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Thursday March 8 2012
Prebbleton, Rolleston, Burnham, West Melton, Darfield, Arthurs Pass, Tai Tapu, Leeston, Southbridge, Lincoln & all of Selwyn
Quake cheese proves tops Community Diary
To submit your notice email: diary@selwynview.co.nz or post to Community Diary, P.O. Box 39176 Harewood, Christchurch 8545
Where the magic happens: Selwyn cheesemaker Anna Moorhead’s business Gruff Junction has picked up a national award for its earthquake themed ‘Darfield’ goats cheese. The business is run from her father’s farm near Springston South. Photo: Tom Doudney
Tom Doudney
A CHEESE inspired by the September 4, 2010, earthquake has earned a small Selwyn business one of the country’s top cheese awards. Gruff Junction’s ‘Darfield’ cheese, named after the Darfield earthquake, won the Champion Original Cheese Award at the recent New Zealand Champions of Cheese awards in Auckland. The cheese is a white mould pyramid on the surface but after cutting through the outer rind, a black ash ‘fault-line’ resembling a seismograph is revealed. The business is run by Anna Moorhead from her father’s 70 acre farm, near Springston South, which is home to the 250
goats from which the cheese is sourced. Just one other cheesemaker and a factory hand help with the entire operation. Ms Moorhead said the earthquake related troubles of former colleague Kirsty Schmutsch, who had since moved to Australia, had provided the inspiration behind the cheese. “Her house was destroyed in the quake in September and the epicentre was at Darfield,” she said. “Her husband’s restaurant fell down so everything was going a bit pear shaped and she wanted to do something positive so we came up with the Darfield.” Since the business started in 2007, Gruff
Junction cheeses have previously been finalists a number of times at the annual award ceremony and a category winner once before in 2010. Despite that, Ms Moorhead said she was “blown away” with the win and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Things had been tough in Christchurch since the earthquakes and the recognition could help the business reach other markets. “We’ve started to get one eye on Australia but we still only produce four to five tonnes of cheese a year so we’ll always be boutique,” she said. “We’re wanting to work smarter not harder. We want to keep quite a small operation.”
Alpaca Farm Sale Days
Open Days
Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th March 10.00am – 1.00pm NEW West Melton Centre Opening 10th April • Taking Enrolments Now! • Privately owned and operated • Quality care and education for children aged 3 months to 5 years • Separate Nursery (3mths – 2 yrs), Preschool (2 - 3½yrs), & Prep School (3½yrs – 5 yrs) • Primary caregiving by experienced, qualified and caring teachers • Bright, open and spacious facilities designed with children in mind • 20 hours ECE for 3 & 4 year olds • Innovative SMART Transition to School Programme • Open Monday – Friday 7.30am – 6.00pm P. 347 9561 E. westmelton@catspjs.co.nz www.catspjs.co.nz 65 Iris Taylor Avenue, Preston Downs, West Melton
SPCA Canterbury annual fundraiser at the Nut Point Gallery, March 10. Bob Heinz Jazz Group and guests including flamenco dancing group Sangre En Venas. $45 per person Including lunch, wine, concert and afternoon tea. See www. nutpoint.org for details and booking. LINCOLN Plunket Family Fun Day and Teddy Bear Picnic, Sunday March 11, 2-4pm at The Green outside Lincoln Event Centre (inside if wet). Come and rediscover the fun of childhood for Plunket’s annual appeal. Bring your family, your favourite teddy bear and afternoon tea and enjoy a fun afternoon with Lincoln Plunket and other young families. Music, teddy games and races, bouncy castle, pony rides, face painting, circus tricks and spot prizes are among the activities. Bring your own picnic or food is available for purchase. Gold coin donation is requested to go towards the local volunteer Plunket services. The Lincoln Plunket Committee has been planning the annual appeal for March 5 -11. For more information or to volunteer, contact appeal coordinator Penny Curran on 03 550 0408. hORORATA family bike challenge, March 18, 10am – 2pm, Hororata Domain. A fun family day out including a country barbecue, picnic and spot prizes. Register for the event on www.horortaparish.co.nz ThIS Way Up exhibition at Down By the Liffey Gallery, Lincoln, running until March 25. Features works from artists Ross Gillies and Neville Sinclair who attempt to render seen, the unseen, manifesting individual responses to the “bigger picture” through their two very different styles. The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. ROLLeSTON Outdoor Fitness: Wednesdays, 6-7pm, at Parekura Reserve, off Botticelli Mews. Join for a fun and challenging workout, circuit type session with aerobic and strength training, work your own level of fitness, families to exercise and play together. See http://www. completeperformance.co.nz/1.-cp-summer-team-training. html for more info and a free pass. KARATe - Ladbrooks, Broadfield, Prebbleton, Weedons districts. Available for 8yo+, family representation is encouraged, personal development, self-defence, health and fitness rewards of Goju-Ryu training, is deep and absorbing, not method suited to sport or competition but can be adapted. Training Tuesdays, 6.30 - 7pm, at Ladbrooks Hall (beside Ladbrooks School). Contact: Geoff (03 347-8880 or 021 395-554).
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Open Days Saturday & Sunday 10/11 March & 24/25 March 10am – 3pm • Over 70 Alpacas • Huacaya & Suri breeds • Males & Breeding females • Packages available to suit • Priced to sell • Great for lifestyle blocks
224 Curries Rd, Springston South (500metres from Coes Ford) Phone: 329 5654 Mobile: 027 292 8373 www.awatere.co.nz