"Sometimes we would take the gig. One day my brother, who was 13, was driving and the power people had left a kerosene tin on the side of the road, and the horse bolted.
"Another time we were going over the Mangatainoka bridge and the horse shied and took a piece out of the edge."
Chilblains were common.
"We had no rain gear like they do now, just soft coats that would be wet when we got to school, hung up there all day, and then we put them on wet and cold again to come home."
Although she did very well, and was encouraged by a teacher to carry on to high school after she had turned 13 and gained her proficiency, the farm called.
"I loved being on the farm and milking the cows."
When she was about 12 she started getting paid for helping out - the grand sum of two pounds, 12 shillings and sixpence a year.
Just before World War II broke out she got engaged to Ian McCulloch, known as "Scotty", who enlisted soon after and ended up spending four years away overseas.
Mrs McCulloch worked as a Land Girl until her husband returned and bought his father's farm in Norsewood, where the pair lived until about four years ago. They had three children, and now boast six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Sadly, after 70 years of marriage, Ian died not long after the move. Mrs McCulloch confesses to hankering for the farm still.
"I miss the animals and the space and being outside. It felt free."
It does not stop her from being busy though. She still has vegetable garden and so far this year has bottled an impressive 50-60 bottles of fruit.
Being active, drinking cream fresh from the cows, and eating fruit and vegetables grown on the property all laid the groundwork for her longevity, she said.
"We were always very well fed, we never starved. We had good times but we had very hard times as well."
