A farmer down south wants to change that and has formed an organisation to push the fibre and bring it back to prominence.
That type of thinking needs to be not only applauded but encouraged.
To the outsider, NZ farming can look quite one dimensional.
For more than a decade it’s been dairy that’s dominated our industry.
Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with turning grass into milk — it’s been the backbone of our national economy for most of that time.
But diversity is also good. It insulates the industry as a whole from the peaks and troughs of particular commodity prices.
It also puts the NZ brand on a wider range of products, something high-end producers around the world are more than happy to do.
Other farming systems once thought a bit out-there are also getting up a head of steam.
Sheep and goat milking are gaining more of a profile, with both farmers and consumers drawn to the high nutrition, low impact equation on offer.
But it’s not just farming that’s helping farmers make a buck.
Boutique farmstays, walking tracks and other tourist attractions are also giving another income stream to farmers here.
This type of business not only puts money in the back pocket, if done right, it also helps tell our rural stories.
If even a small percentage of the tourists who visit NZ each year take a look at a farm and see the landscape, imagine the reach we’ll get when they tell their stories back home.
These ventures don’t have to replace the more traditional practices of growing milk, meat, wool and fruit, though. who knows, for some they might.
But having a bob each way might work for a lot of farmers.
It also isn’t bad news that goats can keep the callies under control as well.
