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Farmers don’t equipment or experience to join Surfing for Farmers- they just need to show up. Supplied. When Stephen Thomson first had the idea for Surfing for Farmers, he never imagined it would grow into one of New Zealand’s most celebrated grassroots wellbeing initiatives. What began with a handful of Gisborne farmers hitting the surf in 2018 has now evolved into 25 beach locations nationwide, with farmers ditching Swanndris for wetsuits and hitting the water 8,000 times i

The old hospital was originally opened in 1922. Claire Inkson Nine months after turning the key on Rotherham’s landmark former Amuri Hospital, Sarah and Michael McGregor are still uncovering the building’s character - sometimes under coats of paint. “The whole place was whitewashed, hiding a multitude of sins. We found purple skirting boards, a black room, orange paint over lino, but we also found original doors and historical lamps tucked away,” Sarah says. The property, whi

When I think of the women who shaped New Zealand’s rural story, I often come back to Jane Deans. In the 1850s she found herself widowed, with a young child and a farm to manage in a new country with the barest of resources. Instead of retreating, she rose to the challenge. She kept Riccarton farm running, lobbied for schools and health services, and fought to protect Riccarton Bush – a stand of native forest that still exists today because of her determination. Jane’s story

Cristy Benson ready for another adventure, overlooking Lake Pukaki. Supplied. At 43, Cristy Benson did what many dream of, but few have the courage to attempt. She traded a stable career in agricultural data analytics for a Ford Ranger, a Jayco caravan, and a life on the road with her two dogs and a camera. She has travelled the length of the country and is now in the South Island, through farm gates from Cheviot to the Ashburton Lakes and the Mackenzie Country. What began a

In addition to supplying Fonterra, The Good Cow sells milk from vending machines direct to consumers from the farm gate. Claire Inkson Making a small farm operation work requires diversification and a think outside-the- square mindset. At The Good Cow in Sefton, owner Tammy Acton-Adams is doing just that – and challenging traditional farming models with a rare farm two-tier system that’s proving sustainable and popular. The small dairy farm sells fresh, raw milk direct to con

Where and what are you farming? I’m not farming – just wrangling deadlines and chasing stories instead. I’m a farmer’s daughter turned editor of Rural Guardian – so I’m still in gumboots more than heels. I’ve spent most of my life on a farm- so my rural roots run deep. What year, make and model is your ute? She’s a 2024 Ford Ranger XLT, and I’m unashamedly in love. Big thanks to Gluyas Motor Group in Ashburton — they matched me with the perfect set of wheels for rural report