Upper Takaka Farm Day showcases optimism and innovation
A Farm Day on Sunday 1 March, initiated by Federated Farmers, aims to foster better understanding across the urban/rural divide by showing the public what farmers do each day, every day of the year.
Nationwide, 27 farms are involved in this first-time event that has been a regular event in the UK for over 15 years. For Golden Bay, the Farm Day will be held at Harwood’s farm at 10 Aaron Creek Road in Upper Takaka. It starts with a guided walk covering the deer, dairy and sheep farming operations and working dogs. After lunch, which can be bought or brought, the day will continue with a sheep-shearing demonstration, and there will be continuous displays in the Upper Takaka Hall by other groups such as Fish and Game, Forest and Bird and Weedbusters.
Bainham farmer Michelle Riley warmly invites people of all ages to “come along, have a look and enjoy the day, and although this is a farm walk where everybody is going around together, if there is a mobility problem we will drive people around.
“This is the first time this event is held in New Zealand and we’re just getting a feel for it, but hope that this will become a regular event. There are different perspectives between rural and urban groups and sometimes there is conflict around water and effluent issues which hopefully can be addressed.”
Don Nicolson, national president of Federated Farmers, said that another aspect of Farm Day in this current economic climate, “is to showcase the optimism and innovation New Zealand’s farmers are known for. While there is a degree of doom out there, it doesn’t reside inside the farm gate. New Zealand produces something the world needs: food. What Federated Farmers wishes to show is that farming abounds with opportunity, now and into the future. Everyone can ask questions and we hope that people will go away better informed about what we do.”
To register for the day out on the farm, assemble at Nigel Harwood’s farm, Cobb Valley Road, at 10am on Sunday 1 March. The day finishes around 3pm. No dogs please.
Ina Holst
