• Over the fence: Jenny Lux’s market garden in Rotorua

    After nine years running a commercial organic market garden on her Rotorua property, Jenny Lux reflects on the rich rewards yet stark financial realities of growing food for a living.
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  • Carrie and Tom Andrews leaning against an old green truck in long grass

    Common folk: the Waikato farm that wastes nothing

    Carrie and Tom Andrews run a regenerative sheep and beef farm, an on-farm abattoir and their own butchery. Nothing leaves the property as waste: the bones become earrings, the fat becomes tallow, the skins become leather.
  • Harvested oyster mushrooms in a wooden bowl surrounded by flowering gorse

    How to grow oyster mushrooms on gorse

    Sometimes a food crop comes from a most unlikely source. Frida Keegan explores how to turn a thorny problem into a regenerative food system.
  • Close-up macro photograph of a golden Cyptotrama asprata fungus

    The Otherworld: up close with fungi

    They are ubiquitous, ancient, and vital for all life on earth, but how often do we actually notice fungi? In his new book, Jay Lichter does just that, capturing in spectacular detail the many forms and features of these mysterious organisms.

  • The food forester: planting food forests in Northland

    A Northland builder and gardener is giving people the gift of resilient food systems and ecosystem restoration through an exciting method of agroforestry.

  • Soul in the soil: inside a NZ biodynamic vineyard

    The owners of a Marlborough vineyard tell of the benefits that biodynamics has brought to their quality of life.

  • Plants and pasture: how to earn carbon credits on a farm

    When most people think of growing trees under the Emissions Trading Scheme, they think of pine trees or natives. But according to regenerative farmer Greg Hart of Mangarara Family Farm, there are other trees that not only earn money from carbon credits under the ETS, but integrate harmoniously into a farming system as well.

  • Fuel crisis looming: build a resilient community now

    Practical ways you can prepare and build a resilient community to handle the potential fuel and food crisis.

  • Post and wire: how to make farm fence posts from your own timber

    Looking to reduce the infrastructure costs on their Nelson Lakes farm, a couple inadvertently discovered an affordable and sustainable new product that is standing out in the farming community.

  • What is chitin and how is it beneficial to plants?

    An organic product containing chitin can increase plant root mass and shoot growth by 26%. So how does it work?

  • How to grow tomatoes in a New Zealand summer

    Emma Galloway shares her best recipes to make use of the abundance of her favourite vegetable – tomatoes.

  • Level-headed: buying bare coastal land with no water supply

    On the Land editor Michael Andrew shares his experience of setting up water infrastructure on his property, and the best way to keep on top of water levels.

  • How to earn passive income from a farm or lifestyle block

    A new wave of off-grid, eco-cabin businesses are giving lifestyle block owners the ability to make use of their properties and diversify their income streams.

  • People of permaculture: inside the NZ permaculture hui

    In late 2024, passionate growers, farmers and thinkers from across NZ gathered for the National Permaculture Hui – the first in five years. On the Land was there to capture the event in pictures.

  • Homemade wedding: a dream day on a Nelson lifestyle block

    It’s hard to get a wedding perfect, but according to a family who created a beautiful, rustic-themed celebration on their Nelson lifestyle block, it doesn’t need to be.

  • Reclaiming the value chain: a Nelson farm going direct to customers

    On an off-grid farm in Golden Bay, a third generation farming family has been developing ways to provide regenerative meat direct to local customers.

  • Courgette recipes and what to do with a glut

    With courgettes in full production, chef, author and lifestyle block owner Emma Galloway (Te Ātihaunui a Pāpārangi) shares some delicious recipes to make use of the bounty.

  • Family sufficiency

    After the COVID-19 lockdowns, Rochelle Ashmore was determined that she and her family would live self-sufficiently. Now, they are striving towards that on their huge forestry block near Nelson.

  • Why eat organ meats? Nutrition and how to cook them

    With nose-to-tail eating growing in popularity, naturopath Shaz Andrew explores the remarkable miracles of nutrition that are organ meats.

  • Sacred seeds: saving heirloom seed in New Zealand

    For nearly four decades, Kay Baxter has been gathering and protecting heritage seeds for the Kōanga Institute – Aotearoa’s largest heritage seed bank. She shares why she does it.

  • Goat firefighters: using goats for wildfire control

    Hot, dry weather across the world has shown just how easily wildfires can kindle and spread. Fortunately, some of the best and most cost-effective fire prevention experts can be found on many New Zealand rural properties.

  • Reel life: the Northland homesteading couple with the huge following

    From a small farm in Northland, a young couple have amassed a huge Instagram following by sharing down-to-earth content about their new rural life with their family of adorable rescue animals.

  • Backyard market: three generations running a growers market on their lifestyle block

    On a lifestyle block in Oratia, West Auckland, one of the area’s early orcharding families is keeping the growing traditions alive by selling flowers, organic seedlings and hosting a weekend market.

  • Mātauranga Permaculture: the iwi connecting with their food

    A Tauranga iwi has established a flourishing food forest and permaculture gardens on their land in Welcome Bay, employing traditions stretching back thousands of years.

  • Free rangers: an off-grid tiny house in the Cambrians

    On a stunning alpine block in Central Otago, a farming family is pursuing self-sufficiency and food sovereignty through unfaltering resourcefulness.

  • Orchard spirit: from tyre franchise to organic orchard

    After leaving Auckland for Central Otago, a young couple have taken the plunge into fruit growing – and have stumbled on some unique side-hustles along the way.

  • Tips for first-time pig owners

    What you need to know if you’ve ever considered owning pigs.

  • Chickens and gapeworm

    If your bird is coughing and gasping, it could be a sneaky little worm.

  • How to file a resource consent for a small build

    In the first of a series of stories chronicling his new house build, NZ Lifestyle Block editor Michael Andrew writes about the essential yet tedious hoop-jumping business of council consents.

  • One and indivisible: winter systems at The Food Farm

    Ahead of the busy growing season, Angela Clifford reflects on the principles of interconnectedness on which The Food Farm is built.

  • Why is my chicken limping? Causes and treatment

    5 reasons your chicken may be limping

  • What to harvest and preserve in February

    Harvest time can be demanding and hectic – especially when you get into a pickle with certain prolific vegetables.

  • Daily milk: keeping a house cow on a 77-acre farm

    On a farm near the Kaipara Harbour, a couple are revitalising the practice of hand-milking by breeding, training and selling house cows.

  • A call for community: how local food markets rebuild resilience

    Rather than focusing on individual self-sufficiency, New Zealand needs to foster community sufficiency to navigate the challenges of the future, writes Angela Clifford.

  • Create and gather: building an off-grid artist community in Raglan

    In a stunning bush block in coastal Waikato, two young enthusiasts are channelling resilience and innovation to create a thriving hub of permaculture, arts and spirituality.

  • The dream team: the couple with the multi-purpose block

    She’s an edible gardening expert, he’s a regenerative agriculture aficionado. Together they’re helping others get the best out of their land and their food.

  • Be ready for bird flu

    Why it’s important to keep your birds safe from the highly contagious virus.

  • How to improve pastural soil health

    With the importance of soil health entering the mainstream conversation, On the Land spoke to two organic farmers and one scientist who are all passionate about sharing their knowledge.