However, growing up in a rural environment instilled a love of the land so after a few years of working in the family business he made the decision to switch to dairying and says it was something he had always wanted to try.
He asked a relative if he knew of any dairy farm work and he told him he would give him a job in Invercargill. He made the move south where he is a farm hand on a 350-cow farm about a year ago and says he loves it.
Though they do get frosts in Tauranga they are not as severe and he had never seen frozen puddles until he moved south. He says they are a novelty and is always sending his family photos of the icy conditions.
He has enrolled in Primary ITO courses, recently completed the milk quality course and is studying level 3 animal husbandry.
His daily routine is work, eat, sleep and repeat so if he is not working and can get away from the farm he flies home to see his family who are his greatest motivation. He says they raised him to strive to do the best he can so he works hard to be the best at what he does.
1. What do you enjoy the most about farming and why? Worst thing?
On my current farm I love the work environment. We can laugh about things and give each other stick but most of all we all have each others’ backs. I like the variety of jobs on-farm and the fact there is something new to learn every day. The worst thing is the early morning starts. I don’t like getting up early.
2. What attracted you to farming?
I’m not going to lie but I was attracted to farming because riding motorbikes every day appealed. Then I heard what you could earn and how you could progress, which grabbed my attention.
3. What philosophy do you live by?
I’ve never really lived by any philosophy. I have had people in my life that weren’t good role models so didn’t want to be like them. If I was to choose then work hard, play hard.
4. Future goals
My goal is to work my way up through the industry one step at a time. First as 2IC then managing and contract milking and then we will see how things go.
5. If you weren’t farming what would you be doing? What would be your dream to do or dream job to do?
My dream job originally was to be an All Black but I realised I wasn’t that committed to rugby. Farming was my next choice. I have some experience as a carpenter and was steel fixing for a while. I have also done a stint in Australia as a barista and my family owns a kiwifruit business where I was the supervisor for a few years.
