Rain, hail, sleet or snow, today is Federated Farmers Farm Day
Sunday 1 March 2009, 8:39AM
By Federated Farmers of New Zealand
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“Despite the recent heavy weather, all Federated Farmers open farms will be open today with just one postponement in the Bay of Plenty,” says Don Nicolson, President of Federated Farmers.
Federated Farmers Farm Day is being held today on 26 farms throughout New Zealand. The open farms range from an organic goat farm in Te Aroha through to Molesworth Station in the South Island, New Zealand’s largest farm. Federated Farmers Farm Day provides an opportunity for people of all ages to see and experience where their food and fibre comes from. Real farmers will be on hand to guide visitors around the farms and answer any questions people may have. Farm Day will be fun, interactive and mutually educational.
“While it may be wet in some parts of New Zealand, Federated Farmers Farm Day is a fantastic opportunity to see what farmers do in all types of weather. Given Farm Day coincides with New Zealand’s International Children’s Day, why be cooped up inside when the country is out there waiting to be discovered?” Mr Nicolson asked.
“Just go to www.farmday.org.nz and select ‘Our Farm Days.’ Each of the 26 farms is listed there with Google Maps offering easy navigation and even the ability to print off driving instructions. www.farmday.org.nz also provides additional tips and a brief description of each host farm. The only thing we ask is that no dogs be brought out to any of the 26 host farms open today.
“Federated Farmers Farm Day will be an adventure for the whole family. At some host farms, guests will learn how cows are milked and crops are harvested. While on other farms, guests will discover the different types of sheep that are farmed here in New Zealand. Bees and goats will also be on show in some parts of the country as well.
“A key aspect of Federated Farmers Farm Day is to showcase the optimism and innovation New Zealand’s farmers are known for.
“Everyone eats food and with agriculture generating 64 percent of everything we sell to the world, it insulates New Zealand from the worst of the global economic downturn. That’s a positive message Federated Farmers looks forward to sharing.
“As opportunity abounds, we even hope some visitors will go away inspired to become a farmer,” Mr Nicolson concluded.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Federated Farmers president, Don Nicolson, 03 216 7405, 027 226 6331
For general public enquires, 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646)
BAY OF PLENTY POSTPONEMENT
The one postponement, due to heavy rain in the last 24 hours, is in the Bay of Plenty. This Farm Day will now be held next Sunday, 8 March between 10am and 3pm. Federated Farmers apologises for this and asks all interested people to visit Dave and Nicky Hurst’s farm next Sunday (77 Tara Road, Papamoa Beach).
THE 26 FEDERATED FARMERS OPEN FARMS OPEN TODAY, 1 MARCH 2009
ALL ARE 10AM – 3PM EXCEPT MOLESWORTH STATION, WHICH STARTS AT 9AM
Far North - meet a big bull and trace its life back on the computer
Landcorp Kapiro Farm
74 Takou Bay Road
RD2
Kerikeri 0295
Auckland - have a go at conquering the highest hill on the farm
Brian and Dianne Duder
848 North Road
RD2
Papakura 2582
Hauraki-Coromandel - get drafted and weighed using the electronic gates
Neil and Glenda Gray
124 Hauraki Road
RD 4
Thames 3574
Waikato - pet and fall in love with the goats
Doug and Kathy Bentham
647 Alexandra Road
RD 1
Te Aroha 3391
Rotorua/Taupo - spot the difference in the cow and learn to score its condition
Peter and Gisele Schweizer
60 Scott Douglas Drive
Rotorua 3072
Hawke’s Bay - try your hand at drafting and counting - you’ll have to be quick as sheep move fast
Bruce and Scott Wills
582 Old Coach Road
RD 2
Napier 4182
Ruapehu - become a sheep, walk up the ramp and get loaded onto a stock truck
Brian and Sharon Sherson
40 Mead Road
RD 4
Taumarunui 3994
Gisborne/Wairoa - see the sheep being shorn, the wool being spun and have a go at knitting
Wairakaia Station
1964 State Highway 2 (Wharerata Road)
Muriwai
Gisborne 4072
Tararua - become a farmer and work the farm dogs
Nick and Carron Perry
171 Potter Road
RD 1
Woodville 4997
Taranaki - try a turnip and imagine how a cow might pull this out of the ground with their long tongue
Murray and Zoe Barrett
241 Barrett Road
RD 4
New Plymouth 4374
Wanganui - guess the size of the squash
Trevor and Julie Laird
681 No 2 Line
RD 2
Wanganui 4572
Manawatu/Rangitikei - work out how high the flood waters came up
Robert Ervine
1304 Highway 56
Longburn
RD 7
Palmerston North 4477
Wairarapa/Wellington - become a farmer and see how much fun it can be
Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre
529 Cornwall Road
State Highway 2
Masterton 5877
Golden Bay - see the cows being milked and the deer being worked in the shed
Nigel Harwood
10 Cobb Valley Road
RD1
Upper Takaka 7183
Nelson - try your hand at tagging, drafting and counting before you load the sheep on the stock truck
Ian and Sue Parkes
Punawai Farm
Eighty Eight Valley Road
Wai-Iti (Wakefield)
Tasman 7095
Marlborough - don’t forget to bring your togs for a swim in the river
Paul and Muff Newton
76 Readers Road
RD1
Havelock 7178
Molesworth Station - enjoy a correspondence school barbecue, cooked and served by high country children
(Cars will be escorted onto Molesworth Station at 9am from the following meeting points)
Meet at the corner of State Highway 1 and Awatere Valley Road
Marlborough
OR
Meet at the Hanmer Springs end of Jacks Point Road
Hanmer
West Coast - walk across the paddock and measure the grass
Landcorp Kotuku Farm
Deep Creek Road
RD1
Dobson 7872
North Canterbury - feel what it is like to get tagged, drafted and counted
Neville and Raewyn Tidey
216 Clintons Road
RD1
Christchurch 7671
AND
Claxby Farm
Corner of Browns Road and South Eyre Road
RD6 Eyrewell
Rangiora 7476
Mid Canterbury - play in the Farmers Grotto, watch an animal autopsy and get your face painted like a farm animal
Neville and Andrea Chalmers
Parkfields Farm
890 Fords Road
RD 4
Ashburton
Canterbury 7774
South Canterbury - when you ride in the tractor trailer make sure you hang on tight
Graham and Suzanne Talbot
44 Taiko Rd
RD2
Timaru 7972
Otago - have a go at shearing a sheep and find the needle in a haystack
Telford Rural Polytechnic
498 Owaka Highway
Balclutha
Otago 9271
Southland - take part in the great Farm Day walk
Southland Demonstration Farm
105 Riverton Wallacetown Highway
RD 4
Invercargill 9874
AND
Allan and Joy Lindsay
428 Mill Road North
RD 6
Invercargill 9876