As Spring asserts itself here in the Northeast of Scotland, new life is stirring in Cullerne Gardens. After three years of low energy, there is a hive of activity: fields are being prepared, seeds are growing in the propagation tunnel and a team is coming together under new management, preparing the ground for local food growing, volunteering opportunities and a box scheme that aims to feed at least 60 subscribers in the first year.

Seeds in Cullerne Gardens photo Fasil Bogale

Recent developments have provided the security that Cullerne Gardens will remain dedicated to food growing and educational activities. This will reassure the folk who were concerned that the difficult financial situation of the Findhorn Foundation Trust may lead to some form of development on the land. Much more work and support is still needed to ensure a thriving future. Please contact us if you can help with donations or volunteer work.

This project will be promoted on a fresh new website, to be launched very soon. The site will allow Cullerne Gardens to take its place in the context of exciting local initiatives to support greater food security. Here subscribers, volunteers and other food growers will be able to engage in weaving a strong web to support us all in an endeavour for Moray to feed Moray.

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Organisational Changes

In 2023 the Findhorn Foundation announced a drastic reorganisation that was necessary to address its financial crisis after the pandemic, Brexit, cost-of-living crisis and a changing world where spiritual education has become accessible globally. As a consequence it withdrew its staff from the gardens.

A dedicated team of Community volunteers kept the flame alive and food continued to be grown on a small scale in a couple of the polytunnels but most of the rest of the gardens was laid fallow. Many of the experienced gardeners moved on to other jobs as they needed to earn a living.

Cullerne volunteers 2024 photo Cornelia Featherstone

In 2025 the Findhorn Foundation Trust engaged in an extensive process of handing on the many different aspects of its legacy to successor organisations. Ekopia has taken on stewardship of Cullerne Gardens, as well a several other responsibilities. CEO Fasil Bogale gave the following presentation in a Community Meeting on 25th February 2026.

To browse through the presentation please use the < > arrows at the left and right of the window. For easier reading, use the buttons at the bottom of the window: use Zoom (the + and – buttons) or Toggle Fullscreen (the four arrows pointing outwards).

Playing an integral part in the bioregion

The first food growing in the ‘Findhorn Garden’ was a sheer survival strategy as the founders grew vegetables to supplement their meagre income from social security. Dorothy Maclean’s engagement with “co-creation with nature” brought a new dimension to what otherwise would just have been good organic gardening.

This was one of the aspects that made the burgeoning Community famous, first in the UK, then worldwide. Over the years the lessons learned in the ‘Findhorn Garden’ became one of the essential strands of the spiritual education. From the 1970s food growing became one of the many aspects of the planetary village (later ecovillage) concept. And whilst it continued to be important, it was less central than the many community endeavours which were described in our model of sustainability.

From 1995 onwards this model was evolved by the Global Ecovillage Network and formulated in the Ecovillage Map of  Regeneration.

Food security is high up on the agenda for individuals, communities and governments alike as we become increasingly aware of the potential impact of an unfolding polycrisis. Local food growing has become again a survival strategy that will allow community and bioregions to weather the changes, to bend not break, and to contribute positive solutions.

In 2025 Moray Climate Action Network (MorayCAN) commissioned research exploring the idea of the region’s ability to feed its population and produced the Can Moray Feed Moray? report.

To read the report please use the < > arrows at the left and right of the window. For easier reading, use the buttons at the bottom of the window: use Zoom (the + and – buttons) or Toggle Fullscreen (the four arrows pointing outwards).

We are making our contribution the the bioregional efforts by bringing 4 acres in Cullerne Gardens back into production, producing seasonal, healthy vegetables, straight from the soil and full of life for our box scheme subscribers. Farm freshness directly to the table.

Ekopia

Ekopia is a co-operative located in Findhorn, Moray raising funds to support local community social enterprises. Founded in 2001, we are part of the Ecovillage associated with the Findhorn Foundation. We work closely with a variety of local stakeholders several of whom are represented on the Board.