Explore our Farmyard
At The Tin Shed, we share our home with a colourful array of charming animals, each with their own personality and story. From Ace the mischievous donkey and our gentle flock of sheep, to Joaquim and Julio the alpacas with their luxurious fleece, our paddocks are full of life. Visitors can also meet Pigley the Kunekune pig, a rare New Zealand breed, and see our flock of heritage chickens. Even Steelie the iron rooster stands proudly at attention, watching over the garden and hens. Our animals are part of who we are, a celebration of nature, heritage, and rural New Zealand life.
Meet Ace – Our Gentle Donkey
At around 20 years old, Ace is a sweet and gentle soul with a calm nature and a soft spot for pats. As a breed naturally adapted to arid climates, donkeys like Ace can experience health issues if they graze on too much lush green grass. To keep him happy and healthy, we house him in paddocks that have already been grazed by sheep and ensure he always has access to dry straw. Ace is a true character - handsome, kind, and always curious about visitors!
Joaquim and Julio the Alpacas
Now over 10 years old, Joaquim and Julio have been part of The Tin Shed family since December 2014, arriving as yearlings. They’ve settled in well and grown significantly in size. Although born in New Zealand, their ancestors hail from the mountainous Andes region of South America. Alpacas are members of the camelid family, closely related to llamas, vicuñas, and camels. Their fibre is soft, durable, lustrous, and silky - warmer than wool, free from prickle, and hypoallergenic due to the absence of lanolin. We’re proud to stock a range of beautiful alpaca throws in our store, perfect for those who appreciate comfort and quality.
Mona the Merino Sheep & The Woolly Sheep Flock
Merinos produce the finest wool fibres of all the sheep breeds, making it ideal for the high quality, lightweight garments found in store. The Tin Shed has always had a flock of sheep and with a business founded on wool and our famous aran hand knits, we are not about to stop now.
Pigley the Kunekune pig
Kunekune means fat and round in Maori and going by that description Pigley is an exemplary specimen. Kunekunes are thought to be descended from an Asian domestic breed brought to New Zealand by whalers and were later farmed by Maori. Their numbers declined in the 20th century and by 1980 only 50 animals were left. However thanks to a breeding programme started by rare breed societies, numbers have increased and the species in no longer endangered.
An enduring mascot (Steelie the Rooster)
Our magnificent rooster keeps a constant vigil over the hen enclosures and the entrance to the native garden. Rain, snow or shine, this staunch Kiwi remains expressionless, never complaining, just watching through unflinching steely eyes. He was constructed several years ago by prominent New Zealand artist Michael Armstrong and Keith Millbrook, an engineer and sculptor. Made from parts of old farm machinery, tools and iron sheets, he is literally hard as nails and built to last.
