We own 454 acres of magnificent New Zealand countryside that we call Shangri-La; a private valley, with two pristine rivers. Here we welcome volunteers each summer season (from November-May) to help lift Shangri-La up to its name, which includes the planting and maintenance of hundreds of fruit trees, flower gardens and vegetable patches, all grown veganically.
Shangri-La is home to an orchard of young fruit trees: avocado, persimmon, pear, apple, fig, plum, sapote, cherimoya, mandarin and navel oranges. Nut trees—walnut, almond, and macadamia—have also been planted. From the vegetable garden they harvest a variety of greens for salads and steams, as well as celery, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, squash and zucchini, beans and peas, carrots and beets, onions, garlic, and more. This feeds the members of their community as well as guests and wwoofers, with the surplus occasionally sold at the local health food store or farmer’s market. Since the produce is primarily intended for their own consumption, they are not planning to become officially certified.
Hay is used as a mulch, and vegetable compost is added to maintain fertility. Lupines are planted at the end of the season to fix nitrogen and are mowed down in the spring to become a green manure. Occasionally seaweed, rock dusts and wood ash are also added.
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Get involved:
Gentle World welcomes help in developing their projects in either location, whether through talents, skills, or resources. They accept WWOOFers (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) through an application process found here. They are also open to visitors if contacted in advance. For more information about the work Gentle World is doing to promote veganism and veganic gardening throughout the world, visit gentleworld.org
Please be aware that our New Zealand center is open only during the summer months, and is closed to visitors from the end of April until the beginning of November. Our Hawaii center is closed to visitors from the end of December until the beginning of April.
