He and his family are still dealing with the aftermath of the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake.
“It was a reasonable challenge all right. A couple of houses got fairly damaged and one is still being repaired.
“The dairy shed came off its platform as well but it took only a day to get back on. We had no power so we were all eating dinner together, milking all the cows through one shed.
“That was the coolest thing about the quake, how everyone just pulled together and looked after each other,” he said.
Rutherford’s career mirrors the way the industry has changed in recent years.
“This farm used to be a reasonable sheep and beef farm but the flats were hardly farmed because they were so dry. Being able to irrigate changed all that. It’s been a huge transformation.
“I was born and raised here when we were sheep and beef then in my early twenties we started converting to dairy.
“I went away, did a few years shepherding, went overseas and when I came back we were right into dairy. My role is mainly management oversight, filling in the gaps and doing the jobs that others can’t get to because they’re too busy.”
The main challenges for the operation are climate-related with water restrictions and drought but Rutherford’s using farm systems to minimise pressure on staff.
“We make sure our farm managers always have a lever to pull in terms of buying feed or destocking. There’s always a way out for them so they don’t get stressed.”
Rutherford’s a keen supporter of Farmstrong and has created a workplace culture where people’s wellbeing is at the forefront of the way the whole business runs.
“Day-to-day dairy farming can get pretty mundane so you need to create a good team culture.
“I’m lucky. I’ve got managers with good people skills who look after staff and create a decent culture. I don’t want junior staff coming to me not happy.
“Farming can also get stressful at times and the pressures are different for everyone. If there’s a drought, for example, the farm owner and the farm manager will be getting stressed out but if it’s a wet winter it’s the junior staff that get stressed cos they’re out in the mud every day. It’s about being aware of things like that.”
Rutherford recognises breaks and time off are essential to keep people fresh and on top of their game.
“We’re lucky because we’re large enough to have a decent staff roster so people can get their breaks. But it’s also about running an efficient farming system so people aren’t out there working all hours of the day.”
Staff also get a chance to unwind.
“We always have drinks on a Friday night and encourage people to get off farm and play sport. We don’t see it as downtime. We encourage these guys to get out there and have other interests. We also encourage staff from overseas to get off the farm and go for a look round the area.
“Being a good boss is just about treating people as you’d want to be treated yourself. Work hard but keep the hours reasonable. Make people feel valued and celebrate milestones along the way. For example, we have a staff dinner after we finish calving.”
There’s an important safety angle too.
“ACC have got stats on the number of injuries that happen when people are tired and stressed out. It’s definitely unsafe for people to be operating gear when they are fatigued. We monitor our staff closely to see what tasks they can perform and how tired they are.”
Being the boss comes with its own stresses, too. Rutherford has learnt to recognise the signs and take action.
“If I notice myself getting a bit short with my family that’s when I know I need to get running or biking. I like training for adventure races and keeping fit. At the moment I’m training for the GODzone (three to four day race across wilderness). That’s the biggest race I’ve done.”
Rutherford uses an advisory board to share the load of managing the business.
“We have a couple of guys on it who are good mentors. I can bounce ideas off them and if anything is worrying me we catch up four times a year and sort it out. A problem shared is a problem halved, as they say.”
Staying connected with mates is another priority.
“I was playing rugby up until this year so that was a way of getting out the house and socialising. That stuff’s important because it also gives you a chance to check how others are doing. If you see people struggling – mates that aren’t quite themselves or not engaging – you help them out if they’re busy or ring them more often to check they’re going okay.”
Rutherford admits it can be hard to completely switch off farming but he still schedules a couple of decent breaks each year with his family.
“When the river’s low and we’re on water restrictions, that’s when I might still worry when I’m away because you’ve got to be managing it each day. It might take two or three days but, yeah, I can still switch off. Taking breaks is critical for recharging your batteries so you can start thinking straight again.”
Rutherford recently hosted Farmstrong ambassador Sam Whitelock for a day.
It gave him a real insight into the link between wellbeing and performance in both sport and business.
“It was a good day. He’s a great ambassador. What you see is what you get. It was an eye-opener for me about how much top athletes look after themselves to operate at peak levels. For example, I remember him talking about how important sleep is.
“I think rural people are starting to open up a bit more and realise this stuff is important, that you do have to look after yourself and your staff because if you don’t, you won’t enjoy farming as much, your business isn’t going to thrive and people won’t want to work for you.
“The main thing is to surround yourself with good people. Create a positive team. If you look after your staff, they’ll look after you.”
