![thisNZlife](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/themes/NZLife/images/feather-bg-01.jpg)
10 reasons chickens become murderers
A chicken doesn’t appear to be a complicated bird, but the social structure of a flock is complex.
DIY
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Native tree flammability test
Data gathered will be used to identify fire-prone ecosystems and the best plants to use as 'green' firebreaks to reduce the spread of destructive wildfires.
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Why Japanese quails might be the bird for your block
Lifestyle block owners and city dwellers can breed a healthy profit by introducing Japanese Quail as an option for quick profit 'turn around', by becoming a supplier of fancy eggs.
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Growing kale over winter
If you’re a bit bored by cabbage for your winter garden, its ‘cousin’ kale is a great-looking, great-tasting alternative.
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How this rare pig could aid biomedical science
The rarest pig breed in the world is teetering on the brink of extinction, and the few people working to save it would love some help from anyone who enjoys the company of pigs, and a good slice or three of the tastiest bacon around.
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Tips for your best broccoli crop
Broccoli has hit sky-high prices in supermarkets - so why not try growing your own?
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Get to know your chickens
There are purebreds, heritage breeds, hybrids, strains, crossbreeds and ‘barnyard specials’ which can make it hard to work out exactly what kind of bird you have.
Featured
Editor's Picks
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Jim Kayes' Great Barrier Island fishy tale
Twenty-five years a journalist, Jim Kayes knows how to hook a story but when he ventures out on his rookie fishing trip he realises hooking a fish is completely different.
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Water cooler: long weekend movies and wild Waikato roads
This week in the water cooler: we review McLaren and Wonder Woman, avoid some nasty slips in the Waikato and put porridge to the test.
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Meet the stars of Pecking Order
The 2017 National Poultry Show is a celebration of NZ’s oldest poultry club, and its members are all stars of a chick flick with a difference.
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Port for duck hunting season
Boutique winemaker Debra Cruickshank has produced a port especially for duck hunting season.
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Jim Kayes' blog: Good morning sunshine
Jim Kayes has been a journalist for 25 years. He survived growing up with four sisters and is now married with two daughters. Despite this, he thinks he's in charge.
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Slavko Martinov talks brain tumours and Pecking Order
The director of the new film Pecking Order talks about the bizarre world of poultry showing, and how a brain tumour has shaped his outlook on life.
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1906 villa sees new life after Chch earthquake
When the owners of an earthquake-wrecked home were told it was a lost cause, They knew it wasn’t.
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Water cooler: How to find a missing cat (we hope)
This week in the water cooler, we're using our CSI skills to search for a missing cat, eating all of the pies and are singing in the rain.
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Former America's Cup sailor floats new business
A three-time America’s Cup winning team member is back on a boat but in a wooden dinghy.
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How Bird on a Wire became one of NZ's fastest-growing firms
An Auckland chicken-restaurant chain founded on a wing and a prayer is now one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing businesses thanks to the adaptability of its owners.
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Blog: treasure hunting in the Far North
In which Polly trades in foreign treasure-hunting for a more sedate seeking of materials and finds it just as rewarding.
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How this rare pig could aid biomedical science
The rarest pig breed in the world is teetering on the brink of extinction, and the few people working to save it would love some help from anyone who enjoys the company of pigs, and a good slice or three of the tastiest bacon around.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/anthony-byrt-617x400.jpg)
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Anthony Byrt and the conversation of art
Journalist and art critic Anthony Byrt is doing his bit to make the world – and Northland – a better place.
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Bird brains and Anne with an E
This week in the water cooler: We have birds on the brain reviewing Pecking Order, get caught in a web of spidey powers, and revisit a classic with Anne with an E.
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Secrets of the Cook Islands
There are secrets to discover in the Cook Islands by following the road less traveled.
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The 10 most cost-effective edibles to grow
Food is the biggest household expense after accommodation, and the cost of it seems to be skyrocketing year after year, so what are the most high value things you can grow to save money?
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Why Pauline Bianchi always trusts her instincts
Art gallery founder Pauline Bianchi has overcome a life-threatening accident to create a meaningful life with her 6 year-old daughter Valentina.
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Is eco-friendly Mangarara Station the future of NZ farming?
Greg and Rachel Hart share a mission: to connect New Zealanders with what they eat, how they live and with the planet itself.
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Recipe: Gluten-free quinoa tart
This easy-to-make quinoa tart is a tasty and filling dish to serve to guests on a gluten-free diet.
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Artisan willow weaver encourages community spirit
This old craft is still immensely popular, and encourages a true community spirit on a Golden Bay lifestyle block.
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Andean superfood quinoa grown in Taihape
A little experiment with a superfood has turned into a win-win business for a young farming couple.
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Design a home orchard
A well-designed orchard means you can be self-sufficient in fruit all year-round.
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Career path: life as a ballet mistress
From a little girl in her mother’s Auckland studio to the big-city stages of the world, ballerina Clytie Campbell’s career has swept from one act to the next.
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A divine conversion
Breathing new life into an old church has taken more than a decade and cost twice the estimate but the owners are in heaven.
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Rigatoni con Salsiccia Siciliana e zucchine
This is a simple dish, yet to do it well you need to concentrate.
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The inspiration behind Fred van Brandenberg's organic building design
A revelation turned an experienced and successful architect away from the traditional styles in which he’d always worked towards something far more organic.
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Wild mushroom risotto with prawns and hot-smoked guanciale
This recipe by The Prodigal Daughter founder, Rachel Priestly showcases her own Italian- styled cured meats.
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Forging ahead at the Iron Ridge Sculpture Park
Canterbury sculptor Raymond Herber has carved out a true niche for his life and work in an abandoned quarry.
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And the winner is...
Meet Sean and Jodi Brosnahan – East Coast farmers, breeders of supreme Angus beef and winners of the inaugural Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2017.
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Full list of winners for the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards
NZ Life & Leisure proudly supports the annual Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards. With 150 entries, from the Catlins to Kaitaia, the judges were spoilt for choice.
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For crying out loud! NZ's town crier shortage
New Zealand towns and cities are crying out for more town criers. Two sisters are ringing the bell for a proud (and loud) institution.
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'10 lessons I learned living in a 27sqm tiny house'
Golden Bay writer Charlotte Squire learned a lot about life in downsizing her family into a 27sqm home
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Blog: the pros and cons of homeschool
The land is proving to be a natural classroom in more ways than one for Polly and her family.
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Judges’ kitchen cupboard secrets
It’s almost time for the announcement of the winner of the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards 2017 so thisNZlife asked the award judges to reveal their kitchen secrets.
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Vanilla pear, parma ham and blue cheese salad
This recipe by The Mountain Cafe's Kirsten Gilmour is perfect for a light, fresh, lunch or evening salad.
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Water cooler: Chicken Screams and divine TV
This week in the water cooler: we scream like a chook, watch divine TV and gaze in awe at mighty Mt Ruapehu.
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The brewery that uses wild yeast from Kapiti Island
The wild yeasts of Kapiti Island star in a new brew from a Waikanae company known for its barrel-fermented sour beers.
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How to sanitise water
If water is contaminated after a disaster, there are several ways to purify it.
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A healthy food plan for post-emergency power cuts
Food in a refrigerator won’t last long without power so plan your food usage carefully to avoid contamination.
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How to look after animals in an emergency
How to keep animals calm after a disaster and how to plan for animal evacuation.
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Dr Libby's guide to eating 'flexitarian'
Force yourself to eat a certain way and you will likely fail. try giving yourself a little wiggle room instead.
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Scientists explore cancer-fighting properties of heritage apples
An everyday accountant is working with New Zealand scientists to explore the disease-fighting properties of heritage apples and orange tomatoes.
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The return of the community fridge
Zero-waste blogger Amanda Chapman discusses the community fridge project and her eco heroes.
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A creative network of young country women
Meet the selection of creative female go-getters selling their wares at the Rural Ladies marketplace.
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Rare footage of a Stewart Island brown kiwi during the day
Distracted by saddlebacks and robins, Insider’s Guide editor Cheree Morrison never expected to trip over a kiwi.
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We try riding an electric bike through Auckland
Electric bikes are popular in Asia and Europe, but will they catch on in Auckland? We see what the buzz is about.
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Connecting Young Rural Ladies
From two sprawling high-country stations on either side of the Waitaki River, two young and creative rural ladies are empowering and connecting like-minded women.
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Jim Kayes cycles the Hauraki Rail Trail
Jim Kayes is easily led astray by his 10-year-old daughter on a bike along the Hauraki Rail Trail.
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Blog: is it time for the ducks to get the chop?
This week, Polly defends her ducks from a date with the casserole pot.
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Gluten-free bread business on the rise
An Auckland entrepreneur is earning a crust with a clever bread mix business.
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How your kitchen can go pro
If you think selling food you’ve made in your home kitchen can’t be done legally, you could be in for a delicious surprise. We meet some small-time home-based business people with a passion for food who show how they work within the rules.
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Creating a culture of innovation
An Auckland-based technology entrepreneur is making going to the doctor as easy as pushing a button
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6 inspiring man caves and she sheds
We’ve all heard of ‘man caves’, but there are so many inspiring garden buildings, including the ‘she shed’. Check out these beautiful projects from NZ and around the world, most made on a small budget and out of recycled materials.
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Yes, this is actually a cucumber
If you like the long green cucumbers, you're going to love these extraordinary orbs.
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Are you breaking the law when you host a wwoofer?
Some businesses are disguising their employees as volunteers, so are you breaking the law when you host a wwoofer from another volunteer scheme?
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Move it in Madagascar
Cycling the exotic island of Madagascar provides a lesson in the country's economy, as well as one in humanity.
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5 weird but really tasty things to make using basil
If you only think pesto when you think of basil, Jenny has some recipes to tickle your tastebuds.
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Recipe: peanut butter burgers
Spice up your homemade burgers with a good dollop of peanut butter relish.
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Mexican photographer's first farm visit
Mexican photographer Carla Danieli had never spent time on a farm before her stay on a remote station in the Waihopai Valley.
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Mary Biggs and the Country Cooking School
Mary Biggs started with Le Cordon Bleu, detoured into lemon cordial and is now back to basics with a country cooking school, sharing the bounty of her beloved farm.
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Annabel Langbein’s flash-roasted chilli lime salmon
Feeding a crowd? Annabel Langbein's zesty salmon dish with Nam Prik sauce is ready in 20 minutes.
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Water cooler: lettuce soup and pumpkin growing tips
It's a garden harvest special in this week's water cooler as we share tips for growing pumpkins, harvesting fruit and transforming mature lettuce into a delicious soup.
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Nature- enter me: Chris Parry's Coromandel home
Chris Parry, drummer for the iconic 1960s band Fourmyula and manager of British bands the Jam and the Cure, left New Zealand 50 years ago expecting never to return. But that was until he found a soul-soaring piece of turf he now calls home.
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Blog: wet, wet weather and harvest fever
Polly gets wet feet during the storm and discovers she has to reap what she sows.
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New exhibition transforms dead animals into art
Visual artist Rebecca Swan's exhibition at the Auckland Arts Festival transforms dead animals into works of art.
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Pic's Peanut Butter's $50m success story
Serial entrepreneur Pic Picot has learned that nothing pays better than peanuts.
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Ghost stories and the charming characters of Port Chalmers
Ghosts, nudie photographs and a Pacific slave trade - Lisa Scott takes a tour of Port Chalmers and discovers a few skeletons in the closet of this Dunedin suburb.
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Water cooler: Going green and a poor little paw paw
In the water cooler this week: Emma has a double take at Twin Peaks, Nadene isn't peachy about the weather and Kate and Tracey go green.
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Why this artisan cheesemaker doesn't get paid
The award-winning owners of Lonely Goat say the costs of compliance are nothing to yodel about, and explain why they are working for love, not money.
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Recipe: Esther's gluten-free gingerbread recipe
A favourite gluten-free recipe from Mary Bigg's Country Cooking School.
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Growing a family business on the Wanaka Lavender Farm
Two brothers have turned a patch of Wanaka into a lavender business in full bloom.
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Juliet Jackson: 'Losing my sight didn't curb my creative spirit'
Although losing her sight meant the end of artist Juliet Jackson’s love affair with painting, it sparked a new-found passion for the written word.
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The Vinbrux family take Oamaru
In the two years since the proficiently self-sufficient Vinbrux family of Oamaru first captured the hearts of NZ Life & Leisure readers, for their ability to live well on food expenditure of $90 a week, the family has branched out and taken Oamaru food retailing by storm.
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Recipe: Chocolate peanut butter cookies with salted date filling
These chewy and gooey bite-size sweet treats are not only delicious, but gluten-free.
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The ugly, indispensable quince
It’s completely inedible when raw and dangerous to cut up, with a heady, perfumed scent that is completely at odds with its appearance. Sound like your kind of fruit?
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How Monique Fiso is raising the bar on Maori cuisine
Monique Fiso is one of the most innovative young chefs in Maori and Pacific cuisine, but it took a job halfway around the world for her to discover her true passion.
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Blog: No such thing as a stranger
At a time when travel bans and giant walls place severe strain on international relations, Polly reflects on the kind hospitality she received in the Middle East.
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Farm reinvented as Southland wedding venue
A love of beautiful things- particularly weddings- has transformed the lives of a Southland family from the ground up.
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Recipe: honey rice crisps
Use a mild-flavoured honey, such as blue borage, in this toasted sesame version of the classic treat.
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Incredible images of whales stranded on Farewell Spit
At Farewell Spit NZ Life & Leisure staff Cheree Morrison and Jane Ussher saw nature at its most beautiful and most cruel.
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Tasty ways to use avocados
The smooth, creamy texture of avocados makes them a great ally in baking. Give these delicious recipes a try.
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3 modern food forests
We take a guided tour through three very different food forests at different stages in their lifecycle.
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Water cooler: Griffons go global
This week in the water cooler: Nadene is seeing stars in Hunua, Emma has gone to the dogs (again) and Cheree goes banana(grams).
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A 60sqm container house in a cherry orchard
When a crane swung two shipping containers over the treetops of a cherry orchard it signalled the start of a new way of life for the Heeringa family.
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Exploring the sacred forest of Ubud, Bali
A sacred forest in Bali’s Ubud is both a conservation area for monkeys and a place where humans strive to reach physical and spiritual well-being in accord with Hindu principles.
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The colourful couple behind the Mussel Inn
The Mussel Inn beats at the heart of Golden Bay's creative, organic community. Its music-loving owners created it with grit, vision... and a bit of inspiration from Bob Dylan.
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A garden lover's pesto
Basil, parsley, rocket - use whatever greens you have growing in your garden to make this zesty pesto.
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NZer saving animals of all sizes on Victoria farm
A multi-tasking Kiwi with a passion for saving animals has set up a special sanctuary on her lifestyle block just outside Melbourne.
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How to start small in the cheese business
Many people have a dream to become artisan cheesemakers. It was 20 years in the making for Adrian and Jill Walcroft of Cartwheel Creamery, but they’re maturing nicely.
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Blog: The case of the disappearing duck
In Polly Greek's blog this week: when a Pekin duck goes missing, James goes on stoat-catching duty.
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6 surprising things about Abel Tasman
Dunedin writer Lisa Scott went adventuring in the Abel Tasman National Park, north west of Nelson, and came away reeling.
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Auckland family catches piece of fishing history
She may be berthed close to the super yachts of the world’s well heeled at Auckland’s Silo Marina but the Moerangi is no flash-n-crass gin palace.
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Recipe: honey-roasted pork belly
Use strong honey, such as manuka, so the flavour permeates this rich and sticky pork dish. To make it easier to carve, ask your butcher to remove the bone from the pork.
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Couple switch corporate life for barrels of rum
An Anglo-American couple find their adventurous spirit by swapping international careers for a Golden Bay distillery and its stock of barrel-aged rum.
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Dot Smith's garden with no soil
This is a garden of no soil that supplies the award-winning Riverstone Kitchen with its fresh vegetables and fruit all year-round, and it's a work of art.
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From farm to 'glampground'
Cows and sheep aren’t the only creatures enjoying the bucolic life — holiday-making families can too. as farmers look for new ways to diversify, home-stays and holiday rentals, even posh camping sites – are on the rise.
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Recipe: Chilli lime prawn burrito with coriander slaw
The following recipe is fast, low fuss and delicious. It is ideal for feeding a crowd at the family bach.
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Martinborough firm riding Mexican wave
Surf-loving foodies Jason and Melissa Philips downsized and relocated to the Wairarapa to give their hand-rolled burrito business the best chance of catching a big break.
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Family of 5 living large in a 20sqm tiny house
This family of five lives in a 20m², off-grid and smart phone-free home with a composting toilet and a shower they share with the sky.
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'Losing my sight at 14 hasn't held me back'
As a teenager Minnie Baragwanath was told her disability would limit her life. But the winner of the 2013 Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award is determined to make a difference for the lives of disabled people.
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Recipe: creamy coconut chia seed pudding
Carine Claudepierre shares a dairy-free, egg-free breakfast option inspired by tapioca.
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Thinking outside the box on Great Barrier Island
Less than 100km away from the 1.4 million people who make up Auckland is an island of the self-sufficient. Great Barrier Island resident and author Lindsay Wright checks out some of his industrious neighbours.
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Kohu Road founder's career path to the sweet life
It’s been a flavourful career for Kohu Road founder Greg Hall. There’s a pinch of everything in his recipe for success – and the outcome is simply delicious.
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Living large in a 20sqm gypsy caravan
Life is a movable feast for these house-bus-living, fun-loving, free-spirited ‘gypstas’.
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Recipe: Balsamic strawberry bruschetta
If you're looking for something fresh and fancy for Christmas lunch this year, give this balsamic strawberry bruschetta a go.
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Entrepreneur finds success testing the waters
A Christchurch paddleboard entrepreneur is riding a steady wave of growth.
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How to make lemon ice cream
Learn how to look after your citrus this summer - and look after yourself with this yummy ice cream recipe.
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Carriages see new life off the rails
A South Island couple takes on two run-down old rail carriages and, in doing so, embarks on a long, exhausting – and ultimately very rewarding – journey.
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Cruising in the Trinidad
For more than half a century, this classic launch has been a summer base afloat.
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15 tips for designing a great country home
Today’s needs, tomorrow’s changes and even resale appeal need to be taken into account when designing the rooms in your home.
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Welcome to The Outback
In a parched and withering place, a New Zealand photographer gets instruction on how to live.
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The Perry family on how to "Raglan-afy" a bach
A universal truth is the power of three. In the coastal township of Raglan, three adored baches subscribe to that hypothesis.
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Small kids in a campervan - no problem
Fun and freedom on a budget? Or the family holiday from hell? Traveling some 1200 kilometres from Christchurch to Auckland in a campervan with two small children isn’t everyone’s idea of heaven. But this family survived… and then some.
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Recipe: Elderflower cordial
This has to be the most divine cordial ever. I can never make enough of it. You just need a small amount in a glass topped up with water and you'll be in heaven. This is how one writer describes it.
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Three hot summer fashion trends
From sexy swimsuits to silky separates, skin-baring tops to transparent jumpsuits, summer is all about show.
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Blog: The great Christmas debate
Polly debates whether to boycott Christmas and celebrate the Summer Solstice instead.
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Wild horses, big dreams
Louise McNutt thought climbing into a wolf den was the biggest challenge she’d face in her animal-focused career, until she chose to ride the length of New Zealand on horseback.
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Water cooler: how to cook shellfish
In the final water cooler of 2016: Anna Tait-Jamieson shares her shellfish secrets, Cheree has her eye on the prize and Kate is all tied up in knots.
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Actress finds her happily ever after in Rakaia Gorge
A storybook house in the towering mountains offers an adorable princess, talking animals, a modest prince and a very funny mummy. She's a comedy writer, he's a beekeeper- meet the Dunbars.
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Incredibly practical Christmas gift ideas
Running out of present ideas for the practical person in your life? NZ Lifestyle Block editor Nadene Hall's gift list might provide inspiration.
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Classic baking: Yoyo recipe
These Yoyos are guaranteed to melt-in-the-mouth. This classic sweet treat is quick to make and will no doubt be an absolute crowd pleaser.
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Water Cooler: Westworld and ice cream galore
This week in the water cooler: we get very confused watching Westworld, make green pizza bases and are screaming for ice cream.
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Why the Beer Baroness misses beer
She may have named her first craft beer after a famous lipstick, but brewer Ava Nakagawa is certainly not making beer just for the girls.
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A life lived large: artist Deidre Copeland
Central Otago artist Deidre Copeland's paintings are immediately recognizable . Big canvases. Hyperrealism. She talks to Nathalie Brown about her career and crazy lifestyle.
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How to make Green Tea Smoked Beef
The Pitches Store chef shares his award-winning recipe for Green Tea Smoked Silver Fern Farms Reserve Beef with Beetroot Mustard.
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5 common plants causing your hayfever
Spring might be over, but there is plenty of pollen still in the air. Listed below are a few of the potential culprits, and it's probably not what you might think.
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Architect couple's two different approaches to design
He’s interested in how everything is interconnected; she in the personal story of her clients. This pair of Sydney-based Kiwi architects continue to make their mark on both civic and private jobs
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Horse trekking through the Coromandel
There may be a few hills to climb and you could well be subjected to a little karaoke, but this trek through some of New Zealand’s best scenery does good in more than one sense.
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Life on the run with Liz Stringer
For a woman who really loves black and white, Wellington businesswoman Liz Stringer lives a most colourful life, split between town and country.
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When Helly met Sally: love through the lens
Sally Maguire’s dog knew a thing or two when it introduced its owner to the love of her life, Helmut Hirler. They walk us through their beautiful home and art gallery, 'Artmosphere' .
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The quick and slow of Christmas cakes
There is always an easy way and a hard way to do something, and Christmas cake is no different.
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From Antarctica to Port Chalmers: David Elliot's well-drawn career
David Elliot loves nothing more than a good story. As luck (and hard work) would have it, his country-spanning, award-winning, character-rich career has bestowed him with plenty of content.
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Highlights from the NZ Life & Leisure spring luncheon
The NZ Life & Leisure spring luncheon was huge success, raising $6500 for Ranui House.
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Harvesting a culinary profit
Starting a backyard herbal enterprise can be a viable means of earning extra cash. Donna Lee of Cottage Hill Herbs spills her secrets to success.
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Top female go-karter inspiring new generation
Top go-karter Tiff Chittenden is teaching a new generation of speedsters how to tackle the track.
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Podcast: Off-Topic Book Club
This month the Off-Topic Book Club do a podcast about a case made famous by a podcast when they review Adnan's Story by Rabia Chaudry.
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The ultimate wedding gift
Sheryl welcomed her husband Tony into their marriage by giving him the key to her fabulous 56-year-old fin-tailed Ford.
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Garden work for November
As the weather starts to warm up, it is prime time to start sprouting flowers, fruit, vegetables, and herbs in your home garden.
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Bringing super yacht technology down to size
Jason & Tristin Dickey talk us through how they brought superyacht technology down to size in a range of luxuriously fitted aluminium boats.
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Leading the way in eco tourism
Featuring New Zealand's largest earthbag buildings, tipis, a permaculture garden and solar energy, Raglan's Solscape eco-camp is leading the way in sustainable tourism.
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5 ways to make stock handling safer
Livestock being moved around a property can become unsettled, and that can be dangerous. Here's five ways you can keep things under control.
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Personalised perfume business winning fans
A burgeoning, and bespoke, perfume business strays no further than nature’s garden for ingredients
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It's all good craic in Belfast
It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but what do Game of Thrones, a jigging Irishman and Bill Clinton have in common? Belfast
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Water Cooler: Goats, glass and salmoriglio
This week in the water cooler: we sing the praises of stained glass, wax lyrical about goats and make delicious yet unpronounceable sauces.
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A guide to growing hazelnuts
Hazelnuts are still a niche product in New Zealand but they have the potential to be the country’s main nut crop.
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Inside Lynda Hallinan's "posh barn"
Hurricane Hallinan, aka the country’s liveliest gardener Lynda Hallinan, shows us her spring makeover in time for another charity fundraiser.
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Water Cooler: Breathless theatre and treasured faces
Thieving sparrows, heartless geese, breathless theatre and treasured faces: things that we were talking about in the thisNZlife office this week
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A beginner's guide to geese
When you’re considering security options for your farm, you’re probably considering the obvious: alarm system, gate alarm, dog, automatic lights, security cameras, but have you considered the humble goose?
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4 things you need to know about the new farming rules
Regional councils around NZ are introducing new rules around farming, and you need to know how they may affect what and how you do things on your block.
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Blog: You can't get good help these days
As the mudbrick house construction progresses, Polly finds some workers are more help than others.
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The high country station selling merino to NATO
Meet the Williamsons: global merino suppliers raising a tribe of small boys and creating real socks appeal in Omarama.
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New Zealand sake scoops international award
New Zealand-made Zenkuro sake is ranked among the world's best.
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The most ambitious (and delicious) Lemon Meringue Pie
Looking for something special to bake? Why not try Simon Wright's Lemon Meringue Pie.
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6 flowers for the cottage garden
If you want to emulate the soft, frothy hues of a cottage garden, these six flowers are a good start.
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Dr Libby on nutritional deficiencies
In a two-part series, Dr Libby fronts up to a question about nutritional deficiencies.
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A guide to wheat-free pizza bases
Try these gluten-free alternatives to a standard wheat-based pizza crust.
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An award-winning toy business run from home
The kids play in the bush and fish in the stream. The adults work from home creating toys that win awards.
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How a coffee addiction led to a tea business
Wellington tea maker’s three herbal blends are led by gut instinct, ensuring what’s tasty also nurtures body and mind.
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Blog: The big packing debate
There are two types of suitcase packers in this world, writes Polly Greeks, the Johnny-Go-Lightlies and the Just-In-Case packers.
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From soap star to designer
Designer Katrina Hobbs is an expert at reinvention. From travel-show host to soap star, business presenter and now business owner, she takes a role and runs with it.
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Small town fashion success
Jenny Drury is finding success with fashion label Ketz-ke by focussing on wholesale and supporting New Zealand retailers.
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How a 100kg bag of cacao beans changed lives in two countries
A Havelock North's desire to support Pacific Island farmers has led to sweet business success.
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Innovation driving success at watercress farm
A gravity driven watering system is just one of the innovations in use at an organic watercress farm in Raglan.
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What drives a person to run 100km?
Cheree Morrison takes a walk in the well-worn running shoes of Fiona Hayvice, one of the world’s top ultra-marathon athletes.
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Blog: near noodle starvation
A new wwoof-er demonstrates his unfamiliarity with wholefoods and a spiral staircase sends the family’s spirits to heaven.
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Recipe: Banana bread waffles
For organic month, Kiwi firm, All Good Organics shares with us a recipe for delicious banana bread waffles and whipped coconut cream
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2 natives that you don’t want to mess with
You may think of all natives as friendly plants, but two common ones have a deadly secret.
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A beginner’s guide to wood burning stoves
Fans of the wood-burning stove explain why they find an old-fashioned form of cooking far more satisfying than modern gadgetry.
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Turning heads at 78
Dunedin style icon Barbara Brinsley says she isn't afraid to stand out in a crowd.
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Podcast: The Off-Topic Book Club
The Off-Topic book Club raves about The Light Between Oceans, by M L Stedman.
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Finding work/life balance
A personal quest for work/life balance is at the core of a new restaurant and wellness centre run by a top chef and his yogi wife.
![Chasing Great is in cinemas from September 1.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Richiedoco-617x400.jpg)
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What makes a leader?
What does it take to captain a rugby team through to win two successive World Cups? A new documentary tries to capture the man behind the hype
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Shark attacks, cannibals and Antarctica
Dr Sea Rottman will soon depart on an all-female expedition to Antarctica - just one of many adventures in her life.
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Wee little lambs and strange fruit
This week in the thisNZlife office: We're feeling inspired by a wee spring lamb, try some strange fruit and find hares in the garden.
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Recipe: 5 Seed Sourdough
This delicious wheat free bread takes a little planning but is easy to make.
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It's not easy being a green beekeeper
It's not easy being an organic beekeeper when bees can forage as far as 5km for their food.
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Blog: Big windfall and the big smoke
The big city beckons for a Kaitaia local, but sometimes the hitting the jackpot comes with a price.
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Her patented pint-sized plant has fans around the world
Elsie Hall's patented plant creations are the celebrities of the lavender world
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Business bubbling along in the Catlins
A bubbly soapmaker has turned her favourite hobby into a cottage industry on her Otago small block.
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Creating a home in France
Former Auckland art dealer Anna Bibby ignored the voices that told her she was bonkers and upped and moved to small-town France for a life tres tranquille
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Why messy orchards are best
The last thing you need is for your orchard to look neat and tidy, at least not ground level anyway.
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How to have hatching success
Part of the fun of owning a small flock is hatching eggs, whether by natural means or with a little mechanical intervention.
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Take a leek & make a cake
Leeks are a vegetable that Kristina loves and hates, and then she gets baking.
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World-class climber reaches new heights
Height is no limit for Dale Thomas. New Zealand's champion tree climber is just as comfortable at the tops of giant trees as he is with two feet on the ground.
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10 things to know about growing walnuts
The fabulous walnut is a tasty treat for the home orchard owner, or a potential future crop with New Zealand’s climate meaning we can produce high quality nuts.
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The Artisan Paper Pusher
David Stedman is doing his artisan bit to keep our digitally drenched society in love with paper.
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Finding Love in the Outback
In a parched and withering place, a New Zealand photographer gets instructions on how to live.
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What to sow in the garden right now
The wind-up to spring planting is starting, and one big decision is going to have year-long repercussions.
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Watercooler: going crackers, wayward fruit & kids apps
This week in the water cooler, we savour the new season grapefruit, say hello to Talking Tom and make the best crackers EVER
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10 natives that like wet feet
If you have a wet or swampy area, fence it off, plant something that thrives on wet soils, and turn it into a thing of beauty.
![Ken Johnston of Stevens Outdoor Power Equipment.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/DSC_0013-617x408.jpg)
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Things to consider when buying a ride-on mower
If you’re tired of pushing yourself to do the lawns get our tips on how to buy possibly the biggest investment in a single product you’ll make when you live on a lifestyle block.
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Finding flower power
To cement their partnership, Antonia de Vere and Mark Seeney got married. Now they combine their talents in one very creative business, Markantonia
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Screen Sirens podcast: UnREAL
The Screen Sirens discuss why you should binge-watch the Lightbox drama UnREAL.
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5 things to know if you had a drought at your place last summer
The after-effects of a dry summer will still be with you this spring.
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Thinking inside the box
This shipping container uses every square inch to nurture the future of country kids, and the adults too.
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Movies that made us cry... and yet more dogs
Farm trips for the kids, a movie that made our heart sing and yet more dogs... things that got us talking in the thisNZlife office this week.
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Two weddings and a Land Rover
Romance has fulled the revival of a family's much-loved 60-year-old Land Rover.
![St Michael's Mount, Marazion.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/dreamstime_s_60307257-617x408.jpg)
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Great-uncle Stephen was a pirate from Penzance
Searching for forebears takes an exciting turn for two NZ Life & Leisure writers.
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A colourful life
There’s an element of Wonderland in interior designer Anya Brighouse’s home but this creative force is anything but out of control
![A baby robin. Photo: Dreamstime.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/dreamstime_s_2473207-617x408.jpg)
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What to do if you find an injured bird
Sometimes you may need to help an injured bird, and sometimes its best to leave it alone.
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Boosting the Maori land economy
Taranaki-born Jamie Tuuta is enhancing the potential of Maori land and assets in his role as the Maori Trustee
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Architect's dream home built from coolstore panels
An architect designed his dream house on the shores of the Kaipara using coolstore panels.
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Netflix and Food Show survival tactics
This week in the water cooler: we make new discoveries on Netflix, search for the perfect umbrella tree and plan survival strategies for The Food Show
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Mulching over winter
Mulching is an easy way to protect your soil until you’re ready to use it in spring.
![Miranda Spary, hard at work reviewing The Reader on the 6.27.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/book-reviewmiranda-617x400.jpg)
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Our reviewer found this book life-changing
Book reviewer Miranda Spary sees the world differently after reading The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent.
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What gardeners can learn from this man
The late Japanese farmer and philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka created a revolutionary way of farming that has no plowing, no fertiliser, no weeding and no pesticides.
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Self-sufficiency on Norfolk Island
When you live on a little island in the middle of a big ocean, you have to make your block of land pay its own way in the most self-sufficient manner possible.
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Wood entrepreneur finds eco niche
Daniel Gudsell turns a customer complaint into a thriving, environmentally friendly wood business.
![Jing Song](http://web.archive.org./web/20170609114535im_/http://thisnzlife.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/jingjpeg-617x400.jpg)
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How this woman is changing NZ wine
A wine producer is allowing her creative spirit to pop while exploring the Chinese heritage of Central Otago.
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4 amazing museums to visit in Ireland & the UK
Caught out by the weather while visiting the UK or Ireland? Here are four great museums to visit on a rainy day.
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Is there a mouse in your house?
Pests are tricky, secretive creatures and it can be difficult to know if you have a small problem, or a really big one.
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Bare, naked tree planting tips
Winter is a great time to plant your future fruiting trees, but do you know how to do it so you give a tree the optimal start?
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Blog: A bathroom at last
The demise of a local coincides with the near-death of the family’s bathroom plumbing.
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Recipe: chocolate stout cake
Kristina Jenson brews up some great beer-based recipes, including a fabulously decadent chocolate cake.
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What to do if a goat eats something toxic
Most goats have a tendency to nibble first, check the toxicity of a plant later kind of strategy to life, and that can be deadly.
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Will an app ever beat a book?
From the creator of Downton Abbey, the Belgravia serves up old-fashioned Dickensian serialised storytelling on a new digital app. But is the medium successful? Kate Coughlan weighs in.
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Tips for getting 20kg of tamarillos per tree
They’re fussy, but tamarillos are a tangy treat, and prolific if you know the secrets to high production.
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How a school is making a profit from the land
The enterprising students of Hukerenui School are making a profit from growing maize, lavender and keeping bees.
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How hard can it be, to plant a stick?
Two great options for fodder, shelter, shade and firewood can be as simple as a stick in the ground
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Why this couple are singing in the rain
The rain fell down and a solution popped up – a young Wellington couple has designed a collection of classy raincoats that are making a splash.
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A life saving houses
Despite growing up on the cutting edge of the minimal Modernist movement, this interior and architectural designer’s heart is in the past.
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Derelict milk station transformed
A 1926 Grade II Historic Place-listed concrete milk station is seeing a new life as a spectacular Otaki wedding venue.
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Three amazing parsnip recipes
Don't overlook this gourmet low calorie vegetable. Jenny Somervell shares three tasty parsnip recipes.
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Trailer for Richie McCaw doco
What makes some people great? The documentary Chasing Great, featuring one of our best All Black captains ever, promises some answers.
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Career Path: The vegan soldier
Apollo Taito is a manager in the mental-health sector, part-time soldier, PhD student, vegan and animal-rights campaigner.
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We try... racing a WRX
Cheree Morrison puts pedal to the metal on the Highlands Motorsport Park course in Cromwell.
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Dunedin shoe school kicks off
She made her first pair of shoes out of some car mat, now Dunedin’s Louise Clifton has opened her own shoe school.
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Don't get stuck in the mud
No-one likes mud, and it's something you need to manage carefully or the damage to soil can be devastating.
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Trend spotting: the future of skincare
From weird face masks to smart skin patches, there are plenty of beauty trends to help you face the future.
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Using herbs to aid stress
When she began she thought $100 was a good day's takings, now Brownwyn Lowe is helping hundreds of people cure the symptoms of stress.
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Turn this peel into a cake
Don't throw away your banana peels, they are the secret ingredient in this cake.
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Water Cooler: How to cut into a pumpkin
Busy bees, balls of bliss and a country bumpkin and her pumpkins - things that got us talking this week.
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Blog: Online shopping fails
Why all-terrain roller skates are no match for a goat track in the Far North.
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Auckland edible flower business blooming
A South Auckland grower shares the secrets of her edible garden.
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The perfect cup of tea
New Zealand has a good climate for growing tea. Here's our guide to making the perfect cuppa from garden to table.
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5 tips for a prettier vegetable garden
Now is a great time to create something pretty and functional for this spring.
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Top tips for buying your first poultry flock
Avoid ruffling feathers when buying your first flock with our simple guide.
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3 green-fingered generations
A chance vacancy at Olveston Homestead has enabled three generations of the Goldsmith family to polish up a bit of Kiwi history
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5 organic ways to weed
You can get rid of weeds using everything from a rabbit to a steam gun (but not together).
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Coop of the month: Hönshus-1
There's no reason your hens shouldn't live in style. Introducing our coop of the month, the Hönshus-1.
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Gluten-free spiced apple cake
Pantry adventurer Duncan White shares this gluten-free alternative to this afternoon tea classic.
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3 easy beetroot recipes
Easy to grow and delicious, beetroot are a versatile vegetable in the kitchen.
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How a personalised number plate led to rockabilly love
Hey Daddy-O! Meet the Nixon-Sparkes - the coolest bunch of crazy cats to ever shake rattle 'n' roll.
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Great firewood trees (and what you might want to avoid)
Here’s what will keep you warm and cozy when you fire up your wood burner this winter.
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Are ducks the new chickens?
If you like the benefits of keeping chickens, you’re going to love having ducks.
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Blog: Off-the-grid and online
In the first of her fortnightly blogs, NZ Life & Leisure columnist Polly Greeks shares an update of life in her mudbrick off-the-grid home in the Far North.
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Recipe: Thai fish pie
An Asian spin on a winter Kiwi classic from Japanese-born cooking tutor Sachie Noumura.
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Does a cup of tea taste better with Jersey cow milk?
A Waikato farming family takes the cow by the teats and markets its own jersey milk.
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My wayward wheels: from mountains to the sea
Riding 300 kilometres on the Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail can be hard work but it’s worth every turn of the wheel.
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A walk on the wild side in Southland
On foot through northern Southland’s high country and on board a helicopter to the roof of the world – a weekend in Southland is an awfully big adventure.
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Peony flower power: the secret beneath the soil
The peony is one of the most beautiful flowers in the world, but it’s what it grows beneath the soil that has turned into a unique business for one Nelson couple.
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My wayward feet: walking the Onehunga Foreshore
Aucklanders have a brand new $28 million foreshore on the Manukau Harbour at Onehunga, Sue Moody goes exploring.
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Kurow lavender farm’s sweet smell of success
A picture-perfect lavender farm, is just one of a bunch of businesses nourished by a Kurow dairy farm.
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The king of Kombi vans
A series of chance encounters with volkswagens has steered an Auckland family to a love of vintage campers.
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Saving the world through cake
What started as an idea to spread some sweetness throughout Wellington has blossomed into a national charity movement.