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.

Courtenay Bevan

Courteney, 28, is a city chef turned charter boat chef/deckie turned Jobs for Nature scientific diver – or, as she calls herself, a “glorified underwater weeder.”

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Woman tends to her garden

Emma Sage on Creating an Online Gardening Journal

Emma created an online magazine for the “garden-curious” when her two youngest children were small, after a previous career in marketing and brand management.

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Woman in front of artwork in tree

Fiona Collis on Reaching Beyond Her Local Patch

Fiona is a fibre and textiles artist using traditional knowledge and practices handed down by her ancestors to experiment with traditional Māori textiles.

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Philippa Cameron and a Favourite Salad Recipe

Philippa is the cook on Otematata Station in the Waitaki Valley of the South Island, providing smokos and sometimes lunch to the staff of shepherds.

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Wine bar

Two Tales of Taranaki – Rachel

Whether you’re into dramatic landscapes and outdoor adventures, or gallery-hopping and a spot of boutique shopping, sunny Taranaki has something for locals and holidaymakers alike.

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People on horses, out hunting

Love of the Hunt

For three quarters of a century, women and men in Starborough Hunt Inc have gathered to ride and hunt the rolling hills in a spirit of camaraderie and freedom.

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Takurua Winter 2026 Edition

Twenty-Sixth Edition

Our beautiful Takurua Winter 2026 Edition is out now.

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