Uploaded June 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Watch the prequel to this film from 2016 : youtu.be/6GJFL0MD9fc
In "Growing Wild Together" we return to the nearly 30-year-old permaculture 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: longwoodloop.co.nz
The Environment Centre
Website: sces.org.nz
** Find out more about Happen Films **
If you’re interested in supporting us to make more films, check out these options:
Open Collective: opencollective.com/happenfilms
Patreon: patreon.com/happenfilms
For more info about Happen Films, check out our website: happenfilms.com
We make short films and feature films, all with a permaculture, resilience, sustainability focus. Don’t forget to Subscribe here on YouTube!
** Find us on social media **
Twitter: twitter.com/happenfilms
Instagram: instagram.com/happenfilms
Facebook: facebook.com/happenfilms
** 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 happenfilms.com/contact
Watch the prequel to this film from 2016 : youtu.be/6GJFL0MD9fc
In "Growing Wild Together" we return to the nearly 30-year-old permaculture 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: longwoodloop.co.nz
The Environment Centre
Website: sces.org.nz
** Find out more about Happen Films **
If you’re interested in supporting us to make more films, check out these options:
Open Collective: opencollective.com/happenfilms
Patreon: patreon.com/happenfilms
For more info about Happen Films, check out our website: happenfilms.com
We make short films and feature films, all with a permaculture, resilience, sustainability focus. Don’t forget to Subscribe here on YouTube!
** Find us on social media **
Twitter: twitter.com/happenfilms
Instagram: instagram.com/happenfilms
Facebook: facebook.com/happenfilms
** 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 happenfilms.com/contact
