March 2007 Rural Women Magazine, New Zealand

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Strengthening Rural Communities Page

O F F I C I A L J O U R N A L O F R U R A L W O M E N N E W Z E A L A N D ISSUE No. 1 March 2007

Nurse Practitioners boost rural health

ACC update

Following the lifestyle dream

Healtheatingwithredeshedapples

in this issue...

One of the biggest challengesfor governments and aidagencies around the worldis ensuring help gets to

those who need it most.Governments essentiallysupport governments, whiletop-heavy bureaucracy andcorruption whittle downaid funds, so that those inneed may see few of the

benets of the money givenspecically to help them.

Associated Country Womenof the World (ACWW) is aunique organization that

overcomes these problemsthrough i ts extensivevolunteer network. In all,600 groups come underthe ACWW umbrella, representing a staggering nine millionmembers. In February, ACWWs World President, Dato UrsulaGoh, visited this country at the invitation of Rural Women ofNew Zealand.

During her nationwide tour Dato Goh spoke to members aboutthe projects ACWW supports. Though the individual projectsare small, costing in the region of $10,000 to $35,000, they are

carefully targeted to give women a step up on to the rst rungof the ladder out of poverty. And they add up. Each yearACWW gives out around $250,000 of new funds.

They are simple projects. Some of the most important onesare providing clean drinking water, says Dato Goh. In Africasome of the water sources are six hours going and six hourscoming back. How much water can a woman carry? In Indiaand Africa the women work very hard, but they cant get creditfrom the bank. We give them loans to start up in cattle, poultryor vegetable farming, for instance.

In a village in north-east China the women identied two

critical needs - water and ways to generate an income. ACWWgave funds for a new water supply, a communal bathhouseand toilet and also nanced a goose breeding project.

It started with 25 families being provided with 50 goslingseach. A market for meat and feathers had already been

identied. Once the rst batch of goslings had been sold withsome kept to breed from, each family donated back 10 goslingsto help the next families get started.

ACWW also concentrates on capacity building, knowing thateducating women empowers them. Increasingly it is involvedin social issues such as HIV Aids orphans and the trafcking

of women and children.

Since ACWWs beginnings 30 years ago, Rural Women NewZealand has been a strong supporter, helping to raise fundsthrough membership dues, legacies and the pennies forfriendship scheme. But our support goes beyond passinground the hat. Rural Women New Zealand members haveoffered their time and commitment at the highest level. Jeanette Tarbotton from Ashburton is currently the ACWWSouth Pacic Area President, helping to monitor projects

that are underway and putting forward new projects forconsideration, while Val Tarrant from Taranaki heads toLondon twice a year as chair of the Projects Committee. This

group has the difcult task of prioritizing projects to fund fromthe many applications received.

Once approved, the money is sent out to the groups via theArea Presidents, guaranteeing that the funds reach the peoplethey are intended for.

Rural Women New Zealand was delighted to host a reception for Dato Ursula Goh at our Honda House clubroomslast month (l to r) National President Sherrill Dackers, Val Tarrant chairman of the ACWW Projects Committee,Dato Ursula Goh World President ACWW, Her Excellency Mrs Susan Satyanand, Jeanette Tarbotton SouthPacic Area President ACWW

ACCW World President visits New Zealand


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l EditorialLets take a journey together throughthe last three years! I have beengoing back over some of myprevious contributions for thiseditorial column and it has been avery thought provoking exercise.Many of you will realise that myterm as your National President is

almost complete. Therefore whynot revisit some of the editorials andsee what has happened since have these issues beenresolved? If not why not?

Local Body Representation the struggle for ruralrepresentation continues and this year we have anotheropportunity to make sure that rural voices are heard andrural community representation is improved. You, asmembers, are the ones who can make a difference.

Homecare and Access Homehealth most of you will beaware of our Petition to the Government and the needfor travel costs to be paid for rural homecare workers.

Some of you will have heard of the ofcial response to this and thesubsequent report. Once again this whole issue has been ignoredand resulted in a whitewash. We may be disappointed but wewill continue to be vocal on this matter.

The neglect and disregard of rural rights as taxpayers, ratepayersand a vital part of the New Zealand economy. Gradually thereappears to be an awakening recognition amongst Government andParliamentarians. It is only small but it is beginning to happen.We must not relax our vigilance the work must continue.

Natural Disasters these continue to plague the country andmore often than not it is rural who suffer the most. Who willforget the disruption to business and family lives caused by the

Canterbury snow. Once again the difculties in servicing ruralcommunities were obvious. But so, too, were the magnicentstrength, capabilities and support always present amongst ruralpeople. Nationwide our members reacted instantly and gavevaluable help and support.

RWNZ is still addressing the recruitment of new members andinterest from younger women but it is pleasing to note the growthof the Women in Farming and Women in Agribusiness groups,the dinner groups and individual members. We are beginningto recognise that diversity and change can be achieved when wehave the will.

As a late addition. Last week the Outdoor Walking Access report

was released. Although there were no real decisions or solutionsthe Consultation Panel recommends that the Government formsa Statutory Body Te Ara o Papatuanuku which will overseeall aspects of deciding, negotiating and supervising walkingaccess in rural and coastal areas. It is not possible to make anyfurther comments until we have read the document completelyand understand the recommendations. At rst glance it appearsreasonable but we reserve comment.

These are only a few of the topics that I have discussed withyou during the last three years. We continue with our valuablesocialising and fun events throughout the country indeed weare known for it - but also we continue struggling for rural health,

education, social and transport improvements.In his famous ghting on the beaches speech Winston Churchillsaid we shall never surrender. Perhaps a little strong for us butnone the less we shall continue to strive for equality for rural andto strengthen rural communities. We shall not give up.

The addition of Nurse Practitioners to the health workforce,particularly in rural areas, is a signicant development inaddressing the crisis situation for rural people in accessingmedical services.

There are currently 25 registered Nurse Practitioners in New Zealand,and 12 of these also have the authority to prescribe medicines.

The Nurse Practitioner role is aimed at improving access to care,including rural. To boost numbers the Ministry of Health and ACChave provided scholarships since 2004 for registered nurses tocomplete their studies to become primary health care rural nursepractitioners.

The requirements for registration as a Nurse Practitionerare rigorous, including a Clinical Masters level degree andsignicant experience in a specic scope of practice.

Adrianne Murray was one of the rst to qualify under therural scholarship scheme and she now practices in Te Tai

Tokerau (Northland) providing nurse practitioner outreachclinics from a mobile van in combination with on-site ruralcommunity clinics.

Helen Snell, a Nurse Practitioner with MidCentral Health, says Weprefer to go where there is a gap and where we can meet the needsof a community that are not being met. There is so much work todo and we cant do it with the current health workforce.

Nurse Practitioners bring a different perspective, she says,although they often work in teams with GPs. Just as GPsneed nurses, so we need GPs. We have a different skill setand a different knowledge. As nurses we are interested inthe effects of illness and how it impacts on the person and thefamily and their social situation.

However the Nurse Practitioner role does not sit comfortablyin the current regulatory system. The Ministry of Health hasidentied 63 pieces of legislation which restrict specic activitiesto medical practitioners and other health professionals,creating more obstacles for the development of the NursePractitioner role.

Once we are registered gaining employment is difcult aswell, says Helen Snell. Nurse Practitioners can attempt toform a contract with a Primary Health Organisation or workfor a hospital based service.

Some parts of the health sector are not conversant with theNurse Practitioner role and what our t is and in some areaswe are seen as competition, whereas we are not.

As nurses it is in our nature to practice collaboratively but insome rural areas there is a GP shortage and there isnt enoughhealth workforce to meet current demand and Nurse Practitionersare well placed to do that. We are highly skilled and specialise inan area of practice and know what resources are available.

Nurse Practitioners giveboost to rural health

Adrianne Murray Whanau Ora nurse practitioner in Northland.


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Wellington ExperienceFifteen hand-picked RWNZ members from around thecountry enjoyed a stimulating three days when they cameto the capital in February for the Wellington Experience.

Sponsored by Landcorp, the programme aims to fosterleadership potential among the women by givingparticipants an insight into the advocacy role of ourorganisation and its national ofce activities.

The women met with both the National Party caucusand the Labour Womens Caucus, visited the Ministry ofWomens Affairs, The Correspondence School and Policeheadquarters and enjoyed presentations from the Instituteof Rural Health, ACC and Telecom.

A highlight of the 2007 Wellington Experience was a visit toLandcorp Farming, where the women, pictured above, enjoyedlunch and a presentation.

ACC UpdateFarming is a hazardous business. Members who cameto the Wellington Experience heard that in 2005/6 ACCpaid out $69.9 million in compensation to 29,544 peopleworking in the agricultural sector. For dairy, beef andsheep workers, the most common injuries come fromhandling animals, while horticulture workers sufferedmostly from lifting and straining. ATV accidents also

continue to feature strongly, causing 18% of the injuriesin the dairy sector, and 11% on sheep and beef farms.

Standard ACC cover can be a tricky for those working inagriculture, as it is based on 80% of your previous yearsearnings. As we all know, farm incomes uctuate fromyear to year, or you may have taken time off to study ortravel. Any of these factors could mean you only qualifyfor the minimum cover - currently $304 a week. If yourbusiness continues generating income or you return to part-timework, your ACC compensation may be reduced even more.

However the ACC CoverPlus Extra option offers exibility thatgives you pre-agreed cover based on what you need, not last years

income, so that if you are injured you will receive 100% of that amount.Paperwork is also minimised when youre injured and payments aremade promptly because the compensation rate is pre-set.

You choose from weekly levels of compensation rangingfrom $304 to $1,486 per week, and ACC CoverPlusExtra willcontinue to give you 100% of agreed cover if you return towork part-time or your business continues generating income.It also covers shareholder-employees.

Another flexible option means you can scale back yourpayments, choosing to receive lower weekly compensation inreturn for a lower levy - though ACC warns that while savingmoney now may seem attractive, when youre injured youmay appreciate the higher rate of compensation.

Prevention better than cure

ACC has a large number of free resources to help improve ruralsafety available online at www.acc.co.nz or in hard copy fromACC ofces. These include animal handling, child safety onfarms, hearing, shearing, guidelines for planning rural safetydays, riding ATVs and many more. There are also agriculturefocused workbooks for managing hazards, improvingworkplace health and safety, training and supervision andemergencies and incident investigation.

Your LiabilityThe recent land access debate has again highlighted the issueof liability for injuries to visitors to farms under the Healthand Safety in Employment Act 1992.

In brief, farm owners have a legal responsibility to inform visitorswho seek permission to access farmland of hazards that wouldnot normally be expected on a farm. Normal hazards includebluffs, bulls, slips and tomos. Farm owners are not required toinform visitors of normal farm work that may pose a hazard.

However visitors must be informed of hazards caused byactivities such as tree felling, bulldozing tracks or the use of

explosives. If a visitor has been informed of these the farmowner has no liability in the case of an accident. The owneralso has the right to refuse permission for visitors to accesstheir land, and if people trespass and hurt themselves, theowner has no liability. Further information is available fromOSH ofces or on their website www.osh.dol.govt.nz

A fresh dusting of snow on the mountains made for a scenicdrive to Methven for Canterbury Regions annual charity golftournament in March. There was a good eld of 60 entrants,including 14 men .

RWNZ members organised rafes and the sponsored prizesincluded a nights accommodation at The Hermitage Hotel for thedays top golfer. Winchmore Branch catered for the occasion.

At the end of the day, Marg ONeill of Albury Branch presenteda cheque to Rose from Ronald McDonald House for $900.

Charity Gol Tournament benetsRonald McDonald House

M a r g O N e i l lpresents a chequeto Rose of Ronald McDonald Housew a t c h e d b yCanterbury RDOSue Halse



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tureScotlands Te Kiteroa Trust

The sale of two beautiful homes that once belonged toRural Women New Zealand formed the foundation of atrust that now awards bursaries and grants that benetmany individuals and rural communities each year.Scotlands in Herne Bay Auckland and Te Kiteroa inWaimate used to provide accommodation for memberswho needed a break from the relentlessness of workon the land. One of the few criteria for the rest homeexperience was that the women should have breakfastin bed!

Times changed and by 1982 the properties had beensold and a trust set up with the proceeds. Each yearthe trust gives text book grants, secondary boardingbursaries and tertiary bursaries, as well as fundingprojects for individuals and groups in rural areas.Anyone from the public can apply, says trustee Janet

Jensen. We fund a wide range of requests beneting children,the elderly, education, conservation and rural communities.

Recently Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust has funded special

Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust Board members (l to r) Janet Jensen,Sherrill Dackers, Jacky Stafford (ex ofcio), Ann Rawson, LorraineHatfull

Minding YourGrey MatterPeople are living longer and as our population ages the number living

with neurological disorders is predicted to grow. But recent research

has shown that with the right approach there are things we can do

to reduce the risk of dementia. This was one of the key messages of

Brain Awareness Week held in Auckland last month.

Presently there are 30,000 people in New Zealand living with

dementia, which covers a large group of illnesses that cause a

progressive decline in a persons functioning. The symptoms include

a loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and normalemotional reactions.

It was once believed that little could be done to reduce a persons

risk of developing dementia, and while we cant control the risk

factors of age and our genes, new studies show that a brain healthy

lifestyle can reduce the risk of developing dementia. And the bonus

is that at the same time youll be lowering your risk of heart disease,

stroke and diabetes.

Typically mental decline begins by the age of 40 and parts of the brain

we dont use stop working. Brains need exercise and by challenging

our brain with mental activity we can create new pathways and wake

up parts of the brain. Almost any mental activity can be good forthe brain, but it should be reasonably complex, frequent, varied and

interesting. So try doing something you havent done before like

learning a new language.

Regular exercise also reduces the risk of dementia as it maintains

good blood ow to the brain. Diet is important too, with brain healthy

foods including good cholestrol foods such as olive oil, avodadoes

and olives, and omega 3 fatty acids which are found in soy and canola

oils and oily fsh. At the same time it is wise to reduce your intake

of reduced saturated fats.

And fnally, get socialising. The more socially engaged, as well

as mentally and physically active you are, the lower your risk ofdementia. Social contact is also important for staving off depression.

Research shows people should have seven contacts with other people

each day, be that by phone or in person. A great excuse (as if we need

one) for getting involved and networking with other rural women!

Following the liestyle dreamLifestyle blocks are burgeoning around the country, accordingto gures from the latest 2006 Census.

New Zealandspopulation inthe main urbancentres has risen8.9% since theprevious Censusin 2001, but thefastest growthh a s b e e n i nrural areas witheither moderateurban inuence(9.5%) or strongurban inuence(12.3%).

New Zealand now has 140,000 lifestyle blocks of between0.4 and 30 hectares, occupying a total of 753,000 hectares or4.3 percent of the total farmland, and the number is growingby 6,800 blocks, or 37,600 hectares per year. Small towns arealso beneting, turning around the minus 3.2 per cent of total

growth between 1996 and 2001 to a plus 7.5 percent growthduring the last ve years.

Technology has the ability to make it easier for people to workfrom home, or to give them greater resources for running theirown businesses. Satellite and wireless broadband, though stillexpensive, may prove less costly both in dollar and stress termsthan commuting from home to the city.

The growth in lifestyle blocks also has a positive spin-off forRural Women New Zealand. In many instances women arefully involved in managing stock, irrigation, fencing andother tasks on their lifestyle blocks. Yet many may have littleexperience of rural life and are hungry for knowledge and keen

to meet others in similar situations.If you have lifestyle blocks in your area, it could be a goodopportunity to grow your branch membership. So makecontact and invite people along to your branch events or thenearest Women in Farming Group.

Photo by Joanna Grigg

furniture items for chidren with intellectual disabilities, helpedwith the resurfacing costs of a community tennis club, givenmoney for after-school programme equipment and assistedin purchasing a freezer and commercial vacuum cleaner fortwo educational centres.



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Rural Support Trustshows the way orwardFor rural people living or working in isolation, good adviceand support is vital, especially in times of adverse events, orwhen nancial or health problems strike. But knowing whereto turn to for assistance can be a problem in itself.

In Waikato, Hauraki and Coromandel, a recently established charitable

organisation, The Rural Support Trust, aims to match those needingsupport with appropriate people who can provide assistance.

RWNZ national councillor, Sue Saunders from Hamilton(pictured right), is one of the trustees, along with (l to r) Syd-Fraser Jones, chairman John Fisher and Neil Bateup.

The Trust, which has been operating for a year, is available tosupport all rural families, not just farmers, explains Sue. Ouraim is to put people in touch with the right person to help resolvetheir problem, be that a doctor, farm adviser, accountant, lawyeror Victim Support. In some cases the Trust will also fund theinitial consultation with the professional or support person.

The Trust will also act as the co-ordinator of relief efforts inthe case of a major adverse event, working alongside localauthorities and Civil Defence. To contact the Rural SupportTrust call 0800 787 254.

It is always interesting to hear of the many ways our membersput our motto Strengthening Rural Communities,into action. Its also good to hear when those people areacknowledged by the communities they serve.

Recently Valerie Driver, who is described as the

backbone of the Waipapa Kerikeri branch, wasnominated by her fellow RWNZ members for a FarNorth District Council Citizens Award. They weredelighted when she was recognised with an Award.Valerie has been a long term fundraiser for the LifeEducation Trust, has been active in the local StrokeClub for 20 years, delivered Meals on Wheels for 25,is a foundation member of the Kerikeri Girls Brigadeand has served a variety of roles with the St JamesAnglican Church, to name just a few ways she gives toher community.

Fantastic Fundraisers

Branch BirthdaysGore branch celebrated its 80th birthday recently with a lunchattended by past and present members. The anniversary cakewas cut by Margaret Dickie, who has been a member of thebranch since 1936, and Gladys Dickie, a member since 1964.

Waikouaiti Branch - the oldest in the Otago Region - also turned80 recently, celebrating in style with a tree planting by DunedinMayor Peter Chin and entertainment from the Waikouaiti MusicGroup. Seven members founded the group in 1927 which boasted70 members at its peak in 1970. Surplus food from a splendidafternoon tea was taken to the local rest home, where it was alsomuch appreciated.

Community Fund there in times o trouble

Two families who lost their homes to re just before Christmaswere given some help to get back on their feet with a grantfrom RWNZs Community Fund. This fund is available to helpindividuals or groups in times of disaster or specic need.

Applications for grants up to $1,000 can be made by any RWNZmember, and may be made on behalf of another person or

group. Application are considered at each RWNZ Councilmeeting although in an urgent situation our President andFinance Chair are able to make an immediate grant. Fullcriteria is available from the ofce or on our website www.ruralwomen.org - Bursaries section.

Strengthening RuralCommunities

Our members in branches throughout the country alsokeep busy supporting their communities. Heres whatsome of them have been up to:

Cromwell branch gave copies of Tom Scott andTrevor Grices The Great Brain Robbery to four libraries inthe District, two oxygen ow meters to St Johns and moneyto the Roxburgh Health Camp. To raise funds they take theopportunity to cater for a wide range of events.

Canterbury Provincial recently presented a cheque for $5,500 tothe Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust. In accepting the chequeLorraine Proftt said the money was likely to be used for thepurchase of theatre equipment for cataract operations. EarlierProvincial Co-ordinator, Beverley Blanche, had challengedeach RWNZ branch in Canterbury Provincial to raise a sumof money, and most surpassed their goal.

Rodney Womens Refuge benefited from fundraising byKaipara Provincial over the course of last year, when a chequewas presented for $1,000.

Kaipara members obviously believe in the old adage about idlehands. They have kept theirs busy over the last 20 years knitting

singlets, bootees and hats for the Helensville Birthing Unit.The father gets to choose which one he would like and it hasgone from the plain white, pink or blue to multi colours, themost popular being the All Black strip - black and white. Witharound 20 newborns a month it keeps the women very busy!says Kaipara Provincial President, Lynda Wright.

Cromwell Vice President, Helen Irwin (left) presents The GreatBrain Robbery to local librarians.



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welcome to new members

Deborah Rose Dillon - Stewart Island; Shirley Ussher -

South Canterbury; Carmel Spencer - Havelock North;

Catherine Petrey - Lower Hutt; Maree Llewellyn

- Cambridge; Robin Ormerod - Martinborough; Diana

Mathers - Hastings, Caron Williamson - Pleasant

Point, Suzanne Milham - Wanganui, Pauline Brennan

(individual members)Diana Dumont, Pakawau

Alison Devine - Kurow; Geoff Evans - Blenheim

(associate member)

Jocelyn Terry, Betty Tarrant, Noeline Dunn - Tokaora-

Inaha

Helen Ellis - Waimate North

Betty Johnson - Aoroa

Gavin Forrest - Wellington Network Branch

farewell to old friends

Lillian Falloon - Masterton

Violet Hutchison - Motueka

Margaret Perrie - Te Kauwhata

Patricia Robertson ONZM - Rotorua

Andre Roulston - Tahatika

Beverley Holgate - Hillend

Mavis Sheridan - Southbrook-Flaxton

Beryl Brown - Stratford

Marian Ryalls - Hawea Flat

Gloria Lindsay - Manapouri-Te Anau

Joan Patterson - Upper Wairoa

Olive Liddall - Tumahu

Jocelyn Fleming - Oropi

Betty Brocket - Waikouaiti

Madge Sutton - Huirau Road-Turua

Annie McLellan, Martha (Mattie) McKay - Wyndham

Rene Dreaden

honours board

Branch Life Membership

Gloria Swney, Margaret Osborne - Elstow

Nyla Chubb - Midhurst

Helen Bruce - Gore

Provincial Bar of Honour

Jean McKeown - Lyalldale, South Canterbury

Branch Bar of Honour

Peg Fawcett - Midhirst

Service Simply Given

Beverley Pitt - Midhirst

If Cattle Creek residents at the top of the Hakataramea Valleyare hit by heavy snows again this winter, theyll be in better

shape to help themselves following the donation of generatorby Waipa-King Country RWNZ members.

Its portability and the fact it can be shared by the wider SouthCanterbury or North Otago community were important factorsin deciding to purchase the 2000 watt generator.

The Cattle Creek area is relatively isolated and oftenexperiences quite heavy snow falls throughout winter. LastJune the area had to wait several days for a generator to bebrought in to power up the Telecom box to restore telephonecommunications around the district according to UpperWaitaki RWNZ President, Jocelyn McIlraith. If that happens

again we have a generator available to restore phone lines.Communication is so important during emergencies.

The kindness of the Waipa-King Country members reectsthe spirit of our organisation and its purpose of strengtheningrural communities she said. We were all quite blown awayby their generosity.

Betty Hill andZeta Pringle ofUpper WaitakiR W N Z ( f a rr i g h t ) w i t h

Catt l e Creekr e s i d e n t sa n d t h e i rnew portablegenerator

Generator to benet whole community

A day on the Cavalcade

Four Wyndham branch members stepped back in time andenjoyed a day in a horse drawn wagon and a Hansom cab asthey joined the Southern Wagons Horse Power cavalcade when itpassed through Gore recently. Margaret Wards, Mary Matthews,

Rowena McKay and Maureen Stewart said they felt like queens,waving to the passers-by. The wagon enthusiasts, led by EllwinCowie, left Bluff in January on the 1,256 kilometre trek to Picton.The journey took seven weeks and the riders collected $8,500 enroute for the Lion Foundation Rescue Helicopter.

Hard copy photo



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Over the last 15 years, agriculture, horticulture, forestryand shing, together with relatedindustries, have increasedtheir productivity at morethan double the rate of the restof the economy, belying the

fashionable view, on the part ofsome, that our primary industriesare declining in importance.Farm - The Spirit of Rural NewZealand by Vaughan Yarwood,celebrates our farming historythrough the eyes of a diverse range of farming families.Between them they also discuss the issues that preoccupyNew Zealand farmers today, where innovation and diversityhold the key. The landscapes and its people are capturedby leading landscape photographer Arno Gasteiger.Published by Random House NZ rrp $69.99. We also have

one copy of this book to give away.To go in the draw for either book: Put your name and address

on the back of an envelope addressed to RWNZ, PO Box 12-021,

Wellington, and note which book draw you wish to enter. Farm

or Last Line of Defence.

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in

the dark days of the Second World War,New Zealanders felt vulnerable andexposed, until numbers in the homeArmy, Navy and Air Force were builtup and women joined the WAACs,Wrens and WAAFs. Together theyguarded New Zealand on land andsea, tracking approaching aircraft,monitoring signals and maintaining

equipment. Stationed from the far north to the deep souththey were our Last Line of Defence. Others served in the HomeGuard and the Womens War Service Auxiliary or WomensLand Service. In this book Megan Hutching, a senior oral

historian with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, recordsthe moving stories of fteen men and women who servedin uniform at home. This completes the seven volume OralHistory series. Published by Harper Collins rrp $44.99. Wehave one copy of this book to give away.

From cover to cover

Popular bee and lambdemos set to resumeFor several years RWNZ has worked with the Beef & LambMarketing Bureau to bring the latest culinary delights togroups of women around the country. Celebrity chefsfrom the top restaurants entertain and inform as theydemonstrate their latest taste creations using ingredients

that many of

us he lp t oproduce onour farms.

Pat Macaulay,R W N Z sr e g i o n a ldevelopmento f f i c e r i nOtago, sayst h e r e h a s b e e n a n

overwhelming response from around the regions fromgroups keen to host one of these events again this year.Dates are being negotiated with the Beef & Lamb Bureauand will be publicised in the next few weeks.

Meanwhile, if you would like a recipe for BraisedLamb with Marjoram, Apples and Maple Syrup, asdemonstrated by the bureaus ambassador chef JeremyGrifths, please write to RWNZ, PO Box 12-021, enclosing astamped addressed envelope headed up Lamb Recipe. Therecipe is also available on our website www.ruralwomen.org.

If your branch, group or Provincialis interested in making a bannerto display at conferences or events,you might like to incorporate anembroidered Rural Women NewZealand badge as shown here.

They are available from Janet Jensen ata cost of approximately $55 each. Pleasecontact national ofce for details.

One Day School benets gited children

Central Otago Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP)has teamed up with the George Parkyn National Centre forGifted Education to bring One Day School to Otago. The OneDay School concept began in 1995, but the Alexandra School isthe rst time it has been rurally-based. Children spend one fullschool day every week with other gifted children, working indepth throughout the day, and sometimes across several days,on a specic theme, rather than in different curriculum areas.

It is a great model for rural areas where it is much more difcultto access out of the ordinary educational opportunties, saysparent and RWNZ member Jane Mitchell.

One Day School is not centrally funded, and Central OtagoREAP has accessed a range of grants to get it off the ground.Children attend from as far aeld as Maniototo, Roxburgh,Cromwell, Millers Flat and Wanaka.

Time to check electric encesThe arrival of autumn is a good time to check the earthing andset-up of electric fences to avoid interference with telephonelines in the area.

A poorly set up fence could be interfering with your phoneand internet connections and causing the same trouble foryour neighbours, even up to several kilometres away. Theclicks cause errors in the modem data stream, which meansthe modem is always re-transmitting data. This can happeneven on a perfectly good telephone line.

Telecom has drawn up a ve-step electric fence check which

can be downloaded from www.telecom.co.nz/electricfences,or by ringing Telecom.

Meantime if you make overseas calls, check out Telecoms 0161service for low rate international calls from your home phone,without having to sign up for any plan.


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OfcialJournalofRuralWomenNewZealand PO Box 12021, Wellington Tel 04 473 5524 Fax 04 472 8946

Email [email protected] www.ruralwomen.org ISSN no 1171-4425

Editor:HeadOfce,POBox12021Wellington Printer: Precise Print & Design Ltd., Paraparaumu

Women in FarmingHealthy eating with red fesh and virgin oil - By Jane WhiteThe next big thing in apples will be red fruit - scarletscavengers of free radicals in the form of red-eshed apples.

This was one of the eye-opening discoveries at Havelock

Norths HortResearch centre, where Hawkes Bay Womenin Farming started its years activities. Unfortunately all wesaw were photos - the red apples themselves wont be on themarket for another four or ve years.

Plant pathologists Mary Horner and Reiny Scheper talkedabout current research into new varieties of fruits andberries and explained some of their work on the fungi andviruses that attack food crops. These down to earth, practicalscientists showed us examples of pests and disease damageon leaves and branches, including a spectacular and preciousfungus.

Having whetted our appetite for food crops at HortResearch,we went on to Telegraph Hill, the largest producer of tableolives in New Zealand. Thats not all they do, as we foundout.

Telegraph Hill founder, Rose Gresson, has a passion forproducing the best. She has been growing olive trees for 12 years and producing table olives for six, starting Telegraph Hillolivery with Geoff Crawford less than four years ago. They now produce olives, extra virgin oil and olive products.

We sampled the oil and although drinking olive oil isnt something I will make a habit of, it was interesting. Coughing isa sign of a good oil, we were told. The peppery bite catches the back of your throat. According to Rose, Telegraph HillsExtra Virgin Olive Oil is a peppery oil that carries a strong aroma of olives and freshly cut grass. For olive oil fans these

are desirable qualities.

The olives are pickled, spending up to two years in brine - olives straight off the tree are inedible - before being packed withone of ve avours in either glass or resealable plastic.

Olive products include taste treats like balsamic drizzle, wasabi vinaigrette and dukkah - all of which we sampled - andwent back for more - and carried away from the shop afterwards. A visit to Telegraph Hill is educational, a taste adventureand an inspiration for many future food experiments.

FMG Sponsorship o Women in Farming /

Women in AgribusinessFMG offers some funding for WIF / WAG groups to hold learning packages

that are not being funded by other sources (such as the Sustainable Farming

Fund). In return FMG asks that they have the opportunity to have a

representative present and that material promoting FMG is available. We

send a report to FMG twice yearly (March and September).

If you are organising a seminar or event and would like some funding support,

please contact RWNZs executive ofcer, Noeline Holt, for more information.

Email [email protected].

Rose Gresson explaining the tasting of olive oil to Pauline Malloy andSallie Moore

March 2007 Rural Women Magazine, New Zealand

Documents

Transcript of March 2007 Rural Women Magazine, New Zealand