Once you find yourself amidst the tranquil embrace of olive trees, it is easy to understand why they symbolise peace. Nestled in the heart of our 430-tree grove, a small guest cottage awaits to offer you a private and idyllic retreat—just a short walk from the charming Martinborough town centre.
A Cosy, Nature-Inspired Stay
Our charming cottage features two bedrooms, offering picturesque views of the front paddock dotted with a growing collection of fruit trees and grazing lambs most of the year. At the back, the home faces the grove and includes a large set of patio doors that open completely onto the deck, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in a serene vista of the olive trees.
The spacious deck provides the perfect place to relax—sink into the deck chairs with a glass of outstanding local wine and gaze out over the olive trees, or enjoy a soak in the large tub with a good book while taking in the tranquil view.
A Culinary Haven
For cooks and anyone who loves to entertain, the open-plan living area includes a well-equipped kitchen with a large island bar, offering plenty of space for cooking, eating, and drinking with family and friends. Whether you are preparing a gourmet meal or enjoying a casual snack, the kitchen is designed to make your culinary experience delightful.
Embrace the Magic of Martinborough
As the day turns into night, Martinborough reveals another of its treasures. Being part of the Dark Sky Society, it offers a spectacular display of the Milky Way on moonless nights. Wrap yourself in a warm lap blanket, sit by the outdoor fire pit, and watch for shooting stars over the olive trees.
Bordered on three sides by rows of native bush, the diverse variety of trees, shrubs, and grasses attracts an array of native birds whose singing provides a soothing and joyful wake-up call in the morning.
Sustainable and Green Living
Another reason to feel good about your stay in nature is that our cottage, fondly called the Orange Door, has recently become even greener with the addition of a solar system and house battery. While not entirely standalone, the system produces far more energy than is consumed under normal conditions, ensuring you have a sustainable yet comfortable stay.
A Wine Lover's Paradise
Martinborough is a well-known wine-producing village famous for its Pinot Noir. As part of the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, our small village boasts over 20 cellar doors. The same soils and microclimate that produce these outstanding wines are also perfect for olives. The grape harvesting season gently transitions into the olive harvest, making autumn and early winter a time of celebration and reflection. A Day on the Grove A typical day on the grove varies throughout the year.
Olive groves experience short, busy periods interspersed with regular maintenance. The busiest time is during harvest season in early winter, from late May to early June, before the first frosts. This is followed by pruning in early spring, which is essential to ensure the trees continue to thrive.
Throughout the year, regular tasks include spraying, fertilising, mowing, trimming weeds, and clipping water shoots from the base of the trees. This maintenance ensures the trees focus their nutrients on developing new growth and fruiting.
A Deep Connection to Nature
Working among the olive trees provides a sense of serenity and a feeling of closeness to nature. We have always believed that we are caretakers of this land and the trees—a concept known in Maori culture as kaitiaki, a guardian responsible for protecting nature. Caring for our trees is almost spiritual and reminds us of our duty to look after them for the next generation.
The birds, while not usually welcome during the ripening period, bring us enormous joy with their songs and company. We often find ourselves followed around the trees by the same fantail, joyfully chirping while hunting the bugs our work boots kick up.
Farm-to-Table Living
From farm-to-table or paddock-to-plate as we say here, living in an agriculture-based community brings us closer to the foods and beverages we consume, and gives us a deeper appreciation for their origins and the work that goes into producing them. Most people we meet here are linked to agriculture—our accountant, for example, is also a cattle and sheep farmer. On our property, we consume our own olive oil, eat from our garden year-round, graze sheep in our front paddock, and enjoy fruit and nuts from our trees.
In our community, it is not uncommon to find a small box of eggs or vegetables in our mailbox from neighbours down the road who keep hens. We are constantly thinking about sustainability and giving more to the earth than we take. For us, this also involves changing our approach to managing the grove, such as adjusting the types of sprays we use on the trees and installing a solar system to generate more electricity than we consume.
A Close-Knit Community
The olive-growing community in our village is small and close-knit. We share knowledge, equipment, and often help one another with harvesting. Dedicated to our love for olives, we embrace the role of kaitiaki for the trees and aim to help others understand the dedication and effort that goes into producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
Join Us for a Peaceful Retreat
Our olive grove homestay in Martinborough offers more than just a place to stay. It provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, experience sustainable living, and enjoy the peace and tranquility of an olive grove. Whether you are a nature lover, a wine enthusiast, or someone looking for a peaceful retreat, our homestay offers an unforgettable and transformative experience.
We warmly invite you to stay with us—where the serenity of the olive trees, the beauty of the starry skies, and the warmth of our community await to embrace you.