For generations, rural New Zealanders have done what they do best - worked hard, built successful businesses and focused on the long game.

In this article, we find out how off-farm investments can help protect and grow what people have spent a lifetime, or generations, building.

Another new business has opened on Waimate’s main street, blending art with ice cream.

The Old Tin Shed Ice Cream and Art Emporium was officially opened on Sunday, with a crowd gathering in the winter sunshine to eat ice cream, get arty and watch the ribbon cutting

After nearly a decade serving as Chief Executive of Waimate District Council, Stuart Duncan has announced his resignation.

Mr Duncan said the decision had been made after considerable reflection and was driven by a desire to ensure the Council is well positioned for the future.

There’s a new wave of sewers, knitters and crafters emerging in Waimate and at the centre is a main street business that has become far more than just a shop.

Plenty of practical tips were shared at a free property seminar on Tuesday night.

The message was clear - Waimate's property market remains active, supported by a steady stream of people choosing to make the district home.

Read on for some of the key takeaways from the event.

According to Agritourism NZ founder and chief executive Marijke Dunselman, many farmers already have what they need for an agritourism business sitting right under their noses.

It could simply be looking at what is already there through a different lens.

A new permanent orienteering course officially opens at Knottingley Park and Arboretum on Saturday, adding another free outdoor activity for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Led by The Rotary Club of Waimate, the project has been developed with support from Waimate District Council, local businesses, volunteers and specialist course designers from Christchurch.

They’re part treasure hunt, part recycling centre, part community support network.

Our local charity stories, The New Zealand Red Cross Shop and The Salvation Army Store, are packed with quality second-hand goods at low prices. From clothing and linen to kitchenware, books, games, gifts and the occasional unexpected find.

Something’s been brewing in Waimate over the past few years - and it has the potential to become an economic game changer for the district and wider region.

The Waimate Trail - Te Ara Waimatemate is an ambitious community-led project.

We caught up with some of the people behind the scenes and looked at what the trail could mean for the district’s future.

Waimate has firmly established itself as a second-hand shopping destination.

Over the past few years the number of stores has multiplied.

New Zealand’s second-hand market is now estimated to be worth $5.5 billion, with stores helping reduce landfill, strengthen local economic resilience and attract visitors to small towns.

Most of us know how to shop in them but how can we interact with the local stores to keep our clutter out of landfill?

Buying property can feel complicated. Add in national headlines about housing affordability, and it’s easy to assume home ownership is out of reach altogether.

But local property professionals say Waimate is a bit different.

They’ve organised a free seminar next month aimed at helping people better understand the local market, finance and home-buying process.

The Waimate District Council called an urgent public meeting at the Waimate Event Centre on Thursday night following the Government’s announcement of the “Head Start” programme, giving councils just 90 days to develop amalgamation proposals.

Across the country, a growing land-sharing movement is connecting people who want to farm with those who have available land.

In a local example, Carl Barnes, a former chef who once cooked for the likes of Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise, is now growing nutrient-rich organic food for local tables and other chefs.

Happy hens, cows and sheep are living their best lives on Arnstead Farm at Ikawai, on the plains of the Waitaki River.

Diversity, resilience and big biological bombs are all part of the system producing high quality food for top eateries and tables across the country

A soldier looks out over Waimate from the painted silos.

That soldier is Eric Batchelor.

He’s one of the country’s most decorated war heroes -  described at his funeral as an “ordinary extraordinary person”.

As we head into Anzac Day we look at the story behind the soldier on the silos - also known and The Ferret and The Waimate Warrior.

A bottle of beer was left at the Waihao Forks Hotel in 1939, for a soldier to drink when he returned from war.

He never did, and the bottle remains there to this day.

It makes the news most Anzac Days. Scottish comedian Billy Connolly called in to see it for himself while touring NZ.

Ted’s bottle is a sad reminder of all the young people who lost their lives while serving overseas.  

During the First World War, a lot of the district’s young people were a long way from home.

Farms still needed running, shops still opened, families got on with things - while waiting on letters, and sometimes, bad news.

In 1915, that news came with the sinking of the Marquette, a troop ship with British and Kiwi soldiers and medical staff onboard.

It’s been a year since Waimate said no to the incinerator - but the conversation around waste hasn’t gone away.

At the Big Organic Day Out, the focus shifted to what comes next, with a clear message: we need to get better with our waste - and it’s easier than you might think.

We look at where Why Waste Waimate Inc is now, and share some simple, practical tips to help you cut down what you throw out.

The 114th Waimate Sheep Dog Trials wrapped up this weekend, with great conditions across the two days.

We caught up with some of the people behind the scenes to find out more about this long rooted district tradition.

If you’ve been up Point Bush Road, you will have noticed number 126. Dark, sleek, and jutting out over a large elevated section - it stands out.

The owners designed the home themselves, with a lot of thought put into how it actually works day to day - and it’s on the market.