch of the Dexter Cattle Society yesterday. The rain thankfully held off and we had a wonderful time chatting all things Dexter and Northland farming. You can check them out at https://dextercattle.nz/

28/03/2026

It is amazing the difference that a day can make. Thursday was wet and wild with significant flooding. But by Friday it was gone and the sun came out again to dry everything out. All the stock were on high ground and safe, just a bit of grass to clean off all the lower fences. The abbatoir came on Wednesday and headed off to butchers in Whangarei and Auckland before the storm hit. Working our way through the storm clean up now while the kids enjoy the mud!