JONO FrEW
Managing Director & Coach
Growing up in the small town of Duntroon in the Waitaki Valley, Jono’s family of sheep dipping and agricultural spraying contractors meant that his childhood was surrounded by agricultural chemicals. After 21 years working in various ‘conventional’ farm systems and chemical application, Jono took a job as manager of a large, organic sheep & beef mixed cropping farm. Jono learnt to farm without chemicals, and in doing so, realised that he’d been madly treating symptoms rather than root causes all his life, wondering why it all wasn’t working yet not doing anything differently. This role allowed Jono’s mindset to shift from “complicated simplicity, to simple complexity”. As a result, Jono created Natural Performance Ltd, Quorum Sense, and co-created Symbiosis Ag Ltd. Jono is committed to creating a world that works, aligned with Nature.
jake herron
Coach
Raised in rural Manawatu, then working on the family station on the south coast of the Wairarapa, Jake always had questions and concerns around the heavy use of synthetic fertilisers, the increasing use of chemicals, and the seemingly insatiable demand for more production being placed on our land and its stewards. In 2019, Jake set out to become a ‘regenerative farmer’. His experience has given him a deep appreciation and understanding of what it takes both personally and professionally for someone to set off down this road after a lifetime in the ‘conventional’ industry. Jake is committed to creating a world where farmers and growers are celebrated by the masses for growing food that heals our people and planet.
Greer Manderson
Coach & Head of Communications
Raised in Whangarei, Northland, Greer’s access to the agricultural scene was through the family business, Avoca. In 2020, Greer completed her Bsc (Biological & Environmental Sciences) at the University of Canterbury. At the beginning of 2020, Greer’s Dad took her along to a Christine Jones seminar in Darfield. Christine’s words “it all starts in the soil” intensely resonated with Greer, creating the direction of her contribution to the world: to shift the current paradigm of food production to one that regenerates both the health of our environment and the wellbeing of our people. In 2021, Greer completed her BSc (First Class Honours) at Lincoln University, directing her research within the realm of regenerative agriculture. Greer is not only committed to transforming current farming systems into agroecosystems, but also to being a ‘bridge’ of communication between urban and rural, academic and public spheres.