Dairy farmers shared stories about a favourable calving season at a free breakfast event in South Otago last week.
DairyNZ, Fonterra’s store arm Farm Source and Rural Support served farmers breakfast at nine community meeting places across Southland and Otago.
The tour started at Tuatapere Golf Club on September 6 and finished at Toko Rugby Club in Milton on Thursday last week.
When Southern Rural Life visited a stop at Clutha Valley Rugby Club in Clydevale last week, DairyNZ Southland and South Otago regional leader Guy Michaels was sizzling sausages and patties on a barbecue.
The turnouts had been better than expected, attracting 30-50 people at the first seven stops of the tour, he said.
‘‘It’s an informal opportunity for people to get off-farm for a couple of hours - there’s no speeches or agenda - it’s very casual.’’
The tour was scheduled to give farmers calving and lambing a well-deserved breakfast, he said.
Dairy farmer Shambhu Thapa, of Penulto Dairies, speaking to Southern Rural Life at the breakfast, said calving had been going well and was nearly finished.
About 90 cows remained to calve from a herd of about 600.
Kildare Farm manager Reagan Ladip said calving had ‘‘slowed down’,’ and about 100cows of the herd of about 640 remained to be calved.
The weather had been good for calving this year, he said.
‘‘There’s been no long storms - it’s when you get a three-day storm things can get a bit tough.’’
Kildare Farm second-in-charge Francisco Martin said he loved working in the dairy industry in South Otago.
‘‘I love the weather here - the mountains protect us and give us perfect weather.’’
‘‘That’s the thing about living in a rural community - you just don’t bump into people unless you make an effort and have the opportunity to do that, and you’re so much better for it.’’
• If you have any photos of people lambing in Otago and Southland this season, please share them with readers of Southern Rural Life by emailing them to shawn.mcavinue @alliedpress.co.nz.
SHAWN.MCAVINUE @alliedpress.co.nz
