Journey Through Aotearoa: Lessons from the Land

We arrived in Auckland early on a Monday morning, ready for the days ahead. With a hire car packed, we headed south to Cambridge to meet fellow Holistic Management educator, Hugh Jellie. Surrounded by horse farms and the global dairy hub of Fonterra, Cambridge reflected how central dairying is to New Zealand’s economy.

As we travelled through the North Island, our conversations focuses on the impact of dairying and the pine plantations scattered across the landscape. Driving the Desert Road to Wellington brought home a clear lesson: how land is managed determines whether it moves towards abundance or decline.

A rare calm crossing of the Cook Strait gave us time to reflect before heavy rains set in. On the South Island, waterlogged soils and fragile hillsides told a story of pressure on the land. We also passed bare paddocks and failed winter crops—signs of systems under strain. Yet, the landscape still held great potential.

Near the southern tip of the island, hope came into view. On Mark Anderson’s farm in Southland, the land was healthy and productive. Soil was covered, livestock radiated good health, and diverse winter crops grew strongly alongside hay bales being grazed directly in the paddocks. In contrast to the monoculture fodder beet we had seen elsewhere, here was a multi-species system that supported animals, insects, and birds alike.

The difference was management. Mark avoids overgrazing and ensures long recovery periods before livestock return. A practitioner of Holistic Planned Grazing, he showed us how timing and careful decisions keep his pastures in balance. Looking ahead, Mark is considering taking the next step of becoming organically certified—building on the fact that his milk is already accepted into the commodity market and positioning his farm as part of a wider movement toward regenerative-organic, values-driven agriculture.

This journey through Aotearoa showed what’s possible when land health is a priority. Across New Zealand, as in Australia, many farmers are working to regenerate their soils while staying economically viable. One ongoing challenge is connecting farmers with the people who eat their food. Too often, cheap, highly processed products replace whole, nourishing food, harming both people and the land.

So, what’s the solution? It may start with a simple act: awareness. Next time you eat, ask yourself: Where did this food come from? Does it support my health and the health of the land?

When farmers and communities come together around these questions, the outcome is more than farming—it lays the foundation for a balanced future. By choosing to support farmers who focus on soil health and regenerative practices, we help enable steps like organic certification and contribute to a food system that nourishes both people and the land.

Author & Photographer : Barb Howard

Photo: Holistic Management Educator, Bernard Callus & NZ Diary Farmer Mark Anderson, 14 July 2025