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A new companion for your coffee table! On the Lan A new companion for your coffee table! On the Land Issue 9 is out next week and will take you on an epic journey of regeneration and reimagining! In this issue we... >dive deep into the world of unschooling and keeping ducks with @khemeiavalley (cover story) >explore the ethereal yet community-driven world of biodynamics at @thewrekinvineyard >visit three stunning sustainable houses from the recent earthbuilding.nz conference. >Share @thefoodfarmnz's tips on designing your property for fire safety >Learn all about keeping donkeys with a King Country farmer. And much more! Subscribe to get the mag direct to your door and support traditional human storytelling. ➡ ontheland.nz Cover shot: @danescottcreative
Calling all craftspeople – tell us about what you Calling all craftspeople – tell us about what you do! ....... Alongside growing food and nurturing the whenua, the most important subject in On the Land is making things by hand. Knitting, weaving, leatherwork, carpentry, blacksmithing, soap making, carving – these are just some of the many noble crafts that have a direct connection with the land and the resources it provides us. Because all our features usually always include an element of hand-crafting, we're excited to be launching a standalone column all about the process of making things by hand. Each issue's column will feature a different craftsperson, their journey and their process. If you practise a craft and have some wisdom to share, we'd love to hear from you and share your work. DM us here or email editor@ontheland.nz. Image credits: 1. @liv.vanleeuwen 2. @joe_harrison_photo 3. @sophiemerkens 4. @sophiemilson 5. @jamie.wright.photography #handcrafted #handcrafts #leatherwork #knitting #weaving #homesteading #blacksmithing
Looking forward to seeing all you folks at @underg Looking forward to seeing all you folks at @undergroundfestivalnz Come visit our stall – I'll be there talking about the power of storytelling and art to drive the regeneration, and of course, peddling magazine subscriptions! Alongside all the amazing sessions and workshops throughout the event, I will be leading a discussion on the potential of small farms to feed us and bring people together. See you there! Michael 🌿 #undergroundfestival #farmingfestival #soilhealth #regenag #regenerativeagriculturemovement
In issue 8, we told of the story of @mikelilianbas In issue 8, we told of the story of @mikelilianbasketmaker – a master weaver from Otago who has spent much of his life perfecting the art of making traditional French baskets out of willows. Skilled and dedicated, Mike told us all about his life and journey; learning the craft by making baskets at A&P shows in the 1980s, travelling to France to watch traditional masters in the 1990s, and now running his artisan business from his home in Kakanui, where we grows and harvests all the willow himself. Despite the difficulty and discipline required for weaving, Mike told us that using his hands to make beautiful crafts has brought him enormous satisfaction throughout his life, connecting him with the plants and skills of his ancestors.  He encourages anyone with an interest in handcrafts to forget about the money and follow their passions. Subscribe to get Issue 8 and read the full story in print. ontheland.nz 📸 @joe_harrison_photo 🖊 @mikeydescribes #weaving #basketmaking #willow #handcrafted #artisans #handcraft #frenchbasket #willowweaving #printmagazine #longliveprint
In mid-2025, on a sunny winter morning in the tiny In mid-2025, on a sunny winter morning in the tiny Waikato farming settlement of Te Mata (pop 187), a man named Clem Cornes stands outside the recently restored public hall. Sitting opposite the local country school in the middle of Te Mata village, the hall is literally the centrepiece of the community – and there’s a lot of fanfare about its new life. The school kids have gathered on the side of the road to bless the opening with some waiata, while the dozens of local residents who volunteered to help with the renovation over the past six months have come to watch the grand unveiling; the removal of the builders’ plastic from the building’s new facade and roof. To everyone there, many of whom gave away dozens of weekends to bring the hall back to life, it’s a very special moment. But for Clem Cornes, whose family have used the hall since his great great grandfather helped pay for its construction in 1905 – 120 years ago – there’s a different kind of significance. “It’s been such an important part of our history,” says Clem, whose family attended dances and events at the hall for six generations. “It’s really great to see it back and it’s looking bloody good.” Te Mata is a place of longevity, and the hall is a record of it. Many residents, like Clem, have long family ties to the area and can recall attending important occasions at the hall when they were children. Dances, political events, funerals, weddings, 21st, badminton tournaments – it even served as an illegal watering hole during the prohibition area – the hall has hosted hundreds of events over its 120-year life that have brought the dispersed farming community together. For the locals, the hall is an iconic part of the community and its history – which is why they’ve worked so hard to keep it standing. ........... An extract from Issue 8, featuring @te_mata_public_hall_1905 and their awesome restoration project of the iconic public hall. Subscribe to read the full story about the project and the importance of country halls for rural communities. ➡ ontheland.nz 🖊 @mikeydescribes 📸 @katevanderdrift
Sometimes, when people hear about On the Land for Sometimes, when people hear about On the Land for the first time, they think it's some kind of budget rural rag. But when it turns up in their letterbox, they realise that they're getting some of the best photography and traditional storytelling in NZ. And all of it is created and inspired by talented humans living lives of purpose! #longliveprint #printforever #magazines #magazinephotography #noai #realstories #humantalent #livingontheland
In the acclaimed film, The Biggest Little Farm, Jo In the acclaimed film, The Biggest Little Farm, John Chester and his wife Molly begin the journey healing their newly-bought land by introducing animal and plant diversity. They plant 10,000 fruit trees and bring in pigs, chickens, sheep, cows and more – each chosen for a role in the ecosystem. Almost immediately, nature pushes back. Slugs destroy their orchards, coyotes destroy their chickens, gophers destroy their cover crops. They lose animals, wildfires lick the farm’s boundary, and weeds, slowly but surely, try to strangle everything. It’s frustrating to watch. Yet through each crisis, the team finds solutions – and it’s always through natural means. They bring in ducks to eat the snails, a livestock guardian dog to defend the chickens, and barn owls naturally appear to prey on the gophers. Even the wildfires, unstoppable and ferocious in such dry Californian country, seem to avoid the farm, kept at bay by the moisture in the soil that John and Molly’s practices have built over the years. Throughout the film, as an inexhaustible series of calamities is gently met with a limitless supply of solutions; as the farm and crops become more resilient and abundant, we see John evolve from an idealist with a camera to something steadier – a listener to the land, understanding that the presence of any pest is just a sign he needs to heed. “The reality is we’re not getting out of this ‘pest’ thing until we re-establish our connection to the system,” John says. ..................... An extract from Issue 8 featuring @john_chester_on_the_farm, who shares with On the Land the many ways he deals with problems on his farm without the use of synthetic chemicals. See John speak in February at @undergroundfestivalnz 2026, and subscribe to On the Land to read the full story. Subscribe ➡ ontheland.nz Buy Underground tickets ➡ undergroundfestival.co.nz 🖊@mikeydescribes
After 37 orbits around the sun, I’m finally beginn After 37 orbits around the sun, I’m finally beginning to understand that I am being guided by a benevolent force that favours me with abundance whenever I want it. 2025 felt turbulent, full of ebbs and flows. But amid the oscillation, I came to realise the truth – I am the architect of my own reality. The universe is working in my interests, I am free to live a life of purpose and passion, and create a living doing what I love. 2026 is the year I start harnessing that knowledge, committing fully to my mission and vision. So this year, I will: -Continue growing On the Land into a thriving independent storytelling and educational platform, an outlet for creatives to share their work, and a place where people can escape the miasma of digital tech and AI. -Use my skill with words to champion the crucial role of small farms in New Zealand, and the power of growing your own food as a form of rebellion against avaricious corporate interests. -Relaunch the On the Land podcast as a platform for inspiring discussions with people living off the land. -Tend and nurture the beautiful whenua that I’m lucky enough to call home. -Be the best father I can be to my little ones. -Start working on something exciting and secret, due in 2027…..watch this space! My sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported On the Land and allowed this lucky fella to live his dream. Michael On the Land founder
Issue 8 is out today - just in time for summer! Issue 8 is out today - just in time for summer! Weaving with willows, sewing with possum fur, keeping Dexter cattle, the best lettuce varieties, beating weeds naturally - this issue has the slow reads you need! Welcome back to the cover @gillian.swinton Order your copy today to get yours by Christmas. 》ontheland.nz 📷 @francinephotomachine
All our covers over the past year since On the Lan All our covers over the past year since On the Land was first published. You can definitely see a theme developing here! 🙃 Thanks to all our photographers for their exceptional talents – and our models for shining bright! 1. Lisa and Awa from @frogsongfarmer, captured by @francinephotomachine 2. Sonia from @urbanselfsufficiencynz, captured by @liv.vanleeuwen 3. Regina from @nics_mt_nicholas_honey, captured by @francinephotomachine 4. "The girls" from @threesistersfarm_ captured by @sophiemilson 5. Mati from @permadynamics, captured by @danescottcreative 6. Charlotte from @charlottegrahamarts, captured by @sophiemerkens 7. Caitlin from @wild.things.wanaka. captured by @ellepiggott #photography #covershoot #longliveprint
For many people, there’s often a long time between For many people, there’s often a long time between first viewing a property and making the decision to buy it. Caitlin and Max Ovenden did it all in a single day.
 It was 2020, just after the COVID-19. lockdowns, when the Wānaka-based couple accompanied some real estate agent friends to the property in question – a sprawling, six-acre “hodgepodge” of weed-tangled market garden beds and tumbledown greenhouses in Hāwea Flat. Having just had their second child, and feeling rather “fishbowl-esque” in their newly built house in suburban Luggate, the couple were immediately enchanted with the scale and potential of what they saw.
 “It has an old station house from the late 1800s and a little pond, and there are big trees everywhere, and so much land. We fell in love immediately and put in an offer that day.” Originally from Washington State, Caitlin didn’t have much hands-on experience with growing food. But with a desire to be at home with the kids, and the generous mentorship of the property’s previous owner, she felt a strong calling to take the plunge into serious gardening. “The old owner spent two months leading up to the settlement of the property showing me what she had been doing out here. She gave me lots of books to read – you know, Jean-Martin Fortier and others – and I read through all of them and then said, ‘Let’s give it a try’.” In the five years since, that casual try has turned into unmitigated success. Each summer her garden beds bulge with tomatoes and salad greens which she sells to local restaurants and through her own farm shop – an outbuilding at the end of the driveway. Meanwhile, thanks to hard work and a commitment to creating a closed-loop system, the once-tired property has come to life, providing an abundance of food for the family. The sheep and cattle grazing the pasture provide a supply of meat, while 70-odd hens out in the paddocks yield a steady supply of eggs. ................. An extract from our lead feature in Issue 7, featuring the family from @wild.things.wanaka Pick up a copy at your local store to read the full story! 🖊 @mikeydescribes 📸 @ellepiggott #marketgarden #marketgardener #smallfarm #regeneration
A note from On the Land founder and editor @mikeyd A note from On the Land founder and editor @mikeydescribes on the future of the magazine. Making On the Land has been one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. It’s difficult to describe the satisfaction I get when a new issue is nearing completion; when the spreads have been designed, and I see all the beautiful words and images – the brilliance of so many people – laid out and ready to be printed on paper. But like many print media businesses, we are feeling the pinch of increased production costs and diminishing advertising revenue. This year, NZ post has once again raised its prices by 30%, and more businesses are choosing to give their money to Meta and Google, rather than locally owned platforms. Despite this, I am determined to keep On the Land going. I love this magazine, I love what it stands for. I love the community it serves, the fact that we use human writers and photographers over AI, and the eternally appealing subject matter we cover – people living off the land. But to give On the Land a future I need your help. To keep this magazine going – and to grow it to a financially viable level, I need to increase our subscribers from 1500 to 4000. Every subscription matters, and 2500 extra ones will allow me to offset the loss in ad revenue, invest more time and energy into the magazine, and continue commissioning brilliant photographers and writers across NZ to produce high quality content. If you’re keen to support old-fashioned, non-AI, print storytelling in NZ, go to our website, subscribe/buy a gift, share about this campaign, and be a part of something increasingly rare and special in today’s digital world. ➡ www.ontheland.nz Gratefully, Michael Andrew
In a lush hilly vineyard, a Clydesdale named Duche In a lush hilly vineyard, a Clydesdale named Duchess pulls a plough through the soil beneath the vines. Behind her, steering the plough, walks Emma Rossignol, a French native doing the same job her great-grandparents might have done. But this isn’t 1910 Bordeaux – it’s 2025 Marlborough. People have told Emma she’s stuck in the past. She says it’s quite the opposite. “I truly believe that there is a place for me in New Zealand with this work,” she says. The work – undervine management using a horse and plough – is both traditional and radical in a fast-paced, mechanised, chemical-heavy industry. But for Emma, it’s as much about the future as it is about tradition. “People are starting to understand the impact on soil and that we need to come back to something a bit more soft,” she says. ............. An extract from Issue 7, featuring Emma Rossignol and her awesome business @terroir_and_us. Originally from France, Emma is passionate about offering traditional horse and plough vineyard management, which used to be commonplace before agrochemicals and machines began dominating the industry in the early 20th century. Subscribe or buy a copy to read the full story ➡ ontheland.nz Note: AI was not used in the production of this story – only talented humans! ✨ 🖊 @madeleine_anetta 📸 @peanutbuttervibesphotography #soilhealth #regenerativeagriculture #horseriding #horsesofinstagram #vineyard #winelovers #winelover #organic #carbonneutral #traditionalagriculture
A visit to Beverley Swanson’s property in the Poha A visit to Beverley Swanson’s property in the Pohangina Valley is a journey of smells. First, I’m greeted with the citrus-like notes of Mexican marigold and pineapple sage growing on either side of the front gate. Next, I smell the alluvial Pohangina River, only a stone’s throw away, holding the narrow and long property in its curve. Then, when I step into the house, I’m engulfed by the herbal odours that have soaked into the walls from the four decades this home has been used to make Kereru natural products. Bev’s journey on the land goes back to the 1980s, when she was in her early 20s with her first born Huia on her hip. Browsing the local paper one day, she saw a for-sale advertisement for a three-acre block of land, bare except for the old Komako school house, built in 1901. “It was cheap, $9,500, that’s how we decided it was for us,” says Bev with a grin. She and her then-partner Rex Swanson bought the land, and the tumbledown building, with all its rats and history, became their new home. They moved in with very little money, no power and no plumbing, but a huge capacity for adventure. “It was basically like camping,” says Bev. “We were young and it just seemed like a lot of fun. You get swept along and you can see a life being made that’s your own.” .......................... An extract from Issue 7, featuring OG permaculture advocate Bev Swanson and her business @kererunaturalproducts, which has been supplying natural body care products from her Manawatu property for 40 years. Purchase the magazine to read the full story or subscribe to receive it directly to your door. Link in bio. 📸 @reneemmaphotography 🖊 @carlyjthomas #naturalproducts #naturalbalm #permaculture #herbalmedicine #herbalism #livingontheland
On the Land Issue 7 has left the printers and is o On the Land Issue 7 has left the printers and is on the way to letterboxes across the country – one year since our first issue was released. Dreamers, pioneers, hunters, gatherers and growers – this issue is filled with stories and advice from people creating businesses from the land, nurturing their resources and living abundantly. → Market gardening in Central Otago with @wild.things.wanaka → Making natural body products in Manawatu with @kererunaturalproducts → Using horse and plough to weed vineyards with @terroir_and_us → Cooking rabbit with @alesha_tomasi → Poultry basics with @gillian.swinton → Using eucalyptus in a food forest with @permadynamics ....and much more. Subscribe to get your copy: ontheland.nz Cover 📸 @ellepiggott Cover model @wild.things.wanaka
Every morning, for seven months of the year, Charl Every morning, for seven months of the year, Charlotte Graham walks a few hundred metres from her home in Piha to the Pā Hue – a cultivated gourd garden. She fills watering cans at Marowhara, her ancestral stream at the base of her tūpuna maunga (ancestral mountain), then begins watering up to a hundred plants by hand, connecting with the taonga and the whenua.  Hue (Lagenaria siceraria) are part of the Cucurbitaceae family and are heavy feeders. To nourish them, Charlotte uses homemade fertilisers made from seaweed, fish frames and guts, kina, manure and compost. Above her, Te Wao Nui o Tiriwa, the great forest of Tiriwa – also known as the Waitākere Ranges – towers in lush, dense greens. Charlotte, now in the fourth year of a ten-year revitalisation project, works alongside her cousin Josie Wall (Kaiārahi Mātauranga for Te Kawerau ā Maki), with the endorsement of their iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki.  “The project is called ‘Hue as a Taonga – the revitalisation of taonga species and a taonga people’,” says Charlotte. “It centres on sharing Mātauranga Māori and the deep cultural and spiritual significance of hue, alongside traditional practices of growing, preserving and drying them.” …….. An extract from Issue 6 (on sale now), featuring @charlottegrahamarts (Te Kawerau ā Maki, Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Tamaoho, Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāti Kotimana), and her incredible project growing hue. Subscribe or purchase Issue 6 to read the full story about this amazing wahine connecting with the taonga of her ancestors. Link in bio. 🖊 and 📸 @sophiemerkens
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