Pumpkin Soup is an easy, hearty dish to cook in the cold months of winter. One thing I love to do is cook my soup and stews on our wood-burner stove. With the fire turned down low, it heats the house and at the same time, our dinner simmers for hours. The flavours merge and mingle and the soup or stew is tender and delicious.
Continue reading “Extra-special Pumpkin Soup: Cooking On The Fire”Robbies: All For Pickles And Pickles For All
I have to confess I’m not a fan of pickled onions, but I do love a good sauce and Robbies has “sauces to die for.”
I first met Josie and Gus Robinson of ‘Robbies Pickles and Preserves’ at last summer’s Athol Valley Market.
“It tastes just like Nana used to make” is praise they hear time and again, and with good reason.
Robbies pickles and sauces ARE just like Nana made. In fact, many of them are made from the very same recipes and home-grown ingredients that Josie’s own Nana created in her kitchen so long ago.

My Southland Story: Behind The Camera With James Jubb
Last year James Jubb created a little gem: a video series appropriately called My Southland Story. Its goal is simple. To tell the stories of Southland and why it’s an amazing place to work, live and play.
He wants the world to know that if you’re willing to work and to fall in love with the landscape and lifestyle, then you too can live the Kiwi Southern Dream.
James himself has a good yarn to share about how he became one of Southland’s most passionate advocates.
Read moRERemembering Robert Town: A Garston School Adventure
Teaching at Garston School was never boring, and we’ve had a fair few “education adventures” over the years. One of the best was the wonderful week when we brought an old gold mining shanty town to life.
