When you leave your warm bed in the morning you never know what the day will bring. No matter where or who you are, how well formulated your plans are, what the forecast is for the weather or moods , or how high you are up the scale of work or education you can never know at the start of your day what will happen in the hours ahead. We really all understand this reality but sometimes it does become very life alteringly real.
The South Island Dog Trial championships have just been held. Jock and 2 of his mates travelled way down to near Balclutha. Between them they had 9 dogs, reasonable hopes for a good run, modest aspirations for a trophy haul and plenty of anticipation for an enjoyable, entertaining week catching up with friends from around New Zealand, yarning, eating, watching dogs competing on the four courses, and talking dogs and nonsense. All good fun and, while it is sort of a busman's holiday for farmers, it is a much looked forward to event in the calendar for those who gain enough points to qualify their dog.
3 wives in 3 homes kissed husbands goodbye and wished them luck and safe travels.But sadly only 2 of these guys came home and one family is now grieving for a loved and loving husband, Dad and Grandad. Garry suffered an acute, massive heart attack while walking to the straight hunt course. Those near did CPR, the ambulance arrived, defibrillation was attempted but tragically Garry didn't return home with his mates. Everything was promptly, efficiently and expertly done that could possibly be done to revive him. There is some comfort and consolation in knowing that those on the scene knew what to do and had the confidence to get on and do it. Garry was a casualty of a severe heart attack but if the people near him when he collapsed had not had the training and skills to respond quickly and appropriately there would have been more casualties. People wounded by witnessing an incident and being helpless, futile and inadequate. That would have caused severe attacks of regrets, injuries from traumatic beating up of oneself and much chronic suffering of "if only-itis".
Jock has requested that I write these words on this sensitive, intense and sad topic to bring awareness of the essential need to be prepared for unexpected events like this. If some good can come from Garry's death then may it be that people get around to completing a first aid course and gain training and knowledge required to help effectively in an emergency situation. This is especially important for those of us who live, work and hang out in places not close to emergency services. 111 calls bring excellent expertise and experience but although professional help may be on the way, sometime it is too far away.People on the spot must provide that vital first attention, reassurance and maybe resuscitation. If one person knows what to do that's great but if everyone involved knows how to react that is even better. I take this opportunity to encourage you to enrol in a course. Make it happen, take part and don't just think or talk about it. You don't want to be the one with the regrets if you are faced with an accident and are incompetent. Better still train up to serve your community as an ambulance or Fire service volunteer.
One of the best things I did was join our local Collingwood Fire Brigade for some years, until shifting to Kaihoka after we married and living too far from the station. I learnt much about managing myself in stressful situations and operating in a team, as well as fundamental first response skills. A veterinary degree is a useful start in medical incidents but I keep my first aid certificate current in order to treat and give confidence to human patients if called on. I don't wish to have any emergencies to deal with and I definitely don't want to have regrets to deal with.
Our love and thoughts are with Garry's family as their lives go on without him. Our gratitude to the volunteers from "Victim Support" organisation who provide wonderful help to people who have been involved in traumatic events.
Every day we are around family, friends, people we work or go to school with, visitors to the farm, and strangers we meet. None of us will ever know what our day will hold, nor are we meant to. But we need to know that we are prepared to deal with whatever the day does bring before we hop into a warm bed to sleep ready for the next day.
Humour is a generous gift and I value the saying "a merry heart does good like a medicine". Over the years I have taken some healthy doses of Wal with hook nose , gruff manners; Gentle Cooch caring for animals; Crusty old Aunt Dolly besotted with her befuddled corgi, Prince Charles; Pew the orphaned magpie searching for a home, and a whole menagerie of clever, unforgettable, funny creatures including the most memorable mutt with no other known name than "Dog". Looking at those cartoon strips I recognise ourselves, our animals, our quirks and our mistakes and can laugh at them. Murray Ball had a tremendous talent for drawing, an ingenious imagination, and above all a very astute eye and ear for portraying real rural people and events.Sadly Murray died recently and I give tribute to him and his amazing gift.The creator is no longer but his creations will live on in Footrot Flats for the pleasure of generations of readers to come. The chuckles , smiles and enjoyment from perusing those well-known books have lifted spirits for many years. Our home accumulated the whole collection when I was growing up. Annually another "Best of Footrot Flats" was released just before Christmas making great presents and will be on many shelves around the country.
Our books are well worn and falling apart so pages are pasted on our toilet walls for enjoyment of occupants therein. I loved the humour, I still do and enjoy seeing our children laughing at the jokes and sharing their favourites. Some of these Footflats folk starred on a float in the Golden Bay Christmas parade a few years ago. Cheeky Hobson looking luscious in a blond wig and high heels;Cooch mooched around in his distinctive hat; Dog was one of Jock's huntaways surprised to be amongst the action; my Mum was a friendly smiling version of Aunt Dolly; Rangi threw his rugby ball to spectators along the street and it all seemed such a good idea till I realised that, even disguised with a black curly wig, Cousin Cath dishing out lollies was still recognisable as me.
From the regular popular strip in newspapers, Dog and his friends appeared on pages of books before graduating to "Footrot Flats, The movie" accompanied by Dave Dobbyns' soundtrack. Then they all hit the stage together in the "Footrot Flats Show". I have vivid memories of the first time I saw this wonderful production. It was in Queenstown when I was guiding on the beautiful Routeburn Track for a season. Another guide and I were lucky enough to be in town when the show was on. Both being off farms and Footrot Flats fans we were keen to go along for a good laugh. There were all the familiar faces and recognisable characters performing on stage. Fun to see the black singlets and gumboots, enjoy the dilemma's of Jess the bitch on heat, hear the neighbourly banter between Wal and Cooch and the down to earth jokes. The old ewes were particularly funny as they maa-rched round the pen in woolly splendour with strings of big wooden beads attached to their rear ends. These hit each other as the sheep moved making a distinctive "clacking". Cleverly crafted to sound just like dry dags rattling on the backside of a sheep. Wal tipped each "ewe" up, dragged her out on to the board, snipped these offending "beads" off and chucked them in the wooden box. We laughed remembering dagging ewes on our home farms and filling a wooden dag box just like that one. But, being Queenstown, in a theatre full of tourists we were the only ones who understood the jokes.That tickled us to more hilarity as all the foreign faces peered at us curiously in the darkness.
Dog, Horse the feisty cat, Dolores the super sow and the cast of Flats farm are kiwi characters created by a cartoonist who knew his subject. As kiwis we don't always appreciate someone making fun of us from the "outside" but if someone feels like one of us we can take the joke and laugh at ourselves. I'm grateful for Footrot Flats, an easily swallowed pick-me-up especially in rural families. Murray Ball had that talent and familiarity to be on our side, and from there he touched on some tricky subjects like the Springbok Tour protests, conservation issues, floods, droughts and relationship stuff. Humour like this is very effective at communicating politics, protests and opinions as well as daily life. How good it would be now to have another artist with the same skill to raise current topics, confront sensitive issues and present causes without offending and defending.
This ability to bring humour and relieve aches is a much needed gift.
None of us chose where we were born or which family we were delivered in to. I'm very blessed with wonderful parent and reared on a farm up a valley north of Gisborne. My happy, stimulating childhood was varied and colourful except for learning about right and wrong, that was back and white. Our home had no TV, but plenty of books, routines, chores, homework, good habits and a healthy sense of fairness. Mum and Dad were both people of high integrity who valued honesty and justice and taught us to treat our neighbours as we would like to be treated. Those solid standards were set for us to live up to and I hope to pass them on to the next generation for our children's benefit.
Consequently I am conscious of fairness and won't be the only who has noticed with increasing alarm the put downs, insults and the unjust tactics we witness on TV screens every day. It's meant to pass as entertainment, or debate, or news, and occasionally as documentary. Recently the programme, "The Price of Milk", was heavily promoted proudly touting to be giving the farmers side of the story. Funded by New Zealand On Air a documentary talking to real farmers about real issues to balance all the negativity smeared around sounded worth watching. That Sunday night I didn't see the programme so Jock recorded it. He warned me that it would make me angry if I watched it. He was right. How frustrating that an opportunity to truly give the farmers side was abused. How disappointing that instead of building understanding this deepened divisions. How annoying that the farmer was portrayed as being the "quintessential kiwi cocky" but many practices shown are not typical in today's dairy industry. Above all it seriously upset me to see the unfeeling manner the interviewer used in his subtle questioning. He unfairly mistreated the goodwill of a media-naive couple who innocently hosted him and his TV crew in their home, farm and lives. In trying to lighten the load that dairy farmers carry of their "serious PR image" this guy could now be burdened with regrets. If he wasn't feeling depressed before this stressful experience he could well be now. I hope he has good support from friends, family, neighbours and Rural Trust.
The message of the documentary was that dairy farmers are not acting responsibly. The irony is that the journalism was biased and not particularly responsible. To add insult to injury "The Price of Milk" price tag is publicly funded through NZ On Air so farmers contributed to production costs.
I don't deny that a percentage of farmers need to improve skills and attitudes. Just as in any job or profession, including journalism, there are top performers, average and those who could do better. Skinny cows, hip lifters and deep mud are unacceptable but neither are lightweight researching, put down reporting and shallow presentations . From our experience with an episode of Country Calendar we know that hours of filming are edited out. "The Price of Milk " didn't screen footage taken of good practices, like supplementary feeding, so unjustly created an un balanced bad impression. 2 farms were compared but not on a level field. One operation had off-farm income from the builder husband so cows were almost lifestyle and not main income. One farm was filmed in a wet winter, the other months later in spring abundance. I am not condoning bad practice among farmers, but I do challenge bad practice among TV presenters and other influential media personnel.
So recovering from initial explosions of disappointment after viewing this controversial programme and indignation at the injustice, I now face a choice. Either to be cynical and assume the presenters were working to an agenda and unfairly set the farmers up to reinforce preconceived labels. This confirms the quote from the documentary that "the media shows negative stuff". Or I can be more charitable and consider maybe there's a lack of understanding from the TV team.Perhaps they didn't know farming well enough to realise the difference between good and bad performance, or winter and summer management. So a wonderful opportunity exists for education to close gaps in knowledge, improve understanding and rekindle respect for farmers and farming.
For justice to prevail NZ On Air could produce another documentary, or better still a series, covering the seasons of work and life on differing farms. Showcase some of the positive productive operations in districts all over our beautiful country. Find the many good news stories to be told of progress in management of herds, pasture, effluent, environment and efficiency.Town and country are neighbours to be treated as we want to be treated ourselves.A good title..... "The Values Of Milk".
Sticks and stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you is a terrible lie.Names and labels are severely damaging.
Most of us have unfortunately experienced this bullying somehow, somewhere. Intimidation isn't just on playgrounds and "grown ups" persecute and hurt others, usually those in a weaker position. Bullying behaviours have 3 participants....the bully, the bullied and the bystander.Bully may think control is theirs but most power lies with the bystander who takes action. Helpful advice from a school pamphlet gives 3 useful steps for bystanders. Firstly, confidently address the bully, by name if you know it. Secondly state the offensive behaviour and thirdly, clearly explain what should be happening. For example "Billy Bully, pushing in front like that is queue jumping, please can you go to the back of the line and wait your turn". It is so hard for someone being bullied to handle it themselves, but one bystander with the courage to speak up creates the opportunity for others to back them up.
I can't be the only sensitive one who has noticed, and become increasingly alarmed by the put downs, insults and the bullying tactics we witness on TV screens every day. It's meant to pass as entertainment, or debate, or news, and occasionally as documentary. Recently the programme, "The Price of Milk", was heavily promoted proudly touting to be giving the farmers side of the story. Funded by New Zealand On Air a documentary talking to real farmers about real issues to balance all the negativity smeared around sounded worth watching. That Sunday night I didn't see the programme so Jock recorded it. He warned me that it would make me angry if I watched it. He was right. How frustrating that an opportunity to truly give the farmers side was abused. How disappointing that instead of building understanding this has deepened divisions. How annoying that the farmer, no doubt carefully and callously selected, was portrayed as being the "quintessential kiwi cocky" but many practices shown are not typical in today's dairy industry. Above all I am seriously upset at the unfeeling cavalier manner the interviewer used. In trying to lighten the load dairy farmers carry of their "serious PR image" this guy will now be heavily burdened with disapproval from neighbours and fellow farmers, knowledge that preconceived messages have been supported and huge regrets that he trusted this presenter.Humiliating someone in a weaker position by superficially posturing to be on the farmer's side is unacceptable bullying behaviour.
The journalist in this documentary set out to show a dairy farmer not behaving in a responsible way. This implied that all farmers are not acting responsibly. The glaringly gross irony is that the professional communicator was himself the one not acting in a responsible way. With a subtly underhand agenda he abused the goodwill of a media-naive couple who innocently hosted him and his TV crew in their home and lives.These people were set up with no consideration of the hurt caused. It created a situation like an older student pretending to be buddies with a younger less savvy kid walking around school without telling him that his fly is undone so he can delight in the others discomfit. Instead of fresh insight the documentary seemed intent on reinforcing stereotypes and did that by using very dirty journalism. To add insult to injury "The Price of Milk" comes with with a price tag and being publicly funded through NZ On Air farmers actually contributed to production costs.
I don't deny that a percentage of farmers need to improve skills and attitudes. Just as in any job or profession, including journalism, there are top performers, average and those who could do better. Skinny cows, hip lifters and deep mud are unacceptable but neither are lightweight researching, put down reporting and shallow biased presentations. Footage taken of good practices was left out,2 farms were compared but one operation had off-farm income from the builder husband.One farm was filmed in wet winter, the other months later in spring abundance. I am not condoning bad practice among farmers, but I do challenge bad practice among TV presenters and other influential media personnel.
So as one of many bystanders who witnessed this shocking case of bully behaviour I will take that 3 step advice mentioned above "Cameron Bennett and the Sunday team, you have allowed your preconceived opinions to over ride the truth. You have chosen a non-representative operator and treated him carelessly with little consideration of the effect on him of screening this show. Please can you show more professionalism and integrity in how you approach a subject, and exercise more respect and humanity in how you treat people who do agree to be interviewed. Thank you ".
A few dozen women in a country hall is the setting for a very good- news story. Last weekend I was one of those women in a stimulating group sharing strong sense of community though we live far apart, often in isolated areas.Thousands of women just like us quietly working with dedication to enhance social, economic, cultural and environmental prosperity of regions, especially rural ones. After 92 years of service to many diverse people the members of this wonderful organisation are still diligently promoting strong, vibrant and healthy communities today.
This "community" I whose story am proud to be a small part of is Rural Women New Zealand. This organisation, started in 1925, was called Women's Division of Farmer's Union , then became Women's Division of Federated Farmers and in 1999 was renamed Rural Women to clarify that all women were welcome, not just 'farmers " or "farmers wives".There are now about 3000 members in 300 branches New Zealand wide. Most are based in rural communities, some are in cities, and men and corporate members are also welcomed.
On a local level members support each other and the monthly meetings are a social gathering.Friendship is important to us, often living isolated, in rural areas, .We value time with other women, especially during seasons with low pay-outs, drought and other difficult times in rural communities. With a strong spirit of community RWNZ plays a vital role in social networking and supports families through floods, fires, earthquakes and times of family crisis.During the Christchurch earthquake RWNZ members provided food for the "Farmy Army" and helped with clean up.They also produced distinctive red and black woollen socks called "Aftershock" which provided employment when many had lost work and raised a lot of money for Canterbury recovery.
On a national level RWNZ has an office in Wellington and advocate on issues concerning rural communities. Topics like school bus services, rural education, broadband coverage, medical services, impact of tourism. There is a national conference every year where remits are presented and participants socialise , hear speakers and participate in workshops.
On an international level RWNZ is affiliated with Association Of Country Women Worldwide (ACWW) so support for women and rural communities goes beyond New Zealand to others less well off than ourselves.
Over the years RWNZ members have raised thousands of dollars for various causes. A big focus has been on the disease Leptospirosis and money has been spent to research and develop a vaccine significant in reducing debilitating infections in farming people. Prostate cancer research has been a recent recipient of fundraising.
Our small branch in Pakawau, Golden Bay donate to various causes including health services and St John's, funding students to Spirit of New Zealand or Outward Bound, as well as money overseas for leprosy research, Fred Hollows eye clinics and water tanks in the Pacific.
In early years RWNZ started a home-help organisation to support women in isolated places who needed assistance due to illness or accident. This became Access Homehealth, one of the biggest providers of in home care for families in NZ.
Annually RWNZ organise Enterprising Rural Women Awards which encourages and celebrates achievements of a huge range of rural based businesses like cheese makers, walking tours, accommodation, nurseries, harness makers and safety services.
Because of the well known reputation of great cooks among membership , RWNZ have published 3 cookbooks with recipes collected from around the country. Good fundraisers and a great way to share valuable tried recipes.
Every year leadership courses are provided in Wellington for training , experience and building confidence for women to become leaders in our communities.
RWNZ was recognised with well deserved award in the New Zealander of the Year Community section. When I wrote the nomination I asked the good ladies of our Pakawau branch for some words expressing what they valued about our organisation .." Rural Women give a hand in the community in time of need", "...is a voice for rural communities"," ...has the confidence of government to advocate for rural people",'.....are a group of caring and sharing women there for others",'.....has given me as a new member the valuable benefit of experience and wisdom of being part of a group of women supporting each other", "....is somewhere to have a good laugh and get things done"
They have been active in supporting and bringing rural communities together for 90 years and will be industriously working together to strengthen communities for generations to come. At the conference last week we shared food, fun , and fellowship,listened to interesting speakers and donated nearly $4,000 to our Rescue Helicopter Trust.Next week the story continues and more women will gather in country halls.Our branch for regular monthly meeting and a provincial gathering for harvest celebration It is a really good news story and I am happy to play my part in the life of this wonderful group of energetic, generous women..
kaihokablablabla@xtrablablabla.co.nz
© Kaihoka Farmstay
