-
1 month ago | 
nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths
Terry Hobart with long-time truckie Trent Holmes at Taylor Bros Matamata. Holmes drives a truck similar to the chip liners that Hobart drove. Photo / Debbie HobartNZME has launched On The Up – a national campaign showcasing amazing stories of inspiration, success, courage and possibilities. In this story, Debbie Griffiths of Coast & Country News catches up with truckie Terry Hobart, who looks back on 30 years behind the wheel.
-
2 months 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.
-
Mar 16, 2025 | 
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.
-
Mar 15, 2025 | 
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.
-
Oct 15, 2024 | 
nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths
Te Puke’s Kiwifruit Breeding Centre. Photo / Jamie Troughton / Dscribe MediaZespri’s RubyRed kiwifruit sprung on the market seemingly from out of nowhere in 2022, but on the outskirts of Te Puke, scientists were quietly celebrating decades of work coming to fruition. Kiwifruit breeding began in 1977, with the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre formally established as a joint venture between Zespri and Plant & Food Research in 2021.
-
Oct 10, 2024 | 
nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths
Gro My Goodness director Georgia Illston with some of the veges they’ve grown in Katikati. Photo / John BorrenOne family’s bold move from Wellington to rural Katikati launched a multi-generational organic market garden business that’s having a positive impact on their health and the earth. Gro My Goodness director, Georgia Illston, said it was the Covid lockdown that sparked a desire to get out of the capital to live in a more mindful way.
-
Sep 10, 2024 | 
nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths Coast |Debbie Griffiths
Cards made by Sara Patterson. On a hilly property in Lower Kaimai, where deer watch as you drive in, one savvy entrepreneur has turned a passion project into valuable extra income. Sara Patterson is bringing up her 5-year-old son Rocco on the stunning 100-acre farm that she grew up on. The florist returned home from the Gold Coast two years ago and has set up a side hustle selling handmade greeting cards adorned with preserved petals.
-
Aug 17, 2024 | 
nzherald.co.nz | Debbie Griffiths |Debbie Griffiths Coast
Te Puke Young Farmers chairwoman Shanice Young is keen to help her community. An organisation for young farmers in Te Puke is gaining so much momentum its members aren’t just supporting each other - they’re also volunteering their time to work on local properties. Shanice Young, 27, took the position of Te Puke Young Farmers chairwoman in November and not only secured $13,000 in funding but has also seen membership numbers grow from just six to more than 30.
