Tui Land
Beginnings
Tui Community was founded in 1984 with the aim to create intentional community. The group purchased a farm consisting of 50 hectares (125 acres) in Wainui Bay, a beautiful place by the sea on the edge of the Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand’s South Island.
Today
Among the many activities of the community, we grow organic gardens and have two orchards. We are also regenerating a wetland. We raise our own cattle, have chickens, two young horses and two dogs.
Families live in separate homes and people are individually responsible for financing their accommodation.
Tui Lands gets cared for by our land care takers
and a team of volunteers.
Each Tui resident contributes 3-4hrs per week to the upkeep of Tui.
Orchards
We are fortunate to have a favourable climate to grow many different fruit and nut trees. Apples, nashi and pears do particularly well, but stone fruit and nuts also bring abundance some years.
Our main orchard integrates our flock of about 40 chickens.
Management of all trees is with organic practices only.
Gardens
Tui Community gardens provide produce for our weekly community meals and our work exchange and live-in program visitors.
Water Systems
Over the years, Tui has created an extensive water system for drinking, washing and farming, including ample storage for a fire prevention system.
We have our own sewage pond to process our waste water.
The Farm
A small group of Tui residents manages a group of beef cattle for home-kill meat production and sustainable management of our farm land.
Tui Buildings
Tui comprises about 20 privately and Trust owned residential and communal buildings. Most are built using natural materials, incl wood, cob and straw bale. Some buildings are on mains power, some off-grid.
