Local biodynamic farm Hōhepa receives national recognition.
Hawke’s Bay’s long-standing biodynamic dairy farm, social enterprise and special community dedicated to the idea of ‘every life fully lived’, has received an unusual amount of attention lately.
Hōhepa is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1956 that supports people with intellectual disability from throughout the country and is based on the principles of anthoposophy, although it has developed in the New Zealand and specifically, Hawke’s Bay context.
Last Sunday a segment about Hōhepa was aired on the iconic farming show Country Calendar, and last month it was awarded the Food for Good Award at the National Sustainable Business Awards in Auckland, for the work it has done to create a positive impact on people and the environment. Hōhepa was among 9 winners and 71 finalists.
It was also recognised with the Excellence in Sustainability Award from Hawke’s Bay Regional Council at the Pan Pac Hawke’s Bay Business Awards and back in April and scooped a raft of medals including two gold medals for its artisan organic Vintage and Danbo cheeses at the NZ Champion of Cheese Awards. It also took home the Countdown Sustainability Award as part of the Cheese competition.
All round, an exceptional year for Hōhepa, an organisation that while well known to locals has a lower profile outside of the region. That’s also because rather than seeking publicity, its staff and community are focussed on its work tending to the cows on the farm, cheesemaking, tending to seedlings in its native nursery and working on a range of crafts – candles, sculpture, woodwork and more – which are sold in its retail stores.
Hopefully that is now set to change.
“It’s taken us by surprise but has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diversity that we stand for,” says general manager Santiago De Marco, an Argentinian who came here 26 years ago with his Brazilian wife, inspired by the opportunity to work in an anthroposophical organisation, and never left.
“We absolutely fell in love with Hōhepa and Hawke’s Bay and we have never left … we hope to be here when Hōhepaturns 100.”
Hōhepa is one the largest employers in Hawke’s Bay with 650 staff, and supports 200 people. People can work in healthcare, education or one of the social enterprises across Hōhepa’s business model. Everyone in the community has employment opportunities and gets paid either the living or minimum wage depending on what subsidy they have from the government.
I asked De Marco about where the name Hōhepa came from. Te reo Māori for ‘Joseph’, the organisation was named after the father of Sir Lew Harris who along with Marjorie Allen, donated the original land for the original farm in Poraiti. His father, Joseph, a well-respected man in the local community was called Hōhepa by local Māori because of his standing.
De Marco says this fact shows that the organisation was ahead of its time in celebrating the significance of the Māorilanguage – while common today, it was rare in the 1950s.
Hōhepa, like Taikura Rudolf Steiner school in Hastings, Taruna College and Weleda pharmacy in Havelock North are all based on anthroposophy, the overarching philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, in which education, entrepreneurship and creativity come together to help people live their best lives, De Marco says.
“He developed many practices from medicine to agricultural and educational responses to our time. A few years ago that was seen as outdated but now there is a revitalisation of the idea of living a life of more harmony and looking for more holistic approach and social balance. [Steiner] encouraged a lot of that development through anthroposophy.”
The farm is New Zealand’s oldest commercially certified biodynamic farm, spanning 55 acres and grazing 61 cows. The people Hōhepa supports work on the farm and in a range of roles across the various social enterprises.
“We support people across all stages of life from children right through to the elderly. They come from all over the country and if they want to stay and be involved, we have a commitment that we are a community and they can be part of that for life.
“A few weeks ago, we celebrated the 75th birthday of one of the first people that came to Hōhepa when it started. We celebrate all the big life milestones. Generally, we support people with intellectual disabilities and with a number of different needs. Everyone has got something to offer so we encourage people to find ways they can contribute to the community.”
This means that operations aren’t always run to be economically optimal, because the focus is on providing a way for the community members to be involved and engaged. For example, there are 16 people whose role is to the bottle the milk, which could be done more economically with one person and a vending machine – but this is not the Hōhepa way, De Marco says.
“We need to balance the books and make it all work but our focus is on enhancing people’s lives.”
Similarly, the retail stores sometimes cost the organisation but it’s important to them that they are integrated in the community.
I asked if the Demeter (biodynamic) certification gave the produce a premium in the marketplace.
“Definitely it does provide us with a premium but that’s not why we do it … we do it because we feel a responsibility for the land and the social situation.”
The dairy products have good distribution around the country and can be found in places such as Moore Wilsons, New World and Farro Fresh. They can also be found locally at farmers markets.
Biodynamics is an organic farming system that looks at the farm as a living organism, in which the animals, the people, plant and mineral worlds all work together. Like organics, there is a focus on soil fertility.
“If you are managing to look after the soil then the farm gives it back and is very generous. But it takes time to invest in that. Some people say ‘we are doing intensive farming and we are not getting the levels of production that you get at Hōhepa’.
“We can’t take more than what we put in so we keep that in check. There are lots of technical things with composting and biodynamic preparations that support the soil fertility but it’s a high-level balanced approach that keeps the elements all in balance,” De Marco says.
Now, Hōhepa is on the move and looking to relocate its Clive-based community to build new homes in Napier and Poraiti in the coming years, in order to future proof them from potential flooding. Poraiti is the location of its school and children’s homes, with organic farming occuring on both sites.
They are currently fundraising for the construction costs. www.supporthohepa.nz
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