Field Days treat a cracker

SMOKIN! Northland Regional Council Deputy Chairman John Bain tries some of the smoked eel pate the council will give away at the Northland Field Days.

Smoked eel pate will be the tasty treat designed to entice visitors to the Northland Regional Council’s marquee at next month’s Northland Field Days in Dargaville.

In recent years the regional council has successfully used a variety of wild food treats – most made from pests – as a fun way of attracting visitors.

However, this year’s offering is a little different; instead of using a pest, the free treat is made from sustainably sourced short-finned eel, designed to reinforce a ‘water quality’ theme – ‘Waiora Northland Water’ – central to the council’s display.

Natasha Stubbing, the regional council’s Events and Partnerships Coordinator, says Waiora Northland Water is a broad programme for improving water quality, quantity and management in the region.

“Through Waiora Northland Water, we’re aiming to protect and maintain freshwater quality in Northland to suit a range of needs and values.”

Ms Stubbing says a trail around the council marquee will link a variety of water-related issues, including its importance to the region and cultural values.

She says previous wild food treats have included wasp larvae ice-cream, possum and goat meat pies, possum pate and wild rabbit sausages.

This year’s eel pate offering will be sourced from Far North company Apatu Aqua of Coopers Beach, which provides fresh and smoked seafood to restaurants, cafes, delicatessens and supermarkets around New Zealand.

The council expects to give away roughly 1500-2000 crackers topped with pate over the three days of the field days.

Northland Field Days, February 21-23, site 251, RD1 Road.