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Home / Back Issues / Books / The Good Life – For Beginners

The Good Life – For Beginners

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This guide from NZ Lifestyle Block covers 100 of the basics you need to know before you even buy a block.

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A few years ago, members of the Nelson Whakatu Mus

A few years ago, members of the Nelson Whakatu Muslim Association gathered on a bare plot of land on the outskirts of the city to grow New Zealand’s first tiny forest.

Rapidly emerging on vacant plots of urban land throughout Europe, tiny forests (or micro forests) involve the dense planting of a wide variety of trees in small areas. They are seen as a practical, incredibly fast-growing way to mitigate climate change, reconnect people with plants, and restore biodiversity to urban areas.

After researching the work of Akira Miyawaki – a Japanese botanist whose research formed the basis of the global tiny forest movement – the Nelson Whakatu Muslim Association got to work: breaking up the topsoil, adding huge volumes of mushroom compost and biochar, and planting hundreds of native trees from 25 species in dense formation.

Since then, the forest has shot up at 1.5 metres each year, becoming a thriving example of a community-led reforestation project, built on a focus on soil health and the diversity found in natural systems.

…………….

This story about Nelson’s Tiny Forest was published in our June 2023 issue.

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#tinyforest #reforestation #nzforestry #ontheland #onthelandmag

"I witnessed the truly phenomenal power of food to

"I witnessed the truly phenomenal power of food to bring people together during the aftermath of the Christchurch and Kaikoūra earthquakes. With local food supply chains severely disrupted, many businesses were unable to get their produce to market and many consumers were unable to access the food they needed. To find a solution, I helped set up local fresh food markets that included free donated food and fundraisers to help those that were impacted by the earthquakes.

It was an inspiring time, and it showed me how major obstacles can be overcome when people combine their food-producing resources. Food is so much more than fuel. It’s a conduit for community – a way we can connect with each other and share what we grow in times of hardship."

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An extract from our May issue, in which Angela Clifford of @thefoodfarmnz writes about the importance of practising community sufficiency to meet the challenges of the future.

Head to ontheland.nz to read the full story.

🖊 @thefoodfarmnz
📸 @watermark_images

#foodrevolution #selfreliance #foodsystems #permaculture #community #localfood

In spring 2022, six months before she was to host

In spring 2022, six months before she was to host her daughter’s wedding on her Nelson property, Rachel Brydon started growing flowers.

She began by digging up the border of the driveway and planting it out with roses, dahlias, and echinacea. She then began sowing around 20 punnets worth of annual flowers that would be used to make the wreaths, the archway garland, the bouquet, and other decorations.

Then it was time to prepare the “venue”. She moved the sheep off the front paddock, which would be the site of the ceremony and party, and started mowing it with a push mower every week. She also continued tending her thriving vegetable garden, which would be the gathering space when the guests arrived.

As the big day got nearer, she began sewing the fabrics for decorations while her husband, Murray, started crafting the woodwork – coasters, picture frame props, signs, and cake stands from tree stumps – including one with a horseshoe welded on it.

By the morning of the wedding in late January, the front paddock of Rachel and Murray’s lifestyle block was a spectacle of colours and creations: flowers in full bloom, a hay bale couch, a rustic cocktail bar, vintage furniture, and countless sylvan crafts and curios – much of it crafted from materials found on the property.

……..

An extract from our Nov 2023 issue, showcasing the amazing examples of creativity, thrift and self-sufficiency that can help pull off a dream home-made wedding on family land.

Head to ontheland.nz to read the full story!

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#homemadewedding #weddinginspo #nzwedding #nzweddings #ontheland #onthelandmag

Have you ever wanted to make your chicken feed go

Have you ever wanted to make your chicken feed go further?

Studies have shown that fermentation is an excellent way to increase the nutrient availability of your feed, reduce the amount you're feeding out, improve your chickens’ gut health and immune function, and help your birds lay better quality eggs.

The best part: it’s incredibly easy to ferment chicken feed. Our amazing regenerative poultry expert @oliver_liddell at @altar.of.earth has provided a great recipe on the subject. All you need is some standard feed, water, herbs and spices and a few buckets.

Published in the Sep/Oct 24 issue of On the Land. Subscribe to read Oliver's awesome columns about regenerative poultry every issue.

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#chickenfeed #chickenfeeder #fermentedfeed #fermentedfoods #regenerativeagriculture #permaculture

We’re so grateful that the immensely talented Em

We’re so grateful that the immensely talented Emma Galloway of @mydarlinglemonthyme has come on board as the food writer for On the Land! Emma needs no introduction, but she is an incredible chef, photographer, author of several award-winning cookbooks, and a rising star in the artisan ceramics/pottery scene.

Thanks for sharing your words, photography and knowledge Emma!

Head to ontheland.nz for Emma’s latest piece about courgettes and subscribe to On the Land to read about Emma's passion for delicious homegrown food.

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#foodwriter #foodphotography #courgettes #courgette #nzfoodie #nzfood #growyourfood #growyourownveggies

In case you missed it, On the Land editor @mikeyde

In case you missed it, On the Land editor @mikeydescribes was on Seven Sharp the other day talking about the magazine and its mission to amplify the wisdom and knowledge of inspirational people connecting with the land.

Thanks Lucas De Jong for capturing the story so well, @mieldescollines for hosting us on your beautiful farm and @gionabridler for taking some awesome photographs 📸

You can watch the full interview here:

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/seven-sharp/episodes/s2024-e193

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#tvinterview #ontheland #nzlife #lifestyleblocknz #nzlifestyleblock #lifestyleblockmagazine #onthelandmag

To celebrate the launch of the first issue of On t

To celebrate the launch of the first issue of On the Land, we're extending our homesteading prize pack for subscribers.

Subscribe for 2 years and get 4x special edition worth $80 books for free!

The pack includes:
• How to Make Cheese Vol 1
• How to Make Cheese Vol 2
• Make Beautiful Breads
• In Your Backyard: Beekeeping

Subscribe at ontheland.nz

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#subscribergiveaway #prizepack #ontheland #nzmade #homesteading

In 2018, the Thorpe family at @elliscreekfarmnz in

In 2018, the Thorpe family at @elliscreekfarmnz in Golden Bay put their heads together to come up with a new way to make the business commercially viable.

Managed through a focus on healthy soil, clean waterways and ethically raised animals, the regenerative farm had always been a source of high quality meat for the family. But with only 130 cattle, 60 calves and less than 100 lambs, the economics of going through the normal channels and selling to the meat works didn’t add up.

So they decided to retail the meat themselves.

“When you sell to the works, you are beholden to the vagaries of the market,” says farm manager Andy Williams, the husband of Rose – one of the Thorpe siblings. “Some months you get $8 per kg, the next $4 per kg. But if you’re not in control of your supply chain it’s controlling you."

“The only way you make money selling to the works is by supplying quantity. We’re too small for quantity, so we have to try and make money from quality.”

Fast forward six years, and the family has successfully established an on-site micro abattoir, allowing them to process their meat on their farm and sell direct to customers through local deliveries and the Saturday farmers market.

Now, they no longer have to send their animals on a 900km round-trip to North Canterbury for processing. As Andy says, it means happier animals and customers.

“Whether it’s a steak or an avocado, more and more people want to know where their food comes from. All they need to do is come for a drive and look over the fence.”

..............

Published in the Nov/Dec 24 issue of On the Land.

You can read the full story about Ellis Creek Farm and subscribe for more stories like this one at ontheland.nz.

🖊 @lets_hope_the_weather_holds and @mikeydescribes
📸 @carriedobbsphotography

A sneaky peek of the images in the first ever issu

A sneaky peek of the images in the first ever issue of On the Land!

Get your copy at your local supermarket, bookstore or subscribe at ontheland.nz

📸 @francinephotomachine
📸 @carriedobbsphotography
📸 @mydarlinglemonthyme

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#ontheland #onthelandmag #homesteading #nzlifestyleblock #selfsufficiency #nzmagazine #permaculture #thisnzlife

With the first ever issue of On the Land on sale o

With the first ever issue of On the Land on sale on today, editor and owner @mikeydescribes shares a little about the backstory to the magazine, it’s mission to share wisdom and inspiration and champion Aotearoa’s back-to-the-land movement.

If you haven’t come across the magazine before and are keen to check out the stories, you can find it at most supermarkets and bookstores, or you can read stories or subscribe at www.ontheland.nz

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#ontheland #nzmedia #nzmagazine #lifestyleblock #lifestyleblocknz

After months of planning and years of dreaming, th

After months of planning and years of dreaming, the first issue of On the Land is finally here, hitting the shelves next Monday 28 October!

I couldn't be prouder of this magazine. The images, words, creativity and passion that adorn its pages – all of it has been designed to share the stories and wisdom from some of the most unique people and pieces of land in Aotearoa.

The goal for this magazine is to champion the back-to-the-land movement in NZ; to convey knowledge and inspiration to help people on their journeys to grow food, take back control of their resources, connect with their communities and create meaningful connections with the whenua.

This issue is a great start!

I'm so thankful to my amazing team of contributors for chipping in their talents and making this issue happen, and providing advice and motivation along the way.

A special thank you to @francinephotomachine for capturing our stunning cover photo of the family from @frogsongfarmer, to our amazing art director Sally Fullam for putting the visuals of this masterpiece together, and to the team from @permadynamics for suggesting the new name!

You can find the issue in supermarkets, bookstores, or you can subscribe at ontheland.nz!

Arohanui,
Michael 💚

Last week, the team at @gridfreestore visited On t

Last week, the team at @gridfreestore visited On the Land owner and editor @mikeydescribes to help him install his solar system on his newly built off-grid house in Raglan.

Called the Tui Solar Nest, GridFree’s solar system is an all-in-one unit, with the inverter, charge controller, batteries and power distribution components all housed in a beautiful, weather-proof cabinet.

You can read all about the system and installation in the new issue of On the Land, on sale October 28!

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#gridfree #solarenergy #solarenergysolutions #selfsufficiency #lifestyleblock #ontheland #offgrid

What is syntropic agroforestry and why is it such

What is syntropic agroforestry and why is it such an effective land management tool? The amazing @whenua_mama from @permadynamics has provided us a comprehensive explainer.

Frida and her family have employed syntropy over the past 20 years to transform the land at PermaDynamics from degraded sheep pasture into a thriving oasis of tropical food plants, native trees and community education.

But what exactly does syntropy involve?

You can head to onetheland.nz to read Frida’s full explainer, and subscribe to read her regular column on the amazing power of syntropy to restore ecosystems, grow food and improve farmer wellbeing.

📷: @danescottcreative

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#permaculture #syntropicagroforestry #syntropy #syntropicfarming #syntropicagriculture #ontheland

As the sun rises over Mahurangi Peninsula, Beth Ha

As the sun rises over Mahurangi Peninsula, Beth Harper stands outside her renovated cottage and watches the golden light spread over the harbour. She’s spent the early morning in the garden behind the cottage, aerating the soil while the chooks forage on comfrey and the lambs graze the adjacent paddock. Soon she’ll collect the eggs and head inside to prepare muesli for the guests staying in the two glamping tents on the property. After that, she and her husband Robert will both head out across the farm to attend to their respective duties: Beth the guests and the gardens, and Robert the cattle and the ewes.

It might sound like work, but to Beth it’s bliss. For 34 years, she has longed for a rural property that would allow her to share homegrown food, nurture the soil and bring family and guests together.

With 95 acres of sloping, north-facing pasture, native bush, two glamping tents, a tiny house, a caravan, a cottage and an old 300m2 oyster factory, Waha Ridge is never likely to be short of food, space, or jobs.

“I love biting off more than I can chew – feeling that sense of being out of control,” she says. “I was a road cyclist and I love going downhill fast. I’m just pouring myself into this layer of learning. This is my next adventure.”

…………..

An extract from our current September/October issue, featuring Beth Harper from @waha.ridge.glamping , who’s using the regenerative horticulture knowledge she learned from @omg_akl and @fortheloveofbeesnz to restore her family’s farm and grow nutrient dense food.

Pick up a copy at your local supermarket or subscribe to On the Land to read more stories about inspirational Kiwis connecting with the whenua.

ontheland.nz

🖋️: @danielleheyhoe

📷: @gionabridler

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#glamping #glampinglife #waharidge #offgridliving #newzealandlife #ontheland

We have a winner!!! In July and August this year

We have a winner!!!

In July and August this year we ran a competition – subscribe for two years to On the Land and go in the draw to win a poultry prize pack, including an amazing custom-made chicken coop by @crackling_wood_works

We’re very happy to announce the winner of the poultry prize pack is Sarah Seckers from @thecasualgardenernz !

Congratulations Sarah! Your chicken coop will be delivered in the next two weeks, along with the other goodies: A @grandpas_feeders , a Mainline water trough, a chicken feed kit from @topflite_nz and a coop maintenance kit from Appletons!

Thanks to our partners for supporting this prize and thanks so much to everyone who subscribed! You’re awesome! 🤍

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#chickencoop #chickencoopsofinstagram #chickencoops #giveawaywinner #ontheland

We are very excited to announce that @gridfreestor

We are very excited to announce that @gridfreestore has come on board as the official sponsor of our off-grid section in On the Land magazine!

New Zealand’s off-grid community is full of stories about inspirational people living lives of resourcefulness, grit and innovation, and like GridFree we’re keen to support and champion this movement.

Every issue you can read about amazing people across the country who are finding ways to live purposeful lives and take back control of their energy through off-grid technology.

Thanks @gridfreestore for helping us tell our stories!

#offgrid #offgridliving #selfsufficiency

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