Editor’s Note
This issue I had the pleasure of interviewing Liz Hayes from the Hakataramea Valley (see page 123). We laughed our way through the interview and I relished the opportunity to share her story with you all. During our conversation she described herself as a ‘halfy’: someone who for most of their life has one foot in town and the other on the farm; a term coined by her husband Andrew.
It resonated with me. I was a bit like that, for much of my childhood was spent piling into the car, heading up the road to my grandparents’ farm where we would roam, play, discover and learn. Like Liz, in my ‘adult life’ I ultimately took one foot out of the city and planted both firmly on pasture.
Ten years ago I made the decision to move, for love, to Cheviot, a small town in North Canterbury. One many of you will have driven through on your way north to Kaikōura or south to Christchurch, probably only stopping for a pie or a coffee.
For 10 years this small rural town has been my home. Finding my place was challenging at times – let’s be honest, I may live on a farm, but I don’t know that much about sheep! And despite the confronting fact that everyone knows exactly who you are, what you do and an array of other details about you before you even know their first name, it has been a beautiful place to live. I have made friends here that I will cherish forever, and as is so often the way in a small community, they span every generation.
When you peel back the layers of a small town and look beyond the main street, there is always plenty of colour, character, creativity and personality to discover. And I have delighted in learning that about Cheviot. My grandparents farmed here, my aunt and uncle still do, and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
But now, 10 years to the month that I arrived, we are leaving. Heading, thankfully not that far away (only an hour south), to the next challenge and the next community. With all the learning, friendships and memories we have made in the last 10 years packed carefully into the (many many) boxes we are taking with us.
Ten years in a rural community has cemented to me that small towns are to be treasured, and while some may not look much from the outset, they boast many hidden depths. They are without doubt the backbone of our country.
Bring on the discovery of the next one.
Dressed in our pink T-shirts to celebrate Pink Shirt Day on Friday 21 May. A day for standing together to stop bullying. Make sure you are following us online to keep up to date with other happenings and outings.