Piopio Berry Orchard

22/10/2026

IT’S OPENING DAY!

We’re ready to welcome you back from midday today!

We’re easing into the season, with our first strawberries starting to come through and fresh asparagus available while stocks last. Pop in for a little taste of summer, with real fruit ice creams, smoothies and coffee waiting too! 🍓

See you at the orchard this Labour Weekend!

20/10/2026

THOSE COBWEBS IN OUR TUNNEL HOUSES? THEY'RE THERE FOR A REASON!

One of the things we loved about our Country Calendar episode was that it showcased what matters most to us: family and community. Close behind that is our commitment to growing our berries as sustainably as we can, working with nature to look after our plants, our soil and the environment we’re lucky to be part of.

If you watched our Country Calendar episode, you might have spotted a few cobwebs around our tunnel house plants. Before you think we need to get the duster out, there’s actually a good reason we leave them be!

One of the advantages of growing berries here in Piopio is our isolation from other orchards. This helps protect our plants from many common pests and diseases, reducing the need for spraying in the first place.

We also use Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which simply means working with nature to help protect our crops. For example, if a tiny insect starts damaging our plants, we can introduce a natural predator that feeds on it, rather than automatically reaching for a spray.

And those cobwebs? Spiders help catch unwanted insects too, making them part of our little tunnel house ecosystem!

We believe how we grow our berries matters just as much as how they taste. By working with nature, caring for our soil and reducing our reliance on chemical sprays, we’re doing our best to look after the land that sustains us. Intensive growing can put pressure on soil and the wider environment, so we believe it’s important to make thoughtful choices that help protect both.

We want our customers to feel good about what they’re buying, knowing we care about how their fruit is grown, the environment it comes from and the people who enjoy it. That’s why this winter, we’ve invested in even more tunnel houses, allowing us to continue developing our growing practices and strengthening our commitment to sustainability.

We’re proud to play our part in growing delicious berries responsibly.

Growing delicious berries while working with nature. That’s something we’re proud of.

Learn more about our sustainable growing methods and our partnership with NZGAP on our website: www.piopioberries.co.nz/sustainable-growing/

18/10/2026

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT AND... WE'RE OPENING THIS FRIDAY!

We’ve been absolutely overwhelmed by the love, messages and feedback since our Hyundai Country Calendar episode aired. It’s been incredibly special to share our story, and we know that reaching this milestone wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing team and the support of our wonderful community. We’re so grateful to everyone who has been part of the journey.

If you missed the episode, you can watch it on TVNZ+
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/player/tvepisode/country-calendar-s2026-e34-berry-cool

And more exciting news - we’re opening from midday this Friday, 23 October!

Come and kick-start your Labour Weekend with a visit to the orchard. Enjoy our real fruit ice creams, smoothies and great coffee, and make a day of it with the family.

Our strawberries are just getting started, so fresh strawberries will be limited until more of the crop ripens. We’ll also have asparagus available while stocks last, so get in quick!

Whether you’re visiting us for the first time or returning for another season, we can’t wait to welcome you back.

From our family to yours,
Mike, Angela, Jessie and Maggie

See you Friday!

18/10/2026

Get ready! 🍓

Get ready team! We're on TVNZ 1 and TVNZ+ at 7pm with Berry Cool, a show about the family running Piopio Berry Orchard. See you soon.
📸 Taylor Photographer

14/10/2026

So special to share the people and story behind Piopio Berry Orchard with you all 🍓

Sunday 18 October | 7pm | TVNZ1

13/10/2026

We’re so excited to share our story! 🍓
Tune in to Hyundai Country Calendar this Sunday, 18 October, at 7pm on TVNZ 1 to see what we’ve been up to at Piopio Berry Orchard. We can’t wait for you to watch!

📸 Laura Taylor Photographer

07/10/2026

We’ve been a little quiet over winter, so we thought it was time for an update from Piopio Berry Orchard!

Firstly, a reminder that our story will be featured on Country Calendar @ 7pm on Sunday 18 October. We’re so excited to share a little of our family, our orchard and what goes on behind the scenes with the rest of New Zealand.

And the other big news… we’ll be opening again very soon! We’re hoping to open in the next few weeks, around Labour Weekend, depending on when those first strawberries are ready. We’ll announce our exact opening date as soon as we know it, so make sure you’re following us!

Winter is always quieter here, but there has been plenty happening behind the scenes.

Mike, Angela and their hard-working team have been busy getting the orchard ready, including putting up new tunnel houses. These will allow us to grow even more amazing quality berries, while helping us continue our commitment to sustainable growing and looking after the land for the future.

Mike and Angela have also had quite an adventure this winter. They spent time in London visiting their daughter Maggie, son-in-law Rhys and granddaughter Tilly, before their son Jack flew over from New York to join them. Mike and Angela then headed to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago, a famous pilgrimage route right across northern Spain, walking almost 800km over several weeks. They then spent a week in Valencia with the family before heading home to New Zealand - a little more tired than when they left!

Back home, their daughter Jessie has been holding down the fort, busy with her four boys and their winter sports, dairy farming with her husband and rearing calves. She’s now looking forward to swapping the farm for the shop and welcoming customers back!

Mike and Angela are now back at the orchard, the team is busy getting everything ready, the plants are growing well and we’re now seeing those first strawberries ripening. And when we open, the much-loved fresh asparagus will be back too!

Remember to tune in:
Hyundai Country Calendar
Sunday 18 October | 7pm | TVNZ 1

See you very soon!
Mike, Angela, Jessie, Maggie and the team

24/04/2026

LEST WE FORGET

Today we honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of those who gave so much for our freedom.

Our family will be attending the ANZAC Memorial Service in Piopio this morning, alongside our son, Thomas, who is serving in the New Zealand Army (service starts at 10:45am on Weka Street). We warmly encourage anyone in the area to come along and pay their respects.

We usually open in the afternoon on ANZAC Day but just a reminder that due to the road closure, we are now closed for the winter.

23/04/2026

TOMORROW IS OUR FINAL DAY! 🍓 (Friday 24th April)

Due to the news today that road closures between Piopio and Mōkau (SH3 through to Taranaki) will remain until at least the 2nd May, we’ve made the call to close earlier than planned - so tomorrow will be your last chance to visit us for the season.

We’ll be open 10am – 4pm, so there’s still time to come out, enjoy some fresh berries and real fruit ice cream, and stock up before winter!

A heartfelt thank you to all our wonderful customers and our dedicated team - we truly appreciate your support. It’s what makes each season so special.

Frozen berries will still be available by prior arrangement throughout the off-season. For more information, please visit:
www.piopioberries.co.nz/contact

And just a reminder - you’ll be able to catch us on TVNZ's Hyundai Country Calendar on 18th October, so be sure to tune in!

We’ll continue sharing updates over winter, so follow along on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s happening behind the scenes.

We wish you all a great winter and look forward to seeing you again in October!

From Mike, Angela, Jessie, Maggie and the rest of the Piopio Berry Orchard team ❤

22/04/2026

🍓 WE ARE OPEN! 🍓

Despite the road closure between Piopio and Mōkau (SH3 through to New Plymouth) due to slips, Piopio Berry Orchard is OPEN!

📅 Open hours:
• Today 22nd April: we will be closing at 3pm
• Thursday 23rd April: 10am – 3pm
• Friday 24th April: 10am – 3pm

If you’re travelling via the Forgotten Highway (SH43) toward Taranaki, we’re just a quick 2 minute drive from the Eight Mile Junction turn off to Taumarunui - perfect for a berry stop and caffeine fix along the way 🍓☕

Road conditions can be checked here: https://www.waitomo.govt.nz/our-services/roading/network_status/

Come by, enjoy the fresh air, grab some delicious berries and stock up on your frozens for the winter before we close for the season - we’d love to see you!

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