ABOUT US
Our Journey Begins here
Tomtit Farm began in 2019 with a few small beds of organic vegetables and a simple idea: to grow nourishing food and share it with the local community.
In those early seasons, vegetables were harvested each week and sold from a small stand at the front gate. This quickly grew into a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programme, where households subscribe to receive a weekly box of seasonal produce, creating a direct relationship between the farmer growing the food and the people eating it. Those CSA seasons laid the foundation for everything that followed.
From the beginning, Tomtit Farm also supplied organic produce to some of the region’s most respected kitchens, including The Green, in Hamilton East working alongside chefs who value seasonal, locally grown food.
As the gardens grew, flowers began to find their place among the vegetables. In 2021 a small patch of blooms was planted, which quickly expanded into vibrant seasonal flower gardens filled with cosmos, dahlias, zinnias, and sunflowers.
Alongside this growth, the farm deepened its commitment to organic and ecological growing. Tomtit Farm began the organic certification process in 2020 and achieved full OrganicFarmNZ certification in 2023. In 2022, the farm also began its Hua Parakore journey, embracing a kaupapa grounded in mātauranga Māori and natural growing practices.
In 2022 the gardens became even more personal when Brittany and James were married on the farm, celebrating their love in the same place where the soil, flowers, and community had already begun to grow.
Over time, Tomtit Farm has evolved into a place where people can step into the garden themselves through pick-your-own flowers, organic seedlings, workshops, and seasonal gatherings that celebrate the rhythms of nature.
What began as a bare paddock and a big dream continues to grow as a flower and food farm rooted in living soil, seasonal abundance, and a deep connection between people and the land.
What We Stand For
Everything at Tomtit Farm begins with the soil.
We believe healthy soil is the foundation for thriving ecosystems, nourishing food, and resilient communities. By working with organic and regenerative principles, the farm supports biodiversity, builds living soil, and honours the natural rhythms of the seasons.
Tomtit Farm exists as part of a wider ecological and human community, where the wellbeing of the land, plants, people, and future generations are deeply connected.
We hope to inspire others to deepen their relationship with nature and the living systems that sustain us all.
Growing Resilient Communities
Tomtit Farm exists to strengthen the relationship between people, food, and the land.
By growing organic food and flowers and sharing practical growing knowledge, the farm helps provide healthy local food while contributing to stronger food systems and more resilient communities.
Here, people can step into the garden, learn how food and flowers are grown, and experience the abundance that comes from working with nature.
Through this work, Tomtit Farm nurtures thriving gardens, confident growers, and communities deeply connected to the whenua (land).
Rooted in Place
Tomtit Farm sits on whenua in Matangi, Waikato, in the rohe of Ngāti Hauā.
Here, the work of the farm is guided by a deep respect for Papatūānuku and the living systems that sustain us. Caring for the soil, growing nourishing food, and creating space for people to reconnect with nature are all part of that relationship.
Through the garden, Tomtit Farm hopes to inspire backyard growers, families, and flower lovers to grow something of their own and experience the beauty and abundance that comes from working with the land.
Seasonal Growing
We grow slowly and intentionally, working with the rhythms of nature and the principles of Hua Parakore, nurturing healthy soil, thriving ecosystems, and meaningful connections with the land.
Learning & Sharing
Tomtit Farm is a place for learning. Through seasonal gardens, seedling packs, and hands-on experiences, we share practical growing knowledge and encourage more people to grow their own food and flowers.
Living Soil
We farm with the future in mind, using organic and regenerative practices that build living soil, support biodiversity, and care for the long-term health of the land.
Community
Tomtit Farm is as much about people as it is about plants. Led by farmer Brittany Stembridge, the farm brings people together to learn, share knowledge, and celebrate the beauty and reality of seasonal growing.
MEET BRITTANY
Tēnā koutou.
No Wairarapa ahau. I tipu ake ahau i Te Awamutu, i raro i te maru o Maungatautari. Kei Kirikiriroa taku kāinga ināianei. Ko Stembridge tōku whānau. Ko Brittany tōku ingoa.
My work is shaped by a deep curiosity about the relationship between soil, food, and human health. I hold a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from the University of Otago, where my studies explored how the quality of our food begins long before it reaches the plate.
That curiosity eventually led me back to the land. What started as a small vegetable garden grew into a lifelong commitment to organic growing, soil health, and rebuilding meaningful connections between people and the food they eat.
Alongside growing nourishing food, I’ve always been drawn to flowers for the beauty and joy they bring into people’s lives. Flowers have a way of opening the door to the garden, inviting people to slow down, notice nature, and reconnect with the land.
Today my work centres on growing, teaching, and supporting others to develop the knowledge and confidence to grow food and flowers within their own communities. I was honoured to be named Emerging Organic Leader of the Year in 2023, but the real reward comes from seeing more people step into the garden and discover the joy of growing for themselves.
Sustainability
We believe in nourishing our soil, crops, and relationships to create harmonious ecosystems.
Transparency
Transparency ensures trust; we openly share our practices with customers and supporters.
Education
Education is paramount; we host workshops to share knowledge and skills with others.
Whats on
Alongside our pick-your-own flower gardens, we grow food, nurture soil health, and share what we learn through workshops and community events inspiring others to slow down and reconnect with nature.
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