Dinkie Phillips was brought up on a poultry farm in Hope and moved out to the farm at Tapawera with her husband Peter, 27 years ago. They manage two properties, one leased and one owned at Rakau, totalling 900 acres from which they manage a number of enterprises.
"Sheep, a few cows that we put the calves on and double them up, and a few potatoes. We're doing ok, probably because we've been established a long time and that makes a difference, the young ones are a bit more difficult, there aren't the opportunities there. But our lamb prices are good at the moment, and people still appreciate a quality spud, and we have 'Tapawera Taties' with Nadine and Rua varieties which have been around a long time and have a good name."
Dinkie proudly produces an unsolicited letter of appreciation from a Picton potato lover regarding the quality and taste of their product, while I quietly tucked into another home-bake biscuit.
The Phillips believe in passing on their years of knowledge back to the rural community and for many years Dinkie and Peter have been involved with the Agricultural Industry Training Organisation.
"I am on the Agriculture ITO Top of the South Training Committee because of a genuine interest in young people and farming. I'm now into my 5th year as Chairman and enjoying every minute of it."
"We've had trainees, often referred to as farm cadets, for quite a few years now. Basically we're interested in young people, teenagers and the industry, because it's all voluntary, you get nought for it, but it gives you a buzz, they're neat people, most of them are guys but we have a few girls, you can see them at the start and just blossom, sometimes they call me mother."
"When you see them in town and they cross the street to say 'gidday how's it going' that's neat. It's believing in the industry and we need them coming through."
Dinkie believes we will always have farming and it will continue to be the back bone of the country, but it is going to get harder as we move towards more farms owned by syndicates or individuals with farm operations contracted out like the dairy sector. Sheep farmers getting shearers in to do entire flocks and contractors to do the haymaking, so it will be harder for younger people to own their own farms. Agri-business being the phrase of the day.
"Applied science is the jargon. I believe the best way for doing this training is to do the course with the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, the course was extended to 20 weeks after feed back from industry, to help people be more useful. Then come on board with the Agriculture ITO, and work through their training that way."
"They're on farm then, earning while they're learning, and the fees are cheap at around $340."
"It's a case of head down and get stuck in and work, and be prepared to work, it's hard work. Some people think farming's cruisy, but its not, it's a business and there are so many sectors of it."
"Farm cadets were set up under Federated Farmers to start with, and then they changed their name to FETA, Farm Education Training Organisation, and now to the Agriculture ITO and we have stock and station agents under us, we have wools, poultry and pork and we have waste water now as well."
And long term goals and aims of trainees are very important, "the top two inches, they have got to have attitude and be prepared to learn from things, and that's what I see in young people as their challenge, if they have the attitude and are prepared to listen and try, they can go a long way."
