Chat on the Chathams

Greer Paterson, 32, our resident columnist – and also a school teacher, fencing contractor, mum of two and much-loved Shepherdess team member – shares the special highlights and challenges of teaching in a place as remote as Rēkohu Wharekauri Chatham Islands.

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Still on the Station

Cath Ward (Ngāti Raukawa) found a new purpose for both herself and Pahi Station when she and her husband, Zander, established the Pahi Coastal Walk – a private walk that takes in the farm’s sweeping coastline, rolling farmland and native bush.

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Our Whare

Letter from the Editor, Ngahuru Autumn 2026 Edition.

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Leek & Cauliflower Cheese

“Cauliflower cheese is a classic family favourite, made even tastier with chunks of sweet and tender leeks and crunchy breadcrumbs. This is fab served with a roast or sausages, or it could easily be served as a vegetarian main dish with fresh crusty bread and a green salad.”

This is the third comforting recipe Olivia Galletly shared with us from her first cookbook, The Hungry Cook.

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Rustic Fruit Tart

“In my eyes, a seasonal fruit tart is hard to beat. This tart is the perfect way to use up any of the final sun-ripened autumn fruit.”

This is the first of three recipes Jaz Mathisen shared with us from her cookbook, A Year at Awakino Station.

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Turning up for Each Other

Kath Menpes, 48, a born and bred Southlander, grew up inland in Heddon Bush and now lives in Orepuki, a small coastal settlement, with her husband, Paul, and their two children, Jamie, 15, and Lizzy, 13, on Paul’s family’s third-generation sheep farm. Three years ago, she joined PGG Wrightson as the store manager at Tuatapere. Five times a week, she channels her commitment to staying active into community fitness sessions for local women, where it’s not just muscles that get strengthened.

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A Dream & Hard Graft

A way of life with a love of horses at its core, encompassed by a strong belief that horses can heal.

Awakino

Gemma Helleur Hiscock has fond memories of family summer holidays in Awakino.

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Betting on Love

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.”

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Fully Woolly

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.

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Wild, Natural and Down to Earth

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

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Gorgeous Blackberry & Apple Galette

Galette for one? Why not! Small quantities of homemade pastry are quick to make and so gratifying.

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Sweet Life at Bluff Station

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.

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Takurua Winter 2026 Edition

Twenty-Sixth Edition

Our beautiful Takurua Winter 2026 Edition is out now.

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