Barbara Johnston, of Oamaru, turned 100 on Thursday and will celebrate her milestone with family and friends in Weston this weekend.
Mrs Johnston suggested the secret to a long life was keeping busy.
"Hard work doesn’t hurt you.
"The main thing is caring for people and looking after yourself, too," she said this week.
She grew up with seven siblings on the family farm at Fuchsia Creek.
From an early age, she led an industrious life working on the land.
"I left school before the war, and I got married just as the war finished.
"I worked all those years outside on my father’s farm, driving tractors and riding horses."
Those years as a young woman marked her with a sense of independence and real determination.
"They were very tough times.
"We were busy raising money for patriotic events.
"We got wool in the soldiers’ colours to knit balaclavas, socks, scarves and gloves, to send parcels to the soldiers ...
"The social side of life was very busy.
"If we had new people in the district, people always went to see them, took baking, or if the kids were sick or anything, we went and helped."
Having reached 100 years was "wonderful" and "unbelievable", Mrs Johnston said.
She was born in Oamaru and attended Fuchsia Creek School before going to Waitaki Girls’ High School.
With late husband James (Jim) she had three children, Margaret, Stephen and Phillip, and they farmed at Five Forks until moving to Oamaru in 1970.
Mrs Johnston has nine grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Her long life has been marked by tireless work, including as the North Otago A&P Association secretary from 1983 to 1985.
She was also North Otago president of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers from 1973 to 1975.
There she worked tirelessly to empower other women with their education classes.
"I went around every institute in North Otago, and there was 19.
"I was encouraging them to join ...
"Five Forks was a fantastic place for clever women, and we’ve still got them."
Becky Hill said her grandmother remained "sharp as a tack" and a "true inspiration".
"Nana was a trail blazer for women in professions; a can-do, confident and positive attitude, proving anything is possible, respected across many circles — and as such, she has paved the way for those behind her."
