Eleven North Canterbury farms are opening their gates on Sunday.
Farms in the Selwyn, Waimakariri and Hurunui districts have signed up as part of the Open Farms Day initiative.
More than 50 farms nationwide have signed up for Sunday’s event, which is aimed at reconnecting New Zealanders with where their food comes from.
The farming operations include a winery, vegetable growers, organic farmers, a herb farm, milking sheep, dairy farms, sheep and beef farms and an urban farm.
Greystone Wines, a certified organic vineyard and winery at Omihi, south of Waipara, is inviting the public to learn about grape growing and winemaking as the harvest is about to begin.
Grown is a strawberry and vegetable growing farm in Sefton, north of Rangiora, supplying directly to consumers and selling at farmers’ markets.
KoruKai herb farm on Banks Peninsula grows more than 80 medicinal herbs, using sustainable practices by farming "beyond organics" by actively building soil, testing for nutrient density of plants and sequestering carbon with the aid of the soil food web.
Lanercost is a 1310ha sheep and beef farm north of Cheviot which is run as Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s future farm.
Lonsdale Sheep Dairy is a small sheep-milking farm at Springston, near Lincoln.
Ngai Tahu is opening up two of its dairy farms, Otukakau and Paritea, at Eyrewell near Oxford.
Spring Collective is an organic vegetable farm at Leeston which sells its produce at local farmers’ markets in Christchurch and supplies to New World Supermarkets and organic stores.
The Food Farm, located north of Amberley, grows food organically using permaculture principles and appeared on Country Calendar last year.
White Rock Mains is a 1056ha sheep and beef farm at White Rock, north of Rangiora, which was the supreme winner in the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards last year.
Cultivate Christchurch was established to reduce youth unemployment by employing young people in an urban farming environment. It uses organic farming methods and supplies to inner city cafes, bars and restaurants.
- Registration is required and can be made at the Open Farms website.
