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Thanks to our very generous and amazing friends  Thanks to our very generous and amazing friends @morrifieldtunnelhouses we have a brand new Tunnelhouse up for grabs this spring. Throughout September and October, if you subscribe for a two-year (12 issue) subscription to NZ Lifestyle Block, you go in the draw to win a four-metre back window model, worth $2,100, for free! To subscribe, go to www.ontheland.nz 📸 @wild.cottagegarden
In September 2018, Waihi-based Nicki Murray-Orr an In September 2018, Waihi-based Nicki Murray-Orr and Shane Rush hosted a dinner party for Shane's 50th birthday. To celebrate the occasion, he asked his guests to each prepare a meal and bring it along to share. But there was a catch – each dish was to be cooked with an organ from the couple’s freshly butchered homegrown cattle beast. Liver, heart, kidneys, cheek and tongue – the guests got their pick of the meat and were charged with turning it into something edible. The dinner was a triumph. Liver pâté, tongue terrine, heart kebabs, kidney dumplings, beef cheek soaked in chocolate and blueberries for 48 hours – each chunk of offal and flesh had been miraculously transformed into gourmet exquisiteness for Shane’s jubilee. Nose-to-tail eating is just one of the values the couple follow on their 6-acre block at the southern end of the Karangahake Gorge. With extensive permaculture-run gardens and food forests, and pastures with regeneratively grazed cows, sheep, chickens and pigs, the property is a paragon of conscientious living, running on a commitment by its owners to nurture the soil, grow healthy food and make use of every resource available. “There’s an ethical and moral imperative to get our hands in the soil and grow some of our own food,” says Shane. "I think what keeps us going is it feels like we’re doing the right thing. It becomes easy, it feels good, and it’s satisfying.” ------------- An extract from our September 23 issue, featuring the amazing Shane and Nicki from @vitalharvestpermaculture Read the full feature at www.ontheland.nz and subscribe for more amazing stories about people connecting with the land and their food in Aotearoa. #permaculture #regenag #regenerativeagriculture #nosetotail #organicgardening #healthyfood #soilhealth #homesteading #selfsufficiency
Website is live!! After so many years of being co Website is live!! After so many years of being confined to the printed page, our little magazine finally has its own digital identity! Welcome to On the Land – the website showcasing the most inspiring and educational stories from Aotearoa's homesteading, regenerative, and back-to-the-land communities. We've got a handful of stories up so far, but every week we'll be adding more of the best yarns, written by the best writers, shot by the best photographers, all about the most incredible growers, dreamers, regenerators and renegades NZ has to offer. And if you didn't already guess it, the magazine's name will imminently be changing from NZ Lifestyle Block to...... On the Land Why On the Land? Because that's where we're at out best, our most serene, our most satisfied and our most purposeful. It's where we observe, create, nurture and restore. It's where the true change occurs – in the soil and in our souls. On the Land – because that's where we want to be! ............................. Website designed and built by the amazing team @littlebizonline #permaculture #regenerativeagriculture #homestead #homesteading #syntropicfarming #selfsufficient #offgrid #offgridliving #foodrevolution #regen
"In 1986, I attended my first session of the Kaiwa "In 1986, I attended my first session of the Kaiwaka Garden Club. Suddenly, I was surrounded by elderly gardeners, many of whom possessed rare and cherished family seed lines that they had nurtured and protected for generations. The children and grandchildren of these elderly gardeners had lost interest in gardening, and so these varieties were in danger of dying out. They needed a home, someone to take care of them, to continue their journeys. I was in the right place, at the right time. As I collected these varieties, I began to realise that the fruit and vegetables they bore tasted far better than shop produce. But they also had a far deeper effect on me – providing far more nourishment than other food. It’s difficult to describe, but every time I bit into a heritage apple or tomato, the whole story or whakapapa of that food went through me on a cellular level, changing me in a subtle yet powerful way – opening up parts of me I didn’t know existed." An excerpt from Kay Baxter's story in the September/August NZ Lifestyle Block. To read the full story, pick up a copy at your local supermarket or subscribe through link in bio. 🖊Kay Baxter, @koangainstitute 📷 @camillarutherford_photography
With lambing underway across the country, @nzbeefl With lambing underway across the country, @nzbeeflamb recommends stocking lambing kits with container containing dextrose, lamb covers, iodine spray, antibiotics, bearing equipment, gloves, veterinary lube, a towel and a thermos of warm water will help give lambs the best possible chance of survival. For those new to injecting lambs with dextrose, or even lambing in general, Beef + Lamb New Zealand have some excellent resources on their website. Great reading ahead of lambing. For our seasoned lamb rearers, what would you recommend?
We’re very proud and excited to unveil our cover We’re very proud and excited to unveil our cover for the September/October issue of NZ Lifestyle Block – on sale Monday the 26th of August! In light of the proposed changes to Aotearoa’s GMO legislation, it’s never been more important to discuss ways we can nurture our local, regenerative food systems. We’re incredibly honoured to feature the inimitable Kay Baxter of @koangainstitute on our cover and in our pages, sharing her wisdom about preserving the integrity of our heritage seeds and the food plants of our ancestors. Kay explores the genesis of her seed-saving mission along with some delicious heritage plants to add to your growing systems this spring. Elsewhere in the magazine, we’ve got the talented @oliver_liddell writing about the benefits of fermented chicken food, @jaz.mathisen sharing some delectable spring lamb recipes, Nicky from @vitalharvestpermaculture exploring companion planting combos, Frida from @permadynamics on designing a syntropic food forest, and @thefoodfarmnz's Angela Clifford on the mindset needed to implement small-scale regenerative agriculture on our land – along with a bounty of other amazing content. It’s also deeply satisfying to announce that this will be the last issue under the title NZ Lifestyle Block. From the November/December issue, we will be moving into the future under a brand new name that embraces and champions the beautiful movement of people connecting with the land and their food in Aotearoa. Watch this space for the official name unveiling, along with the launch of our new website where you’ll be able to find many of our most inspiring and educational stories. Arohanui 💚 Michael and the team P.S. A special thanks to some of our incredible advertisers @morrifieldtunnelhouses, @gridfreestore, @topflite_nz, @safaritentsnz, @grandpas_feeders, @fmg_nz, for making this issue happen and providing some amazing giveaways and prizes. Cover photo: @camillarutherford_photography Cover design: Sally Fullam
Biochar is well known as a fantastic soil amendmen Biochar is well known as a fantastic soil amendment, but it's also incredibly useful in a backyard poultry set-up. Because of its highly porous properties and vast surface area, biochar can mitigate the effects of noxious ammonia from chicken manure, keep a coop clean and reduce emissions. It's also enormously valuable as a feed additive. Numerous studies have cited the positive effect that biochar, when added to feed, can have on poultry health, egg production, shell quality, meat quality, weight gain and the digestion of other types of feed. This may be because biochar’s adsorptive properties allow it to very effectively bind and neutralise toxins in the environment, such as mycotoxins produced by moulds in feed and bedding. Biochar is relatively easy to make at home: all you need is a 40-gallon drum, some rebar steel and plenty of scrub and wood to burn. Subscribe or pick up a copy of the July/August NZ Lifestyle Block at your nearest supermarket to read @oliver_liddell's full story about biochar and chickens, plus how to make it at home! 🔥🐔
From a small farm in Northland, a young couple hav 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. There aren’t many New Zealand lifestyle block owners who have gained 80,000 followers on Instagram by posting about their animals. But Ruby and Tristan of Mānuka Valley Farm know what people want to see. Having moved to their 2.4-acre block in Paparoa, at the north of the Kaipara Harbour in 2020, the couple have been documenting their journey on the land ever since, posting regular stories and reels of how two former city-slickers are creating a hobby homestead, growing food and caring for their menagerie of quirky rescue animals. Their timing couldn’t have been better. Amid pandemics, natural disasters and economic crises, people in cities across the world are hooked on the idea of gardening, keeping animals and finding the serenity that only country living can bring. They couldn’t get enough of Tristan and Ruby’s videos. Ruby Lee and Tristan Burch (@manuka.valley.farm) featured in NZ Lifestyle Block Magazine in August 2023.
On a lifestyle block in Oratia, West Auckland, one 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. Every Friday evening, Oratia lifestyle block owner Anne Stone begins harvesting flowers from the garden her grandmother first tended 100 years ago. In another corner of the property, her youngest daughter Phoebe prepares organic seedlings under the shadow of a giant liquidambar that was planted by her great grandfather around the time the Titanic sank. And elsewhere, Anne’s eldest daughter Emma sets up stalls in a shed that was once used to pack apples when this entire region was nothing but Dalmatian-owned orchards and known as “the fruit bowl of Auckland”. With four generations of the same family living, gardening and working on this block over the past 125 years life, the sense of history is inescapable. But although most of the other orcharding and wine families have moved away, and the property – which was once an orchard itself – has shrunk from 60-acres down to two, the spirit of growing and providing food is still thriving here. On Friday evenings, the Stone family prepares for the growers' market they hold on their property every Saturday. Follow Anne, Emma, Phoebe and Georgie Stone over @the_shedcollective. Edited extract from our 2023 NZ Lifestyle Block, Autumn Edition.
Preserving limes for future use so that you can ad Preserving limes for future use so that you can add that zing to dishes later is easy. Similar to the Middle Eastern preserved lemons, these Asian inspired salted limes can be used in all kinds of dishes once ready. A freeform recipe, you just make as many jars as you need for the number of limes you have to use. FOR A 500ML JAR YOU WILL NEED: 10 limes, or enough to full the jar 6 tablespoons rock salt One or more of the following spice combinations: 1 cinnamon quills or 1 star anise pod 1 teaspoon coriander seeds or 1 kaffir lime leaf 1 slice of ginger or 1 chilli 1 clove garlic or teaspoon dill 1-2 cups lime juice Cut the lime in half from top to bottom, but not all the way through. Then cut in half again so that you have four quarters all still attached at the bottom. Fill up the two cuts inside the lime with rock salt. Pop the lime into a glass jar until it’s full then add another tablespoon of rock salt. Add your chosen spice combination, then add the lime juice. Top up the jar up with water until the limes are covered. Repeat with more jars. Once you have tightly screwed lids on all the jars, sit them in a roasting pan and fill it up with water, covering the jars halfway. Put it on your stove on medium heat and bring the water to the boil, letting it simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove the jars and let them cool. Store in the pantry for two months before using. Once opened, keep them in the fridge. NOTE Always use the rind of the lime in your dishes and throw away the flesh (the flesh is too strongly salted to use). Edited extract by Jenny Garing from NZ Lifestyle Block August 2023.
Looking to add some citrus to your orchard? NZ Lif Looking to add some citrus to your orchard? NZ Lifestyle Block writer, Jenny Garing, shares how to best look after them. “Tahiti lime is probably the easiest lime to grow in New Zealand’s climate, as the Citrus aurantifolia needs a subtropical climate to do well. The Tahiti lime looks similar to a lemon as the skin turns yellow on ripening. They grow well in pots and don’t mind cramped root space. In fact they produce lots of fruit when stressed. They are smaller, less vigorous trees than lemons, but they will grow well anywhere sheltered from frost. Keep them well watered and mulched in summer, and feed them a little citrus food (we use worm wee) and they should produce abundant fruit all winter. Magnesium deficiencies in the soil can be a common impediment to citrus, usually manifesting in yellowing leaves. Apply some Epsom salts around the drip line of the lime tree (where the leaves extend to), to correct the deficiency. Limes are also known to attract aphids, which produce honeydew (frass). This attracts sooty mould fungus that leaves black and unsightly spots on the leaves. You can spray the leaves with neem to get rid of the aphids and then use a milk and water solution on the leaves to clear the black spots. This isn’t essential, but it makes the tree look better.” Edited extract by Jenny Garing from NZ Lifestyle Block August 2023.
The countdown to spring is now on. While it is tem The countdown to spring is now on. While it is tempting to get started out in the garden, for most of us in New Zealand, it is far too early. There are some things we can do to get ready for spring, and this month we will be sharing some helpful tips to get your garden ready for production. Wanting to plant spuds this season? Start sprouting your seed potatoes to plant out in September. Use certified seed potatoes and lay them out on an egg carton in a warm sunny spot. Sprouts will soon appear from the eyes. What varieties are you planting this year?
This winter feels like a time to reflect & reset i This winter feels like a time to reflect & reset in many ways, things have been quiet in the garden. Just lots of mulching, feeding worms, working on compost, resting beds and taking time to plan spring/summer. Reflections from @oursliceofthegoodlife.nz. #wintergarden #wormtower #mulch #winterreset #rest #vegepatch #organicgardening #nzgardens #myprideofplace
Want a free homesteading bundle? Subscribe to NZ L Want a free homesteading bundle? Subscribe to NZ Lifestyle Block for two years, and we will send the bundle to you! Head to our link in bio to subscribe. 📸@what.jo.grows
Your friendly garden reminder! Continue to sow par Your friendly garden reminder! Continue to sow parsley, onions, peas, radishes, rocket, silverbeet, cauliflower, cabbage and strawberries in all regions. In warmer regions, you can sow and transplant beetroot, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and celery. In cooler regions sow indoors or under cover. What’s happening in your garden right now?
Have you started making a list for your seed order Have you started making a list for your seed order yet? The depths of winter is a great time to get planning and ordering. If this is your first time planting, simply think about what food you enjoy eating and go from there. Seasoned gardeners, what advice would you give to someone starting out? 🌱 #nzgarden #nzgardening #growyourownfood #morrifieldtunnelhouse #seedstarting #seeds
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