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Awards'. Angela couldn't believe how under-done the region was with regards to a wine and food profile. "It was as if someone had provided the ingredients and we'd forgotten to bake the cake. The region has all the best bits of some of the best wine regions in the world, the potential is just staggering." More recently Angela has worked with others in the community to establish Waipara Valley NZ (www.waiparavalleynz. com), a collaborative group that promotes the Valley, her wines and food. The group has 25 members including 21 local wineries. They've adopted the tag-line 'The most exciting wine and food region in New Zealand' and she believes this to be true – not the biggest or the best known, but without a doubt the most exciting. Angela is passionate about the Valley and will happily promote it given half a chance. "You can grow just about anything here, and I'm a big believer and supporter of local food and local food producers. So many unsung heroes, people who believe in this place where they live. So many of us, our businesses or personally, have been affected by events of the last 12 months but it just seems to have strengthened the sense of community and the importance of being together. It's all right there in front of us, we just need to grab it. Sometimes we're not so good at stepping up, reaching out and grabbing things. Sometimes you have to go away to realise the value of where you are from. This is a really special place. It's a wonderful thing to be able to call it home." Michele Cherry and her partner, John Grater own and run Stonecircle Organics, a certified organic vegetable farm just outside of Amberley, the gateway to the Waipara Valley. They sell at the local farmers market as well as supplying to individuals and businesses in the Christchurch area. Michele, a former midwife, came to the Amberley area six years ago after returning from a life-changing OE with John. Michele and John initially wanted to farm on Banks Peninsula but this was not to be. Feeling disappointed as they had missed out on some land there, Michele was pulled kicking and screaming to Amberley to have a look at yet another property for sale. Needless to say it was perfect and she fell in love with it instantly. Within a few months of returning to New Zealand, and contrary to all advice given by family and friends who thought they were just plum crazy, Michele and John bought a lifestyle block, moved in and with not a shred of experience or expertise in commercial organic growing started to farm. Giving up delivering babies Michele moved to delivering cabbages and Stonecircle has grown from virtually nothing to a viable business supplying families with a wide range of certified organic veggies and herbs. It's been a near vertical learning curve, but one driven by a very real love and passion for growing veggies, working with mother nature and sharing the miracle of life and growth. Michele loves living in a rural community. "Since shifting here we have met such wonderful people and feel a keen sense of belonging. I love feeling acceptable when I dash into the village with gummies on, and I love the notices on shop windows asking to 'please remove muddy boots'. I love the land here, absorbing its beauty like a sponge, and I feel incredibly privileged to be its guardian at this time of my life. There's no other place I'd rather be or anything else I'd rather be doing." With strong ties to the community Michele is a founding member of Food for Thought, a local group that runs monthly information and education evenings on issues relating to building a sustainable future for the region. She believes that the region needs to become more aware of its local resources. She is a caring and compassionate person who supports "Since shifting here we have met such wonderful people and feel a keen sense of belonging. I love feeling acceptable when I dash into the village with gummies on, and I love the notices on shop windows asking to 'please remove muddy boots'..." - Michelle Cherry HER MAGAZINE | December/January 2012 | 35