Molesworth Station to host a Federated Farmers Farm Day

“Urban dwellers have the chance to visit one of New Zealand’s largest working farms after the announcement that Landcorp’s Molesworth Station will host a Federated Farmers Farm Day,” says Donald Aubrey, Federated Farmers high country spokesperson.

The first Federated Farmers Farm Day, to be held on Sunday, 1 March 2009, will take place at 27 different farms throughout New Zealand, including Molesworth Station near Hanmer Springs.

“It is great to have a farm like Molesworth Station on board for Federated Farmers Farm Day. This property covers an area about the size of Stewart Island, making it one of the most extraordinary working farms in the country.

“The station spans 182,000 hectares of mountains, rivers, wetlands, lakes and tussock grasslands. Cattle graze on about one third of the station and there will be Merino sheep on display during Federated Farmers Farm Day.

“We hope many families will visit Molesworth Station to see where their food and fibre comes from. What better place to discover this than on one of New Zealand’s most stunning and diverse farms,” Mr Aubrey concluded.

Not a sanitised farm experience, Federated Farmers Farm Day will feature a number of farming activities for parents and children to see, as well as an opportunity to walk around and view the station’s facilities. This week’s launch of www.farmday.org.nz will also enable people to find their way to the farm using embedded GoogleMaps.

This high country Farm Day will be hosted by Molesworth Station manager Jim Ward.

Molesworth Station is currently closed to the public due to high fire risk. As a result, members of the public must meet at the Hanmer Springs end of Jacks Pass Road at 9am on Sunday, 1 March. For those arriving from Awatere, please meet at the corner of Awatere Valley Road and State Highway 1 at 9am on Sunday, 1 March.

Vehicles will be escorted on to the farm from these locations. Please be on time because the farm gates will be locked after you pass.

Federated Farmers Farm Day (to date) will feature eleven dairy farms, one goat farm, eight sheep and beef farms, three arable (cropping) farms, two horticultural farms and two agricultural training centres.