Watch the prequel to this film from 2016 : https://youtu.be/6GJFL0MD9fc
In “Growing Wild Together” we return to the nearly 30-year-old food forest growing on the edge of a small town in the very south of Aotearoa New Zealand. The forest, previously an abandoned section filled with rubbish and burnt house remains, was the subject of our 2016 film An Invitation for Wildness. Now we’ve returned to find out what has changed in the forest and for the people who live there.
Robyn and Robert’s forest garden is home to countless forms of life, from trees and plants to birds, fish, and insects, and of course the humans who live amongst it all, in harmony. With time it grows wilder and wilder, “Like me,” says Robert. Since we first visited, the couple have also developed new projects, one of them reviving an old trade route, to help create food resilience for the nearby rural communities.
In the film, Robert says he’s convinced that the food forest model will be one of the most important models for creating a resilient future on Earth. He maintains we must learn to be loved by the forest. Here is a film to inspire love for our forests and everything they generously gift us!
** Find out more about Robert and Robyn’s work: **
The Longwood Loop
Website: https://www.longwoodloop.co.nz
The Environment Centre
Website: https://www.sces.org.nz/
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** Film credits **
Directed by Jordan Osmond
Produced by Antoinette Wilson
Written by Jordan Osmond & Antoinette Wilson
Cinematography by Jordan Osmond & Jason Hosking
Editing by Bailey Palmer
Sound mix by Richard Reade
Story feedback from Nick Tucker
** Thanks! **
To our wonderful supporters on Open Collective and Patreon, who helped make this film happen: Amanda Card, Brian Newton, Carolyn Gillum, Dave Evans, Dennis Lange, Geoffrey Torkington, Greg & Rachel Hart, Jacqueline Hicks, Jess O’Shea, Jessica, Joan Leitch, Jonathan Wise, Julian Maher, Kelle McNamara, Kelly & Peter Osmond, Kirti Patel, Lauren, Lisa de Narvaez, Mark Denekamp, Mary Conlan, Milkwood, Moana Kiff, Nathan Kitchen, Peter Lord, Pierre Blom, Raphael Hug, Rex & Jo, Ron Hastie, Sankar Madhavan, Sherri Bangs, Teresa R., Tiitus Laine, V.J. Raghavan.
** Subtitles and closed captions **
We love that so many people have translated for our films here on YouTube. Sadly, the community translation function no longer exists, but if you’d like to volunteer to translate to your language, please reach out to us via https://happenfilms.com/contact
39 Comments
This film was made possible by our generous supporters on Open Collective and Patreon! If you enjoy our work and want to help fund future films check out the Support page on our website at https://happenfilms.com/support 🙂
so much more to story forest gardening quitar instrumen thinking a baut you music heLp me anjay ratu manikam
Man … so inspiring. I started my organic compost station and organic garden last year, this year I'm starting my food forest. Your channel is incredibly inspiring, hope you doing well brotha. Please keep posting, your work is important.
So beautiful
Bruh the sounds alone. There's so much life in there.
Wow. Their permaculture food forest is even more lush now than it was back in 2016! Glad to see they're still thriving and living my dream. Oftentimes I think we as a society are givien the false impression that in order to be in sync with our natural ecosystems we will have to sacrafice our prosperity and quality of life, but what this New Zealand couple has shown us is that living in harmony with nature doesn't mean a life of artificial scarcity and decay. Instead, they've shown that it can mean living in abundance with good health in a way that is both sustainable and economically beneficial if done right. Love it!
Revolutionary
God I love this couple.. I would watch the whole thing if you make a 3hr documentary on them… Need more food forests sprouting up in the world. 🙂
Wot da fuk did she say eh
This is So Awesome!! Happen Films seems to be Inspiring Millions of People to adopt Permaculture and Rewilding all over the World!! Im Personally So Inspired and Grateful for these Films! It gives one a Sense of Hope in a Very Troubled World! Thank you to the Guytons and Happen Films!
What happened to the people growing this forest and the forest itself when Gabrielle cyclone hit NZ? I hope they are okay. I have watched and shared this video so many times. It is so inspiring. I wish you well from South Africa
Wonderful bird sounds
I want humanity to be loved by the other beings on Earth. Planting and caring for food forests is a great way for this to happen.
Mega!!!
Beautiful thoughts
Its funny, the more I watch videos like this, the more I look around the city I live in and see so much potential that people don't use and I think its sad. we could feed so many people here if just a few adopted something like this.
This is the way God intended humans to live.
Just watched this for the second time to cheer me up. 🙏
A complimentary system known as Sandponics can be researched at Google by entering the term "Sandponics Information" and pressing Enter.. This system could be used to grow any types of fruit and vegetables that may not grow quite as well in the food forest. Plus it is an ideal system for raising edible fish.
i have my own little foodforest since 18 years and still adding new varieties of trees and schrubs.climbers and groundcovers same with few of my friends overhere..but its so cool to see what these people are doing and spreading the gospel 😉of how we can produce food with use of trees and a
real diversity of crops ..This Is The Way.. …much love from Belgium…
Your dream is my dream too❤🫶
One of my dream lifestyles and I want to live like this in one day. Grow old together with my plants and die peacefully. Even after my death, my plants can still provide foods and shade to next generations as well as green our environment and planet earth. Thanks for this beautiful video, guys!
Amazing!
This dudes gunna need a cheap tree surgeon
The first video inspired me to plant as many local fruit trees as I can around my house. Soon my children will enjoy harvesting their own fresh fruits.
The first video inspired me to plant as many local fruit trees as I can around my house. Soon my children will enjoy harvesting their own fresh fruits.
I’ve always wanted to do this. I want to take a piece of land in the desert and add a large pond. Then I wanna start covering the ground in mulch and enriching the soil. My dream is to have a few acres completely covered in fruit trees and various other edible plants. I’d absolutely love my own little forest I can harvest from, and also help local wildlife. I have always wanted an animal sanctuary, and this could easily turn into one if done right 🙂 thanks for sharing, very beautiful and inspiring!
Inspired myself at 23 yrs old going to make a orchard and garden
Great to see how many views this great film keeps getting! Thanks for all the supportive and positive comments.
LOVE this! Very inspirational
That accent means you colonise afrika or Australia, wyts have no business teaching nature
Would love to just move in on the plot right next to these guys and let their forest grow over my way.
I can't tell you how many people I've shared that first video with. So glad to get an update and see how they're getting on. So inspiring! TY 🙏🏼
Great video, I have seen the first part. I was wondering if any animal can coexist in this forest garden like chicken or duck.
That comment about developers are really true and devastating. I can see how we destroyed almost all forests and greens to build housing and more housing. It's sounds funny when governments talk about protecting native wild animals and invasive species to me. More like a smoker lecturing others not to smoke.
living in japan and will be replicating this technique, was very aware of these folks previous video,
Thank you
This is as close to the garden of Eden and God's intent for it that I have ever seen. Gives me hope!
Why didn’t they want a gate in the back too, instead of that big gap? Btw it’s beautifully done 🎉
How beautifully inspirational.