Driving staff and customer passion with on-farm experiences.

Untamed Earth Organic Farm, Canterbury

Untamed Earth is an organic vegetable farm just South Ōtautahi/Christchurch. Run by friends Isaac, Penny, and Ollie who see people and the planet as the key drivers of their farming business. Their passion and kaupapa has fostered a dedicated following of customers who took full advantage of the Open Farms day to see the behind-the-scenes action.

“We had almost 400 people through at the last Open Farms day”, explains Ollie “we hosted walking tours that some guests took twice, they had so many questions and were so interested in what we were doing”.

Ollie and the team sell their produce at weekly markets, in conjunction with online sales and supplying several restaurants.

“We have direct sales with around 600 consumers a week, and the day really cemented for them what was going on and what it all looks like”. As it turned out, benefits of sharing their hard work and dedication went both ways. “It gave our staff a real kick, a lot of them came along in their own time just for a day out and they were really chuffed to see people excited about what they did for a job”.

According to Ollie, providing interactive experiences was some of the real magic of the day.

“The day was scheduled just as we were having our pumpkin harvest, so we let guests walk through the pumpkin patch to try and find the biggest pumpkin, it’s the simple things. I wouldn’t think anything of going to pick a pumpkin, but far out, they loved it!”.

Showcasing their work and business was pivotal to reinforcing their messaging and evidence of their motivations.

“If you’re doing good work, no social media post or video can compare when communicating what you’re doing on farm. Or, if you’re passionate about something, being able to show people firsthand what you’re passionate about, with a hands-on experience”

Isaac, Penny and Ollie