Shangri-La (Pacific)

Shangri-La is an intentional community in New Zealand that is based on a shared ethic of compassionate living. Their property, near the town of Kaitaia, is a demonstration center for a cruelty-free and sustainable lifestyle. They grow veganically to feed their members, guests and wwoofers.

Shangri-La features an orchard of young fruit trees, some of which are just beginning to bear fruit: avocado, persimmon, pear, apple, fig, plum, sapote, cherimoya, mandarin and orange. Nut trees—walnut, almond, and macadamia—have also been planted. From the vegetable garden they harvest corn, tomatoes, salad greens, root vegetables, squash, and more. This feeds the members of their community, with the surplus occasionally sold at the local health food store or farmer’s market. Since the produce is primarily intended for their own consumption, they are not planning to become officially certified.

Hay is used as a mulch, and vegetable compost is added to maintain fertility. Lupines are planted at the end of the season to fix nitrogen and are mowed down in the spring to become a green manure. Occasionally seaweed, rock dusts and wood ash are also added. Composted human-manure is used around the fruit trees and flowering plants, but not in the vegetable gardens.

Their partner center in Hawai’i, Gentle World, was founded in 1970 and is an educational center for health, veganism, and nutrition . While the gardens are not fully veganic as they use some horse manure and seabird guano, the members of Gentle World in Hawai’i are knowledgeable about plant-based techniques and promote veganic horticulture.

Shangri-La and Gentle World Hawai’i welcome help in developing their projects, whether through talents, skills, or resources. They accept Wwoofers (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) for a few days at first, and possibly longer after this initial period. They may also offer visits if they are contacted in advance.