rivettingKateTaylor

Hello Farming Show listeners……

Jamie’s in China and I had a lovely chat today with Dom instead. I haven’t been on the radio for a while… and I haven’t been on my blog for a while either!

I mentioned during the chat I had a DomPost feature publishing next Thursday and that’s what I’ve been busy getting through.

Lots of things have been tickling at the back of my mind, such as the HB Farmer of the Year (sorry, didn’t mention the A&P Society that runs it, they do a great job) and Garth Eyles winning the Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture in Hawke’s Bay.

Garth is well known for his land management roles in the HB Regional Council and a long involvement with organisations like Farmn Forestry.

Here’s so me info I wrote when he “retired” back in about 2007.

Garth started his land management career back in 1965 in Taupo as a MAF soil conversation advisor doing land use capability assessments.

He worked for the Ministry of Works in Wellington and Palmerston North (and an early stint in Hawke’s Bay lasted as long as the province held rugby’s Ranfurly Shield).

Worked in land management for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council from 1993-2008

“Farmers have become quite green, despite what the community hears from pressure groups and some individuals. Looking across Hawke’s Bay from Te Mata Peak in the 1960s you’d see hardly any trees. Now they’re everywhere… in the formerly pastoral dessert that was Hawke’s Bay. I think farmers here have done a brilliant job.”

Garth’s retirement will include some contract work, playing tennis and keeping his hands dirty at the Tutira Country Park, which had remained one of the “joys of the job”.

Garth is still involved with prviate consultancy work and was this year a judge in both the East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards and the Hawke’s Bay Farm Forester of the Year.

The Silver Fern Farms Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year was won by Mathew & Gemma Barham, Mangatarata Station, Waipukurau, Central Hawke’s Bay. They farm 1020 ha (1000 effective )  with 9500 su (half cattle half sheep).  Their field day will be held on May 3.