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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

Hearts Racing

A shared passion for horse racing brought Jessica Murphy, known as Jess, and Marc Hamilton together, so when the couple exchanged vows on a bluebird autumn day in Central Otago, it made sense for Jess’s Appaloosa gelding, Micah, to take a starring role.

Read More

Generations of Care

Robyn Stephens, a Te Rohe Pōtae King Country farmer and grandmother of nine, took up dog trials at the age of fifty-nine, following in her father’s footsteps, and at seventy-six is still working as a casual musterer. Here, she reflects on her connection to the past and how her whānau Māori has influenced her.

Read More

Still Here

Her father’s influence and a deep love for animals inspired her to become a shepherd, but it’s not been an easy road for Wairarapa-based Lara Smith, 29. Here, she shares how her persistence has paid off.

Read More

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.

drone view of Lake Hāwea

Love in the Back Blocks

A future husband was the last thing Jaimee Coulter expected to find when she was doing her rounds as a fertiliser rep.

Read More

Nature’s Medicine

With the help of her enterprise, Hau Botanicals, Mahuru Wilcox is a mana wahine helping others to connect to nature and te ao rongoā Māori.

Read More
Sophie and Lucy hugging on a rock

Special Delivery

For the Macdonald sisters, the wild hills of their childhood provided the perfect launching pad for their business, Middlehurst Delivered.

Read More
Jo and Teresa

Teresa & Jo

Jo Luxton, 48, and her sister, Teresa Thompson, 45, both enjoy the little things in life. Hot chocolates. Belly laughs. ABBA.

Read More
Two men and their dogs stand in a field

Ask The Flock

This week we approached the topic of romance with our community of readers.

Read More
Partially woven flax

Weaving with Aroha

Based in the Wairarapa, Manaia Carswell is a māmā, a wahine of Ngapuhi and Ngāti Hine descent, and a weaver.

Read More

Takurua Winter 2026 Edition

Twenty-Sixth Edition

Our beautiful Takurua Winter 2026 Edition is out now.

Do you have a story to tell?

We'd love to hear it.