Marie Hazledine-Barber

Leaving the City Behind

In the NZ Bush

Leaving the city behind to indulge in off grid living in the dense New Zealand bush presents new challenges.  www.offgridecostay.com

“Going with the Flow” article, in the magazine New Zealand Lifestyle Block the February 20011 issue, describes the building process of the off grid eco stay, challenges and establishment of the small lodge running entirely off grid.

You become part of the environment, the environment is not part of you,one soon becomes acutely aware  of weather, for example when the sun is out, rainfall and being in harmony with the land.

Living alongside other residents of the bush, hares, quails,native birds whose raucous singing, a cacophony of song, dominates the early morning silence.

Honey bees, butterflies, a living poetic existence overlooking the Koromiko Valley in the Marlborough Sounds.

The living in the ‘gone bush life-style’ challenges for example in the culinary part of life is learning to cook using a 1 kw hot plate on top of the wood burning fire-place. Going back to basics and producing fine fare of healthy food. Additionally for convienence using the gas hob.

Using an axe to split the pine wood to fit in the fire-box. Gathering pine cones being escorted through the bush by NZ bird the  fan tail. The fan tail not shy, flits from branch to branch catching any insects disturbed by human foraging. The fan tail constantly chattering: one never feels alone.

NZ Fan Tail

The biggest challenge in a well run off grid lodge is what is for dinner? Maybe some wild goat, or wild pig that roam the land, self farming and self  sustaining,very healthy live style for animals.

Wild quail or rabbit, accompanied with home grown greens and herbs.

A demonstration of the food bowl from mother nature, freely given mixed with  an offerring of warmth/cooking abilty from the sustainable pine trees or gorse, plus fresh unpolluted air, bathed in sunshine.

As winter approaches the rolling early morning fog settles over the valley and the lodge sits high above  the view is like looking out onto a white sea.

No city lights at night: the nights a velvet soft black, clear nights the worlds ceiling above is a packed studded array of heavenly bodies the twinkling stars.

Off grid-gone bush- no city lights , cappuccino cafe with interested bumble bees. Simple living with a first class attitude, provided by renewable, sustainable resources, a perfect  balance in harmony with mother earth.

Sustainable living, sustainable design, architecture,agriculture, technological development the answer lies in the land and what ‘Mother Nature’ freely offers.

Harnessing the elements of the land, sun, wind, water, a constant source, only changing with the seasons, adaptation for sustainable living takes the will and a real desire to achieve.

Drop of Water in the Ocean

New Zealand is quipped ‘ a drop of water in the ocean’  ( Land of the Long White Cloud) Aotearoa  the Maori name, rich in offerings of all the elements for sustainable living.

In the hills of Koromiko South Island: with sweeping views of stunning landscape basking in the sun undisturbed by the urban beat, nestles a cabin operating by a solar system backed up with hydro, an enclosed fireplace not only for warmth or cooking ( although LPG gas hob is also installed) that wonderful winter stew,but a back up for hot water heating if required. Internal, external  walls encapsulated with New Zealand wool is a natural cosy answer for insulation.

Ample water supply from a stream falling through the hills pure and clean. Stored in a 2000 litre tank,  filtered to the house,  nicknamed the best drink “Adams Ale” found anywhere in the world.

A Biolytix System which is manufactured in Australia that would handle both sewage and grey water with ease and had a very low power consumption due to the method of processing the waste – Worms!  Eco friendly at its’ best.

Ease of living with constant water, a solar/hydro supply of power source, satellite for internet, as the urban beat thumps or is disconnected by power cuts, earthquakes, floods an unfortunate risk in any country.

For example of Christchurch earthquake. Recovery for the city reliant on non sustainable methods creating angst, technical problems leaving many citizens in disarray for basic living, cooking, grey water matter, laundry and many other factors that are  taken for granted in a modern city.

http://offgridecostay.com/  A project worthy of capture and extended development. Either for living or education.

Last load keep the home fires burning

Global Connection

The essential responsive man decades ago was the mail man who despite conditions ‘the mail must get through’

Today’s world the electronic mail is just as critical ‘ the mail must get through’ the invisible mail man delivers despite conditions, however when it fails and the electronic medium being the computer and the technology collapses in an invisible heap who is the responsive man?

Living in a rural district in isolated parts of New Zealand being disconnected for today’s expectation for banking, business, writing for a living, and other essentials an IT ( Internet Technician ) man becomes the essential responsive man.

Like diamonds in the sand dune these men seem rare. Even rarer is the man who enters into ones rural framework that brings the consumer S.P.I.C.E. Simplicity, progress, Information/integrity, connection, explanation plus excellence in service.

Responds to the consumers requirements and like the trusty mail man of decades ago will turn up when expected and not forget you. The responsive man for the IT world with hands on approach, who pauses at the gate way of the global world, irrespective of rural or city, belaying the myths and mystery of the electronic world is not only the diamond in the sand dune: but the true essence of the essential responsive man.

One such hero or essential responsive man, armed with a bag of tools, as the mail man carried his bag of mail is mike@computerman.co.nz who took time to stop at this gate.