our story

Passionate about soil health and the environment, Dom Ferretti and Jeanette Ida have been farming since 2010. Leaving their Wellington jobs back in 2007 (Dom - a Climate Scientist and Jeanette - a Physiotherapist) started Ferretti Growers. Moving to Whitianga, Coromandel Peninsula, they started growing organic produce. Dom, is a 3rd generation Italian grower. His Grandparents, from Italy, started market gardening in the Hutt Valley, near Wellington. His Father, a commercial tomato grower. This background photo shows Dom’s Father on the left, Uncle - middle, Grandfather - right, ~1940. A move to Nelson in 2014 saw them farming in Brightwater, selling certified organic produce at the Nelson Markets and growing a dedicated customer base. They started Santosha Farm in 2019. Santosha is a Sanskrit word meaning contentment. Produce was sold through a veg box scheme that operated through the lockdowns and was featured on the TV show Country Calendar.. In more recent years, Ferretti Growers transitioned out of growing organic produce to a Native Plant Nursery. They supply the demands of home and land owners as well as revegatation projects that restore and protect health of the soil, waterways and environment.