Stories to Inspire Change - June Newsletter 2025
The New Peasants - by Happen Films
Kia Ora,
For over a decade, Happen Films—led by Jordan Osmond and co‑producer Antoinette Wilson—have illuminated regenerative living through deeply human, land‑centred storytelling. With over 67 million views across their catalog of 41 films, their work uplifts people and projects sowing seeds of change, from backyard gardens and community composting, to alternative house-builds and wild forests.
Their upcoming feature, The New Peasants, (above) marks the fourth film in their celebrated anthology, joining Creatures of Place, From Weedy Forests to Grassy Woodlands, and A Day in the Life of Woody.
In this feature, Happen Films journeys with Meg, Patrick, Zephyr, and Woody—who, for over 15 years, have left supermarkets and cars behind to craft a radically simple, community‑rich life, meeting 80 % of their needs without money.
The New Peasants premieres at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival on 27 July 2025, then tours Australia - before returning to Aotearoa with more screenings announced soon. It’s a rare chance to witness a family embodying land‑based sovereignty, generosity, grief and joy, and ask ourselves: what would it mean to live more richly by needing less?
Our Giftees remind us that stories are not just to be watched, but lived. That transformation, like compost, begins quietly in the everyday.
Please enjoy this month’s updates.
Ngā mihi aroha,
— Biome Trust
Featured Films
Some of our favourite Happen Films stories.
Creatures of Place is an insight into the wonderful world of the family featured in The New Peasants: Meg, Patrick, and Woody. More
A Day in the Life of Woody showcases the unschooled life of 11-year-old Woody, a boy who has been schooled from home all his life. More
Straw Bale Dream Home follows the building of a beautiful eco home by wonderful owner builders Adam and Sian in Victoria, Australia. More
The Food Forest Farmers features Permadynamics - implementing permaculture practices to regenerate a degraded hillside into an abundant food forest. More
Hua Parakore provides an insight into Māori Organics from the perspective of one of its most knowledgeable practitioners – Dr. Jessica Hutchings. More
Giftee Updates
Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust presents the eight part series, Hua Parakore: Rebuilding our Broken Food Systems, connecting kai growers & kai sovereignty around NZ. More
Mangaroa Farms’ Zeb Horrell visits Mangarara Farm in Hawkes Bay to learn about agroforestry & agritourism from NZ regenerative pioneer Greg Hart. More
Toru Education highlights a range of local events in the Pōneke region, including a zero waste events, permaculture courses & food forest planning. More
Kōanga Institute is distributing this season’s heritage fruit trees, including peaches, plums, berries, & grape vines - lovingly stewarded by Kōanga for decades. More
Local Futures features the 2025 Natural Beekeeping Summit, a groundbreaking event dedicated to bee-centric, natural approaches to beekeeping. More
Tiwaiwaka’s Donna Kerridge recently presented at the Hearth Summit as the screening of the documentary Eternal Song in Ljubljana, Slovenia. More
Organics New Zealand is warning gene-edited foods could hit NZ shelves without labels under new trans-tasman proposal by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). More
Learning Environment features a short video about their Ngā Tipu ā Nuku - Harvest Festival 2025, part of a growing movement towards local kai sovereignty in Whanganui. More
Ruamāhanga Farm Foundation is hosting a community planting day in the Martinborough region 10am-12.30pm, Sunday 6th July. More
Rewiring Aotearoa features New Zealand smart panel start-up Basis and their new switchboard replacement which could help decrease household energy bills. More
Kelmarna Gardens presents Farmhands: a hands-on, supportive learning experience in regenerative organic food growing and farming. More
Tū Wairua new website covers the groundbreaking integration of rongoā Māori with psychedelic assisted therapy. More
Underground Festival - New Zealand’s Festival of Soil has announced the 2026 event will be held 18 & 19 February at Greystone, Christchurch. More
Additional News
Predator Free NZ covers 5 reasons the Tīeke should be your favourite bird. More
For the Love of Bees is hosting the Earthworkers Programme: Regenerative Horticulture 101, Pōneke, Wellington 21st-25th July 2025. More
Crooked Vege Organic Market Garden in Otaki are fundraising to help recover from their second burglary - closing 11.59pm 6th July. More
Quorum Sense is supporting NZ farmers and growers in the shift to biological and regenerative practices with a range of events & workshops. More
Blue Borage covers a shopping guide for composting systems in Aotearoa NZ. More
On the Land Magazine is covering Aotearoa's back-to-the-land community, homesteading, permaculture, & self-sufficiency - issue 5 out now. More
“Storytelling is the oldest form of education.”
