Feature Post v2

From studying at Lincoln as a Land Girl during World War II to working on farms throughout Waitaha Canterbury, Jill McKenzie looks back on a lifetime of connection to the land.

For Tracey Perkins (Ngāpuhi, Raukawa), cultural identity has been a lifelong journey. There is so much loss behind stories of reconnection, but for Tracey and her family, getting through the tough years has landed them in the best days of their lives so far.

Atop a hill overlooking the rich and rugged terrains of Bendigo Station, Māniatoto Central Otago and beyond, Brenna Johnston and Patrick Heaney stood before their closest family and friends and said, “I do.”

Through their business, Wilson & Dorset, Amanda Dorset and Ben Wilson are starting a quiet revolution to bring wool back into our homes, one sheepskin at a time. With a commitment to nature and to community, Amanda embraces the idea of perfectly imperfect to achieve their ambitions in business and in life.

Fiona Read of Hāpuku Kitchen and Justine Schroder of Mt Fyffe Distillery share with Shepherdess a taste of Kaikōura and what visitors should savour.

Tessa Bryant never thought she’d find herself in the heavy, white folds of a bee suit. But she has found a sweet life among the hives at Bluff Station, a winding fifteen-kilometre drive inland from Kēkerengū, learning all about beekeeping and, in the process, realising she can give anything a go.

Drive south-east from Whanganui on State Highway 3 during the summer months and you’ll soon spot hundreds of roses blooming in a paddock along the roadside – home to Matthews Roses.

Growing up, I was really just surrounded by my grandparents and my mum, so in terms of family, all I remember was it being small and intimate. In a lot…

From the cattle yards of Kenhardt Angus in Nūhaka, northern Hawke’s Bay, to university in Waitaha Canterbury and Colorado, and now a trans-Tasman role at Angus Australia, Nancy uses her international perspective to inspire the next generation.

Using the wool grown on her farm and a little-known finishing process, Nicola Wylie created the Lora & Flok bedding range in September 2023.