AUCKLAND/HAURAKI | SHARE FARMER OF THE YEAR
Taking dairying to town WORDS BY SHERYL HAITANA PHOTOS BY EMMA MCCARTHY
R
achael Foy took it upon herself to take two calves into a Huntly primary school and preschool last year to give children the experience of feeding and patting calves. Her Huntaway, Bear, went along for the trip, and they visited the neighbouring retirement home as well. “It was really cool, these kids don’t get the opportunity to see calves, let alone bottle feed them. I really enjoyed being able to give them that experience, and the elderly people really loved seeing the animals. “It’s great to be able to demonstrate the dairy industry in a positive light.” She would like to continue to be more involved with the wider dairy industry and community in the future through educating and showcasing dairy farming to 38
school students and the public. “I wish I could change the New Zealand public perception of the dairy industry and farmers and help them to understand how important dairying is for New Zealand.” Getting out amongst the community to showcase dairy calves is just one of the things Rachael seems to find time for on top of her 750-cow contract milking job at Ohinewai, Huntly. The 29-year-old is president of the Ohinewai Netball Club, coaches a junior netball team, as well as playing senior netball herself. She is a Waikato A&P Calf Judge, a calf judge convenor and historically has been heavily involved in the North Waikato Young Farmers Club. Her community involvement was reflected in winning the Federated Farmers Leadership Award at the 2021 Auckland/ Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards. Rachael was named 2021 Auckland/ Hauraki Share Farmer of the Year and
picked up four of the eight merit awards. She also won the LIC Recording & Productivity Award, Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award, and Westpac Business Performance Award.
GRASS-BASED AND LOW-INPUT It is her second year contract milking 750 cows for Malcolm and Eileen Lumsden and Roger and Roanne Lumsden at Huntly. The Ohinewai farm is a spring calving System 2 operation which is focused toward profitable production rather than maximum production, Rachael says. “A grass-based and low-input farm allows sustainability of the system regardless of the milk price and minimises environmental impact.” The 427ha farm includes a 300ha milking platform and the rest is used as a runoff for young stock. Rachael helps oversee the young stock with the farm owners.
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | April 2021
