“Morale among farm staff is great.
“Gemma is home schooling the kids. That seems to be going pretty well, at least at this stage, and that’s one big plus for us in the high country. The bubble is a big space for the kids.”
But there are not too many other plusses.
“The covid-19 lockdown has meant a huge challenge financially for us. Like many high country farming operations we are highly geared for tourism.
“We have lost 35% of our annual revenue in seven days.
“For our hunting operation, in particular, it’s a huge blow. We have nine contractors associated with our hunting-tourism businesses from March through June. There’s nothing now.”
High Peak was forced to cancel its annual weaner deer sale. While selling through an online platform was considered the family decided to first try private sales.
“We felt it was right that the first port of call be to our loyal clients and offer to them first. We may well end up doing something online depending how it goes.”
The annual calf sale scheduled for this month will likely go the same way.
“We are considering options for the calf sale. While the beef market will take a hit it’s looking that it will be less severe in beef than in some other export products – we’re hoping.
“We have been lucky with the lambs. We hit good timing on the lamb market but we are waiting processing space to get sheep away.
“So, it’s pretty much day-by-day. We do know now that tourism will take longer to bounce back than we initially thought.
“We do believe farming will right itself quite quickly.”
The family is also coping with the loss of good friend and former High Peak stock manager Gavin Dowling who died on his Marlborough farm on day one of the lockdown.
“Supporting his wife Rosie and the three young children remotely during this time is tough. We all want to be there for her to hug and cry.
“Thank goodness technology is at least allowing us to communicate.”
In South Wairarapa the impact of covid-19 has hit hard for Lisa and Kurt Portas on their Palliser Ridge property.
Agribusiness tourism stopped overnight, Lisa said.
“Our operation is split in two separate businesses. In farming we have made changes with all four families on the farm in one isolation bubble.
“For farming we have made changes, we can carry on, the meetings have been changed to Zoom meetings and team group chats.
“The farm has organised food packages delivered fortnightly to keep away from supermarkets, we have rolling starts to keep everyone separated, everyone has their own quad bikes, their own space and essential farm activities are ticking along. Technology is the key to keeping in touch with everyone.”
The diversification business is not so straightforward.
“It’s a difficult one to navigate. All international guests have been cancelled, we are dealing with huge uncertainty and will be over the next three to four months.
“We have online stores and that’s an interesting space to be watching.
“It’s all about remembering we will come out the other side. We have got to keep thinking longer term and keep being prepared.”
The positive is the couple’s two young children are thriving in their bubble.
“It’s been quite hectic for the kids who always long for home days. They have a big backyard to play in, we are managing best we can and just balancing everything in,” Portas said.
Give a little
Farming couple Rosie and Gavin Dowling are great mates to their friends, great community members and dedicated parents to their children Harry, 4, Digby, 2, and Olive, nine months.
For the past nine months they have juggled life with wee Olive in and out of hospital with Ebsteins, a rare cardiac condition.
She’s had more nights in hospital than at home and Gavin has been home with the boys while running the farm and travelling to see Rosie and Olive in Wairau, Nelson and Starship hospitals.
On March 26, the first day of the nationwide lockdown, Gavin died on their Marlborough farm.
Supporting Rosie remotely during this time is tough so her farming friends have started a Give-A-Little page at givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-rosie-and-her-family-during-this-tragic-time.
