In this summer series, the Country Life team is taking you back to some of the places we've been to over the past year.
Ambitious farming sisters develop fashion and food hub
Kate, Ben and Anna Macdonald of Davaar Station in Fiordland Photo: Tina McGregor
The shearers' quarters at Davaar Station are a popular stop-off for locals and tourists on the Te Anau-Mossburn Highway.
Inside, Anna Macdonald tickles their taste buds with sweets while her older sister Kate fits them with luxury jerseys made from wool grown on the family farm.
Read more about the Macdonald sisters, here.
Finding joy in retirement: Knocking toys into shape
Knocker Harris with his interactable wooden toy digger Photo: RNZ/Leah Tebbutt
On a small quiet street in Te Puke a sign on the curb and again on the driveway will lead you to Knocker's basement.
Inside lies a treasure trove of wooden toys, timber and tools.
You'll also find Knocker Harris in there most mornings sanding or sawing a new creation to add to his extensive catalogue of interactive toys for children.
Read more about Knocker's treasure trove of toys here.
Off-grid and farming carbon
It's a constant battle to keep pests at bay but they're good for feeding the eels! Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
Dangling a pair of dead rats over a dam to feed the eels is what you might find Celia Wade-Brown doing these days.
For five years, the former Wellington mayor has lived in a tiny off-grid cottage on the edge of the Tararua Range in Wairarapa.
Read more about Celia Wade-Brown's off-grid adventures here.
