The Evolution of the Herb Garden: Surviving the Storm

When you are trying to reclaim a piece of land from the wilderness, you accept that nature is a partner in the process—sometimes a challenging one. Just as I was making headway with clearing the ground for the new herb garden, October 2025 delivered a stark reminder of who is really in charge.

We had received warnings that strong winds were on the way, but it had already been blowing a gale for weeks, so it was easy to become complacent. Then, the storm hit.

In just 22 minutes of ferocious, high winds, havoc swept across Southland and Otago.

October 2025 Storm and the trees down on the back of the church.

Caught in the Crosshairs

I happened to be outside trying to untangle Goatlee when the tempest broke. The rain lashed down, feeling almost like hail as it stung my skin against the sheer force of the wind. Managing to free her, our only option was to head for the nearest cover as quickly as possible—which meant hauling the goat straight into the church.

We rode out the worst of it together indoors, though my home retained the distinct, rustic aroma of a wet goat for quite some time afterward!

As I was pulling her inside, I watched in horror as the large shelterbelt trees we had relied upon for protection toppled over onto the back of the church. My heart dropped. Once inside, my immediate thought was to check my bedroom to see if the canopy had smashed straight through the window.

Miraculously, my water tank was full at the time, and its solid bulk broke the fall of the crashing trees. The damage was remarkably minor all things considered: some bent guttering and a heavy dent in the tank, but it could have been catastrophic.

Luckily, my water tank saved the church from serious damage

Finding Peace in the Dark

The grid went down instantly, leaving us without power for four days. Yet, amidst the inconvenience, there was an unexpected serenity. Without the constant hum of electricity, appliances, and modern life, it was astonishingly peaceful.

We adapted quickly. The BBQ became our stove for cooking meals and heating water, turning the aftermath of a natural disaster into an impromptu camping trip.

Once the lines came back up, a wonderful neighbor pitched in, helping me cut up the downed timber and using his tractor to carefully lift the heavy logs off the dented water tank.

Didn't take long to clear

Resetting and Rebuilding

Clearing the storm wreckage took time, pushing pause on the momentum I had built for the herb garden. The losses stung: on the south side, my beautiful Japanese cherry tree was gone, alongside a few other trees that crashed down onto the very area I had so painstakingly cleared.

Still, you cannot fight Mother Nature; you simply learn to adapt. Even the storm's aftermath offered a silver lining—I kept some of the fallen logs intact to use as natural terracing for the herb layers of the garden.

It was a detour, but every twist and turn is part of the land's story. With the debris cleared and the resilience tested, it was time to pick up the tools and get back to growing.

I lost my beautiful Japanese Cherry tree; it always signaled Spring with its beautiful blossoms