Taiao Ora Farm

Established in 2022, Taiao Ora Farm is located 11kms south of Ōamaru on the East Coast of Aotearoa. It overlooks the Kakanui Mountains and includes 4 acres of common land with a Common House, solar electricity, 3 tiny houses, an orchard and food garden. Taiao Ora means ‘Healthy Environment’ and embodies our purpose.
Our Mission: to create and benefit from affordable housing that is a model of healthy, sustainable, community living in Ōamaru
Our Vision: everyone has sovereignty of their food and housing
The structure
Taiao Ora Farm is a registered NZ Company and shareholding members are Directors and Shareholders of the Company that owns 2 acres of common land and leases 2 acres of KiwiRail land. We also have flatmates, WOOFers, workshop attendees and community members who participate in our project. Each house site is big enough for a tiny house and surrounding garden. The ecovillage currently consists of 2 shareholding families with room for expansion. We use Sociocracy as our method for collective decision making. We have a Shareholder Agreement with all of our processes, protocols and policies so that our decisions by consensus are also legally binding. We are happy to share our Shareholder Agreement with others seeking a template for agreements to establish their own ecovillage project.
The community
The community currently consists of 3 adults (age range early 40s to early 50s), a cat and two dogs. As a community we are committed to working collectively to meet our needs and work towards living sustainably on a permaculture path. Groups of us work together on common land and building projects as required.
Community Buildings and Land
The Common House is used for community meetings, workshops, events, meals and celebrations. Shared access to toilets, showers, kitchen, solar electricity, toolshed and workshop, as well as woodlots, orchards and pastures.

We enjoy hosting WOOFers and exchanging energy.