From the Good Earth

Greg Barron and Jin Ling are internationally renowned clay artists based at Glenbervie near Whangarei. Adept at converting raw earth into vessels and sculptural forms of great beauty, it’s no surprise they chose to build their workshop, gallery, and three-bedroom home from the good earth, ‘poured earth’ in fact. Earth building stronghold Greg managed the […]

Ethics in a cup

There’s a fair bit of hoopla involved in creating your morning cup of coffee, as IncaFé’s Joop Verbeek explains. When you choose a brew of certified organic and Fairtrade wake-up juice, you also contribute to the creation of many jobs, strong communities, and actively help sustain the planet. Ensconced in the Taranaki port city of […]

Lavender with altitude

On Mt Cook highway across the road from Lake Pukaki, 600 metres above sea level, a 20-acre mantle of striking purple creates a spectacular visual anomaly in the otherwise barren landscape. Here’s why tourists stop the bus at New Zealand Alpine Lavender. In February 2009 businessman Allan Tibby approached Blake Foster with a suggestion of partnership […]

Asparagus – Spears to Die For

Greenfern Asparagus, is a dedicated family operation. Here is how they grow their seasonal delicacy. Bill and Irene Cummings, with the help of their three children over the years, have operated Greenfern (Les Asperges) since 2000. Located at Tamahere near Cambridge on 23 hectares of flat sandy loam soil, their fields produced at peak 100 […]

FROM CLAY TO FORM