Tena Koutou katou,
He uri ahau no Ngapuhi
No te hikutu toku hapu
No whirinaki toku whenua
Ko Leef toku whakawhanau
Ko Jude Porteous toku ingoa
No reira, no reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa

I am Jude, I am adopted, the incredibly proud mother of Jack, Sarah and Hayden and the partner of Farmer Lloyd. I was raised with three older brothers and have lived in Whangarei, Blenheim, Christchurch, Nelson, Mooloolaba, Wakefield and now Brightwater.

When I was a lot younger, I decided I wanted to be a Social Worker, and a lawyer. Life happened and at the age of 46 I finally studied for my degree in Social Work, this was a life changing experience. After years of feeling like I was “the odd one out” and a spectator of life I finally discovered the real me, and I am ok : )

Lloyd and I meet 4 years ago and purchased the farm 3 years ago. We very quickly realised that the wairua of the farm is healing and that our rescue animals were all very relaxed here, I decided that working from the farm would be amazing.  So, I finished my degree, studied Animal assisted therapy and then designed a business card…and our wonderful community has responded. People have come, agencies have believed in us, and Fossil Creek Farm Trust has been established. The variety of needs in our community has shaped our growth and I now have a team of amazing staff working beside me.

Animals speak to my soul, I am their voice on the farm. No harm, no stress, no demands, just safe and loved, and able to be as they wish. A forever home where they can choose to interact with us, or not.

I have found my culture, my place and feel incredibly grounded by the farm. The whenua holds me and feeds me, the wai cleans the energy, hydrates me and our animals, and the wairua allows me to blossom fully. I am blessed and humbled by what we can offer.