It feels like my generation is the last of an era, when all kiwi families had some connection to a farm. If you lived in town, then school holidays would include visits to an Aunt and Uncle or Grandparents in the country. Days would be spent tagging along observing and helping out where possible (now they are just tagging!) What an experience for a town kid to get their hands covered in mucous but marvel at the miracle of life after assisting the birth of a lamb, or the realization that even after your best efforts, animals still die and so an opportunity to develop an understanding of the circle of life. Or simply exploring the land, building huts or trying to catch an eel in the creek.

There are so many children growing up in “Gods own” these days who have never set foot on a real farm.
The divide between town and country that has opened up over the years and the lack of understanding of issues that farmers are confronted with might be one consequence of this loss of connection. I applaud Federated Farmers for their “Farm Day” initiative where a number of farms around the country open to the public for a day.

Another consequence of this loss of connection is the understanding of where our food comes from and how it is produced.
People need to understand that every time they are at the super market checkout they are voting. They are voting for farmers who care for the land and their animals and are producing quality food in a sustainable way, or they might be voting for a production system on the other side of the world that is environmentally and socially destructive. So many people these days are making this vote totally uninformed as they no longer understand what goes on inside the farm gate and the consequences to the planet and future generations of buying from a “factory type” food production system compared to a holistically managed farm.

Another consequence of this loss of connection is the understanding of where our food comes from

Individuals have more power than we realize and as consumers we can influence large corporate supermarkets to support sustainable and regenerative food growers. An example of this is the increase in organic produce stocked by giant American supermarket chain Walmart which was demanded by consumers. (Highly recommend the movie Food Inc)

With a desire to give non farming people an opportunity to rediscover farm life and knowing that we needed more trees on our farm we approached Air New Zealand to form a partnership to achieve the following three point plan:

1. Restoring eco systems by planting native trees and to plant other trees for shade, shelter, nutrient cycling, drought fodder, carbon sequestration and the many other benefits of reforestation.

2. Developing a model of sustainable farming systems

3. Offering non farming people the opportunity to learn about where and how their food is produced, and providing a place to visit where they will have the chance to reconnect with nature and visit trees funded by their sponsorship.

We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time as the newly established Air New Zealand Environment Trust was looking for its first project. We put together a planting plan with the help of local farm foresters and received a budget to spend over three years. The main focus of the planting program is the native reforestation of a 30ha gully, once planted a covenant will be placed on this area protecting it in perpetuity.
Trees have been incorporated through much of the landscape on the 610ha farm to not only improve aesthetics but also to benefit livestock and achieve the above objectives. This is the third year of funded planting and by the end of this season approximately 90,000 trees will have been planted.

Next job is to put a sign up at the end of Mangarara Rd inviting the public to visit the farm and the trees funded by the Air NZ Environment Trust. This is going to be an interesting “experiment” as there will be free access between the hours of 9am to 5pm. Visitors will drive 2km down the farm track to a central area where the main sheep yards and shearing shed are located. They will leave their car and walk to the growing native forest.

Firstly it will be interesting to see how many people want to drive three kilometers up a shingle no exit road to visit the farm and the trees which is half an hour from Hastings or twenty minutes from Waipawa in Central Hawke’s Bay.
Secondly what kind of visitors will we get and where will they come from? Hopefully not to many of the “tagging” kind that was mentioned earlier! But as Air New Zealand fly’s approximately one million people each month there is bound to be a few overseas visitors who will take the opportunity to learn about New Zealand agriculture.

The real hope is that kiwi families will take the time to come and experience the “good life” that sometimes we take for granted. Working outdoors in wide open spaces, the peace and quiet of no man made sound, the animals, the trees and the ever changing seasons, while also getting an appreciation of the challenges farmers face.
Obviously we won’t be around to meet and greet all the visitors as we still have a business to run but we are looking forward to meeting all sorts of interesting people from all walks of life. Signs will be erected giving information about the farm and the tree planting program with the Air New Zealand Environment Trust for when we aren’t around.

The front gate is open, you are welcome to come in and have a look around. We look forward to meeting you.