The Trust is governed by a group of six dedicated trustees, supported by a part-time Executive Secretary.
Sam Weaver
Sam Weaver is one of the most experienced wine professionals in New Zealand. He is currently Chair of the Kete Ora Trust and was a past chair of the Biodynamic Association of New Zealand.
Sam comes from a farming family in Shropshire, England’s largest inland county. Having studied microbiology at London University he then worked in the London wine trade for10 years, becoming Managing Director of a wine merchant. In 1988 Sam and family moved to New Zealand to join the Kiwi side of his family and started wine making.
In 1991 Sam and his wife Mandy bought a lifestyle block, Churton, in the Waihopai Valley in Marlborough. Quickly realising that a lifestyle block was anything but a lifestyle, they set about expanding and developing the farm. Today Churton is a 51ha farm. The farm focus is on producing wine from 23ha of vineyard and growing Red Devon cattle. It has been farmed biodynamically for over 15 years and in that time has seen the biodiversity of the farm broaden and deepen. Sam sees biodynamics as the ultimate way to bring the best out of the land and to express its unique character or terroir in the Churton wines.
“Biodynamics is the most powerful of farming philosophies. It draws together the use of science-based knowledge but at the same time allows for and encourages a spiritual and intuitive knowledge of the farm, bringing life and emotion to the place”.
Logie Mackenzie
I grew up in Inverness, Scotland, working through my childhood and early teens on a mixed farm as well as dairying. The love of the land and working with the challenges that nature throws at us has never left me. I was lucky to have an amazing mentor/farmer when I was growing up, and his faith in me has shaped who I am today. I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from (…..) and then worked for a variety of agri business in the UK ranging from small scale vegetable and animal farming to large scale arable and animal operations.
I came to New Zealand in 2001 and began managing vineyards for Brunton Road and Matawhero in 2003. I moved to Marlborough in 2010 as a viticulturist for Mudhouse Wines and in 2015 joined the Berakah Vineyard Management team, where we run both conventional and organic vineyards. I consult to organic businesses, and I have an organic wine brand supplying wine in kegs to reduce its carbon footprint.
Having seen first-hand the impact of chemical fertilizers on the soil kingdom, our environment and our people, along with the impact of our actions on our health and the planet, I am driven to make changes in how we farm. We need to look after the land and our world, and farm as sustainably as possible. It requires courage and determination to use organic and biodynamic principles.
“The Kete Ora Trust enables us to forge ahead and educate people about different ways to farm while still being profitable and helps promote better ways to grow our own food and feed our families, and to make better choices in what we buy.”
Gui Vilhena
Gui is a father, beekeeper, enthusiast biodynamic gardener with a love of all things natural. Originally from Brazil, Gui began farming and beekeeping from a very young age. He became acquainted with biodynamic agriculture in 2003 and has been practicing since then, firstly on a commercial basis and later as an enthusiast gardener.
Since coming to Aotearoa New Zealand, Gui has worked as a commercial beekeeper, relief milker and market gardener in Whitianga and then at Hohepa in the Hawkes Bay. He tutored at Taruna and is currently a lecturer in apiculture and horticulture at EIT Te Pūkenga in Taradale.
“To me being at Kete Ora trust is a great service I can give to Aotearoa supporting the creation of a truly sustainable future.”
Gui Barreto Dib
Gui was born in Brazil in 1983. As a child he lived on a biodynamic farm, Demetria, in Botucatu and attended a Waldorf school. In 2007 he was awarded a BA in history at which time he decided to come to NZ for a holiday. Here, he re-connected with the biodynamic movement and worked at Hohepa farms for 9 years, growing vegetables, milking cows and assisting with farm work. He studied the Biodynamic course at Taruna in 2010 and in 2016 he began work there as a Tutor delivering courses on sustainable horticulture and farm machinery. In 2019 Gui was awarded MA in History from Massey University. His thesis focused in the early years of the Biodynamic movement in New Zealand and the establishment of the Biodynamic Association in 1939.
“I believe the Biodynamic way of growing food brings a natural balance to the grower, to the land and to consumers too. Our environment suffers badly from bad farming practices and biodynamic/organic brings so many positive solutions and makes total sense to me. Kete Ora Trust is an instrument for supporting education, research and activities which brings more awareness to a wider audience of the benefits of growing food truly sustainably.”
Luca Fant
Born and raised on a centuries-old organic and BioDynamic farm in northern Italy, I spent my early years immersed in BioDynamic and organic agriculture, learning firsthand the value of quality, care, respect and a deep connection to the land. While my family embraced traditional organic farming practices, they were also forward-thinking, which sparked my early interest in technology and engineering.
This curiosity led me to study Mechanical Engineering, specializing in CAD/CAM design, preventive maintenance, and quality control. While engineering sharpened my analytical mind, a course in quantum mechanics opened my eyes to holistic thinking, helping me reconcile scientific rigor with my family’s BioDynamic philosophy.
After working in the mechanical industry in Italy and New Zealand, I returned to my roots in agriculture, pursuing a degree in Viticulture and Winemaking. I joined Huia Vineyards, an organic and BioDynamic winery, as vineyard foreman and assistant winemaker, where I honed my expertise in plant science, microbiology, and holistic farming practices, while developing leadership skills and fostering collaborative, motivated teams.
In 2019, I joined BioGro, growing my knowledge of organic certification and auditing from the compliance point of view.
My journey has reinforced my belief in holistic approaches, sustainability, and working in harmony with nature, combining science, technology, and stewardship to contribute to a healthier, more sustainable future.
I want to be part of the solution, not to contribute to the problem.
Kaitlyn Lamb
In my final years of high school in Rotorua, I became a Kaitaki for Eat New Zealand and a part time organic market gardener at Lux Organics. This is where I found my passion for soil health and a resilient food system. I am now in my final year of studying a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Geography, minoring in French, at The University of Canterbury. I am also very passionate about composting and run a compost consulting business, Kai Compost. Human health is another passion of mine, which stems from my current experience with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
“Being a Trustee for the Kete Ora Trust enables me to be part of the creation of the food system we need in Aotearoa. One that is rooted in resilience, soil biology and profitability. This will come from land management practices such as those used in Biodynamic and Organic farming systems.”