Hard luck and hard boiled – Ostrich Eggs in Northland

murray lloyd September 4, 2023

I knew the far North has Kauri trees and beautiful beaches, but organic ostriches? I’d read about a couple of suppliers in an organics magazine and it all sounded very promising.

After numerous phone calls to disconnected phone numbers my sister-in-law (who appears to know everyone in Northland), tracked down the remains of the once aspiring ostrich industry – one bird. In a blip of a place named Kareponia, I met Kerry Hay who with his wife Lilac once owned a thriving ostrich egg hatchery.

Kerry’s story unravelled the classic boom and bust cycle that accompanied the establishment of Ostrich farming in Northland. After exiting the hatchery business in 2005 he sent 29 of his 30 breeding hens off to Taranaki. As we sat and chatted the only bird that didn’t make the trip – B2 - began aggressively checking out my camera.

B2 escaped the final journey because she had a damaged wing. Stomping around the paddock she didn’t look too happy with my presence but settled down once she saw the camera was giving her no harm.

Kerry and Lilac now fatten up cattle on their land, a far less risky enterprise.

On departing the farm I was very generously presented with a freshly laid egg.

We carefully drove the egg home to Wellington and after some research boiled it for 90mins. I was hoping for a slightly soft boiled finish. Once the egg was out of the pot I tried using a small knife to pry the top off gently, not wanting yellow yolk pouring out.

But on reaching the yolk it was hard boiled. So I attacked it with more force. Out came a larger knife, hand saw, screwdriver and a hammer but it was the hacksaw that was most effective.

The Best Tasting Pineapple in NZ | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd March 26, 2012

Expect the unexpected is what the tourists are told when coming to New Zealand and that is just what I got when visiting my brother in the Far North this summer. The talk had turned to a couple growing pineapple just a couple of kilometres down their dusty inland road.

With a quick phone call and a short drive, I was shown around the home of Jan Tagart and Steve Cottis, and close to one thousand pineapple plants.

After spending a sweltering hour and a half in two large tunnel houses photographing Jan, Steve, plants and the pineapple I was invited to taste a piece of the exotic fruit.

As the tropical flavours enveloped my taste buds I realised I had never really tasted pineapple before. The underwhelming supermarket supply in New Zealand had put me off what was a taste sensation.

Sold only at the Bay of Islands Farmers Market in Kerikeri at prices between five and twelve dollars the Tagert and Cottis stand gets plenty of repeat customers including one who was reminded of “pineapple grown in the Islands”.

It all started with two plants given to Jan by her chiropractor in Mangonui (home of the famous fish and chip shop) and another nine from a greenhouse in Kerikeri. Jan and Steve now have enough plants to supply their local market with fruit most of the year.

Back in Wellington Pina colada will never be the same.

Orphaned Calf Being fed by Horse | Murray Lloyd Photography

murray lloyd January 31, 2012

The calf having lost its mother was put into a paddock with Spook the horse. The orphaned calf does get hand-fed but clearly feels the need for more. And Spook is happy to oblige.