Loburn is a rural community in the north of Canterbury. Loburn covers an area of just under 90 km², home to 2,500 people. The population density is therefore 27.5 people per km². In fact, it is not a community in the true sense of the word but rather a loose group of people scattered across this area, mostly pastureland. Neighbors are virtually nowhere to be seen here. What you see when you live here are animals. Animals that graze the pastureland, farm animals that help you survive here. In 1901, this large area, bordered by the Ashley and Okuku rivers to the south and west, Mount Grey (933 m) and Mount Karetu (972 m) to the north, and the Ashley Forest to the east, had a population of 537. The development of the last 125 years can be described as moderate. In other words, this is where the earth's axis is lubricated. Or to put it more bluntly, where the earth's axis is lubricated, you have to drive another 10 kilometers to reach Loburn. No one locks their front door here anymore; no one except the landowner comes here anymore. Except us.
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| Block in Loburn, New Zealand |
We rented a place in a so-called block for a week. A block is a lifestyle farm. In Europe, you would call it a part-time farmer. Here in New Zealand, these are mostly young families who have consciously chosen a rural life. Living conditions are usually simple. Water and electricity are available. The building structure consists of shipping containers that have been converted into a house with wooden structures. Our block is small but cozy. Surrounded by sheep, calves, pigs, and a few chickens. Everything is free-range, which is already noticeable with the chickens. A bright yellow yolk smiles at me when the freshly laid egg finds its way into the pan in the morning. Okay, the guard dog is getting a bit long in the tooth and has a few extra pounds due to lack of exercise, but he is still alert, even if his only job is to chase away the pheasant that has strayed onto the property. Ultimately, the animals can be described as happy, which also makes the farmers happy.
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| Sheep pasture in Loburn, New Zealand |
The sheep are the easiest to care for. They graze in a fenced-in area and you just have to make sure there is enough grass and water. The calves are still young and therefore need to be bottle-fed. Once a day, in the evening, they are given a bottle of milk and supplementary feed in addition to what they find in the pasture.
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| The bottle for the calves |
We also have two pigs that are fed with leftovers from a restaurant owned by a friend of the owner. So every day we drive to the Earth's axis, which, incidentally, is lubricated in Rangiora, and pick up a bucket of leftovers that accumulate in the kitchen throughout the day and feed them to the pigs in the evening.
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| The pig family is waiting for their meal. |
And then there are the chickens. Chickens are intelligent animals. They are fed pellets, which they retrieve themselves from a storage container via a foot rocker. In the evening, you can collect the eggs, provided the rooster isn't standing in your way and thinking he has to defend his hens. If he is, you first have to distract him. After all, we don't want to miss out on the eggs. And of course, we mustn't forget our guard dog and cat, which are essential on any farm. They are fed in the morning and evening. Last but not least, the garden, or rather the tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse, get a little water. Although the New Zealand summer is unlike any other summer in the world. At least this year, as we are experiencing it. Wet, cold, and changeable. Rarely above 20°C. Nevertheless, we like New Zealand, even if you can't leave the house without a jacket. When I take off my rubber boots in the evening, we make ourselves comfortable in front of the TV in our block. A large screen (1.5 m × 2.5 m) brings us the latest news from around the world, thanks to Starlink.
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| Happy farmers |
This leads us to the conclusion that perhaps we should stay away from Europe a little longer and instead use quiet places like Loburn for self-discovery. Next week, we will continue south. We are excited to see what else the South Island of New Zealand has to offer us. If you are just as excited, then subscribe to one of our social media channels so you don't miss a thing. Until next week, we wish you fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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