A Photo Story: From the Land

These images tell the story of a place that has been farmed with care for generations. Eight hundred acres of mostly steep hill country in North Canterbury, with around 50% effective for our grazing. Approximately 40 hectares of flat land with a gravity-fed irrigation system and some excellent soil.

We farm 200 lowline cattle (small Angus) and 400 naturally coloured merino sheep, and have a small stud of Icelandic horses. We are also commercial beekeepers with hives spread through North Canterbury and Marlborough.

The wool from our naturally coloured Saxon merinos is lighter, softer, and warmer than cashmere. It felts beautifully — a high-labour, low-skill activity that we love to teach. The honeydew honey from our hives is high in oligosaccharides, which are not digested by the stomach, providing sweetness with a slow release of energy — ideal for athletes and diabetics. It also feeds the gut's beneficial bacteria.

This is the land that inspires everything we do at Taongafarmacy. It is not a showpiece — it is a working farm, and it is the source of everything we make and teach.