Ra Clay | Nomad Aotearoa, The Grey Area Nursery
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
When the Nomad crew came here, nothing was changed.
What you see in that episode is just how life is here every day.
There was no plan. No script. Just the whenua, the gardens, and the work that happens here.
Being part of Nomad was not something I ever expected. But I’m grateful they came, because it showed people something that matters. Not me, but this way of living.
Living close to the land. Growing food. Sharing knowledge. Looking after this place.
That’s what this has always been about.
This Place at Kaiata
This whenua has been teaching me for a long time.
This land was handed down to me by my mother, Peggy, for our whānau. It carries her, and those who came before her. Peggy had deep whānau roots and strong Māori values. She lived in a Te Ao Māori way, not by talking about it, but by how she lived every day. She cared for people. She welcomed others into our homes. She showed us what it meant to manaaki, to give without expecting anything in return. That is how we were raised here.
The Grey Area Nursery grew slowly over the years. It was never about building a business. It was about honouring what Mum gave us, and holding this place in a way that kept that spirit alive.
It has became a place where people could come and reconnect.
Reconnect with the soil.
Reconnect with growing kai.
Reconnect with themselves.
I’ve seen a lot of people come through here. Some arrive unsure. Some just curious.
But something shifts when people put their hands in the ground.
They remember they are capable.
They remember they belong.
The land does that.
And I believe that’s part of Mum’s legacy too.
Hunter Gatherer Gardener
The Hunter Gatherer Gardener programmes came from seeing how disconnected people had become from the basics.
Growing food. Harvesting. Providing.
These are simple things. But they’ve been lost for many.
This programme is not about teaching in a formal way. It’s about sharing. Standing alongside people. Letting them learn by doing.
I’m still learning myself.
We all are.
Nomad showed a small part of that. Just people, on the land, doing what humans have always done.
Nothing Has Changed
Since Nomad aired, more people have reached out.
Some say they saw something in it that they’ve been missing.
That means a lot.
But nothing here has changed.
The work is still the same.
The gardens still grow.
The seasons still move.
And the gates are still open.
If you watched Nomad and felt something, you’re welcome here.
This place is about sharing. About learning. About reconnecting.
Nau mai. Come and see for yourself.
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