Farmstrong

Speak up for yourself, others

Consistent performers know they can’t solve every challenge by themselves. That’s why seeking advice to help deal with the pressures that farming brings is important.

Farmstrong ambassador Sam it’s good for them to know that you are Whitelock comes from a farming there. background and plans to head “If they do want to talk, be openback to farming when he hangs minded, non-judgmental and listen. up his boots. He says rugby and farming You don’t need to have the answers, just are very similar in terms of the pressures listening can really help someone who is people face during peak season. feeling stressed.

“Sport has taught me that everyone “And if you’re leading a team, work needs support when things get some informal chats into the day. It could pressured, whether it’s catching up be a quick meeting at breakfast or after with mates at the local or chatting to morning milking. neighbours over the fence or by phone. “Ask how people are getting on, if they

“If you notice someone has dropped off need anything, share a joke or reflect on the radar, give them a ring or send them positives and challenges from the last a message of support,” he says. few days.

“If you think someone is having a “A few minutes talking like that makes tough time, don’t be afraid to ask how a big difference to people’s day.” they are. Even if they don’t want to talk, Here’s what other farmers have shared “Sport has taught me that everyone needs support when things get pressured, whether it’s catching up with mates at the local or chatting to neighbours over the fence or by phone.” Sam Whitelock

with Farmstrong about the importance of talking it out when you’re under the pump. n

Bex Howell and her partner Steve are 50:50 sharemilkers in Pahiatua.

“I often think that when you’re stressed you don’t think about the most obvious thing, and it only takes someone to say something before you think ‘oh, why didn’t I think of that?’” she says.

“In farming, a problem shared is definitely a problem halved.

“It’s tempting to just put your head down a bit more and work, but if you haven’t heard from a friend for a while, then give them a ring and have a yarn.”

Whitelock sums it up saying, “There will always be times when things get us down and it’s normal for this to happen. But what I’ve found is many of those around us have been through similar challenges and are more than willing to help. Asking for and receiving help will get you back on top of things sooner.”

Start a conversation

Kane Brisco is into his seventh year 50:50 sharemilking at Ohangai near Hawera, in South Taranaki. He’s started his own social media page to get farmers talking.

“One of the things I’ve noticed with farmers under pressure is that they withdraw into themselves. I’ve done it myself. So, I think that as a farming community we need to be much more open to discussing the pressures we’re dealing with,” he says.

“That’s why I started my own social media page Farm Fit NZ. I want to start that conversation among farmers.

“Since then, I’ve had people messaging me and telling me how they are and what their challenges are because they feel comfortable to do that with someone who is putting himself out there. It’s helping more people in our local community to start those convos that are a bit harder to have.

“I reckon there’s a 100% correlation between doing these things and how well you perform on-farm.

“It’s black-and-white to me. It’s part of becoming a better farmer. Let’s talk about this stuff.”

A banter over a beer

Paul and Pip Walker run a 300-cow, 90-hectare dairy farm in Pongakawa, just south of Te Puke, Bay of Plenty.

Two years ago Paul formed Benaud’s Backyard Bumpkins (after legendary cricketer Richie Benaud), a social cricket team comprised of local farmers and growers.

Every summer, spanning over 16 weeks, they get together once a week to “recharge their batteries,” get some exercise and, more importantly, have a “banter over a beer.”

“I find talking to others really helps relieve stress. When you live where you work, you definitely need an excuse to get away,” he says.

“It might be just one night a week, but the cricket makes you get off the farm and allows you to let off steam with other guys who can relate to your situation.

“They’re doing long hours like me. They know how stressful farming can be. They get it.”

Under the pump? For tips and ideas, visit farmstrong.co.nz

Tales from the farm

By Ross Nolly

A retired Taranaki veterinarian has been entertaining farmers with her latest book full of her adventures while working as a vet, as well as offering practical advice and information.

Taranaki veterinarian Cathy Thompson has always enjoyed teaching. After retiring in 2017 she wrote her first book, the Practical Guide for Cattle Veterinarians. The book took two years to write and another year to finish, design and publish.

Although written for the vet industry, the book’s emphasis on practicality came to be greatly appreciated by farmers. This inspired her to completely rewrite the book and create a book specifically designed for farmers.

The resulting Veterinary Book for Cattle Farmers took a year to write. The hard cover, 365-page book features more than 800 colour photographs and has been sponsored and sold by Shoof Direct.

Shoof Direct have put a tongue-incheek warning in their website book description. “WARNING: This is the real world of veterinary procedures. Definitely not suitable material for children or townies. Not suitable for the coffee table, but essential for the real dairy or beef farmer to have on hand,” its website states.

A warning like that for a book guarantees that it’s going to be the real deal. The new book is also more first aidoriented.

“I showed the vet book to many farmers and they all wanted one. It wasn’t really intended for farmers, so I thought I’d better get stuck in and write one specifically designed for them,” Cathy says.

She initially thought that she would only need to change a few words and photos, but actually needed to rewrite the entire book. She wrote it in “farmer language” to make it more farmerfriendly, understandable, relatable and applicable to their needs.

“You have to know what’s normal before you realise something is abnormal,” she says.

“I couldn’t make the book too simple because most farmers are very wellschooled on animal health issues and want to know why you do things, not just what to do.”

Modern farmers can perform a wide range of health-related treatments such as calving.

“Years ago, if you had a 100-cow herd a farmer might only have one calving to attend to if they were unlucky, and consequently didn’t get the practice. Now, with larger herds and more staff, you often find that one worker will be better at performing calving, whereas another might be good at finding veins, so they tend to specialise,” she says.

Her book is not just a “how-to,” its practical information is interspersed Taranaki retired vet Cathy Thompson with the book she wrote specifically for farmers, which is full of cattle health

information and advice. with stories from her own on-farm experiences.

“Farmers love stories. They know what

Over the years, Cathy has amassed a large collection of bones, skulls and preserved specimens in her garage as well as a range of preserved calves.

“I couldn’t make the book too simple because most farmers are very well-schooled on animal health issues and want to know why you do things, not just what to do.”

you do on their farm, but don’t realise the things you get up to on other farms. Especially some of the strange things you end up doing like climbing down cliffs and wells, and being chased by cows,’ she says.

“When I was working as a vet I’d Cathy who recently retired, was a large animal vet in Taranaki for more than 30 sometimes be at a property for quite years. some time and you usually end up telling stories of the jobs and the situations you’ve encountered. The farmers always to ensure there have been no recent demonstrating the good and bad seemed fascinated, so I thought they’d changes. mastitis farms. Farmers can use those probably enjoy reading about some of “I haven’t included subjects like graphs to determine where their farm the weird and wonderful experiences I’ve treatments for non-cycling cows because sits.” had on farms.” medical advances change quickly and She has enjoyed writing the books

She feels that the stories help make clinics advocate a variety of programmes which are aimed towards helping the books relatable. Many vets told her and products. I focused more on diseases farmers learn more about what they’re that they went through her first vet book and first aid,” she says. doing on the farm, how to do it, and look and read the stories first. “Many farmers don’t know where for things that need attention sooner

Animal welfare codes have been their farm sits in relation to mastitis. rather than later. included in the book, but she has Cell counts don’t tend to be a subject Both books were self-published. She included a disclaimer that farmers that farmers discuss freely between gathered quotes from printers and should check with their vet practice themselves so I’ve included graphs organised a graphic designer who in her words, “Made it go from a Word document to a proper book.” The cow and the well She spent countless hours trying to source sponsorship for the vet book and eventually Boehringer Ingelheim signed

One of Cathy’s most memorable “On the fourth attempt she had her on. It was distributed and sold through experiences happened during feet over the edge and was nearly out the NZ Veterinary Association. her second year out of vet school when the rope frayed on the concrete, “We haven’t had a great deal of when a farmer rang and casually and down she went again. feedback about the farmer book because mentioned he had a Jersey cow stuck “So down I went too, but this time the launch was affected by covid. approximately 4.5 metres down a well. with a wire rope they’d found, and we However, I did hear back from the clinic

“When I arrived the farmer had a finally got her out. the other day that a lady bought a copy couple of tractors, some rope and was “Just as I was wondering what for her husband for Father’s Day. She had ready for action,” she says. I needed to do for a cow that had bought it because she wanted it, and

“They didn’t know how to tie a rope been down a well for half an hour, Father’s Day was just an excuse.” Cathy to the cow without strangling it, and I she wandered over to the hedge and says. decided the chances of teaching them started eating. “She came back a few days later and how to tie a bowline were zero, so they “I became quite famous for getting the staff asked her whether she liked the lowered me down the well.” her out” book. She replied ‘I haven’t read it yet, my

“I tied the rope around the splashing “I really enjoy that type of job, it’s husband and father are still reading it’. cow and they lifted me out of the stressful but fun, because you have to “I thought that was pretty good well. As they started lifting her out make it up as you go along. feedback, knowing how knowledgeable the rope broke and she dropped to “The farmer usually asks ‘How are those particular farmers are” the bottom. So they lowered me back you going to do this?’ and I usually The covid-19 lockdowns may have been down again. This happened three reply ‘I don’t know, but we’ll figure it a marketing nightmare, but the book will times. out’.” retain its informative value throughout the years. n