Pink is in vogue as the ‘girls’ forge ahead with family farm – Sally Rae:
An inspirational North Otago mother-and-daughter duo who run a busy pig-farming operation are proof that women can do anything. Sally Rae reports.
“Pink definitely belongs on the farm,” Sam Fox reckons.
Sam (24) can be found most days in hot-pink overalls, working alongside her mother, Debbie, at their North Otago piggery.
”She says that’s the boss’ colour,” her mother says, while Sam quips she needs a badge to identify that she is ”chief executive” of Rayburn Farm Ltd.
The pair’s obviously strong relationship goes deeper than the usual mother-daughter bond because they are also business partners, together running an intensive farming operation. . .
Century of family’s effort celebrated with fine fruit – Leith Huffadine:
The Webb family recently celebrated 100 years of horticulture on the same property, a part of an iconic Central Otago industry which evokes memories of hot summer days and ripe fruit. Leith Huffadine discussed family history, technology changes, and growing fruit with fourth-generation orchardist Simon Webb.
From father to son for four generations, the Webb family has been supplying people with fruit from their orchard, located just outside Cromwell, which has been in the family since 1914.
Established by John Robert Webb, in early summer that year, about 8ha of the 32ha section he purchased was planted in fruit trees.
Going by the numbers, Stonehurst Orchard is now just over 100 years old and has about 25ha planted in trees which produce about 550 or 600 tonnes of fruit a year. . .
Journalist writing new life on the farm – Hamish McLean:
Gumboots are more part of Nigel Stirling’s wardrobe than suits these days but the former journalist has not gone “cold turkey” on his news
background, despite the demands of farming life. He tells Hamish McLean about his return to the family farm in South Otago.
One would forgive former colleagues for doing a double take, but Nigel Stirling has no trouble recalling how he was introduced to audiences in his four years at Radio New Zealand.
”They’d read out an intro that I’d written and then they’d say, `Economics correspondent Nigel Stirling has been covering the story – and he joins us now.’ ”And I’d say, ‘Good morning, Jeff’ or `Good morning, Sean’ or I’d just launch straight into it.
”They’d finish it by saying, `Thanks, Nigel.
”That was our economics correspondent Nigel Stirling.” . . .
More than just a cottage industry – Sally Rae,
An enterprising Central Otago farming family has diversified to successfully add tourism to its busy business operation, as Sally Rae reports.
Life is just busy enough at Penvose Farms.
Ask Stu and Lorraine Duncan how they balance a wide-ranging farming operation in the Maniototo with a successful tourism venture, family life and even civic duties, and the answer comes quick.
”Bloody hard at times,” says Mrs Duncan, a calm and capable woman who appears the perfect foil for her dry-witted and ever-thinking husband.
Stu Duncan is a fourth-generation farmer on the block at Wedderburn that was taken up by his forebears in 1894.
Additional land has since been bought and the enterprise now encompasses 2000ha, running sheep, deer and beef cattle, including an Angus stud. . .
Lack of sheep shearers threatens future events:
Falling sheep numbers are threatening the future of rural New Zealand shearing competitions due to a shortage of local shearers.
The sheep population is at its lowest since World War II which has led to a lack of shearers.
According to Statistics New Zealand the number of sheep declined by 1.2 million between 2013 and 2014 and now sits at 29.6 million.
Doug Laing of Shearing Sport New Zealand said the reduced flock is threatening the future of the events, which have dropped from around 100 nationally to 60 events a year.
Laing said the problem was a lack of shearers. “It’s a question of how long we can keep running these shows.” . . .
Planning for FMD outbreak – Simone Norrie:
THE Department of Primary Industries (DPI) estimates an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Australia could cost the economy up to $52 billion over a decade.
Exercise Odysseus brought together representatives from key industry bodies and government agencies to step out the action that could be taken if an outbreak occurred.
DPI hosted one of 40 simulation exercises across Australia at Wagga Wagga in December, with discussions centred on the ripple effect of an umbrella 72-hour livestock standstill if an outbreak did occur.
Independent consultant Ron Glanville, Biosecurity Advisory Service, Melbourne, Victoria, had run 10 exercises across Australia, and said the workshops discussed existing plans and highlighted the gaps. . . .
Artistic take on Molong’s scrap – Rebecca Sharpe:
FOR motorists heading through Molong along the Mitchell Highway, Caldwell Molong may only look like a scrap metal business.
But looking closer, gems of fine art sculptures are hidden.
A dinosaur proudly stands above the scrap while sunflowers poke their bright yellow heads into the sky.
Panel beater Mark Oates and mechanic Ben Caldwell are an unlikely artistic duo but they are the masterminds behind the beautiful recycled sculptures. . .
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