Joelle Thomson's latest article explains why we choose to farm organically and provide a safer, healthier workplace for all.

Dear friends, 

In the last 5 months we have had some big changes here at Bellbird Spring, the first being a change of ownership, from my parents to my wife and I. This is a generational change that is welcomed by all the family. Things will stay pretty much the same, we are still Bellbird Spring and I will continue to make beautiful eclectic wines. We also have a new release, read on for more about this spirit made from our own wine.
Here at the vineyard, good soil moisture has been added to by 47mm of rain in the last week or so,...

A counterpoint to the pure fruit expression of the Aqua Vitae. The Rustico is, as the name suggests, ‘rustic’. It is reminiscent of grappa and the complex and funky characters it is known for. A clear pot still brandy made from wine from our own vineyards, it is drunk as a digestif, and will complement an espresso coffee at the end of the meal.

500ml, 42% alc/vol 

On what would might have been the sunniest and calmest of days this winter, the Waipara Community Centre bustled with foodie activity. This was the Truffle Day Out 2017. A day not to miss on NZ’s epicurean calendar. With attendees split into two groups and alternating in the afternoon, everyone got a chance to be both a forager and a cook. Chef in chief was Canterbury’s own Johnny Schwass, who toiled away at an outdoor fire kitchen and educated the group on the various ways to use truffles. He spoke of how to maximise their usage and the way truffles...

Meeting friends and colleagues in the industry to listen and talk is always refreshing.  Although we discussed many things: how to market better, the experiences of other growers – here and abroad, bio security risks and so on; it was the subject of soil that provided me with the most food for thought.

Science is giving us an ever clearer picture about the world beneath our feet.  That is to say, the biology of soil, roots, microbes and arthropods that sustain soil health and allow us to farm organically.  Among...