People and Their Hobbies

Eleven years ago Mrs Joy Borlaae, of Hope, began to breed pheasants as a hobby. Today, pheasants, peacocks, cockatiels, pigeons, parakeets, quail, canaries and finches, some of them of the most exotic varieties, occupy about half an acre of pens on the property she and her husband farm. In all, she has about 200 birds on the premises and although the raising of these various kinds of birds is still a hobby with her, it has now become a paying hobby. Four years ago she began breeding peafowl. Today she is recognised as one of the biggest breeders in New Zealand. She sells the peafowl all over the country to organisations and to individuals for private collections. When we visited her there were 27 peafowl on the property.

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Mrs Borlase and a peachick.

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A peacock keeps watch over the pen and a Reeves pheasant looks askance at us inside the pen.

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Feeding time on the farm, and most of the birds are in on the act.