From small North Island town, Te Awamutu, AJ grew up quite interested in farming; although her schoolteacher mum and builder dad weren’t directly involved in farming, they did live in the country.
“All my life I’ve lived rurally, amongst the dairy farms,” AJ says. She got stuck into the dairying lifestyle while still at school. “I had a weekend job on a dairy farm, and I rode my bike twenty kilometres there and back every day. I fell in love with dairy farming and milking the cows.”
AJ discovered Telford via her mum – a colleague’s grandson had gone there. “I went down to a taster camp, and it was a lot of fun. They fully showed what it was going to be like, and it was really enjoyable.”
AJ enrolled in the Certificate in Farming Systems and headed south to Telford with her eyes open. “I knew what I’d be learning. Telford definitely lived up to my expectations; I’ve learnt heaps.”
“The first thing I learnt was shearing [sheep]. It was one of my favourite weeks,” says AJ, explaining she’s only 5 foot 1. But that didn’t stop her from learning a good technique and achieving her goals. Other practical skills – butchery, fencing, and building a major project – also earned a mention. In classwork, there was health and safety, genetics, soils, pasture types and learning how to plate meter – measuring pasture height and cover.
“I was so happy last year I called my parents every night, I learned so much,” AJ says, however, she did face her biggest challenge early on at Telford. “Leaving home for the first time, I got a wee bit homesick... I’m quite a quiet person. I had to learn how to come out of my shell a bit more and socialise. I’ve become a bit chattier.”
AJ plays rugby (halfback) so getting pretty heavily involved with the local women’s team, Big River Country Rugby Club, provided fitness, friends and fun. “The girls said they’d be my family away from home, and they were. There are a
number of other farmers in the team I connected with; they had heaps of contacts.”
The “amazing” on-site hostel supervisors were also supportive. “I could have a chat with them, and they’d make me feel good again.”
And making a best friend gave AJ another level of support. “I met Tamsin at taster camp, we’re best mates,” she says, adding “Tamsin’s a bit older than me, she’s got a bit more knowledge and wisdom. She’s always there for me, whether I was homesick, or had a bad rugby game, or for assignments.”
Reflecting on her big highs from year one at Telford, AJ says it was all the ‘firsts’ she achieved which really stood out:
“With shearing, it’s very rewarding when you shear your first sheep by yourself. I first backed a trailer. My first build; I built a dog box for my truck. It was great to see it all set up on my truck for the first time. I learned how to weld and how to use pop rivets.”
AJ remembers her first work-ex (work experience) to her last: from learning how to drench and drive tractors, to working at Glenaray Station in Northern Southland. “The feedback I got was really great. Anything I felt needed done, I felt confident I could do it.”
And those connections made through Telford provided multiple benefits; AJ spent lots of time on a work-ex farm that offered holiday work and help with dog training. “She’s an amazing dog trainer and dog triallist. I was invited over for dog training at weekends, so that was pretty awesome.”
AJ acknowledges Telford has shaped her through all the people she has met. “[They’ve] really helped grow my confidence. I’m more confident with my skills … I’m more knowledgeable on tasks when I go onto farms.“
Taking home a haul of prizes at graduation was confirmation of AJ’s highly successful year: GM Moore Cup for Runner-up to the highest aggregate marks, DC and MR Kelly Cup for Practical Excellence Sheep, PM Packard Wool Trophy, Michael Preston Memorial Cup for Engineering and Welding, SA and RH Findlay Cup for Ideal Trainee and the Preston Hope Cup for Practical Fencing.
This year, AJ’s back at Telford to complete the DipAg (Massey Diploma in Agriculture) and she’s enjoying every moment. “Telford offered me an amazing
experience with sheep and beef and shepherding, so that’s the direction I’m heading in now.”
“‘I just love farming and shepherding so much I want more knowledge on it, so I can make smarter decisions in the future. I want to be the best I can be at farming.”
AJ plans to work on high-country stations such as Glenaray and Molesworth, or Alpha Burn Station (Wanaka) which she visited on work-ex. “I’ve seen a lot of the country through Telford placements – it’s been amazing.”
“I want to start off as a junior shepherd and work my way up; I want to end up as a manager of a high-country station.”
AJ encourages prospective Telford students to get 100% involved. “Show up to every class and to every opportunity they give you, and do it with a smile on your face, because it’s heaps of fun.”
“Telford has made me very happy. I wake up happy every day. Coming to Telford was the best decision I have made.”