Debbie Griffiths Coast

1 week ago | nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths

NZME has launched On The Up — a national campaign showcasing amazing stories of inspiration, success, courage and possibilities. Debbie Griffiths from Coast & Country News catches up with 18-year-old Lucy Penellum, whose photography folio capturing the realities of farming got her into the top 3% of students and earned her a scholarship.

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths

Leanne Benjamin with two of her horses, Dazzle (left) and Tommy. It’s the horses that do the teaching at Ōropi’s Equine Dynamics. Inspired by the experience of her own battle with anxiety and depression, Leanne Benjamin launched Equine Assisted Learning programmes in February 2022 and now has three horses that work with clients on her rural property. “I can’t imagine the difference it would’ve made for me if this kind of therapeutic session had been around when I needed it,” she said.

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths

Carol Palmer and Alistair Niven on their avocado orchard near Katikati. Photo / Debbie GriffithsA Katikati couple who have owned an avocado orchard for only five years are “branching out” with clever solutions to survive market downturns. Alistair Niven and Carol Palmer flipped their lives from corporate city dwellers to hands-on orchardists, after an “a-ha” moment while sitting on the deck of their 12th-floor Auckland apartment during Covid.

Dec 6, 2024 | nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths

Jenny Moed-Korpela works on new pieces of art in her home studio. For Jenny Moed-Korpela, birds are more than just a subject for her paintings - they are a lifelong passion. Growing up in Finland, Jenny’s love of birds grew from time spent with her grandmother, who was also an artist. “She had a bird feeder in her garden, so every time I was there we would spend the first 10 minutes talking about which birds had been visiting that day,” she recalled.

Oct 17, 2024 | nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths

Cooper and Ruby Crisp with their lambs. Photo / John BorrenFarm animals will join kids, staff and families for the 125th-anniversary celebrations of Ōropi School. The event features a display of old photos and memorabilia and is timed to coincide with the annual Calf Club Day today. . “It’s an opportunity each year for kids to highlight their achievement in raising a baby animal, so we have lambs, goats, calves and chickens,” principal Andrew King said.