Mahurangimatters

Mahurangimatters 14 December 2011 | 17
SHOP LOC A L
it
taking easy
Shop smart to avoid silly season debt Generosity recognised
By David Kneebone, Sorted spokesperson
Christmas trees are being decorated,
carols are hitting the sound waves
and end-of-year work functions
are in full swing. While signs
of the festive season are hard
to miss, one thing you may
be putting off is your annual
Christmas shopping.
If you haven’t done it yet, don’t
panic. Last minute shopping can
lead to impulse decisions and ‘dumb
debt’, which is high interest debt that could
be avoided. It’s not smart to get into, unless
you can pay it off within the interest-free period,
because the longer it’s left unpaid, the bigger it gets.
To avoid waking up to a mountain of Christmas
‘dumb debt’ next year, it’s a good idea to have some
smart shopping strategies in place before you hit the
streets.
Think about who you need to buy for, what they
might like and set a spending limit for each person.
Take the list with you when you go shopping and
try to stick to it. This goes for the Christmas grocery
shop as well – planning what you’ll put in your
grocery trolley before you get to the supermarket
will help you stay away from temptation – and avoid
a shock when it comes to paying at the checkout.
If you find yourself getting out your credit card
when you’re shopping, make sure you can pay it
off within the interest-free period before you start
swiping. If you have trouble avoiding temptation,
try leaving it at home. When present shopping, you
could try drawing the amount you’ve budgeted for
gifts, and only spend the cash you’ve drawn. That
way you can see the money going and will be more
likely to stick to your plan.
If you’re feeling pressure to spend a lot of money
on gifts, remember that at Christmas it is genuinely
the thought that counts. An album filled with
photographs, some delicious, yet beautifully
presented home baking, or your services as a
gardener or babysitter can be as appreciated as much
as an expensive gift.
25%
Est 1973
OFF
Oxfam has confirmed what we knew all along – the
people of Warkworth are among the most generous
in NZ.
In its first-ever Oxfam Unwrapped Generosity List,
Warkworth was rated sixth most generous town
behind Upper Moutere, Takaka, Ohaupo, Russell
and Paekakariki.
The list was complied by looking at the numbers
and locations of gifts given through the Oxfam
Unwrapped appeal and taking into account the size
of the towns.
Over the past five years, Warkworth residents have
given $11,438 through Oxfam Unwrapped.
The appeal involves choosing a gift from a catalogue,
getting a card to give to a friend, and the actual gift
goes to someone in the developing world. In the past
six years, Kiwis have raised more than $4 million
through Oxfam Unwrapped to help people in the
world’s poorest countries work their way out of
poverty and achieve fundamental human rights.
Info: 0800 600 700 or www.oxfamunwrapped.org.nz
Collector coins
New Zealand Post has begun a new chapter in its
series of collectors coins featuring the kiwi in pure
gold and pure silver. Earlier icons series featured a
kiwi alongside a map of NZ (2009), the Southern
Cross (2010) and the silver fern (2011). The
2012 coins, which have just been released, are the
first entry in a new three-part series called ‘Kiwi
Treasures’. The 2012 entry features the kowhai on
the tails side of the coin.
Buy a Yamaha
PW50 or PW80
this festive season
and score up to
$500* of gifts!
HURRY!
LIMITED TIME!
all purchases for the festive season
Excludes swatch touch screen models • Expires 31/12/11
LAYBYS WELCOME
serving this community for over 23 years
Neville St, Warkworth (next to Pizza Co) • Ph 425 7404
KAIWAKA MOTORCYCLES
YAMAHA SALES & SERVICE
MANGAWHAI ROAD, KAIWAKA • PH 09 431 2127
18 | Mahurangimatters 14 December 2011
SHOP LOC AL
it
taking easy
Matakana vineyard setting
for Bard’s classic comedy
HEALTH • BEAUTY • MEDI SPA
Pamper yourself or a loved one this Christmas at
Sheer Bliss. Gift vouchers and wonderful stocking fillers
available. Get what you really want under the tree!
Nails by Coralie
NATIONAL TUTOR/EDUCATOR
OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE
• Acrylic Nails • Prescription Nails • Shimmering Glass
Shop 7, River View Plaza, Kapauni St, Warkworth
09 425 7720 • sheerblissspa@xtra.co.nz
www.sheerblissspa.com
Gifts Galore
• Jewellery
• Wall Art
• Fashion Accessories
• Handbags
• Toys
• Kitchenware
• NZ Gift Section
• Cards
• Baby Section
The classic romantic comedy Much
Ado About Nothing will be presented
by Australia’s Essential Theatre at
Matakana’s Ascension Wine Estate
next month.
The
Melbourne-based
company is well-known in
metropolitan
and
regional
Australia, but this will be its first
visit to New Zealand where it will
give two exclusive performances at
Ascension.
The play will be performed outdoors
in the vineyard with the actors
surrounded by a relatively small
audience sitting on picnic rugs and
chairs.
Ascension’s Darryl Soljan says he
leapt at the opportunity to bring this
professional and innovative theatre
company to NZ.
“The idea of guests sipping wine among
the vines as the sun sets, while enjoying
a live performance of a Shakespeare
classic, was too good to pass up,” he says.
Essential Theatre is an independent
company that regularly tours
Australia, entertaining crowds with
the wonderful words of Shakespeare.
The combination of talented
actors, humour and a passion for
Shakespeare’s text has earned it a loyal
and growing audience.
Anna McCrossin-Owen is returning
to direct this production offering
audiences a clever and entertaining
interpretation. Amanda LaBonte and
Brad Flynn are teaming up to play the
feisty Beatrice and Benedick.
Shakespeare in the Vines will be
held on January 6 and 7. See ad
page 2 of the Summer Blast
entertainment liftout.
And on the
sixth and
seventh night,
Shakespeare
was performed
in Matakana.
The Garage Door
Lots of
great
Christmas
gifts ideas
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Mahurangimatters 14 December 2011 | 19
SHOP LOC AL
it
taking easy
Fresh Flowers & Gifts.
FOR THE WAY IT'S MADE.®
Members of the Wellsford Horticultural Society gathered at the home of Norma
Brookes in Rustybrook Road for their annual Christmas lunch on December
8. The club has enjoyed a busy year with recent trips to Whangarei to visit
the Quarry Gardens and to Tutukaka for retail ‘therapy’ at a succulent and
bromeliads nursery. There have also been visits to gardens around Point Wells,
Algies Bay and Matakana, the Auckland Botanic Gardens and Roger’s Plant
Centre. Info: Contact president Linda MacDonald 423 9387.
Iconic
mixers
since 1938,
now in stunning
new colours
Featuring glass
mixing bowl
with a bonus
scaper paddle
where Pantry meets Kitchen
Around 25 members of the Snells
Beach Monday Walking Group
attended a Christmas Breakfast at
Market Provedores this month. The
group will continue its weekly walks
over Christmas/New Year and new
members are welcome. The walks take
about an hour and are suitable for
all levels of fitness. They leave from
outside the Mahurangi East Library at
8.30am. Info: Lynne Melville 425 4999.
Wellsford Combined Probus Club
member Cushla Sinclair puts the
finishing touches to the Christmas
morning tea, held at the Wellsford
Bowling Club. Retired policeman
Barry Rose was the guest speaker
and recounted many humorous and
informative incidents from his time
in the local area. Monthly meetings
re-commence with a visit to the Olive
Place, in Whangaripo Valley, in January.
Open:
Mon-Fri 9-5.30pm;
Sat 9-4pm; Sun 10-3pm
Email: info@tastematakana.co.nz
Web: www.tastematakana.co.nz
2-4 Neville Street,
Warkworth
Ph/Fax: 09 425 0302
Boutique Dianne
It’s a smiling summer
at Boutique Dianne
4A Baxter Street, Warkworth
opp. Info Centre
ers, at the
order direct
ery.20 | Mahurangimatters 14 December 2011
support SHOP LOC AL
LOTHLORIEN
winery
Introducing our exciting new label with the same range of
award winning sparkling wines. New Zealand’s biggest selling
feijoa wine.
Available at good wine retailers, at the
Matakana Farmers Market or order direct
from us here at Lothlorien Winery.
celebrates
Thank you for your continuing support
Lothlorien Winery ltd 09 422 5845
info@lothlorienwinery.co.nz
www.lothlorienwinery.co.nz
join us on facebook
LOTHLORIEN
Unwanted fruit a windfall
for Lothlorien adventure
Organic , from our trees to your table.
our trees to your table.
A decision 40 years ago to plant feijoa
trees on a newly-purchased property,
in the Ahuroa Valley, could easily have
been a costly disaster for the founder
of the Lothlorien organic farm and
winery Dale Demeulemeester.
At the time, Dale and his then wife
Sharon, both originally from Detroit,
had only recently arrived in NZ.
They had met a homesick Kiwi while
travelling in Europe who had sung his
country’s praises, talking of how cheap
land was there.
“We were looking for a farm and it
sounded ideal,” Dale says. “We bought
a 100 acres from the Brown family for
$25,000 and settled down to begin an
organic lifestyle.”
Dale says they started planting feijoa,
never realising that just about everyone
at that time had a tree of their own.
“There was just no market for the fruit,
but after spending years caring for the
trees, I just couldn’t pull them out.”
Struggling to keep afloat financially,
Dale says his stubborn streak made him
determined to find some use for the
fruit that no-one wanted, so he began
drying, bottling and making feijoa wine.
All three proved viable, but the interest
shown by TV presenter Annie Whittle
in the wine, settled the question of
which product would be most saleable.
winery
Dale Demeulemeester and partner Jo in the house garden on their idyllic
Ahuroa property.
“We suddenly found ourselves in the
wine business, calling in every favour
we could to get enough finance for our
first release. We knew we had to sell
it quickly to meet expenses so, once
again with Annie’s help, we organised
a music festival to launch the wine.
“Bands like Herbs played and it was a
huge success. Annie ran a seven-part
series on the farm, the story spread
and the winery continued to grow. It’s
now about three times the size of the
initial venture.”
Production started with around 25,000
(bottles) and peaked around 80,000,
but now sits slightly under that,
reflecting the current economic times.
The winery still uses the same press
it purchased from Oldfields in
Kumeu, when Logan Petley joined
the operation. Today, Dale, Logan
and two of Dale’s sons, Cy and Eli,
own the winery equally, while Natalie
Garlick manages the cellar.
Lothlorien produces both a dry and
medium wine, as well as a Reserve and
a liqueur. It has won many national
and some international awards, and
although there have been approaches
to export, Dale says he’s never seriously
considered it.
“Part of being organic is not to leave a
large carbon footprint, so we’re happier
just supplying the NZ market. Besides,
while Lothlorien wines sell in stores
all over NZ, the local people from
Mangawhai to Orewa still manage to
soak up one-third of all production.”
There’s now about 1000 feijoa trees on
the property and most are grown from
seed to ensure they return the fullest
flavour.
The operation began making juices
– from Poorman oranges or NZ
grapefruit, and feijoa and apple, when
Logan entered the business. Some of
their fruit goes to Fonterra to make
fruju ice blocks.
“It was the peaches that gave Lothlorien
its good name,” Dale says. “Some fruits
continued next page
New
Look
Same Feijoa Wine
Lothlorien have been growing organically for 40 years.
Introducing our exciting new label with the same range of
award winning sparkling wines. New Zealand’s biggest selling
feijoa wine.
Available at good wine retailers, at the
Matakana Farmers Market or order direct
from us here at Lothlorien Winery.
Thank you for your continuing support
Lothlorien Winery ltd 09 422 5845
info@lothlorienwinery.co.nz
www.lothlorienwinery.co.nz
join us on facebook
LOTHLORIEN
winery
Organic , from our trees to your table.
tailers, at the
or order direct
Winery.
Mahurangimatters 14 December 2011 | 21
ng support
SHOP LOC AL
45
LOTHLORIEN
winery
celebrates
continued from page 20
m our
trees to your table.
and vegetables lend themselves to being
grown organically where they can show
off their flavours. Peaches fall into this
category, as well as carrots. Paragon 2 is
a good organic peach because its thick
fur can hold out fungus spores.”
Dale is also looking at the possibilities
of nuts, mainly pecan, macadamia and
black walnuts.
He says there were some hard years
mixed into the last 40, but the
property has succeeded in providing
his family – eight children in all, as
well as grandchildren – with a safe and
secure place to live and work.
“I consider myself to have been
tremendously lucky.”
NEW WORLD
Warkworth
Warkworth
NEW WORLD WARKWORTH
IS A PROUD RETAILER OF MANY
LOCALLY PRODUCED WINES,
INCLUDING LOTHLORIEN WINES.
Winery director Logan Petley.
Lothlorien wines are sporting newlook labels, coinciding with the farm’s
40th anniversary. On the production
line are Sorella Demeulemeester (back)
and Jo Ainsworth.
Lothlorien Winery opened in 1977.
They produce many types of home made wine and
are well known for their feijoa wine.
They have won a number of medals over
the years as well as trophies from the
NZ Fruit Winemakers Association.
We are proud to support our local community as our
local community supports us. Every year we contribute
in many ways, donating both time and money.
We are proud supporters and contributors
to the following local organisations
Congratulations
to the
Lothlorien crew
for the launch of the new look
OPEN DAILY 10AM - 10PM
ALL SUMMER LONG
Enjoy a glass of chilled wine, beer, cider
or local juice, on our sunny deck
Warkworth Plunket
Warkworth Wellsford Hospice
Kowhai Festival
Guide Dog Appeal – Bayleys
Mitre 10 Mega
Sandpit Yacht Club
Omaha Golf Club
Omaha Beach Golf Club
Warkworth & Districts RSA
Warkworth Golf Club
Mahurangi Kindy
Ahuroa School
Matakana Riders
Mahurnagi Rugby Club
Rodney Hockey Association
Rodney College
Algies Bay Resident Association
Forensic Building Services
Homebuilders Family Services
Kaipara Flats School, Netball
Kowhai Arts and Crafts
Kowhai Fair Canoe Challenge
Leigh Bowling Club
Leigh Community Preschool
Leigh Ladies Bowling Club
Leigh Primary School
Lifeway Ministries Trust
Skyfawkes
Matakana Pony Club
Omaha Beach Bowling
Omaha Golf Club
Omaha beach Surf Life
Point Wells Bowling Club
Point Wells Fishing Club
St John Ambulance
Starship Foundation
Warkworth Netball
Warkworth Police
Warkworth Primary
Warkworth Soccer
Wellsford Golf and Squash Club
Wellsford Preschool
Women’s Centre, Rodney
Gateway Church
Mahurangi East Bowling Club
Warkworth Lions
National Bank Daffodil Day
Mahurangi East Tennis Court
Coast Guard – Kawau
Mahurangi Presbyterian Church
In past years we granted Christmas wishes by giving
our community longer shopping hours. Our store is
now open Monday-Sunday 7am-9pm permanently.
We’ve heard our valued customers asking for longer
trading hours, and we are delivering.
Warkworth New World wish everyone a very
Merry Christmas, a Prosperous New Year and
a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!!
100% New Zealand
Owned and Operated
www.thevintry.co.nz / (09) 423 0251
6 Percy Street, Warkworth • Ph 09-4251040
Hours 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week
www.newworld.co.nz/warkworth
22 | Mahurangimatters 14 December 2011
SHOP LOC AL
your
taking easy
it
LOCAL
MARKET
■ BOOK RE VIE WS guide
W = Weekly
M = Monthly
W Mangawhai Beach & Country
M Warkworth Craft & Produce Market
W
W The Country Park Market
@ the Mangawhai Domain,
Sunday 9am-1pm Dec 18, Jan 8, 15, 22, 29.
Live music & cafe, carboot sites available,
new and preloved goods.
Contact: Sue 0274 586 144 or
email toriamartin@hotmail.com
Warkworth Lions Club, Warkworth Wharf
2nd Sunday of the month 9am-1pm
Stallholder and car boot sales welcome
Contact: John Frogley 09 422 3067 or
David Little 09 425 8143
Mangawhai Village Market
Mangawhai Library Hall,
45 Moir Street, Mangawhai
Saturdays 9am-1pm
Contact: Marita Draper 021 598 917
Matakana Country Park
1151 Leigh Road, Matakana
Saturdays 9am-1pm
Contact: Aileen 09 422 6337 or
email aileenthomas@clear.net.nz
M Puhoi Farmers Market
Matakana Village Farmers Market
Puhoi Domain
W Fresh food and produce market
Last Sunday of the month
2 Matakana Valley Road, Matakana
9am-1pm
Saturdays 8am-1pm
Contact: Phillippa Beagley 09 422 0009
Contact: Michael 021 1414 308 or
or email danscape@clear.net.nz
email mihou@clear.net.nz
OUTBOARDS
Reviewed by The Village Bookshop, Matakana
The Story Of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon
1950s America and we have three main characters – Lynnie, a
young white woman with a developmental disability; Homan, an
African-American who is deaf and can only communicate using
homemade sign language; and Martha, a widow and retired
schoolteacher who relies on her ex-pupils for companionship.
The novel starts with Lynnie and Homan escaping the institute
where they are housed, and arriving at Martha’s house during
a bad storm. They are wet and desperate for help, as Lynnie
has just had a baby. The authorities catch up with them very quickly, but
Homan manages to escape and before Lynnie is taken back to the Institute for
the Feeble-minded, she manages to ask Martha to hide her baby. This beautiful
story weaves together three separate lives – three lives needing to reconnect
against all the odds. Highly recommended.
The Sweet Second Life of Darrell Kincaid by Catherine Robertson
For 21 months and three days, Darrell Kincaid has been struggling
to come to terms with the death of her beloved husband Tom. Then
she has a revelation – it’s not the ending that really matters but
what comes next. When Tom died she realised she lost more than
the man she loved, she lost her own happy ever after. The life she
expected to live has gone, vanished in a puff of fickle, unfair smoke!
Darrell knows she has a choice, to stay in New Zealand and live
half a life or leave in search of something, perhaps someone else.
She decides to move to London and sets out to live the second
sweet life she deserves. This is a light-hearted and funny story with a motley
group of characters, gypsies and hunky men. A great, light holiday read.
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini
NOW AVAILABLE IN NZ
This is the fourth and final in the Inheritance series. In the first
book Eragon, the young farm boy discovers a dragon egg and
what follows is an amazing journey as he takes on the role of
Dragon Rider. Inheritance has Eragon, his dragon Saphira,
and the Varden getting closer to confronting the evil king
Galbatorix. Are they ready? Eragon thinks not, but there really
isn’t any choice. All of the characters from the first three books
are here and despite this being the last in the series, Paolini
leaves enough open to give us hope that he might explore these characters
further at a later date. This is an amazing series that will delight and entertain
readers of all ages.
AFFORDABLE BOATING
FOR ALL TO ENJOY
Phone 09 422 7822
Fax
09 422 7824
Mobile 021 429 955
matakanamarine@xtra.co.nz
www.matakanamarine.co.nz
50 Matakana Valley Rd, Matakana
Gone by Michael Grant
First in a stand-out teenage series. Small town California and life is
normal(ish) when suddenly everyone over the age of 15 disappears
in the blink of an eye. The youngsters realise they are trapped and
can’t contact the outside world. Some step up and assume roles
of responsibility whilst others create chaos. Gangs form, sides are
chosen and this is a modern take on Lord Of The Flies. Mutant
powers, teenage romance, life and death decisions – it’s all here.
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