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.

Ditching the sepia tones of alcohol: “I value my life too much to not see it in full colour”

Angela Taylor, 36, lives with her husband on a small farm in Feilding and works in rural insurance. Seven years ago, she stopped drinking and says that, while it wasn’t anything dramatic that made her give up, her life has changed dramatically since she did. She spoke to Shepherdess about life without alcohol

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“I want her to be proud that I’m her mother” – how the right support has helped a young mum find her self-worth

“I want her to be proud that I’m her mother” – how the right support has helped a young mum find her self-worth

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“My brain just stopped working” – coming back to health and self after a head injury

Thirteen months ago, Wānaka lawyer, farmer and hunter Alice Sanders, 33, sustained a head injury while rock climbing.

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Mirror work: learning to love the skin she’s in with a daily body-love practice

As she approaches her thirties, Laney Van Jaarsveld (Ngāti Maru) is coming into a new phase in her relationship with her body.

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The Heart’s Road

For Fleur, art, emotion and balance are all interconnected, acting as both a release for her own feelings and as a way to connect with others around the world.

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Inside Out

Lisa has built her business – The Baked Dane – up from a maternity-leave hobby to a thriving and beloved Horowhenua-based bakery.

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Takurua Winter 2026 Edition

Twenty-Sixth Edition

Our beautiful Takurua Winter 2026 Edition is out now.

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